Whale Watching Cruise from Reykjavík
by Sea Trips Reykjavík · Whale watching · Boat tours · Reykjavík
- Fine on your own
- Luxury
- Couples
- Eco-certified
Would this be cheaper direct? No — we sell at Sea Trips Reykjavík's own price and take our commission from them, not from you. What you get here is one checkout across operators, one confirmation, and one place to change or cancel it. If you ever find it cheaper on their own site, tell us and we will match it or explain why we cannot.
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Duration
3 hours and 30 minutes
Difficulty
Easy
Season
May – Sep
Starts in
Reykjavík
Languages
EN
Departs
09:15, 10:30, 13:15, 16:15 …
Cancellation
Free until 24h before
Our take on this one
Sea Trips run this on the Amelia Rose, a yacht rather than a converted fishing boat, which means fewer people on board and three deck levels to move between when the rail gets crowded. Three and a half hours out into Faxaflói, past Engey, Lundey and Viðey, with the city skyline behind you the whole way. Minke and humpback whales, dolphins and porpoises are the usual sightings and orcas turn up occasionally — nobody can promise you any of them, and the crew won't. Blankets are provided and there is a heated indoor cabin and a bar. Check in at the Old Harbour 30 minutes before; pickup costs extra. Summer only, five departures from 09:15.
- Book it if
- People who want the Faxaflói whale trip on a smaller, more comfortable boat than the big operators sail.
- Skip it if
- Nobody can promise you a whale, and Faxaflói can be rough — if you get seasick, the 09:15 sailing is usually the calmest, and even that is a gamble.
Written by us, from the operator's own details and what we know of the route. We don't take a fee for a good word.
About this experience
ome aboard the Amelia Rose yacht and see the incredible wealth of marine wildlife that lives in the waters just off the shores of Reykjavík City. Nature lovers looking to see some of Iceland’s majestic whales, dolphins, and porpoises, but who wish to do so in a small group, should grab this chance now. Whale watching on a superyacht takes whale watching to the next level.
The ship sets sails from Reykjavík’s Old Harbour and during your journey, you’ll sail among the small islands in the Faxaflói Bay, as well as along the coast of Reykjavík, providing you with a fantastic view of the city as you search for the wildlife in the water.
The most common sights are minke and humpback whales, dolphins and porpoises. However, there is always a chance to spot a few orcas (also known as killer whales) as well as a wealth of other species. The professional team onboard is very experienced in spotting whales and are dedicated to making sure their passengers leave with a smile.
This tour is conducted on a beautiful yacht called the Amelia Rose. With three panoramic deck areas, the vessel provides every passenger with a good view of the surrounding area as well as an excellent opportunity to capture some amazing pictures. The decks are partially covered, providing some shelter from wind and rain, and you can easily circle them to enjoy the best views.
Amelia Rose is designed as an offshore vessel, making it better adapted to take on the turbulent waves of Iceland’s waters, ensuring a smoother sail with less probability of passengers experiencing nausea or seasickness.
So don’t hesitate. Book now to enjoy whale watching in both style and comfort on this small-group whale watching tour. Check availability by choosing a date.
Description from the operator, Sea Trips Reykjavík. Prices and availability in the booking panel are live.
Where you go
- Pass By: Old Harbour
- Pass By: Harpa Reykjavik Concert Hall and Conference Centre
- Pass By: Faxaflói
- Pass By: Engey
- Pass By: Lundey
- Pass By: Videy Island
Included
- 2.5 - 3 hours Whale Watching Cruise
- Professional guides
- Panoramic views
- Warm blankets
- Free Wi-Fi
- Drinks and snacks available for purchase
- Restroom on board
- Warm indoor sitting area onboard
- Pickup is available for an extra charge
Good to know
We recommend all guests dress warmly in layers and good footwear it is always colder on the water and don´t forget your camera.
Please check-in at the Old Harbour House at Aegisgardur 2, 101 Reykjavík 30 minutes before departure.
If you added pick-up service, we will pick you up 75–45 minutes before departure. This is the pick-up window. Traffic may cause small delays, but we’ll do our best to arrive within that time.
- Weather is a big factor for the tour, we may have to cancel the tour due to unfavorable weather conditions.
- The tour takes place in wild nature, sightings cannot be predicted or guaranteed. If there are no sightings on the tour, we do not offer refunds but instead, we offer our passengers a free return to join our tour depending on availability, valid for up to three years.
Cancellation for this tour
Free cancellation until 24 hours before departure; no refund after that. If the operator cancels for weather or safety, you get a full refund or a new date.
If the weather cancels this tour
Iceland's weather is real. What usually stops this one is sea state — the skipper decides an hour or two before departure; in winter this happens often. Here is exactly what happens to your booking.
- 1Sea Trips Reykjavík decides, and tells us. Operators cancel when it is unsafe or pointless, and we back that call every time — we do not ask them to run anyway.
- 2We contact you by email, and by phone if your tour is the same or next day. You choose: another date if there is one you can make, or a full refund. There is no fee and nothing to argue.
- 3The refund goes back to the card you paid with, through Stripe, usually visible within a few working days. If this tour was one of several in your booking, the others are untouched.
What you do not get is the day back. If this is the only free day in your plan, put a spare day next to it — the planner leaves days free with the rest-day option. And if you want out because the forecast looks bad, that is your own cancellation: free until 1 day before departure, the operator's policy after that.
Questions on the day: [email protected] · +354 497 1373. How cancellations work in Iceland →
Why this one and not the cheaper one?
The nearest cheaper Húsavík Whale Museum Ticket from Húsavík Whale Museum is €19 — €78 less. Here is every difference we can actually measure.
| Sea Trips Reykjavík · €97 | Húsavík Whale Museum · €19 | |
|---|---|---|
| How long it runs | 3.5 hours | 1 hour |
| Changing your mind | Free until 24 h before | Not stated |
The €78 buys you 2.5 more hours out and free cancellation up to 24 h before. Whether that is worth it is your call — but that is what the difference is.
