Regarding the EES on a cruise

Never been on a cruise, but would expect in a situation like yours, you would be funneled to the passport control station on the dock. Much like being funneled off an airplane to the passport processing point.

Is that not how it works?

When you disembark the cruise you definitely go through a passport control station. However, we'll have 2 stops in Iceland before we disembark for good in Reykjavik.

The cruise line is your best source for how this is handled. Call them.

With cruises that start in the US and disembark in a Schengen country, EES would usually occur at disembarkation for official entry. Interim port stops are often considered 'in transit.' You had better hope they dont just haul a kiosk on board. Not if you want to disembark any time that morning or afternoon. Most cruise ships have thousands of pax that need to be processed. Hopefully the cruise terminal will have multiple kiosks, plus the extra personnel to handle all of the inevitable snafus. Then you would do the passport exit business at the airport before flying home.

Thanks so much for your thoughtful replies. I'm not really sweating the issue, just curious. Perhaps when I return I'll post an addendum to how things were handled as we disembarked in Reykjavik. Happy travels, regardless.