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

Two Iceland favorites, packed into one day.

This Reykjavik Super Saver pairs a Northern Lights cruise from the Old Harbour with a whale-watching trip in Faxaflói Bay, so you get two chances at the big-ticket moments in one visit. The experience also leans into storytelling, with guides sharing myths and facts while you scan the water and the sky.

What I like most is how ready they make you for Iceland weather. You get thermal overalls, heated indoor seating, and even sea-sickness tablets, which matters when the sea turns choppy.

The main drawback is simple: sightings are never guaranteed. Weather and sea conditions can shut down the lights, and whales are wild animals, so your odds can change fast once you’re out on the water.

Key things to know before you go

• Two boats, two regions, one package: Old Harbour for the lights, then out to Faxaflói Bay for marine life
• Comfort tools included: thermal overalls, heated indoor seating, and sea-sickness tablets
• Narration with myths and facts: an expert guide helps you understand what you’re seeing
• Plan B built in: a free ticket to try again if nothing is seen on your tour
• Time-flexible: you can take tours the same day or split them across days

Why this Reykjavik Super Saver combo works in winter

This is one of those Iceland packages that makes practical sense. Northern Lights are seasonal and weather-dependent, and whale watching is water-and-wind dependent, so stacking both in one itinerary boosts your overall “magic-per-night” chance.

I also like the format. You’re not just dropped off, you’re taken out onto the water in the evening, then out again for marine life, with guided talk that gives your scanning a purpose. Iceland can feel like pure spectacle, but a guide turns it into a story you can follow.

Price is the other reason this works. At $186.74 per person for two tours, you’re paying for a discounted package rather than buying each activity separately. That matters because winter activities can add up fast once you factor in gear, comfort, and the boat time that you cannot DIY safely or easily.

Northern Lights cruise from Reykjavik’s Old Harbour

On this part, you leave Reykjavik’s Old Harbour at either 9pm or 10pm, depending on the time of year. If you chose hotel pick-up, it starts 60 minutes before departure, then you head to the boat and get out onto the water for the best possible viewing window.

What to expect on the boat is a mix of atmosphere and guidance. You’ll have the indoor heated seating option, and the guide talks through what causes the aurora and the legends people have attached to it over time. That’s a real benefit because when you’re staring into the dark, it’s nice to know what you’re looking for and why the timing can shift.

Sightings can’t be guaranteed, and that’s the honest part. One of the big practical considerations is that the water can get choppy, and that can affect both viewing comfort and your chances of seeing a clear sky arc. If you want the best odds, dress for warmth before you ever reach the boat deck, then use their provided thermal gear so you are not fighting cold mid-sentence.

Also, you’ll want to keep your schedule flexible in your head. You’ll need to reconfirm your cruise times with the supplier, because evening schedules can vary by conditions, and the voucher contains the final details.

Whale watching in Faxaflói Bay: where the scanning gets real

After the Northern Lights segment, you go for the whale-watching part in Faxaflói Bay. The experience is about 3.5 hours, and you’re picked up from your Reykjavik hotel if you booked that option, then taken back toward the Old Harbour area and out to the bay.

This cruise is about finding marine life and learning it in context. Your guide helps you spot and identify what’s out there, with attention on species that call the bay home. Expect the highlights to include possible sightings of humpback whales and minke whales, plus harbor porpoises and white-beaked dolphins.

One thing I appreciate here is that they encourage you to stay camera-ready. The guide narration plus open time to scan the water is what makes a whale trip work, since whales do not run on your itinerary. If the boat finds activity, you’ll have the chance to watch them interacting with the bay environment rather than just passing by quietly.

Comfort matters on this segment too. Since whales often mean time spent on deck looking, the provided thermal overalls and heated indoor space are not just nice extras. They can keep you in the game instead of pulling you back inside early because your hands are numb.

What if you do not see whales?

Wildlife cruises are always a gamble, but this package gives you a built-in safety net: a free ticket to try again if nothing is seen on your tour. That changes how you should think about risk. It doesn’t erase weather or animal behavior, but it reduces the “we paid and got skunked” sting.

Stops, timing, and how the order affects your day

This package is set up as two separate outings that you can take on the same day or across different days. That choice is more important than it sounds. If you take them back-to-back, you’ll be spending a lot of time on boats and in winter conditions, so stamina matters.

