From Reykjavik: Northern Lights Boat Cruise

The best part of this cruise is the change of setting. You leave Reykjavik’s city glow behind and watch the sky from the dark waters of Faxaflói, with the capital’s lights shrinking behind you. The Aurora is never guaranteed, but that uncertainty is part of the night.

I like the free return ticket if the sky stays empty, and I like having a heated cabin, toilets, WiFi, and warm flotation overalls on hand. The guides can also help with camera settings, which matters when the lights appear faintly to your eyes but show more clearly in a photograph.

The main drawback is simple: you may spend two hours at sea and see no Northern Lights at all. Clouds, solar activity, and timing are beyond anyone’s control, so this works best as one attempt within a flexible Iceland itinerary, not as your only chance to see the Aurora.

Key points to know before sailing

• You sail from central Reykjavik: Check in at the Special Tours office at Geirsgata 11, on the corner, 30 minutes before departure.
• You search Faxaflói for about two hours: The boat gives you open views, but the night can be cold and the lights may not appear.
• Warm flotation overalls are provided: They make time on deck far more comfortable, though you still need proper clothing underneath.
• A free second attempt protects your budget: If no lights are seen, you can use your booking number to reschedule.
• The guides add science and folklore: English commentary covers Aurora beliefs, local legends, and practical photography help.
• You can retreat indoors: Heated cabins, toilets, WiFi, and snacks and drinks for purchase make the wait easier.

Leaving Reykjavik for the dark waters of Faxaflói

The meeting point is Geirsgata 11, close to Reykjavik’s harbor area. Check in at the Special Tours office on the corner and arrive 30 minutes early. That buffer is useful because a harbor departure is not the moment to hurry in with a coffee in one hand and a phone in the other.

From the dock, the cruise heads into Faxaflói, the broad bay beside Reykjavik. The water gives you a different view of the city, with the lights of the capital behind you and a darker horizon ahead. Even before the Aurora appears, the boat ride offers a quiet contrast to a night spent on Reykjavik’s brightly lit streets.

The route is not a sightseeing circuit with several shore stops. The whole outing is built around finding a darker patch of sky and waiting for nature to cooperate. Your guide and captain can spend time looking for openings in the clouds, but the boat cannot manufacture clear skies or solar activity.

That makes the experience feel more like a night watch than a standard sightseeing cruise. You are not moving from one fixed attraction to another. You are giving yourself a better setting for a natural event that may begin slowly, flicker faintly, or never show at all.

What the two-hour search is really like

The advertised duration is two hours, though the included tour description allows roughly two to three hours. Some outings have lasted longer when the captain stayed out while clouds shifted or the lights appeared near the return to port. You should treat two hours as the normal plan and any extra time as a welcome bonus, not a promise.

The search can involve stretches of stillness. You may stand on deck scanning the sky, return to the cabin to warm up, then head outside again when someone spots a possible glow. This rhythm is normal for an Aurora outing. The light may be obvious one minute and hard to see the next.

A faint display can also look different to your eyes and camera. One past experience found the lights easier to capture in a photograph than to see clearly with the naked eye. That is why patience helps, as does asking the guide for advice instead of assuming a dim patch near the horizon is just cloud.

If the Aurora appears, the setting can be striking. You have open sky above you, the sea below, and Reykjavik glowing in the distance. The city backdrop gives your photographs a sense of place, while the darker water helps reduce some of the light pollution you would face from central streets.

Warm up indoors, then return to the deck

The heated indoor cabin is not a minor extra. Northern Lights cruises often involve waiting, and waiting outside in Icelandic weather can wear you down quickly. Here you can warm up, use the toilet, connect to free WiFi, and buy snacks or drinks while keeping an eye on the search.

Warm flotation overalls are supplied for deck time. They are designed to go over your own clothes, so wear layers that fit comfortably underneath. One useful tip is to choose a larger suit size if needed rather than trying to squeeze it over bulky winter clothing.

The suits received especially strong praise for keeping people comfortable on the open deck. Still, do not mistake them for a reason to leave your hat, gloves, and sturdy cold-weather layers at the hotel. Bring weather-appropriate clothing, and remember that wind on the water can feel sharper than the temperature at street level.

The practical details matter here. Getting in and out of a full suit can be awkward, especially when using the small onboard toilets. I would use the bathroom before boarding, then put on the suit with enough time to adjust it properly before heading outside.

Drinks and food are not included, but you can buy refreshments onboard. Complimentary seasickness tablets are available, a thoughtful touch for anyone unsure about spending a winter night on the bay. If you know you are prone to motion sickness, ask for a tablet early rather than waiting until you feel unwell.

Guides, legends, and useful camera help

The English-speaking guides do more than point at the sky. Commentary covers the science behind the Aurora as well as Icelandic beliefs and local stories connected to the lights. That turns a silent wait into a chance to understand what you are hoping to see.

Guide Lucas received particular praise for his friendly manner, practical help, and willingness to assist with cameras. He helped people set up their cameras, took photographs for them, and even stayed late to help locate a lost phone after one trip. Individual guides can vary by departure, so you should not assume Lucas will be onboard, but the experience shows how useful a hands-on guide can be.

Photography is one of the harder parts of the evening. The lights may look pale or faint to your eyes, while a longer camera exposure brings out stronger color. The guide may help you find suitable settings, but you should still expect to spend part of the night simply watching instead of operating your phone.

That is good advice in general. The Aurora can be subtle, and screens can make you miss the very sight you came to see. Take a few photographs, ask for help when you need it, then put the camera away for a moment.

