Reykjavík: Northern Lights Cruise

The best part of this Northern Lights cruise is the change of scene. Instead of waiting beside a road or standing in a dark field, you leave Reykjavík’s Old Harbour and search the open water of Faxaflói Bay, with the city shining behind you. I like the heated saloon with toilets and plenty of seats, and I like the warm overalls, raincoats, and blankets that make time outside far more bearable. The catch is simple: the lights are wild, not scheduled, and a moving boat is a poor platform for serious photography.

I also like the city views, especially Harpa Concert Hall and Hallgrímskirkja glowing along the shore. From October through December, the route includes the Imagine Peace Tower when it is lit. Your English-speaking guide explains what is happening and calls you outside when the sky changes, but you should book this for the experience of searching, not as a guaranteed aurora sighting.

Key points to know before sailing

• The cruise lasts 2.5 hours: That gives you a proper search window rather than a quick trip outside the harbour.
• You sail from Reykjavík Old Harbour: Meet at Ægisgarður 5, beside the Elding Whale Watching boat.
• Warm clothing is supplied: Borrow overalls, raincoats, and blankets, then retreat to the heated indoor saloon when needed.
• The city is part of the show: You get water-level views of Harpa, Hallgrímskirkja, and, seasonally, the Imagine Peace Tower.
• A free retry protects your booking: If the Northern Lights do not appear, you can come again on another night.
• Photography takes patience: The boat moves, the sky may be faint, and even a good camera can produce blurred images.

Leaving Reykjavík Old Harbour after dark

The cruise begins at Elding Adventure at Sea in Reykjavík Old Harbour, at Ægisgarður 5. You do not need to arrange hotel transport, though pickup is available for an extra charge. If you are already in central Reykjavík, meeting at the harbour keeps the start simple and avoids adding a separate vehicle transfer to the evening.

The boat first gives you a pleasant look at Reykjavík from the water. Harpa Concert Hall is especially striking at night, with its glass facade catching the harbour lights. Hallgrímskirkja rises farther inland, its tower easy to pick out above the city. These views are not just filler while you wait for the aurora. They give the trip a clear sense of place and make the cruise worthwhile even during a quiet sky.

I would arrive ready for both indoor and outdoor time. The point of the trip is to scan the sky, so you will want access to the open viewing platforms. At the same time, two and a half hours in Icelandic night air can feel long. The heated saloon lets you warm up without losing the whole experience.

Faxaflói Bay gives the search room

Once the boat moves farther into Faxaflói Bay, the city lights fall behind you and the sky becomes the main attraction. The crew checks the weather and aurora forecast before departure, then the captain and guide use those conditions to give the boat the best practical chance of finding a clear view.

That effort matters, but it does not change the basic truth: clouds, darkness, and solar activity remain outside anyone’s control. A cruise can move away from some of Reykjavík’s light and offer a wide horizon, but it cannot order the Northern Lights to appear.

The guide keeps you informed during the journey and alerts you when something begins to show. This is useful because early aurora can look like a faint pale streak rather than the strong green curtains seen in photographs. One past passenger described seeing only faint white lines at first, followed later by a much stronger display. That is a good reason to keep watching instead of deciding too quickly that nothing is happening.

The open deck is where you will want to be during a sighting. You can look across the full sweep of sea and sky, free from buildings and most of the city’s immediate glow. The drawback is the cold. Even with supplied overalls, rain protection, and blankets, you may need regular breaks indoors.

Heated seating, toilets, and the onboard café

The indoor saloon is one of the strongest practical features of this trip. You get comfortable seats, heating, and toilets, so you are not forced to remain outside for the full two and a half hours. That makes a real difference for children, older passengers, and anyone who does not enjoy standing in cold wind.

Warm overalls are available to borrow, along with raincoats and blankets. Wear sensible layers underneath rather than treating the provided clothing as a complete substitute for winter gear. The overalls make outdoor viewing possible, but they do not remove the need for warm socks, gloves, and a hat.

The onboard café sells hot drinks and snacks. Refreshments are not included in the $111 ticket price, so bring your budget along if a hot drink sounds appealing. The café is useful for keeping warm and making the waiting time more comfortable, especially on a night when the aurora remains faint or absent.

I also appreciate that the crew has a sensible attitude toward bad conditions. A previous departure was cancelled because of poor weather, and the booking was moved to the following night. That may disrupt your evening plans, but it is better than sailing into conditions with little chance of seeing anything.

The Imagine Peace Tower from the water

From October through December, the boat sails past the Imagine Peace Tower when its beam is lit. This is a seasonal feature, not a year-round part of the route, so check your dates before treating it as a main reason to book.

The tower adds a human touch to a trip otherwise focused on weather and solar activity. Its beam reaches upward from Viðey Island, and seeing it from the water gives you a different angle than a standard Reykjavík sightseeing walk. It also creates a welcome visual moment early in the evening, before the longer wait for the Northern Lights.

You should not confuse this with an additional stop where you get off the boat. The experience is a sailing route with views from onboard. The attraction is the combination of illuminated Reykjavík, the island tower in season, and the dark bay beyond.

What the Northern Lights can look like at sea

The Northern Lights may appear strongly, faintly, or not at all. Some departures have produced a full display, while others have delivered only a glimpse. One especially happy outing saw the lights on the first night of an Iceland holiday, while another departure found a small amount of aurora despite modest expectations.

This range is normal. Photos and tourism adverts often show intense green ribbons, but your real view may begin as a soft grey or white band. Human eyes also see less color in dim conditions than a long-exposure camera can capture. The guide can help you understand what you are seeing, but the strength of the display is up to nature.

The tour includes a sighting guarantee. If the Northern Lights do not appear, you are offered another trip free of charge. That is valuable if your schedule allows a second attempt. It is less useful if this cruise falls on your final night in Iceland or if you are leaving Reykjavík immediately afterward.

