What an aurora cruise from Reykjavik costs
The four plain northern lights cruises from Reykjavik sit close together, from ~$93 to ~$105 for roughly two to two and a half hours on Faxaflói Bay. The whale and aurora combo costs ~$194 because it adds a daytime trip. Below, all five side by side, then the extras the headline price skips.
Five aurora boats on one table
The table lists the five cruises on our home page at their "from" price per adult. Prices shift with the date and with the booking site, so treat each figure as a guide rather than the final bill.
| Tour | From | Length | Boat and max group | Check-in | Included | If no lights |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elding classic cruise (our pick) | ~$105 | 2–2.5 h | Classic boat, up to 150 | Elding office, Ægisgarður 5c | Heated saloon, overalls plus raincoats to borrow, blankets, naturalist guide | Free retry another night |
| Sea Trips yacht | ~$103 | 2 h | Yacht with three decks, up to 98 | Old Harbour House, Ægisgarður 2 | Lounge and bar, Wi-Fi, blankets, seasickness tablets | Free reschedule |
| Harpa Yachts | ~$93 | 2.5 h | Motor yacht for 35 or 95 | Old Harbour House, Ægisgarður 2 | Inside seating, Wi-Fi, blankets | No retry on the listing |
| Sea Trips sightseeing | ~$98 | 2 h | Double observation deck, up to 98 | Old Harbour House, Ægisgarður 2 | Guides, Wi-Fi, a blanket | Return ticket valid up to 3 years |
| Reykjavik Sailors combo | ~$194 | About 6 h in two trips | Whale boat, up to 100 | Old Harbour, see the listing | Flotation overalls, heated cabins, Wi-Fi, seasickness tablets | Free ticket to join again |
All five cancel free up to 24 hours before departure on GetYourGuide, and you can reserve now and pay later. With winter weather on the bay, that flexibility matters more than a few dollars either way.
Four plain cruises within a few dollars
Leave out the combo and the spread is small. Harpa Yachts is the cheapest, Sea Trips' sightseeing cruise comes next, and the Sea Trips yacht and Elding sit at the top, a little over ~$103.
All four sail out of the Old Harbour, leave the city glow behind and drift on the dark bay for about 2–2.5 hours. None of them can promise the lights, because the aurora needs solar activity and a clear sky at the same time.
So the gap buys comfort and backup, not better odds. The differences that count are how you stay warm on deck and what happens on a night when the sky stays dark.
What Elding's higher fare buys
Our pick, Elding's northern lights cruise from ~$105, is the dearest of the plain trips. It scores 4.5 from 600+ reviews on Viator and 4.3 from 100+ on GetYourGuide.
Most of the extra goes on warmth. Elding lends warm overalls and raincoats for the open viewing platforms, so you can stand outside for longer than a blanket allows.
A naturalist guide watches the sky and calls out the lights when they start. Inside, a heated saloon has seats and toilets, and a café sells hot drinks and snacks.
The route passes the lit waterfront with Harpa and Hallgrímskirkja. From October to December, when it is switched on, the boat also passes the beam of the Imagine Peace Tower on Viðey.
The other half of the value is the retry. If you see no lights, Elding takes you out again another night for free, which turns one ticket into two chances if your stay allows it.
The downside is the crowd. Viator lists up to 150 guests, so the rail fills fast on a busy clear night, and the snacks cost extra.
Overalls on loan and a free second night
Elding's classic boat with a heated saloon and a guide who calls out the aurora. Prices vary by date and partner, so check both.
Elding's GetYourGuide page sometimes shows a much lower starting figure than Viator does. Treat that as a date-by-date quirk and compare both sites for the night you want.
The yachts and the budget boat
The Sea Trips yacht tour from ~$103 costs nearly the same as Elding. It is the most reviewed aurora boat in Reykjavik on GetYourGuide, with 4.4 from 1,300+ reviews.
The yacht has three panoramic decks plus a bar and lounge inside. Blankets and seasickness tablets are handed out, but nobody lends overalls. At 2 hours it is the shortest of the plain trips.
Harpa Yachts from ~$93 is the cheapest seat and runs 2.5 hours. You board either MY Harpa (up to 35 passengers) or MY Amelia Rose (up to 95), and you cannot choose which.
Its scores are the lowest of the five, 4.1 from 130+ reviews on GetYourGuide and 4.0 from 400+ on Viator. The listing also promises no retry if the sky stays dark.
Sea Trips' sightseeing cruise from ~$98 is the plain option, with a double observation deck plus a blanket for 2 hours. Its strength is the backup, a free return ticket valid up to 3 years if you see nothing.
Our yacht or big boat guide compares the decks and cabins in more detail. It also covers which hull rolls least when a winter swell runs into the bay.
The combo at about double
Reykjavik Sailors' whale and northern lights combo from ~$194 costs roughly twice a plain cruise because it is two trips. A whale-watching cruise of 2.5–3 hours comes first, then an aurora cruise of 2–3 hours in the evening.
The fare includes warm flotation overalls and heated indoor cabins. If the whales or the lights stay away, you get a free ticket to join again, and the listing scores 4.4 from 130+ reviews on GetYourGuide.
Depending on the time of year, the listing notes, the trip may use a partner's shared boat. Our whales and aurora page walks through the long day.
Costs the fare leaves out
- Hotel pickup, an extra charge on Elding and an optional add-on on the others; check what your option includes
- Hot drinks and snacks from the café or bar, sold on board on all five
- A taxi back from the harbour if your hotel is far from the center and the boat comes in late
- Warm layers if you sail on a boat that only hands out blankets (see what to wear on deck)
- Your own seasickness remedy on Elding or Harpa Yachts, whose listings do not mention tablets
- A spare phone battery, since the cold drains it faster
None of these is large on its own. Pickup plus a couple of hot chocolates can still close much of the gap between the cheapest boat and Elding.
If you plan to walk to the pier, our Old Harbour check-in guide shows where each boat starts. Elding and the other companies check in at two different buildings on the same pier.
The retry is the hidden value
Cloud causes most dark nights on the bay. The price that matters is what a second attempt costs you, and on four of the five boats that is nothing.
Elding sails you again another night, the Sea Trips yacht reschedules for free, the sightseeing cruise gives a return ticket valid up to 3 years and Reykjavik Sailors hands out a free ticket. Harpa Yachts promises no retry on its listing.
A retry only helps if you have spare nights in Reykjavik, so book early in your stay. Our guide to the free retry rules compares the small print, and the best months guide helps with timing.
If the operator cancels for wind or sea state, you get a new date or a refund. The lights themselves are never guaranteed on any boat here.