In 2010, Tauck World Discovery will offer its first Iceland itinerary aboard Le Boreal, a 264-passenger yacht.
"Our guests have been asking us for years to offer a program in Iceland, but until now we couldn’t do it – the country’s hotel infrastructure wouldn’t allow us to provide the level of quality, comfort and amenities that people have come to expect from Tauck," CEO Dan Mahar said in a statement.
"However, with the upcoming launch of Le Boreal, we’ll be able to bring the necessary infrastructure along with us."
The 466-foot, six-deck Le Boreal is under construction at the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy and is slated to launch in May. French yacht operator Compagnie des Iles du Ponant will operate the ship under the French flag.
All suites and staterooms will be outward-facing, with 95% having private balconies. Forty of the ship’s staterooms can be combined to create 20,398-square-foot suites with private balconies.
Le Boreal will include a 260-seat theater for entertainment and lectures, a swimming pool, a fitness center, a steam room, massage rooms, a gift shop and slot machines. A hairdresser will be on board.
The main restaurant, Le Restaurant Gastronomique, will specialize in upscale French and international cuisine. Le Grill, a more casual indoor/outdoor dining area, will seat up to 130 guests.
Le Club will be a 2,745-square-foot lounge area for afternoon tea, live music, dancing and cocktails. Le Club will have an outside terrace.
The 1,184-square-foot Le Panoramic Lounge will feature a library, Internet desk, cocktail bar and live entertainment on selected nights. A 50-seat open-air bar will overlook the pool deck.
Tauck's eight-day Iceland: Land Of Fire And Ice itinerary starts at $5,790 per person, cruise only. There are two scheduled departures in 2010: July 22 and 29.
The cruise will visit Reykjavik, small islands off Iceland, glaciers, active volcanoes, wildlife on the island of Grimsey, sulfur fields at Namaskard, and the thermal waters of the Blue Lagoon north of the Arctic Circle.
The price includes all meals, all gratuities, wine with dinner, nightly cocktail hours, taxes and port charges.