Iceland ProCruises Catalogue 2020

49 GOOD TO KNOW Ingjaldsholskirkja, Snaefellsnes penisula Iceland LAND AND ITS PEOPLE Iceland fascinates with diversity. There are not many places on earth where you can find black-sand beaches, erupting volcanoes, lumbering glaciers and thunder- ous waterfalls while at the same time swimming in hot springs, betting on when geysers will erupt, and hiking across barren rocky deserts or across regions with a fascinating diversity of moss, lichen and shrubs. The inhabited coast regions form the smallest part of the island. 11% of Iceland’s surface is covered by glaciers while 60% of the whole country is dominated by uninhabited highlands or deserts. These desolate regions can only be crossed by 4-wheel-drive vehicles during summer. The volcanic island offers lots of space for its inhabitants. Approx. 330.000 people live on 103.000 km² with two thirds of the population living in the capital area, located in the southwest. The peninsula Reykjanes is home to the international airport Keflavik, about 45 km from the capital. Iceland is also famous for its hospitality, which visitors can experience throughout the country. CLIMATE Although the warm Gulf Stream has a positive effect on the climate, you have to be ready for all kinds of weather. In summer temperatures vary around 12°- 15° C / 53-59° F, although they may rise up to 20°C / 68° F. Rain showers are always possible, even if they do not last long. Temperatures in winter are around +/- 5°C / 23-41° F; even though it can be very windy, it is not as cold as generally assumed. CURRENCY The currency used in Iceland is the Icelandic Krone (“krona” or ISK). The home- page of the Icelandic National Bank (www.cb.is ) informs about current exchange rates. All major credit cards like Master Card, Visa, JCB, Diners and American Express are widely accepted. Important: Most shops, restaurants and especially gas stations also request the PIN number of the credit card, to complete the payment. ATMs for cash withdrawals are available in larger towns and airports. LANGUAGE The official language is Icelandic. The roots of this old language go back to the era of Norwegian Vikings. English and Danish are nowadays very common as well. TIME DIFFERENCE Iceland belongs to the time zone of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time). Greenland LAND AND ITS PEOPLE Greenland, an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, is home to approximately 56,000 people and has impressive surface of 2,166,086 km². While the northern corner of the island is located only 730 km south of the North Pole, the South of Greenland lies on the same latitude as Oslo. With several climate zones Greenland offers both a diversity of scenery and a variety of wildlife. Majestic whales, musk oxen and sea eagles are only some examples of animal species which habitat in this region. During the summer, visitors encounter blankets of wildflowers which form a vibrant contrast to the icebergs floating in the nearby fjords and the massive inland ice cap. Over 1,000 years ago, Erik the Red decided to settle here and gave the unknown country its name. Today, many ruins recall the history of those early Norse settlers. The Disko Bay at the west coast is dominated by impressive icebergs in all kinds of different shapes and colors. This ever-changing display is a result of large pieces of ice “calving” (breaking off) from the outer edge of Sermeq Kualleq Glacier and floating through the Ilulissat Ice Fjord into the bay. The rich waters of Disko Bay also attract an array of whales, seabirds and other wildlife. Nuuk with 16,000 inhabitants is the biggest city in Greenland. CLIMATE Greenland has an Arctic climate, which means that you have to be prepared for sunny days, but also for cold, fresh mornings and evenings. The average tem- perature reaches a maximum of +10°C / 50° F during the summer months. Nevertheless you might experience days with temperatures of + 15-20°C / 59- 68° F. Therefore it is important to bring warm as well as light clothes that you can layer. CURRENCY Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark and uses Danish Kroner (DKK) as currency. We strongly advise you to exchange money before arriving in Greenland. Most hotels and many shops accept all major credit cards, but in several places cash will be more useful as ATMs are only available in larger towns. LANGUAGE Kalaallisut (West Greenlandic) has become the sole official language. Danish is still widely used in the administration and in higher education, as well as remaining the first or only language for some people in Nuuk and the larger towns. The majority of the population speaks both Kalaallisut and Danish. Although schools in larger communities generally teach English, inhabitants of small communities usually do not speak English. TIME DIFFERENCE In summer the southwest part of Greenland is 2 hours behind GMT (Greenwich Mean Time).