The Northern Lights Cruise will sail you out into the dark blue wonder of Faxaflói bay in search of this mystical phenomenon, leaving behind the bright city lights of the capital Reykjavík. Our expert guide will be at hand to answer your questions while you enjoy Mother Nature's lights show and starry skies wrapped up in a warm overall.
Elding is an environmentally friendly company and recognised worldwide for its environmental efforts. The aim, mission and goal is to minimise the operational impact on the environment while offering an unforgettable experience at sea.
Posted By : Karina_D
The tour is well organized. However, bring layers and a blanket because there isn’t much indoor space. Unfortunately, we did not get to see the Northern Lights that evening. They offer a voucher for a free cruise in a later date but we were leaving the following day :(
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Posted On : 2024-04-30 14:17:19 
Posted By : Cara_W
Great cruise around the Bay. Got a glimpse of the Northern lights. The guide was very helpful. It was just fun but cold! Dress warm or use their overalls.
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Posted On : 2024-04-17 11:23:18
Posted By : karoline_r1804
It was a great tour and we had luck and saw Northern Lights. It's my first visit in Iceland and it also was the first evening so I had a lot of luck.
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Posted On : 2024-04-16 14:40:45 
Posted By : Kate E
The crew was professional and pleasant. When we did not get viewable lights, they offered a voucher. The boat was stable, and it was generally calm.
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Posted On : 2024-04-15 06:33:52
Posted By : Eileen_C
Visiting Reynisfjara Beach - the weather was not cooperating (cold, high winds, sleet and snow) which contributed to the visit being a new and exciting view. It was exciting and beautiful in its own way.
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Posted On : 2024-04-15 05:19:39
Posted By : Paul_D
Went twice on our 4 day trip after they said conditions were good. Saw nothing. Was freezing beyond.
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Posted On : 2024-04-14 16:00:38
Posted By : lindaoxley1
Fantastic evening. Very comfortable on the top deck of the boat. Excellent information updates from staff. Apart from the cold it was everything we had hoped for and more. Never thought we would see pink and red with the naked eye. Thank you. This tour was recommended by What’s On tourist info in Reykjavik.
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Posted On : 2024-04-09 10:41:09
Posted By : PSH07
Northern lights cruise from Reykjavik. Service was exceptional. Highly recommend.
We weren’t set on doing a cruise, and had originally considered driving out to the countryside ourselves in our hire car (we didn’t fancy a bus tour as we have young kids). After a bit of research which noted that the aurora were quite elusive and hard to spot if driving around chasing them, and you are best picking a spot and staying put and being patient. Again doing this late at night with young kids in the frying cold (it got to -5 overnight!) didn’t appeal. So we decided to give the boat trip a go.
We originally booked a cruise on Tuesday 2 April when it was forecast as cloudy skies (we hadn’t checked the weather beforehand) and whilst it was a nice boat ride, we were bitterly disappointed we didn’t see the lights. Primarily because we had kept our young children up until 1am (cruise operates 10pm-12am) and we were all very tired the next day so felt like it wasn’t worth it... but as a natural phenomenon they of course cannot be guaranteed. We were just planning to wander around Reykjavik the next day so nothing too strenuous.
Before we docked back at the harbour, the crew offered complimentary tickets for another time. We called in at the office the next day and booked no problem at all, for later in the week (Thursday 4 April). We were quite nervous about whether we would get to see them as we were only in Iceland for 4 nights… we thought this gave us a last resort back up to do it on the Friday (our last night) if need be and we weren’t successful again.
However learning from our first mistake of not checking the weather, we kept (obsessively!) checking the forecast for the next couple of days and it became apparent that the forecast for the Thursday was to be cloudy again, but the Friday was supposed to be clear skies. With young kids in tow we wanted to avoid another wasted trip, so on the Thursday morning we emailed the office and asked to change to the Friday which they accommodated no issue at all. We got an email confirmation back straight away.
We then went out on the Friday and our weather research had paid off - it was the most spectacular display of the aurora we could ever have hoped for! They appeared about 40 mins into our sailing and lasted beyond our return to the harbour, they were breathtaking - even the crew said it was the most amazing display they had ever seen! As we were sailing out the crew gave helpful tips about what the aurora are, and how to spot them, and also how to take the best photos on various devices (SLRs, smartphones etc) which was really helpful. They also took their own photos which they shared on request with participants via a weblink after the event (which I have to say were a lot more professional looking than my own via iPhone!).
There is a cafe on board, and large inside area with tables and chairs to keep warm and play cards/chat/have a drink while waiting for them to appear, which the crew announces as soon as they spot something. They also provide warm waterproof oversuits which you can borrow and wear over all your clothes/coat to keep you extra warm and dry. It can be very windy on deck and bitterly cold. Recommend taking fingerless gloves (which I hadn’t but wish I had) which you can wear on your dominant hand to give at least some protection while you operate your camera/phone and avoid windburn/frostbite!!!
Wholeheartedly recommend this cruise operator and the experience we had - even if you don’t see the lights you can try and try again until you do… or have to go home!
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Posted On : 2024-04-07 16:08:37
Posted By : Pinkpacker
We were lucky enough to see the Northern lights on our second attempt and got to witness quite a show. It was great to have the commentary of a knowledgeable guide explaining what causes the lights, it was also great to have the warmth of the cabin and a selection of drinks onboard to keep warm! Easy to get to from staying in downtown Reykjavik too.
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Posted On : 2024-04-07 13:36:10
Posted By : Roger_Y
What an amazing time on the Elding. The whole trip lasted two hours. This was our 2nd time out, as the first trip earlier in the week was cloudy and we weren't able to see anything. The inside of the boat is comfortable and warm to keep you toasty as they sail out. On our night, the forecast was for clear skys and at around 11pm the northern lights started showering us from all directions. Make sure your camera has the correct settings to capture those bright colors you've seen in pictures. What a magical trip!
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Posted On : 2024-04-07 08:18:17
