Iceland Super Saver: Northern Lights Cruise plus Whale-Watching Tour from Reykjavik

The best reason to book this package is simple: it pairs two of Iceland’s most weather-dependent outings at a lower combined price. You head into Faxaflói Bay at night searching for the Northern Lights, then return for a daytime cruise looking for humpback and minke whales, dolphins, and harbor porpoises.

I like the free return ticket if you see no wildlife, and I like the practical touches: thermal overalls, heated indoor seating, WiFi, and free seasickness tablets. The main catch is that nature sets the schedule. Rough seas can cancel the lights cruise, clouds can hide the aurora, and you may spend 3.5 hours on the whale boat without seeing a whale.

Key points before you book

• Two cruises for $186.74: The package combines a 2.5-hour Northern Lights cruise and a 3.5-hour whale-watching trip.
• Flexible scheduling: Take both trips on the same day or spread them across separate days during your Iceland stay.
• A useful no-sighting policy: If your whale-watching trip produces no wildlife, you receive a free ticket to try again.
• Thermal gear is supplied: Warm overalls are available in adult and children’s sizes, with heated indoor seating on board.
• Weather matters more than the guide: Clear skies are needed for the aurora, while sea conditions affect comfort and safety.
• Pickup costs extra: Hotel and cruise-port transfers can be arranged, but the fee is 1100 ISK per person, per trip.

Two very different cruises from Reykjavik Old Harbour

This is not one long combined outing. You are buying two separate boat trips that begin and end at Special Tours, at Geirsgata 11 in Reykjavik’s Old Harbour.

The Northern Lights cruise lasts about 2.5 hours. Depending on the season, departure is at 9pm or 10pm, with hotel pickup beginning about an hour before departure if you have paid for it. The whale-watching cruise lasts about 3.5 hours and also leaves from the harbor for Faxaflói Bay.

That distinction matters. You may have a long break between activities, or you may need to plan meals and rest around them. You can schedule both on the same day, but separating them is often easier. A daytime whale trip followed by an evening aurora cruise gives you a clearer rhythm and leaves room to move one activity if the forecast turns poor.

The meeting point is easy to use as a base for both trips. You return there after each cruise, and food and drinks are available for purchase on board. WiFi is included, though you should not count on a steady signal once the boat gets farther from shore.

The Northern Lights cruise: patience on Faxaflói Bay

The night cruise heads away from Reykjavik’s harbor and into Faxaflói Bay, where darker conditions may give you a better view of the sky than you would get from the city.

The guide explains what creates the aurora and adds Icelandic myths and stories connected with it. That talk gives the outing some purpose during the waiting periods, because the lights do not appear on demand. You may spend much of the cruise watching cloud cover, scanning the horizon, and checking the sky above the boat.

The boat has heated indoor seating, which is important. You can step outside for a better view, then return indoors to warm up. Thermal overalls are provided, including children’s sizes, but you should still wear warm layers, gloves, and a hat. The provided suit helps with wind and cold, but it does not replace proper clothing.

The aurora can be faint. Even when you see it, it may look less dramatic to your eyes than it does in a long-exposure photograph. Strong displays can fill the sky with green and other colors, but a weak display may appear as a pale streak or glow. That is not a fault with the boat, but it is worth knowing before you pay for a dedicated aurora outing.

Cloud is the biggest problem. A clear night with weak aurora activity may produce nothing, while strong activity hidden by cloud is equally frustrating. Rough seas can also cancel the cruise. In that case, the company offers a different date or a full refund when the cancellation is due to poor weather.

The guide quality can affect the evening. Some outings have been praised for clear explanations and strong speaking voices. One account described an uninteresting presentation, so the experience may depend partly on the guide assigned to your departure. The onboard entertainment has also been described as somewhat novelty-focused, and the sound system has not always been perfect.

Still, the boat can be a good choice when road excursions are canceled because of poor driving conditions. One outing went ahead when coach tours did not, allowing passengers to see the lights from the water. You should not treat that as a guarantee, but it is one reason a cruise may fit an unpredictable Iceland itinerary.

Whale watching in Faxaflói Bay

The whale trip takes you across Faxaflói Bay for about 3.5 hours. The main wildlife targets are humpback whales, minke whales, harbor porpoises, and white-beaked dolphins.

A humpback sighting can be spectacular. These whales may surface close enough for you to see the shape of the back, the blow, and sometimes more active behavior. Minke whales are smaller and often harder to spot, while porpoises and dolphins can appear quickly and vanish just as fast.

You need patience here. The crew may spend time following signs of activity, and the wildlife does not follow a timetable. One trip produced five minke whales, while another had three humpbacks playing near the boat. Other outings found dolphins and porpoises but no whales, and some saw no wildlife at all.

Guide skill helps. Iga has been singled out for exceptional spotting ability, especially during a trip with several humpbacks. That kind of sharp-eyed searching can make a real difference when an animal surfaces for only a few seconds. The crew also explains the species you are looking for, so even a brief sighting has more meaning than a simple camera opportunity.

The company offers a free ticket to try again if nothing is seen. That policy gives the package real value, but it only helps if you have time left in Iceland and are willing to return to the boat. If your departure is on your last day, a replacement trip cannot help.

The sound system may be less clear on the whale boat than on the Northern Lights cruise. I would stay near the guide when possible, especially if you want to hear the explanations. You can move around the boat to search for animals, but keep warm and be prepared for wind.

Rough water and seasickness deserve serious attention

The biggest practical risk is not missing a whale. It is feeling sick for most of the trip.

