Disembarking, Lava Pouring, and Reykjavík Exploring

Farewell, Scenic Eclipse

Our final morning aboard Scenic Eclipse had arrived—time to say goodbye to our floating home. We had to be off the ship by 10am, so we were up around 7am to finish packing the last of our things. Our luggage, which we'd left outside our suite the night before, was already waiting for us down on the dock.

We headed down for one last breakfast onboard. Only six guests were staying on for the next sailing—it definitely felt like the end of an era for most of us.

After breakfast, we chilled in the lounge for a while, waiting to disembark. We bumped into the couple from our deck—the same ones we’d sat with at both the Chef’s Table and Captain’s Table dinners. None of us could quite figure out how we’d managed to score invites to both, but we all agreed it had been a pretty sweet run.

Eventually, it was time to leave. 

We swiped out for the last time, walked down the gangway, and were greeted by Icelandic immigration officers stationed right outside. Passports stamped, we grabbed our four bags and strolled the short five-minute walk to our hotel. The room wasn’t ready yet, but the staff happily stored our luggage.

Reykjavík Wanders & Familiar Faces

Wandering around, we heard the iconic sound of the Scenic Eclipse helicopter preparing to take off. We waited, watching patiently, for it to take off and fly away. One of our last sights of the boat we had called home.

With some time to spare, we headed back down to the harbour and decided to jump on the Reykjavík hop-on hop-off bus to get our bearings. As we climbed to the top deck, we had a surprise reunion—there were the Kiwi couple from the ship! None of us could believe we’d crossed paths again so soon. Small world… or maybe just a small capital city.

We stayed aboard for the full loop of the tour, about an hour and a half, getting a great overview of the city’s quirky mix of colourful houses, street art, and stark concrete landmarks.

Fire & Ice: The Lava Show

After the bus, we made our way to one of Reykjavík’s most unusual attractions—The Lava Show. This was seriously cool (or rather, hot). They actually melt volcanic rock to over 1,100°C and pour it out right in front of the audience. You could feel the heat from metres away—like standing next to a bonfire, but far more dramatic.

The host kept it entertaining while explaining Iceland’s explosive volcanic history and how eruptions have shaped the island and its people over the centuries. The scientific demonstrations were just as fascinating as the stories.

The best part? Watching molten lava slowly flow across the display, hissing and steaming as it cooled—then seeing them pour it over blocks of ice, triggering dramatic bursts of steam and crackling sounds. Definitely not something you see every day!

A Cosy Icelandic Finish

After the show, we wandered back down towards the harbour and found a little restaurant overlooking the water. Fish and chips were calling—crispy battered cod and chunky wedges, cooked to perfection, with a view of the boats bobbing in the marina. We finished with a slice of warm apple pie, which hit the spot.

Later that afternoon, we finally checked into our room and went for a quick supermarket run to grab some supplies for the next couple of days. Along the way we passed another set of couples from the ship doing their shopping for Dinner too. Dinner tonight was low-key—we heated up some lamb shanks, (called Lamb Skankar) although I completely forgot about the chips I’d planned to cook. Oops. You win some, you lose some.

Missing the waiters for a top up of wine red or white to suit the dinner, and not to mention the plates done miraculously disappear from the table after eating. Adjusting to post cruise life!!