Northern Lights Cruise from Reykjavik Including Photos

The best part of this cruise is the setting: you leave Reykjavík’s harbor and search the dark waters of Faxaflói Bay, where the city lights should be less distracting. If the sky clears, you may see a pale green arc turn into a moving curtain, with stars and perhaps shooting stars above it.

I like the thermal overalls, especially because the open deck can be brutally cold and windy. I also like the free second ticket if the aurora does not appear, plus the onboard photos and crew help with camera settings. The main drawback is simple: a boat cannot control clouds, solar activity, wind, or sea conditions.

Key points at a glance

• Aurora hunting from Faxaflói Bay: The boat takes you away from central Reykjavík to search for darker skies over the water.
• Warm indoor refuge: Thermal suits, heated seating, WiFi, and a place to buy drinks make this easier than standing beside a roadside for hours.
• A free second attempt: If you join the cruise and see nothing, you can return on the next available day, with no stated expiration on the unused ticket.
• Photography help included: Photos are taken on every departure and can be downloaded free. Crew members can also help you use your camera.
• About 198 people maximum: This is a sizable boat outing, not a private chase. Busy departures can make the open deck feel crowded.
• Weather rules matter: A cancellation caused by poor weather may lead to a new date or refund, while a boat trip that sails normally but sees no lights generally leads to a free rebooking.

Leaving Reykjavík Harbor for the Aurora

The meeting point is Special Tours at Geirsgata 11, near Reykjavík’s harbor. The cruise ends at the same place, which keeps the evening fairly simple if you are staying in central Reykjavík. Hotel pickup can be added directly with the operator for an extra fee, but it is not part of the standard price.

The listed duration is about 2 hours and 30 minutes. One departure described in the trip details sailed at 9 p.m. and returned around 11:30 p.m. Exact sailing times can vary, so check your confirmation and leave room in your evening for the full outing.

Once aboard, you are fitted with thermal overalls. Children’s sizes are available. Put one on even if the quay feels manageable. The water adds cold, and wind on the upper deck can make an ordinary winter jacket feel inadequate. One useful tip is to choose a larger size if you are between sizes or wearing several layers.

The boat heads out across Faxaflói Bay. This is not a fast chase through the countryside. The vessel moves at a pace suited to watching the sky, and that can feel calm and atmospheric when the aurora is active. It can also feel slow if rain or cloud has closed in and there is nothing to see.

What Happens During the 2.5-Hour Search

The cruise is built around waiting and watching. Guides explain how the northern lights form when particles in Earth’s atmosphere collide, then set that science beside Icelandic stories and old myths. The blend works well for a night excursion because it gives you something to listen to while the crew checks the sky.

Guides have different styles. Lukas received especially warm praise for being clear and engaging, and other guides have been described as helpful with timing, camera use, and where to look. The crew may point out a faint band that you would otherwise miss, which matters because the aurora can begin as a weak arc before becoming much stronger.

You can spend time on the outside deck for the best direct view. Keep your hood up and gloves on. A clear night at sea can be far colder than the temperature shown in Reykjavík, and the boat may move enough to make photography difficult.

If you need a break, return to the heated indoor seating area. WiFi is available, and food and drinks can be bought onboard. The available selection has been described as simple snacks, chocolate, hot drinks, and other refreshments rather than a full meal. Some departures have offered hot chocolate with Baileys, but you should treat that as an onboard purchase option, not a guaranteed inclusion.

The boat can carry up to about 198 people. That gives you a good chance of finding a seat inside, but it also means that a rescheduled sailing can be very full. On crowded nights, there may be limited room to move outside, especially when many people rush to one side after the aurora appears.

Why the Boat Can Be Better Than a Roadside Wait

A boat is a useful choice if you dislike the usual northern lights routine of sitting in a coach or standing outside in snow. You have toilets, indoor warmth, seating, and somewhere to buy a drink. You can step outside for the sky, then return indoors instead of enduring the cold for the entire search.

The bay also offers a different sense of place. Reykjavík’s lights remain part of the view at first, but the cruise aims to reach an area with less light pollution. That does not mean total darkness. A boat passenger specifically noted that the reduction in city glow was not as dramatic as expected, so you should not book this as a guaranteed escape from artificial light.

The water brings its own tradeoff. Wind and waves can make the boat roll, and one person found the movement frightening on a particularly windy night. If you are prone to seasickness, this format deserves more thought than a bus trip. The cruise may be comfortable and warm, but it is still a sea outing.

There is also less flexibility than in a minibus chase. A road guide can drive toward a clear patch of sky. A boat follows its sailing route and may not move as far or as quickly as you expect. That is why some people found the cruise too slow when the weather blocked the view.

Seeing the Lights, or Waiting for Them

No northern lights tour can promise the main event. Clear skies help, but the aurora also depends on solar activity and timing. A dark, clear evening may produce only a faint glow, while a night that looks doubtful can suddenly open into a strong display.

The most memorable sightings on this cruise began with an arc overhead, then grew brighter farther from shore. A pale green rainbow can become a broad curtain that seems to ripple across the sky. On a clear night, you may also see constellations and shooting stars, adding something to the trip even before the aurora arrives.

The naked eye does not always show the same color or strength as a camera. Modern phones and cameras can record faint green light that looks more dramatic in an image. The crew takes photographs during every tour, and those pictures are available to download free of charge. Crew members can also help you point your camera and choose a better way to capture the lights.

Bring your camera ready to use. Do not wait until the aurora is at its strongest to find the right setting. The boat’s movement, wind, and cold fingers can make that process awkward. If you have a tripod, its usefulness may be limited on a moving vessel, so crew advice is valuable.

The supplied photos are a nice safety net, but they do not replace seeing the lights yourself. They can give you a record of the night, especially if your own pictures are blurred by the boat’s motion.

