Getting Icelandic Krona

ScarletBea

Smiley82 wrote: »

Oooh ScarletBea, can you post back the rate you receive once you return from your trip? I'm going in early March, and am keen to see what rates are coming through on the credit/debit cards.

Thanks!

Hi, I used my portuguese debit card (euros) to get krona at a cash point, but I did a purchase with my natwest credit card and the rate was 161 (after excluding the 2.75% on purchases). Seems normal, as I was expecting 165 but at the hotel people said 160.

Hi ScarlettBea
We want to go to Iceland in May.
Who have you booked with and do they do fly drives.
Thanks

We went with the short break deals of Icelandair (flight + hotel), amazing value.
It was only 3 days in Reykjavik but it was worth every single minute, and we want to go back to the rest of the country some other time.

Smiley82

Thanks so much for posting back, glad you had a wonderful trip!

We leave next Friday, cannot wait!

PolishBigSpender

I wouldn't be so sure that the Icelandic Kronur will soon be dead. The EU may attempt to make it very difficult for them to fully adopt the currency unilaterally unless they join the EU - and I very much doubt that they have the money at the minute to be able to buy enough Euro to exchange for Kronur.

ScarletBea

Smiley82 wrote: »

Thanks so much for posting back, glad you had a wonderful trip!

We leave next Friday, cannot wait!

I wish I was still there, hehe
How long are you going for? Do you already have excursions booked?

Smiley82

We're doing the same as you, an Iceland Air package for 3 nights. Arrive late Friday and then leave late Monday. It's a surprise for my Boyfriend's birthday and he has no idea!

We are spending Sunday on the Golden Circle tour with Iceland Excursions, then Monday at the Blue Lagoon (Airport Departure via Blue Lagoon option). We've got an inclusion for some hot outdoor spas in Reyjkavik (llangular or something?) so will do Reyjkavik city centra and that on the Saturday. I think that will keep us pretty busy.

Where did you stay? We upgraded to the Hilton Reyjkavik, it seems to have good reviews. Shame that the curency has strengthened so much....it was 190+ when I first started looking! Oh well

gillsnips

Hi:j I am going on the 4/3 dy trip to Iceland . I'm going on the 13 march have already booked my trips like you I'm doing the "circle round trip" but have also booked to go on Northern lights trip . Wondered if you have any tips.

ScarletBea

You should do the Golden Circle tour with Iceland Horizons: they're a smaller company with a minivan instead of a big bus and when we did it they took us to extra places and more stops than the normal big excursion companies. However it seems it's an advice too late.

I hope you get plenty of time at the Blue Lagoon. We spent about 3 hours there on saturday afternoon and it was the most relaxing time I had, I wish I was there now, hehe. If I had to keep looking at the clock to go to the airport it would be counterproductive.
Don't forget to lounge in the relaxing area on the first floor, we loved the chairs
Got the Netbus there, 5000 ISK including entrance. Going at 1.30pm, coming back on the 6pm bus.

The public pools (geothermal energy as well) are quite similar to the Blue Lagoon, so it seems a bit redundant to go to both.
All shops open only at 10am, and 11am on saturdays. Museums as well, so no point in waking up really early, hehe
Oh, the National Museum of Iceland is closed on mondays - we didn't manage to go there because we did the city saturday morning and monday.

Didn't do the Northern Lights, because we were meeting some friends that would take us on saturday, but it was too cloudy. Then kept wondering if we'd get them on sunday, but as we were arriving at the hotel the tour guy confirmed that they were cancelling again, clouds again.
Oh well, since we want to go back, maybe next time

We stayed at the Hotel Cabin, which is quite basic (small rooms!) but really comfy. Breakfasts are good too, and since we didn't stay there much, is fine.
The Hilton is a posh hotel hehe, but further away from the city centre. We had dinner once at the Pizza Hut which is right next door because our hotel was nearby and we were too tired to walk into town - must be one of the most expensive in europe, hehe, 1 garlic bread and 2 small cheap pizzas, 2 diet cokes, was around £35!

Gosh I sound like a travel brochure, sorry

Smiley82

Hey

Sorry, I got it wrong, we are with Iceland Horizons....not excursions. I've heard such good feedback about them so glad to hear you liked them as well. Also agree with you about the Blue Lagoon, but we are going to catch a bus that leaves town at 9am, then departs for the airport at 2:30pm, so I think we will have heaps of time....I definately don't want to be rushed!

I know that the public pools are similar, but we've got free entrance, and it's open til 9pm at night, so thought it might be good to go check it out after wandering around all day. It's near our hotel anyway so we'll see how we go. If we don't go, there's no drama, it was free anyway.....

Good tip about the museum, if we decide to go we'll make sure it's on the Saturday. Not sure about the Northern Lights tours, we are going to wait and see what the weather is like. We were lucky enough to see them in Finland over Xmas, so hope to see them again, but it's one of those things you can't predict!

As for hotels....I know the Hilton's a bit posh, but it's a surprise so I splurged. It wasn't too much more actually for our dates (about 30 each from memory....but no breakfast). I know it's not city centre, but with the day tour and the blue lagoon tour, we'll only be going into town on the Saturday, and they have a shuttle bus, so we'll be fine. Pizza Hut sounds pricey though....I'll avoid it I think!!

Thanks for your replies, very helpful!

nightsky224

I went to Iceland on the 7th Feb. Took mum for her 50th. It was fantastic!!!!!!!! We went on the Iceland air package. Stayed in the Hilton very nice hotel although we wern't keen on the resturant. Went to a cafe every morning for breakfast. WE SAW THE NORTHERN LIGHTS!!!!!! 1st night (8th) was too cloudy and saw nothing. 2nd night (9th) saw a fantastic display, out in the middle of knowhere, up to our shins in fresh snow, dressed like mitchilin man!!
Lovely contry well worth a visit

Renovatio

I just used Thomas Exchange Global.

Ordered the currency on Monday AM; sent bank transfer to them using Fast pay that day and emailed them a scan of my driving licence and BT bill.

Received the Icelandic Krona today, no problems at all.:beer:

Thanks to the OP for recommending them.