Reykjavík: New Year's Eve Northern Lights Yacht Cruise

GYG

Reykjavík: New Year's Eve Northern Lights Yacht Cruise

★ 4.5(12 reviews)

• Guide works in English
• Duration per the operator: 1.5 hours

from $136

See dates, price and what is included at the operator

A New Year's Eve on the Water

This is a 1.5-hour yacht cruise that leaves from Reykjavik on New Year's Eve, heading out into the bay in search of the northern lights. The operator, Harpa Yachts, runs the trip in English and Icelandic, with an English-speaking guide on board. It is a short outing, built around the single moment of the year when the sky over the capital is at its darkest and the fireworks below are at their brightest. The cruise is not for anyone who has trouble with steps or needs wheelchair access, as the operator states the vessel is not wheelchair accessible. At 136 USD per person, it sits in the middle of the price range for northern lights tours in Reykjavik, and it is one of the few options that combines the aurora with a view of the city's New Year's celebrations from the water.

Photographs from the operator Harpa Yachts. They show the listing, not your day.

What the Fare Covers

The price of 136 USD buys you the 1.5-hour cruise itself, the guide, and the use of the yacht as a viewing platform. No gate fees or parking charges apply at any of the places on the itinerary, so the amount you see is the amount you pay. The operator offers free cancellation, though no deadline for it is given. Beyond the cruise, there are no official add-ons listed by the operator. You are not told about meals, drinks, or any onboard extras, and no such items appear in the operator's materials. The cost is straightforward: one fare, one cruise, no surprises on the day.

What the Score Means

The cruise holds a rating of 4.5 out of 5, but that score comes from only 12 reviews. A dozen ratings is a thin base, and it means the number is far less reliable than the scores carried by the larger tours in the same category. The nearby Northern Lights Bus Tour with Hot Cocoa, for example, has a 4.3 rating from nearly 15,000 reviews, and the Small-Group Premium Northern Lights Tour has a 4.4 from over 3,000. Against those, 12 reviews is a whisper. In the category of 68 northern lights tours, this one ranks 38th by the number of reviews, which puts it in the lower half for evidence. The score itself is good, but it is not yet proven. You are booking on the strength of a small sample.

When the Cruise Makes Sense

New Year's Eve in Reykjavik is a winter night, and the climate figures for the city bear that out. January and February see average highs around 3 degrees and lows near minus 2. December is the same. The cruise runs for 1.5 hours in the evening, which means you are out on the water in the coldest part of the day, after the sun has gone and the temperature has dropped toward the overnight low. You should dress for standing still on a deck in near-freezing air, because the yacht does not move fast enough to generate its own warmth. The good news is that the short duration limits your exposure. You are not out for four hours like the bus tours; you are out for an hour and a half, which is enough to see the lights or accept that they are not coming and head back to shore for the fireworks.

Getting On Board

The cruise departs from Reykjavik, and the operator runs the trip in English and Icelandic. You will meet the yacht at the harbour and board from the dock. The vessel is staffed, and the guide is there to point out the aurora when it appears. What happens on the water depends entirely on the sky. If the clouds hold, you see the lights over the bay, with the city glow behind you. If they do not, the guide cannot change that, and the cruise becomes a night sail with a view of the New Year's fireworks from the water. There is no admission gate and no parking fee at any point, so the only logistics are getting yourself to the harbour on time. The operator does not publish an opening hour for the harbour, because it is not that kind of place; the schedule is set by the cruise itself.

Who Should Book This

This cruise is for someone who wants the northern lights without a long commitment and who likes the idea of watching them from a deck rather than a bus window. It suits a traveller who is already in Reykjavik for New Year's Eve and wants to add a short, contained outing to the evening without sacrificing the rest of the night. It is not for anyone who needs wheelchair access, and it is not for someone who wants maximum time under the sky. If your priority is a longer hunt with more chances to catch the aurora, the Northern Lights Bus Tour with Hot Cocoa runs for 4 hours at 83 USD and has a far larger base of reviews behind it. That is the alternative to pick when 1.5 hours feels too short or when 12 reviews feel too few.

GYG

Reykjavík: New Year's Eve Northern Lights Yacht Cruise

Dates, remaining places and the current version of what is included are at the operator. This page reflects the state of the catalogue, not the state of this morning.

from $136

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