Reykjavik

Northern Lights Yacht Cruise

Name: Northern Lights Yacht Cruise
Brand: Harpa Yachts
SKU: 214018P1
Price: 95.42 USD
Rating: 4.0 (23 reviews)

Reykjavik, Iceland

2 to 3 hours (approx.)
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

Overview

Embark on a one-of-a-kind yacht cruise along the Reykjavik coast—and look out for the Aurora Borealis—on this evening tour. Make your own way to the waterfront start point, hop aboard your vessel, and get cozy with blankets on the deck (or warm up in the inside area). As you go, look out for the Northern Lights, and sip a drink from the on-board café (additional expense).

Enjoy a one-of-a-kind way to explore Reykjavik and its coastline
Look out for the Northern Lights when you set off after dark
Attend a free additional yacht trip if the Northern Lights don’t appear
An on-board bar and café, and Wi-Fi, are provided on the yacht

What's Included

Restroom on board
WiFi on board
Bar / Café on board
Spacious viewing decks
Comfortable inside area

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

Old Harbour House | Food, Drinks & Tours
Ægisgarður 2, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland
We are located at the Reykjavík Old Harbour close to the city's center. It is the main port of departure for whale watching and northern lights tours. *Please arrive at the meeting point 30 MINUTES BEFORE DEPARTURE.

Start time

10:00 PM

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Service animals allowed

Near public transportation
Most travelers can participate
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 35 travelers

Operated by Harpa Yachts

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.

Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Featured review

Helen_S

I booked with Harpa Yachts for the second time in two years and again had great experience. The yacht is very comfortable with good inside lounge and viewing area outside. The crew was very informative, friendly and I enjoyed this evening. I would recommend this company to anyone.

Reviews

4.0

23 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

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Showing 1-10 of 23 reviews

Not worth the money

Louise_H, Nov 2023

Cannot parodic the weather but advertised small boat and was taken out on board a larger boat rammed with drunken people with over expensive bar . Not worth the money in my opinion

Response from Host, Dec 2023

Dear Louse. Thank you for your review and we are sorry for your disappointment. We have two yachts, MY Harpa, 35 passengers and MY Amelia Rose, 95 passengers. We use both of them and that is well explained on our website and on Viator. The prices on our onboard bar are very reasonable compared to other bars in town.

Northern lights

Meaghan_G, Sep 2023

It was a cloudy night so we could really see the northern lights clearly, we could through the clouds. The boat ride out was nice and the company said because we didn't see the light we could book again. We plan to go back out once we find a time to go

Response from Host, Sep 2023

Yes, the northern lights always delights. And Capt Einar is always eager to please. Thank you for your 5-star review. Team Harpa Yachts

Pass on this cruise, clear night & we were too close to the city lights

Maya_B, Sep 2023

1. Never left out of the city lights so no chance to really see the northern lights 2. The tour guide was just talking into the microphone nonsensical comments: ‘we may see them in 20 min or we may not’ . Judging statements: ‘it is okay if you choose to stay inside but you should be up here’ 3. They should have offered everyone a hot chocolate not a beer coupon for another place 4. For many of us this is a once in a lifetime trip so giving us another coupon does not work 5. I would like a tour credit on viator for this trip because none of it was done properly. I have seen the northern lights in Canada and you cannot be in a harbor within the city limits. I have used your company many times. Thank you for your consideration. Maya Bunik

Response from Host, Sep 2023

Dear Maya. We are really sorry to read your review and I will try to explain our side. In these tours we explain when we leave the harbor that we do not go far out into the bay. We go behind the islands close to Reykjavik, far enough from the city lights so they do not trouble us or block the view to the sky. In these tours it´s all about finding a good shelter and calm sea. Yes we see the city lights, but they do not trouble us. The northern lights are from 100 km up in the sky so if we are a few miles further out it does not matter, the only thing that matters is the cloud cover. Offering a beer/coffe/tea coupon on a restaurant in the end of the tour is only a good gesture and no one has to accept that offer. Reading through your review reflects that you did not see the northern lights and we are sorry for that. We can never guarantee sightings, even in the best conditions and you are welcome to join us again free of charge. The Harpa Yachts team

Great experience. The...

Tamra_W, Mar 2023

Great experience. The boat was very nice, Staff was knowledgeable and the lights were spectacular. Would highly recommend this boat tour.

Response from Host, Mar 2023

Thank you for your "high recommendation" and kind words. Glad you enjoyed he spectacular show of aurora borealis. Do take back wonderful memories. Team Harpa Yachts.

