Small yacht or big boat for a Reykjavik aurora cruise
The northern lights boats in Reykjavik's Old Harbour come in four shapes, from a motor yacht that can carry as few as 35 guests to a classic whale-watching boat for up to 150. The hull decides how warm you stay and how much rail space you get. Below, the four side by side and what each one trades away.
Four shapes, one bay
All the boats on this site leave the Old Harbour and sail the same dark stretch of Faxaflói Bay. What changes from one to the next is the deck and the cabin, plus what you get to keep warm.
Group size runs from 35 on Harpa Yachts' smaller boat to 150 on Elding, by Viator's figure. Trips last about 2–2.5 hours either way, so the shape matters more than the length.
A boat is also not the only way to see the aurora from Reykjavik. Still deciding between sea and road? Our boat or bus guide weighs the two before you get to choosing a hull.
Reykjavik Sailors' whale and aurora combo uses a whale-watching boat for up to 100 with flotation overalls and heated cabins. It is a longer day, so it gets its own whales and lights page, and this guide sticks to the four plain cruises.
Elding's classic boat
Elding's cruise from ~$105 uses a red and white whale-watching boat that carries up to 150 guests. It is the biggest hull here and the only plain cruise that lends warm overalls and raincoats.
Inside there is a heated saloon with seats and toilets, plus a café selling hot drinks and snacks. Outside, open viewing platforms give room to move around the boat as the aurora shifts.
A naturalist guide calls out the lights and explains what you see. The trade-off is the crowd, because on a clear, busy night many of those 150 people head for the same side.
Elding scores 4.5 from 600+ reviews on Viator. If the sky stays dark, you sail again another night for free.
The Sea Trips yacht with three decks
The Sea Trips yacht tour from ~$103 carries up to 98 guests across three panoramic decks. A bar and lounge inside give it the feel of an evening out rather than a working boat.
Warm blankets and seasickness tablets are handed out, and the boat has Wi-Fi. It holds 4.4 from 1,300+ reviews on GetYourGuide, the most of any aurora boat in Reykjavik there.
The catch is warmth outside. Blankets help on a calm night but do little against wind on an upper deck, so your own layers carry more weight here than on Elding.
Harpa Yachts in two sizes
Harpa Yachts' motor yacht cruise from ~$93 runs on one of two boats. MY Harpa takes up to 35 passengers and MY Amelia Rose up to 95; the company assigns the boat, not you.
If you land on MY Harpa, it is the most intimate trip on the bay, with room at the rail for nearly everyone. On MY Amelia Rose it feels closer to the other mid-sized boats.
Both have an inside seating area plus warm blankets and Wi-Fi, with an experienced crew. The route runs behind the islands of the bay, including Viðey, for 2.5 hours.
On GetYourGuide it holds 4.1 from 130+ reviews, and on Viator 4.0 from 400+, the weakest scores here. The listing promises no retry if you see nothing.
The cheapest seat, possibly on a 35-guest yacht
Harpa Yachts' 2.5-hour cruise behind the islands of Faxaflói Bay. You may get the small MY Harpa or the larger MY Amelia Rose.
The Sea Trips sightseeing boat
Sea Trips' sightseeing cruise from ~$98 is the plain workhorse of the group. It takes up to 98 guests, has a double observation deck and gives each guest a blanket.
Guides come along and drinks are for sale. It lacks the lounge feel of the yacht, but its free return ticket, valid up to 3 years, is the longest-lasting backup on the bay.
It scores 4.3 from 400+ reviews on GetYourGuide and 4.5 from 70+ on Viator. For the full list of terms, see our free retry guide.
What you trade between them
Room at the rail or a warm seat
A small boat puts you close to the water with fewer elbows around you. A big boat has more cabin space, so you can wait in the warmth and still find a gap outside when the lights come.
Overalls or blankets
Elding lends overalls; the yachts and the sightseeing boat give blankets. Overalls let you stay on deck for long spells, while a blanket mainly helps once you are seated. Our guide on what to wear fills the gap.
Stability in a swell
Bigger, heavier boats usually roll less when winter swell comes into the bay. If you are prone to seasickness, that counts for more than a cosy cabin, and our seasickness page has tips for any hull.
Photos from the deck
Every boat moves, so long exposures blur on all of them. A steadier hull helps a little, and our photo tips for the deck explain the settings.
A quiet deck or a lively one
A small yacht feels calm and personal, with few voices around you while you wait. A big boat with a café and a guide on the speaker feels more like an organised outing, which some people prefer on a cold night.
Neither shape changes the sky. The aurora depends on solar activity and a clear sky, so pick the boat for comfort and let the forecast decide the rest.
Which boat to book
- Elding if you want overalls and a guide on the most stable hull
- The Sea Trips yacht for a lounge and bar between sightings
- Harpa Yachts for the lowest fare and a chance of a small group
- The Sea Trips sightseeing boat for a long-lasting return ticket
If you are travelling with children or older relatives, the big boats are the safer bet for warm seats and toilets close by. Couples after a quieter evening may prefer to gamble on Harpa Yachts and its smaller boat.
Prices for all five, with what each includes, sit on our cruise price comparison. The lights are never guaranteed on any of them.