The Free Second Chance, With a Few Conditions

The strongest value feature is the free retry. If you join the cruise and no northern lights appear, you receive another ticket for the next available day. The unused ticket does not expire and can be used even years later, according to the tour conditions.

That sounds generous, but availability matters. If the next sailing is full, you may not be able to return immediately. This can be a real problem if you have only one night left in Iceland. Contacting the correct party can also matter, since the booking platform and the boat operator handle different parts of the reservation.

For that reason, I would schedule the cruise early in your stay, not on your final evening. Booking around the start of your Iceland visit gives you a chance to use the free retry if clouds win the first time.

The retry policy applies after you have joined and seen no lights. A cancellation before departure follows different rules. If poor weather forces cancellation and you have not previously joined the tour, you can be offered a new date or a full refund. If sea conditions are poor but the aurora forecast still looks promising, the operator may offer a Northern Lights by Bus trip instead. That bus option is treated as the same-priced replacement, so choosing it does not produce a refund.

The standard cancellation policy allows a full refund if you cancel at least 24 hours before departure. Changes or cancellations inside that window are not refunded. This is worth noting because the forecast can look poor on the afternoon of your trip, but waiting too long to cancel may leave you with no refund.

Is $108.13 a Fair Price?

At $108.13 per person, the cruise is not cheap, but Iceland excursions rarely are. The value depends on what you need from the evening.

You are paying for a boat ride, crew guidance, thermal overalls, heated seating, WiFi, onboard photography, and a free second attempt if the lights fail to show. Those extras make the price easier to accept than a simple harbor trip with no backup. The retry has real value if your schedule allows another night.

The calculation changes if you have only one evening available. In that case, the guarantee is less useful, and the cruise becomes a fairly expensive chance to see a natural event. You might still enjoy the boat, stories, harbor views, and night at sea, but you should not regard the ticket as insurance against disappointment.

Food and drink cost extra. Hotel transfers also cost extra if you add them. If you can reach the harbor on your own, you avoid that added charge.

The group size also affects the value. A departure with plenty of room can feel comfortable and well organized. A full boat can make it hard to shift position outside, and that matters when the aurora appears low in one part of the sky. You are buying a shared excursion, not a quiet private viewing platform.

What Could Go Wrong

The chief risk is poor judgment about weather. Several departures have been canceled when conditions were clearly unsuitable, but some customers felt a sailing should have been called off sooner during rain or heavy cloud. The operator’s decision may be based on both sea safety and the possibility that the sky could improve later, but you may still spend two and a half hours onboard with no realistic view.

A second risk is confusing a boat trip with a fast aurora chase. The vessel may sail slowly, and it may not go as far from Reykjavík as you imagine. If your top priority is chasing clear skies across a large area, a bus excursion could suit you better, especially when the boat operator offers one as an alternative during poor sea conditions.

A third concern is comfort on a rough night. Thermal suits help with cold, but they cannot stop the boat from rocking. You should keep expectations modest if the forecast calls for strong wind.

Finally, check which product you are booking. The operator has described a lower-cost boat option with a backup plan and a separate full-price boat option with different refund terms in certain cancellation situations. Read the conditions attached to your exact reservation rather than relying on the general promise of a free retry.

Who Will Like This Cruise Most

I would choose this cruise for you if you want a warm base, toilets, indoor seating, and a short evening outing from Reykjavík. It suits families because children’s thermal overalls are available, and most people can take part.

It is also a good fit if you dislike long coach rides or do not want to rent a car in winter. You can reach the meeting point by public transport or on foot from parts of central Reykjavík, then let the crew handle the search.

Photography-minded visitors will appreciate the free images and camera help. The best pictures still depend on clear skies, steady hands, and luck, but you have more support than you would on an unstaffed viewing stop.

I would think twice if you get seasick, need a private experience, or have only one evening to see the aurora. I would also choose a bus-based tour if your main goal is to pursue gaps in the clouds rather than enjoy an evening on the water.

Should You Book It?

Book this Northern Lights Cruise if you want a comfortable, low-effort aurora hunt with a real second chance. Put it near the beginning of your Reykjavík stay, wear the thermal overalls, bring a camera ready to use, and keep enough flexibility for a rebooking.

Skip it if you need certainty, dislike boats, or cannot spare another night if the sky stays cloudy. The best reason to choose it is not that it guarantees the lights. It is that you can wait indoors, learn about the phenomenon, step onto the deck when the sky changes, and try again without paying another tour fee if nature refuses to cooperate.

FAQ

Where does the Northern Lights Cruise leave from?

It starts at Special Tours, Geirsgata 11, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland. The activity ends back at the same meeting point.

How long does the cruise last?

The listed duration is approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes. One described departure sailed at 9 p.m. and returned at about 11:30 p.m.

Is hotel pickup included?

No. Hotel transfers are not included in the standard booking, but pickup can be arranged directly with the supplier for an additional fee.

Are thermal overalls provided?

Yes. Thermal overalls are included, and children’s sizes are available.

What happens if I do not see the northern lights?

You receive a free ticket to try again on the next available day. The ticket does not expire and can also be used in a few years, according to the stated conditions.

Are food and drinks included?

No. Food and drinks can be purchased onboard. Heated indoor seating and WiFi are included.

Are photographs included?

Yes. Photos are taken on every tour and are available to download free of charge. Crew members can also help you with photography.

What happens if the cruise is canceled because of weather?

You may be offered a different date or a full refund if you have not joined the tour previously. If sea conditions are poor but the aurora outlook remains favorable, a Northern Lights by Bus tour may be offered instead.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

You can cancel at least 24 hours before the experience start time for a full refund. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before departure are not refunded.