Some departures may also offer photographs taken by the crew and made available online afterward. This is useful if you want a picture of yourself and your companion under the lights, since taking a self-portrait in the dark on a moving boat is not easy.

The free return trip changes the value calculation

At $101 per person, this is not a cheap add-on. You are paying for the boat, crew, guide, indoor facilities, warm overalls, and the chance to search from darker water. The real value depends heavily on the repeat-sailing policy.

If no Northern Lights are seen, you can use your booking number to join the trip again free of charge. That does not guarantee a sighting on the second attempt, but it protects you from paying twice simply because the first night was cloudy or inactive.

The policy is most useful if you have at least one spare evening in Reykjavik. A visitor flying home the next morning may not be able to use the second trip, even if the offer remains available. Build the cruise early enough in your stay to leave room for a second attempt.

The free return also makes this a safer choice than a one-shot Aurora excursion. You are still accepting the risk of bad weather, but you are not treating one cloudy night as the final verdict on your Iceland experience.

Some departures have stayed out beyond the scheduled time while waiting for a break in the clouds. That flexibility can be valuable, though you should not plan another tightly timed activity immediately afterward. The cruise may return on schedule, but natural events and weather can stretch the evening.

What happens if the lights do not appear

No sighting does not mean the cruise has failed in every respect. You still get the night view of Reykjavik from the water, time under a darker sky, guide commentary, and a chance to watch the stars. One departure with no Aurora became an enjoyable stargazing trip while the group waited for the sky to change.

That said, you should book with clear expectations. If your main goal is a strong green display overhead, the boat cannot promise one. Even a clear sky may produce only a faint glow, and clouds can cover an active Aurora.

The best response is to treat the free return as part of the plan. If you have the time, go again. If you do not, enjoy the cruise for what it can offer and consider the weather and sky conditions part of the bargain.

The crew may also offer a small consolation after a disappointing night. One recent group received complimentary shots, though this should not be treated as a standard inclusion. The dependable benefit is the free chance to reschedule, not a particular drink or extra.

Timing, access, and small practical details

Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included. You need to reach Geirsgata 11 yourself, and the meeting instructions ask you to check in 30 minutes before departure. Double-check the exact office location rather than relying only on a map pin, since one person had trouble when map coordinates led to the wrong place.

The activity is wheelchair accessible. It is also an English-language tour, with a live guide providing the commentary onboard.

Pets and smoking are not allowed. Those rules are easy to follow, but they matter on a compact boat where indoor space is shared and the cold-weather equipment takes up room.

You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the trip. The reserve-now, pay-later option lets you hold a place without paying at the time of booking, which is useful while you are still arranging weather-dependent evenings in Reykjavik.

The operator may sometimes share a boat with a partner company during certain parts of the year for environmental reasons. The goal is to reduce the number of boats on the water while keeping the bay less crowded. If a shared departure matters to you, ask when booking, since the arrangement can vary.

Who will enjoy this cruise most

I would choose this cruise for anyone who wants a comfortable, organized way to make an Aurora attempt from Reykjavik without renting a car or joining a long road trip. It suits couples, families, and first-time Iceland visitors who like having a heated cabin close by.

It is also a good fit if you enjoy the process as much as the result. You get a night at sea, city views, stories, stargazing, and the excitement of checking the sky again and again. The free repeat trip makes the plan stronger for people staying several nights.

I would be more cautious if you have only one evening available or if you dislike cold, waiting, and uncertainty. A boat cruise gives you shelter and equipment, but it is still an outdoor search in Icelandic weather.

You should also think about your photography goals. The guides can help with camera settings, and crew photographs may be available, but this is not a dedicated photography workshop. If you want full control over framing and exposure, you may prefer a specialized photo outing.

Should you book the Reykjavik Northern Lights Boat Cruise?

Book it if you want a practical Aurora search with warm overalls, indoor shelter, and a free second attempt. The guide commentary, camera help, sea views, and chance to see the lights above Faxaflói add more value than a simple ride out of the harbor.

Skip it if you need a guaranteed display, cannot fit in a second evening, or would rather spend the night indoors. The Northern Lights may be spectacular, but they may also be faint or absent.

For most visitors with flexible time in Reykjavik, I think $101 is a reasonable gamble. Schedule it early in your stay, arrive at Geirsgata 11 half an hour ahead, dress in layers, use the bathroom before boarding, and keep your evening open in case the captain waits for the sky to clear.

FAQ

Where does the Northern Lights boat cruise leave from?

The cruise starts at Geirsgata 11 in Reykjavik. Check in at the Special Tours office on the corner.

How early should I arrive?

You should arrive 30 minutes before departure to check in and prepare for boarding.

How long does the cruise last?

The stated duration is two hours. The tour may take about two to three hours, and some departures have stayed out longer while waiting for better conditions.

What happens if I do not see the Northern Lights?

You can use your booking number to reschedule for a free return trip if there is no sighting.

Are warm clothes provided?

Warm flotation overalls are provided for use on deck. You should still bring weather-appropriate clothing and wear layers underneath.

Is food included?

Food and drinks are not included. Snacks and refreshments can be purchased onboard.

Does the boat have indoor facilities?

Yes. The boat has heated indoor cabins, toilet facilities, and free WiFi.

Is hotel pickup included?

No. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included, so you must make your own way to Geirsgata 11.

Can I cancel the booking?

Yes. You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. You can also reserve now and pay later, subject to the booking terms.