Kopar Fine Dining Dinner and Northern Lights Cruise from Reykjavik

A great Icelandic evening needs two acts. This experience pairs a six-course dinner at Kopar in Reykjavik’s Old Harbour with a northern lights cruise, giving you fine food and a chance to see the aurora without arranging two separate outings. I like the excellent harbor setting and the fact that a free return cruise may be offered if the lights do not appear. The main drawback is timing: dinner and boat check-in are tightly linked, so a delayed course can leave you rushing or even missing the boat.

The cruise lasts about 2.5 hours and uses a comfortable sightseeing boat with onboard commentary, video, drinks for purchase, and warm coveralls. I also like that the package keeps the evening simple, since the ticket office is only about a one-minute walk from Kopar. Still, the northern lights are never guaranteed, and cloudy or rainy weather can turn the second half into a cold ride beneath dark skies.

Key points to know before booking

• Six courses at Kopar: The Adventure Menu is the heart of the evening, with Icelandic ingredients and generous portions.
• Old Harbour location: Kopar is at Geirsgata 3, with harbor views and a convenient walk to the Special Tours office at Geirsgata 11.
• A real aurora hunt: The boat usually travels beyond the brightest harbor lights, but it does not guarantee a sighting.
• Free second chance: If the lights do not appear, the operator may let you use your ticket on another cruise, subject to the arrangements made that evening.
• Warm coveralls supplied: You still need warm clothing, especially for the open-air viewing areas and cold sea air.
• Small dinner package, larger cruise: The booking is limited to a maximum of six people for the package, while the boat itself can carry a much larger group.

Kopar puts dinner first

Your evening begins at Kopar, an Old Harbour restaurant with a strong setting and a tasting menu designed as an Icelandic food adventure. The meal includes six courses from the Adventure Menu, and the price includes the food but not drinks.

The restaurant is the part of this package that is easiest to count on. The northern lights depend on weather and solar activity. Kopar depends on its kitchen, and that is where this experience earns much of its value.

Past menus described in the supplied material included dishes such as rock lobster soup, smoked Arctic char, goose, lightly salted cod, lamb, and chocolate brownie. Other menu versions included scallops, cod tongues, duck spring rolls, ling, Icelandic lamb, skyr desserts, and sorbets. Menus can change, so do not treat those dishes as a promise. The useful point is that you should expect several courses with distinctly Icelandic ingredients, not six tiny decorative bites.

That matters because the meal is often described as filling. Some diners needed a takeaway box, and one particularly enthusiastic account found the six courses more than enough even after eating very little earlier in the day. Plan on this being a full dinner, not a pre-cruise snack.

The cooking receives mostly high praise, especially for the lobster soup, salmon, duck, lamb, and desserts. One meal included goose soup with strong flavor, blueberry-cured salmon, cod, duck breast, and a traditional Icelandic cheese dessert. The results may vary by menu and by dish. A few comments described the cod as too salty, the pork belly as less crisp than expected, and some dessert components as hard or uneven.

That mix is worth keeping in mind. Kopar is a serious restaurant, but a fixed tasting menu means you do not choose every course. If you dislike fish, lamb, or unusual preparations, ask about the current menu before committing. Vegetarian and vegan options have been available for mixed-diet families, but you should confirm your needs directly with the restaurant.

Ask for a harbor-facing table

Kopar’s location is one of the evening’s pleasures. The restaurant looks toward the marina, and a window seat can make dinner feel like part of the harbor visit rather than a meal in an interchangeable dining room.

Request a window table when you confirm your reservation, though a request is not a guarantee. A harbor view is especially useful in winter, when darkness arrives early and the lights of the waterfront add atmosphere. You might even see a faint aurora while eating, but the boat is the proper place to search for it.

Service is generally described as friendly and attentive. Staff members have helped make birthdays and romantic evenings feel special, and one server named Marusha received particularly warm praise. Drinks, including wine, beer, cocktails, and gin and tonics, are available to buy separately.

The pace needs more attention than the food. Your boat departure creates a hard deadline. In one case, four diners sent back lamb cutlets that were fatty and undercooked. Replacement portions were delayed, and the group finally left before dessert to reach the cruise. The restaurant apologized and removed the wine charge, but two courses were missed.

This is not a reason to avoid the dinner. It is a reason to make the schedule clear at the start. Tell your server that you have a boat check-in and ask when the final course should arrive. If a dish needs to be replaced, speak up early. You do not want a slow kitchen to decide how much of your dessert and coffee you get.

The one-minute walk that can still confuse you

After dinner, you walk to the Special Tours ticket office at Geirsgata 11. It is close to Kopar, roughly one minute on foot, and the tour ends back at the same general meeting point.

The distance is easy. The timing is the part that needs care. You must confirm your Kopar reservation after booking by contacting [email protected] or speaking with the restaurant reception team. The booking information has caused confusion for some people because it can appear that the dinner reservation is handled automatically.

Do not leave this until arrival day. Confirm the dinner time and reservation, then check the exact boat check-in time in your email. The email confirmation contains timing details that may not appear fully in the booking app. Keep the email accessible, and do not assume the app tells you everything you need.