Faxaflói Bay can be rough, and the whale cruise lasts 3.5 hours. One especially difficult outing left an entire party feeling ill after no whales appeared. The company provides complimentary seasickness tablets, but you should ask for them before departure rather than waiting until the boat begins to roll.

If you are prone to motion sickness, think carefully about the forecast and your tolerance for open-water travel. Eat lightly, dress warmly, and use the indoor area if the movement outside becomes unpleasant. The boat may still be uncomfortable in poor conditions, and a free return ticket will not necessarily make you want to try again.

The Northern Lights cruise can also be canceled because of choppy seas. That is the sensible decision from a safety standpoint, but it can disrupt a tightly planned itinerary. Keep at least one flexible evening if seeing the aurora is a major goal.

What the $186.74 price really buys you

At $186.74 per person, this package is worth considering if you already plan to take both a whale-watching trip and an aurora cruise. The discount is the main financial reason to bundle them, and the included gear saves you from renting or buying a thermal suit.

The value improves with the practical extras:

• Thermal overalls in adult and children’s sizes
• Heated indoor seating
• Free WiFi
• Complimentary seasickness tablets
• A free return ticket if no wildlife is seen
• An app in English, German, French, Spanish, and Chinese

Food and drinks are not included, but you can buy them on board. That is a minor extra cost, though you may prefer to eat before leaving the harbor.

The group limit is listed at 198 people, so this is not an intimate small-boat outing. A larger boat gives you more indoor space and several places to watch from, but it can also feel less personal. If you want a quiet, private search for wildlife, this package is not designed for that.

Hotel pickup is optional and costs 1100 ISK per person, per trip. Because the fee applies separately to each cruise, taking both trips on different days can make transfers more expensive. The Old Harbour meeting point is the budget choice if you can reach it yourself.

Same day or separate days?

The package lets you choose, and that flexibility is one of its strongest features.

Taking both trips on the same day may suit a short visit. You can complete the whale cruise during the day and take the Northern Lights boat at night, assuming the schedules work. The drawback is fatigue. The whale trip alone lasts 3.5 hours, and the late evening departure can make the day feel long.

Separate days are better if you want to protect the aurora opportunity. You can move the Northern Lights cruise to a clearer night if the first forecast is poor, subject to available departures and the company’s arrangements. A split schedule also gives you time to recover if the sea is rough.

I would avoid placing both cruises on the final day of your trip. The no-sighting ticket has little use then, and a weather cancellation may leave no time for a replacement.

Pickup, timing, and what to bring

The standard meeting point is Geirsgata 11, 101 Reykjavik. Hotel and cruise-port pickup is available for an additional fee, but it is not included in the stated price. Confirm the exact departure time with Special Tours after booking, since the start time changes by season and cruise times need reconfirmation.

Bring warm layers even if the forecast looks mild. Add gloves, a hat, and shoes that will keep your feet dry. The provided overalls are helpful, but you will spend time outside scanning the water or sky.

If you have motion sickness concerns, take advantage of the free tablets and tell the crew early. Keep your camera ready for whales, dolphins, and porpoises, but do not let photography distract you from short sightings. The company allows service animals, and most people can participate.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Changes or cancellations inside that 24-hour window are not accepted for a refund. Weather cancellations are handled with a different date or a full refund.

Who will get the most from this package?

This is a good match for you if you have several days in Iceland, want two classic Reykjavik outings, and accept that nature may deliver one highlight rather than both.

Families may appreciate the children’s thermal overalls and heated seating. The package also suits first-time whale watchers who want a guide to explain the animals, and first-time aurora watchers who would like context about the science and local stories.

It is less suitable if you dislike boats, suffer badly from seasickness, or have only one tightly scheduled day. It is also a poor fit if you expect the Northern Lights to appear on cue or assume whale watching means guaranteed whales.

The strongest praise has focused on the crew, clear explanations, good organization, and impressive sightings when conditions cooperate. The weakest experiences involve missed pickups, rough seas, poor visibility, and no wildlife. Confirm pickup details directly, arrive at the meeting point early, and keep your schedule flexible.

Should you book this Reykjavik boat package?

Book it if you want both activities and can give them room in your schedule. The combined price, thermal gear, retry option, and heated seating make it a practical way to try two uncertain but memorable outings.

I would be more cautious if you are visiting Iceland for only a day or two, especially during unsettled weather. In that case, choose the cruise with the better forecast, or book this package only if you are comfortable treating the wildlife and aurora as possibilities rather than promises.

The clearest reason to choose it is the chance to see humpback whales by day and the Northern Lights over Faxaflói Bay by night. The clearest reason to skip it is the sea. If you can handle cold, waiting, and a little motion, this package gives you a fair shot at two of Iceland’s most memorable natural sights.

FAQ

How long are the two cruises?

The Northern Lights cruise lasts about 2.5 hours. The whale-watching cruise lasts about 3.5 hours.

Can I take the tours on different days?

Yes. You can take both tours on the same day or schedule them across separate days during your Iceland vacation.

Is hotel pickup included?

No. Hotel and cruise-port pickup can be added for 1100 ISK per person, per trip. The standard meeting point is Geirsgata 11 in Reykjavik.

What happens if I see no whales or other wildlife?

You receive a free ticket to try the whale-watching tour again. The ticket is most useful if you have enough time remaining in Iceland to return.

Are warm clothes provided?

Thermal overalls are provided, including children’s sizes. The boats also have heated indoor seating, but warm personal clothing is still recommended.

Can the Northern Lights cruise be canceled?

Yes. The cruise requires suitable weather and may be canceled because of poor conditions. You will be offered another date or a full refund.