Sold out on your date?
Seats come back — a cancellation, or the operator adding a vehicle. Tell us the date and we will check once a day and email you if one opens. One email, then we delete the address; nothing else is ever sent to it.
Who this is not for
- Not available in winter; the operator runs it roughly May to September.
Read off the operator's own conditions. If none of it applies to you, this is a good one.
Why we list it
Sea Trips Reykjavík is one of 154 operators we work with — chosen for reliability, honest descriptions and how they treat guests when weather changes plans. We don't list everything; we list what we'd book ourselves. The six checks every operator passes →
What travellers say about Sea Trips Reykjavík
Read all 345 reviews on Google →Operator rating 4.6/5 from Google — these are reviews of the company, not this specific tour. Shown as Google returns them, unedited.
★★★★★ · 2 weeks ago
Puffin Watching Yacht Cruise from Downtown Reykjavík – Small Group Experience https://seatrips.is/tour/puffin-watching-yacht-cruise-from-downtown-reykjavik/ It was a really smallest group experience, like a private tour for both of us, we booked way before our trip, very easy, and once over there, the day before someone from the tour operator called me to see if we were willing to move our tour time from 2:30 pm to 12 pm, because some technical issues, I know things happen, so no problem, we went there around 11:30 am, nobody was in the office because all shops around there were doing some painting, we went to a restaurant across the street, and Ana was there, we did the check in and ready to go on board the “Sea Ranger”, small powerful and beautiful yacht and guess what? We were the only passengers, the whole boat just for us! Ana was the guide and a young nice man the pilot, they took us to 2 small islands near the port, no more that 15 minutes away, and we were able to see those beautiful, colorful, small and fast elusive sea birds, it was worth and we took several pictures /videos from them very close, you cannot step on land, it’s forbidden, and they don’t stay put for the pictures! You need to know, the birds have their own “calendar for the year” , that day (8/19/26) was the last day for the season, they go and live on the sea and come back next year in early April, how? Good question. In the background you can see the Tall ship ARC Gloria from the Colombian Navy on its yearly cruise with Naval Cadets on board
★★★★★ · 5 months ago
Claudia was an incredible guide for our northern lights tour on March 22, 2026. She was very attentive and informative, giving constant updates on light activity and giving us all tips for photographing. Inside the boat was warm and cozy, and you can’t beat having bathrooms and a bar available! The boat wasn’t packed full of people which we appreciated. It was very easy to move around. Highly recommend this tour!
★★★★★ · 6 months ago
We used sea trips for a northern lights tour, great guides and crew, lovely boat with plenty of space for everyone. Really enjoyable evening seeing the lights and a highlight of our trip!
★★★★★ · 7 months ago
Beautiful trip, amilia rose, seen whales, puffins, staff were lovely, plenty food and drinks on board to be bought, they wernt lying when they said wrap up warm lol, but so worth it
Reviews from Google · updated 13 Sept 2026
Read before you book
- Your arrival afternoon in Reykjavík is for one thing, and it might be a napFood walk, whale watching or bed on the afternoon you land — which one survives a red-eye, which one wastes the day, and the combo we'd actually book.
- Boat tours in Iceland sort into five kinds, and only two of them are sightseeingWhale boats, aurora cruises, glacier-lagoon zodiacs, island ferries and sea angling. What each one actually is, what it costs, and which are worth a slot.
- Northern lights by bus, boat or super-jeep — the odds are the same, the night isn'tBus, boat and super-jeep lights hunts from Reykjavík compared on real odds, comfort and price, with the one we'd book first.
Reviews from our travellers
Only people who booked this tour through us can write here. We publish every review in full — good or bad.
No reviews yet from our travellers on this one. After your tour we send one email asking how it was, and what you write goes here, unedited.
Whale watching — questions people ask
When is the best time for whale watching in Iceland?
April to October, with June to August the most reliable. Humpbacks and minke whales feed in Faxaflói off Reykjavík and in the northern fjords all summer, and white-beaked dolphins and harbour porpoises turn up on most trips. Winter boats still sail from Reykjavík, but sightings drop and the sea is rougher. If whales are the point of your trip, come in summer and book an early departure; seas are usually calmer in the morning.
Can you see whales from Reykjavík in December?
Sometimes. Boats run from the Old Harbour all year, and winter trips do find whales, mostly humpbacks and the occasional orca. But December means short daylight, cold wind and a higher chance the operator cancels for weather. Sightings are noticeably less frequent than in summer. If you are here in winter, go anyway, but treat it as a sea trip with a chance of whales rather than a whale trip. Most operators offer a free second trip if nothing shows.
Is Húsavík or Reykjavík better for whale watching?
Húsavík, if you can get there. Skjálfandi Bay in the north sees humpbacks close to shore from May to September, and the small family-run boats like Friends of Moby Dick (/experience/752602/) keep group sizes down. Reykjavík is more convenient: boats leave the Old Harbour five minutes from most hotels and run all year. Akureyri and Dalvík in Eyjafjörður are also strong. If you are only in Reykjavík, go from Reykjavík and do not feel short-changed.
Will I get seasick on a whale watching tour?
You might. Faxaflói is open sea and the boats roll, especially in wind. Take a tablet an hour before departure, stay on deck in fresh air and watch the horizon rather than your phone. Morning trips tend to be calmer than afternoon ones. If you know you suffer badly, a two-hour RIB trip (/experience/155331/) is faster and bumpier but shorter, or pick a northern fjord like Eyjafjörður, which is more sheltered than the bay off Reykjavík.
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