Reykjavík dinner cruise or cooking class?
Three ways to make dinner the event in Reykjavík: a €124 harbour cruise with dinner, a €235 cooking class, or a private aurora dinner. Which is worth it.
The short version
- The harbour cruise with a three-course dinner is from €124, starts at 18:00 and has a minimum age of 10.
- Cook and Dine is from €235 for 3.5 hours, with wine and a three-course meal you cook yourself.
- The private northern lights dinner is from €2,945 per tour, winter only, and clear skies are not guaranteed.
- The cruise cancels free until 24 hours before. The cooking class costs 50% within 7 days.
Book the cooking class if you want to do something. Book the harbour cruise if you want to be fed and looked after. Skip the aurora dinner unless you are celebrating something and the price makes you smile. Here is why.
The harbour cruise with dinner
Two operators sell the same trip from Reykjavík’s Old Harbour: Iceland Discover at €124 and Sea Trips Reykjavík at €124. Both start at 18:00. The sailing is about 45 minutes, then you eat a three-course dinner at the seafood restaurant Kopar. The listings state the dinner is included in the price.
On the water you pass Harpa, Höfði, Viðey with the Imagine Peace Tower, and the Sun Voyager. There is a bar on board, plus blankets, WiFi and a toilet.
Practical limits matter. Minimum age is 10. It is not wheelchair or stroller accessible. And the operator may cancel or reschedule for weather or a low number of guests. Cancellation is free until 24 hours before.
The Sea Trips listing is shown as 1 hour 45 minutes, which covers the sailing and the meal. Availability is limited; only about 57 dates show in the next four months, so check the calendar early.
Cook and Dine
Cook and Dine is from €235. It is a hands-on class in small groups of up to 16, in Reykjavík, lasting 3.5 to 4 hours. You cook and plate a three-course meal under a chef, then eat it with wine. There is also a tasting round of things like rye bread, smoked Arctic char, dried wolffish and smoked lamb.
Classes run at 10:00 and 17:00 and need at least four people. English is spoken. Wear comfortable shoes, as you stand a while. Cancelling costs 50% within seven days.
It is the better pick for couples and friends who like food. You leave with a recipe folder and an idea of how Icelandic ingredients work. It is a poor pick if you want a quiet romantic table, because you are working with a group.
The aurora dinner
Dinner Under The Northern Lights is from €2,945, and that is per private group. It is a winter tour with a driver and photographer, a tailored meal, wine pairing, pickup, and five edited photos per person.
The listing itself warns that northern lights need clear skies and may not appear. We would not promise them either. You are paying for the dinner and the chase, not the lights. Cancelling costs 10% of the price.
For two people that is a lot. For a group of six it is easier to justify. Compare it with the regular tours in northern lights bus, boat or super jeep.
The honest case against
The cruise is short. Forty-five minutes of sailing in a busy bay will not change your trip. The class costs more than a good restaurant meal, and a private aurora dinner can fail on cloud alone.
If you only want a good dinner, eat in town and spend the rest of the money on a tour. The Reykjavík food tour guide covers that route.
Our honest take
Cook and Dine is our pick for most people. It is memorable, it is dated daily, and you learn something. Take the cruise for a first evening, a family with children aged 10 and over, or a birthday that needs little planning.
Only choose the aurora dinner if you have a group, a winter date and a budget that does not mind a cloudy night.