AVOID - A MASSIVE TOURIST TRAP/CON

Clare_K, Feb 2023

Key failings 1) they take you about 500m from coast to the same fixed point and sit there for the evening - you are so close to shore and no effort made to find the right location to view Northern Lights 2) only a 5 minute spiel on NLs (probably from Wiki) and that is all you get - no updates on weather or best place to move to 3) the experience is not remotely luxury - it is mass market. So, you sail out 500m from coast, sit there for a while listening to cheesy music then sail back when the time is up. NLs by numbers. A massive tourist con. They were lazy - there were clear skies the night we were out but they didn’t even bother looking - we see this as a missed opportunity to see the lights - we could have seen them with other providers who try - so a complete waste of our time. The thought of repeating this experience (the no lights offer) depressed me in the extreme. My advice - do not waste your time.

Response from Host, Aug 2023

Dear Claire. Please let me correct some of the wrong statements in your review. First of all, you came 5 minutes late (actually 20 minutes late as we ask people to come 15 minutes before departure) and the yacht and 40 people had to wait for you. You were late as you needed a drink according to your husband. 1) In our tours we do not go into the bay, but behind the islands close to Reykjavik and there we stop and find a good shelter if there is any movement on the sea. We are far enough from the city lights to enjoy the northern lights if they come. The height of the lights are from 100 kilometers up, so if we are a few hundred meters to the left of right does not matter for the sightings. 2) We try to explain everything about the northern lights as best we can and if you did not like it, we are sorry for that. The same if you did not like the music we played, relaxed music, we are also sorry for that, probably hard to please everyone in that matter. 3) We do not describe our tours as "luxury" even though our boats are the best in the fleet. We describe them as comfortable yachts. We limit the number to 35 passengers in the smaller yacht and 95 passengers in the bigger yacht. In comparison the other boats are old ferries with up to 200 people on board. The crew is on a constant look out for the northern lights and beside that all the boats communicate so if so unlikely that we would miss it when they appear, we would hear it instantly on the radio from the other boats. Yes you could have taken a bus and tried your luck with them, but they see the same lights as we do or as this evening no one saw them, neither the boats nor the buses. We are truly sorry that you needed that drink so you and your family came way too late. If you had checked in at our ticket office in time, you would have heard explanations about the conditions and the likelihood of seeing the northern lights. We are always straight out with our customers and offer them to back out if they do not like the conditions, but sadly you missed that. Thank you, Team Harpa Yachts

Hope to rebook for tonight

Jeff_J, Feb 2023

We were unsuccessful in viewing the Northern Lights but hope to rebook for tonight or tomorrow to try again.

Response from Host, Feb 2023

Yes, if the tour is unsuccessful you can come again free of cost. Hope you see the wonderful auroras. Thank you, Team Harpa Yachts

Worth the extra cost. Lovely ship and crew

Ryan_M, Jan 2023

We didn’t see them on the first night but I rebooked with no real issue for the second when we got to see them. The boat itself is luxurious. You have an upper deck which is open and the back the sides and the front of the boat to walk around. There is a an enclosed area to warm up which has blankets and a bar for hot drinks as well as champagne, beer and so on. Bathroom are also available on the lower deck. The maximum amount of people on my tour was probably around 20 or so. Which is why I booked this specific tour because I didn’t want to be jammed in like sardines when the northern lights appeared. But please be aware, the trade off for having a smaller crowd is that this boat does NOT go out as far as the larger ships. It has a set route and it sticks to it. But as you can see, we got far enough away from light pollution to see them. The captain is knowledgable and has been hunting the lights for over 10 years. Music is played as well as a short explanation about where the lights come from and why. Great experience. I was so lucky to see them on my final night here in the city.

Response from Host, Jan 2023

Wow! That is a rather informative review and we appreciate you taking the time. Of course, Capt Einar is a pioneer in whale-watching and northern light tours in the Faxafloi Bay and is well-known for his knowledge and customer-service. Thank you Team Harpa Yachts

Fabulous last night on Iceland

SallyAnn_W, Jan 2023

A last attempt to see the Northern Lights before we leave Iceland, this time by boat. We could not have made a better choice, the boat was warm and cosy with plenty of blankets and we got to see the lights. We had a warm welcome aboard from the guides and were given some interesting information about the lights and Christmas traditions which, although tricky to hear from time to time, was very interesting. All in all, a great experience to finish my trip. Thank you

Response from Host, Jan 2023

Thank you for your kind words. Yes, sometimes the auroras do play tricks and sometimes we have to try again and again to suceed. But succeed, we often do! Team Harpa Yachts

romantic, chill evening

Kathryn_d, Dec 2022

this was a great choice. far fewer people than we saw on the larger boats. a much more chill experience, i imagine. we got a great view of the lights - they were spectacular.

Response from Host, Dec 2022

And we appreciate your "great choice". Yes, the auroras have been spectacular this season. Thank you, Team Harpa Yachts

Great small group tour

Helen_S, Nov 2022

Response from Host, Nov 2022

Thank you for your patronage! We are indeed lucky to have wonderful guests lke you. Hope to see you again next year :) Team Harpa Yachts

Didn't see the lights, ...

hahajeva, Feb 2022

Didn't see the lights, but overall experience was great. Crew if very friendly, clean on board, bar is nice for warm up drinks