Iceland Northern Lights Cruise from Reykjavik

About 2 to 2.5 hours from Reykjavik’s Old Harbour: 2 hours on the yacht and 2.5 hours on the Elding Northern Lights & City Cruise. The whale-watching combo is two separate sailings on the same day — whale watching for 2.5–3 hours, then a northern lights cruise for 2–3 hours, with a break of about 5 hours in between. Add about 30 minutes for check-in on the yacht and the combo.

From the Old Harbour. The yacht checks in at Old Harbour House, Ægisgarður 2, 30 minutes before departure; Elding leaves from its boat at Ægisgarður 5; the whale and lights combo checks in at Geirsgata 11, also 30 minutes early. All are a short walk from the city center.

Only if you book it. The yacht sells a separate option with hotel pickup and drop-off — €115 instead of €93 for the harbor meeting point on the date we checked. Elding charges extra for pickup, and the whale and lights combo states no pickup, so you walk to Geirsgata 11. Without pickup, plan to reach the Old Harbour 30 minutes before departure for the yacht and the combo; Elding doesn’t state a check-in time.

You can sail again for free on all three cruises. The yacht lets you reschedule with the provider, Elding offers another night free of charge, and the whale and lights combo gives you a free ticket to join again if there are no sightings. A retry only helps if it fits your stay, so book an early night of your trip and keep a later evening free — ideally one with a clear forecast, because the boat can’t drive away from cloud.

You might — the cruises stay in the bay close to Reykjavik, but the sea can still move. The yacht (€93, ★4.4 · 1,359 reviews) hands out sea-sickness tablets, and all three boats have a heated indoor area or cabin where the motion is easier to take. The time on the water is short: 2 hours on the yacht, 2.5 on Elding. If you are prone to seasickness, a land tour is the safer choice.

Colder than on land, because the wind on open water adds to the chill while you stand on deck. Average night lows in Reykjavik are about −2 °C from December to February, before wind chill. Elding lends warm overalls and blankets and the whale combo flotation overalls; the yacht has blankets and a heated lounge. Wear a hat, gloves and a windproof layer either way, and warm up indoors between sightings.

It’s possible but hard. An aurora photo needs an exposure of several seconds, and a moving deck blurs it, so expect souvenir shots rather than sharp landscapes. A phone in night mode, braced against something solid, does better than nothing, and reviewers of the yacht praise guides who help with photos. If pictures are the point of your evening, a land tour is the better bet — see our northern lights photography tours.

Not for your chances of seeing the lights: a bus can drive away from cloud, while a boat stays in the bay. A cruise is better if you want a short evening near the center — 2 to 2.5 hours instead of 4–5 — a heated lounge, a bar on the yacht and no hotel pickup round. It is also cheaper, from €47.50 on Elding against €101 on a small-group minibus. On a cloudy or mixed forecast, choose a land tour.

Everything you would wear on land, plus a windproof outer layer: thermal layers, hat, gloves, scarf and warm boots with grip. Elding lends warm overalls and blankets, and the whale combo provides flotation overalls; on the yacht you get blankets, so bring your own warm layers. Dress for standing on deck in the wind for long stretches, then warming up in the heated indoor area between sightings. Average night lows in Reykjavik are about −2 °C in midwinter.

A clear night between about September and mid-April, during the most active hours of roughly 21:00 to 02:00, with a peak around 22:30 to 01:00. Because the boat can’t drive away from cloud, check the Icelandic Met Office cloud-cover maps, published up to 6 days ahead, before you book. Sources disagree on the best month: Reykjavik Excursions names November to January, the darkest months, while Guide to Iceland names March as the most active.

On the yacht, yes: it has a bar and lounge on board, and you pay for drinks there — they are not part of the €93 ticket. The yacht also has three panoramic decks, Wi-Fi, warm blankets and sea-sickness tablets. Elding has a heated indoor saloon and a naturalist guide, and the whale combo has heated cabins and Wi-Fi, but neither listing mentions a bar, so bring a thermos if you want something hot.

Yes, as far as the listings go: none of the three cruises states a minimum age, but check with the operator if your children are very young. A boat is often easier with children than a long bus tour — 2 to 2.5 hours instead of 4–5, a heated indoor area to retreat to and no long drive in the dark. Elding lends warm overalls; on the yacht, bring warm layers and dress them for wind on deck.