FAQ about Vestmannaeyjar and our boat tours
What do you need to know about your Boat tours in Westman Islands
Our captains have:
- 65 brl captain licence
- Marine engine drive licence for 750 kw
- ROC (Radiotelephone Operator’s Certificate)
All employees including our guides have finished courses in maritime safety and emergency management and have years of experience as sailors and handling RHIB
You can certainly bring your camera. We can provide you with a plastic bag to protect it from getting wet.
We can keep your personal belongings at our office space however we do not take responsibility for them.
You have to declare that you are physically fit prior to engaging in a Ribsafari trip and you sign a waver that you declare that you have not been drinking or doing drugs and that you will follow the instructions of the captain and guide.
We do not sail on Rib Boats with passengers who have back problems or are pregnant as the boat is riding on waves and it can be bouncy. But you can for sure take the round tour with our passenger boat Teista or take a boat tour to the bay to visit the belugas
You can wear your glasses during the trip however we will give you protective glasses to wear over them so that they will not fly off during the trip on the Rib Boat. But there is no problem on the passenger ships
Alcohol and drugs and Ribsafari trips do not go hand in hand. Ribsafari can refuse to take people on trips that are under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
We do not sail on Rib Boats with passengers who have back problems or are pregnant as the boat is riding on waves and it can be bouncy. But you can for sure take the round tour with our passenger boats.
Ribsafari / Boat Tour in Vestmannaeyjar ensures the safety and security of its passengers and we go through safety rules prior to every trip.
All our guides and captains have undergone training and have a certification regarding maritime safety and emergency management from the ICE-SAR Icelandic association for search and rescue.
Our boats have the following safety equipment: Rubber lifeboats, top of the art sailing equipment, fire extinguishers, emergency torches, distress flares, emergency radio and emergency locator transmitters.
For the Ribsafari ride we provide you with a warm float suit. However we recommend you to bring a hat and gloves. It is also best to wear sneakers or hiking shoes on the trip – we don’t recommend high heels or sandals.
For the round tour on a passenger boat and bay trip we recommend you to wear warm clothing as it can be cold out on the ocean
Minimum age of our passengers for scheduled tours on our Ribboat is 5 years of age. If the child is younger you need to book a private group tour or luxury tour.
There is no minimum or maximum age in the trips with our passenger ships.
On our Ribsafari trips we provide every passenger with protective clothing; float suit and life jacket. We have equipment for toddlers but children need to be at least five years old to go on a scheduled tour. If you are travelling with younger children you can always book the boat for a private group tour or luxury tour.
The trips can be dependent on weather and if it is really windy we do not sail, and you wouldn’t want to sail either – but we will of course repay your trip or find another time in collaboration with you.
We do not serve any refreshments on boards but we can provide you with custom-made “nip-naps on board” or luxury “wine and dine” trips if you booke a luxury trip
We can custom-make trip for groups and individuals
Our Rib boats are Rigid inflatable boats. We usually cruise at 20-25 mph but normally end the trips a little bit faster.
Each boat takes 12 passengers and we operate two boats.
Halkion is a 14.73 meter passenger ship that takes 50 passengers. There are seating for 28 passengers indoors and about 10 passengers outdoors as well as plenty of space for standing. There is a toilet onboard
Teista is a large passenger ship that has space for 80 passenger indoors and outdoors but we only take 50 people on the trip at the same time. There are two toilets onboard and a kitchen. You can rent the Teista for your group and then a chef and waiter can even make the trip even more perfect with a wine and dine experience.
We are situated just on the harbor in Vestmannaeyjar, 1-2 minutes walk away from where Herjólfur ferry lands. You can see on the website a Google Map that marks the spot.
It is best to book in advance via our website to secure your spot. You can contact us also via mail: info@islandboattours.is or tel. +354 661 1810. We only sail if we have put together a group of five adults for Ribsafari and 10 for the passenger ship so we might need to cancel our trip or move you to a another trip.