If you split them, you give yourself breathing room. You can treat one evening as dedicated Northern Lights time and another as a dedicated marine-life search. That also helps if one segment is affected by rough seas or cloudier skies, since your other outing might still deliver.

Even within the broad structure, the timing rhythm is clear:

• Northern Lights: evening departure from Old Harbour, guided aurora talk, water time for viewing
• Whale watching: morning or later departure depending on your plan, then focused time in Faxaflói Bay for marine sightings

The total package time is listed at about 5 hours 30 minutes, but the experience includes two cruises of different lengths and additional pickup and transfer time. So I treat it as a half-day-plus plan in practice, not a quick in-and-out.

The guides matter more than you think

You are on the water. Your window is limited. The guide becomes your translator for what you’re seeing.

In the Northern Lights cruise, guide quality can make the difference between passive staring and focused observation. Some groups specifically highlighted guides such as Kristoph, noting that he handled changing conditions confidently and that his stories added real magic to the night. That kind of calm, confident narration matters when the sea is moving and the aurora is subtle.

For whale watching, narration and spotting ability are even more critical. One account called out Iga for spotting skill, with multiple humpbacks seen around the boat. Whether you get a guide like that or another guide, aim to position yourself where you can hear clearly and follow the scanning instructions.

Also, a quick practical note: boat audio can vary by where you stand or sit. If you care about the facts and the myth stories, choose a spot where you can hear without craning your neck through cold wind.

Included comfort: thermal overalls and why they are a big deal

This tour includes some of the comfort items that actually change your experience in Iceland winter.

You get thermal overalls in adult sizes, and they are available in children’s sizes too. That is huge for families or anyone trying to pack lighter. You also get heated indoor seating areas, which is how you stay out longer without turning the experience into a sprint between deck and cabin.

They also provide complimentary sea-sickness tablets, which I consider a smart inclusion. Even if you usually handle boats well, Iceland weather can switch quickly, and you do not want to spend half the cruise feeling rough.

On top of that:

• Free WiFi (for basic connectivity)
• A Special Tours app with English, German, French, Spanish, and Chinese support
• Food and drink available for purchase onboard

If you tend to get cold fast, plan to layer under the overalls too. The overalls are there to help, not to replace warm base clothing and gloves.

Value check: what you get for $186.74

For many visitors, the value is not only the discounted package price. It’s the bundle of practical extras that reduce friction in winter.

You’re paying for:

• Two guided boat outings (Northern Lights + marine life search)
• Included warm clothing support via thermal overalls
• Heated shelter onboard
• Sea-sickness tablets
• A “try again” safety net if you get skunked

That last part is the real value lever. If you see nothing on your tour, the free ticket to try again softens the randomness that comes with weather and wildlife. Even if you only partially benefit on one segment, you have a reason to hope for a follow-up night without feeling punished for nature being unpredictable.

One consideration for value, though, is that you might still choose between same-day and split-days. Same-day can concentrate your chances, but it can also mean you spend more time exposed to cold conditions and fatigue if one segment runs long or feels rough.

Best odds tips, based on how the experience actually works

You can’t control aurora timing or whale behavior. But you can control how prepared you show up.

Here’s what I’d do:

• Bring warm layers under the thermal overalls, especially gloves and a hat you trust
• Plan for possible rough water, and take the sea-sickness tablets if you’re prone to motion sickness
• On the Northern Lights cruise, give your eyes time to adjust. If you keep checking your phone brightness, you’ll fight your own night vision
• On the whale-watching boat, keep your camera ready but do not lock into filming only. Quick scanning helps you notice when the boat changes direction or slows for a sighting

Weather can also change the night. If conditions are rough enough, the Northern Lights segment can be disappointing even if the lights are active somewhere in the sky. That’s why the included try-again option is part of the value.

Should you book this Iceland Super Saver?

Yes, I think you should book it if you want two major Iceland winter experiences in one organized plan and you appreciate comfort built for cold weather. The included gear, the heated indoor seating, and the sea-sickness help reduce the usual “I’m miserable, so I missed the moment” problem.

I’d also book it if your schedule is tight. You can either take the tours on the same day or split them, and that flexibility helps you deal with changing skies.

Skip it or reconsider if you hate uncertainty. This is not a guaranteed lights-and-whales package. Conditions can cancel or limit sightings, and some days are simply tougher than others.

If you are flexible, dress properly, and treat it like two guided searches rather than a fixed outcome, this Super Saver makes a strong value case for Reykjavik in winter.