Because the guarantee is a free retry rather than a promise of a sighting on the booked night, I would place this cruise early in your stay. A first or second evening gives you room to try again. Several successful outings also happened early in an Iceland visit, which makes the timing especially convenient.

Why photography is harder from a moving boat

This is not the best choice if your top goal is a perfect Northern Lights photograph. The boat moves, the deck can sway, and the aurora may be too faint for an easy handheld shot. Even with a tripod or careful settings, motion can soften the city lights and blur the sky.

You can still take pictures, and the crew may help with camera settings. One past passenger received direct assistance and managed to photograph a faint display, though the moving boat caused some blur. That is the right expectation: bring your camera for memories, not for guaranteed poster-quality images.

A phone may capture a bright aurora if conditions are strong, but the result will depend on the device and the available light. If you want to watch rather than fuss with settings, the guide’s alerts and the wide open view are more important than your camera.

I would book a land-based aurora outing instead if photography is the central purpose of your evening. Choose this cruise for the mix of sea air, city lights, warm indoor facilities, and the chance to see the sky away from the harbour.

Crew service and the tone onboard

The crew is a major part of the experience. The guide explains the conditions, shares information about the aurora, and calls out sightings so you do not miss a sudden change overhead. The captain also plays a practical role by checking conditions and handling the route safely.

Past outings have included crew members helping with camera settings, offering clear information, and taking safety seriously. That matters on a dark boat deck where you may be moving between the saloon and viewing platforms in cold conditions.

The tone is friendly and reassuring rather than overly dramatic. If the lights are weak, the guide does not turn a faint glow into a grand promise. If the sky is empty, you are given the option to return another night. That straightforward approach helps keep expectations sensible.

The activity has an overall rating of 4.1 from 104 reviews, which fits the experience well. The highest praise centers on three things: seeing the Northern Lights, the friendly crew, and the warmth and comfort provided onboard. The main disappointment comes from the one factor no operator can control, a blank or cloudy sky.

Is $111 good value for 2.5 hours?

At $111 per person, this is not the cheapest way to spend an evening in Reykjavík. You are paying for a guided boat trip, crew and captain, access to the heated saloon, toilets, borrowed warm clothing, the café onboard, and a free retry if the lights fail to appear.

The value improves if you want more than a simple aurora hunt. You get a nighttime view of Harpa and Hallgrímskirkja, seasonal views of the Imagine Peace Tower, and the feeling of sailing into open water. The heated indoor area also makes this easier than standing outdoors for hours beside a car or bus.

The value drops if you have a tight schedule, dislike uncertainty, or need sharp photographs. A second attempt has no practical value if you are flying out the next morning. You should also budget for drinks and snacks because those cost extra.

For me, the strongest value comes from booking early in your Iceland stay. That gives the sighting guarantee a chance to work and turns the cruise into one part of a wider plan rather than your only shot.

Who should book this cruise?

I would recommend it to you if you want a relaxed Northern Lights search with a proper indoor refuge. It works well for couples, families, and anyone who likes the idea of seeing Reykjavík from the bay before watching the sky.

It also suits people who find land-based aurora tours uncomfortable. The boat offers toilets, seats, heat, and a café, while the open decks provide the views when conditions improve. You can control how much time you spend outside.

You should think twice if you get seasick, though no specific sea conditions are promised here. You should also reconsider if you want a quiet, private outing or a dedicated photography platform. This is a guided group cruise with a moving viewpoint and shared facilities.

The English-speaking naturalist guide is helpful if you want some explanation rather than a simple boat ride. You will get information about the sky and alerts when the lights begin, which is particularly useful when the first signs are faint.

Practical details for a smooth evening

The cruise lasts 2.5 hours, and departure times vary by date, so check availability before booking. Meet at the Elding Whale Watching boat in Reykjavík Old Harbour, Ægisgarður 5, 101 Reykjavík.

Hotel pickup is not included, but it can be arranged for an extra charge. The ticket includes warm overalls, raincoats, blankets, and the naturalist guide. Drinks and snacks from the café cost extra.

You can cancel up to 24 hours before departure for a full refund. The reserve-now, pay-later option also helps if your Iceland plans are still changing.

I would keep the evening flexible. A weather cancellation may lead to a rescheduled trip, and the Northern Lights guarantee works best when you have another night available. Pack layers, protect your hands, and treat the open deck as a place for short viewing periods rather than a test of endurance.

Should you book the Reykjavík Northern Lights Cruise?

Book it if you want a comfortable, well-supported search for the aurora with excellent Reykjavík night views folded into the trip. The warm clothing, heated saloon, helpful guide, café, and free retry make the uncertainty easier to handle.

Skip it if a strong photograph matters more than the experience, or if you have only one evening and cannot use a second attempt. At $111, the cruise earns its price through the full package, not through a guaranteed display.

My best advice is to reserve this for an early night in Reykjavík, keep your expectations realistic, and enjoy the city lights and sea journey even before the sky starts performing.

FAQ

Where does the Northern Lights cruise depart from?

Meet at the Elding Whale Watching boat in Reykjavík Old Harbour, Ægisgarður 5, 101 Reykjavík.

How long does the cruise last?

The cruise lasts 2.5 hours.

What language is the tour conducted in?

The live tour guide speaks English.

Are warm clothes provided?

Yes. Warm overalls, raincoats, and blankets are available onboard.

Is there a heated indoor area?

Yes. The boat has a heated indoor saloon with comfortable seating and toilets.

What happens if the Northern Lights do not appear?

You are offered the chance to come again on another night free of charge.

Is hotel pickup included?

No. Hotel pickup is not included in the listed price, but it is available for an extra charge.