The tour is normally arranged as a combined evening, but poor weather can lead to a cancellation or a move to another date. The dinner may still go ahead, so a weather change can split the package into two separate parts. That is another reason to leave room in your Reykjavik schedule.

What the northern lights cruise is really like

The boat ride lasts about 2.5 hours. It takes you away from the strongest city lights and gives you a wide view of the sky over the water. Onboard commentary and video help explain what you are looking for, and drinks can be purchased during the ride.

The boat is described as spacious, clean, comfortable, and relaxed. Some accounts call it one of the nicer boats used in Reykjavik for this kind of outing. Warm coveralls are provided, with enough available in many cases, but you should still wear a proper warm base layer, hat, gloves, and sturdy shoes.

The coveralls help, but they do not turn the North Atlantic into a living room. One person described the cold as extreme, and another found the cruise exhilarating but very cold. You will spend time outside if you want the clearest view, so dress for standing in wind, not simply for walking around Reykjavik.

The boat does not necessarily travel far out into the open ocean. It may remain close to the harbor or travel only a short distance beyond the city lights. That choice can reduce rough water and seasickness, but it also frustrates people who expect a long run offshore.

The operator’s explanation is sensible: farther out does not always mean a better aurora chance, and open water can be much choppier. The northern lights are not waiting at a fixed point on a map. Cloud cover, darkness, and solar activity matter more than distance alone.

Your chance of seeing the aurora

This is a northern lights hunt, not a show with a scheduled curtain rise. You may see nothing, a pale green smear, or a memorable display that lasts for hours. One account describes lights appearing about ten minutes after leaving port, while another describes an especially good two-hour show on a later attempt.

Clouds are the biggest practical problem. Rain, thick cloud, and low aurora activity can leave you looking at darkness and harbor lights. A full moon can also make a weaker display harder to notice, although moonlight is not an absolute barrier.

The strongest part of the package is the second-chance policy. If the first cruise does not produce the lights, the operator may allow you to return for another boat trip at no extra cost. This is not the same as a refund, and you need enough time left in Iceland to use it. Ask the crew how the rebooking works before leaving the boat.

That policy has real value. A standalone cruise that fails can feel like money spent on weather. Here, the excellent dinner gives you a worthwhile evening even if the sky stays blank, and the possible second cruise gives the aurora another chance.

The policy may not help if your schedule is packed or if the cruise is canceled because of weather near the end of your stay. Build flexibility into your plans. If seeing the aurora is your main goal, book this early enough in your Iceland visit to allow a repeat trip.

Is the $204.24 price fair?

At $204.24 per person, this is not a budget night out. Icelandic dining is expensive, and you are paying for a multi-course restaurant meal, a 2.5-hour boat trip, warm coveralls, commentary, and the convenience of combining both in one booking.

For a special evening, I think the value is reasonable. The food alone receives the strongest praise, and the harbor location adds something you would not get from a cheaper meal inland. You also avoid arranging separate transport between a restaurant and a cruise departure.

The value is weaker if you mainly want a cheap northern lights outing. In that case, you are paying for fine dining whether or not you care about the tasting menu. Drinks add to the bill, since they are not included.

This package works best for couples, food-focused visitors, birthday celebrations, and anyone with only one free evening in Reykjavik. It also suits a mixed-diet family if the restaurant confirms suitable menu choices in advance. It is less suitable for a rushed schedule, picky eaters, or anyone who would be disappointed by a cruise with no aurora.

Timing, clothing, and small practical matters

The experience lasts about five hours, but the evening feels longer because the dinner is substantial and the boat ride is not a quick harbor loop. Allow mental space for the full outing, especially if you are dining slowly or celebrating.

Start at Kopar, Geirsgata 3, in the Old Harbour. After the meal, walk to the Special Tours office at Geirsgata 11. The activity returns to the meeting area, and public transportation is nearby.

You need to dress warmly even though coveralls are supplied. Bring layers rather than relying on the outer suit alone. Cold air feels sharper on the water, and you may spend long stretches waiting for a change in the sky.

The package is offered in English. Confirmation arrives when you book, and service animals are allowed. Most people can take part, and the combined booking has a maximum of six people, although the cruise boat itself may have many more passengers.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the start time. Changes made inside that period are not accepted, and a weather cancellation may result in another date or a full refund.

Who should book this Reykjavik evening?

I would book this if you want your northern lights attempt attached to a genuinely good dinner. Kopar gives the evening a strong fallback, and the second-chance cruise can make the aurora hunt much less frustrating.

I would also book it early in your Iceland trip. The cruise may be canceled or the lights may fail on the first attempt, so an extra night or two gives you a realistic chance to try again.

I would skip it if your priority is a long voyage into open water, a low-cost aurora tour, or a flexible dinner with no fixed menu. The boat may stay relatively close to Reykjavik, the meal is large, and the schedule leaves little room for delays.

For most food lovers, though, this is a smart pairing. You get a memorable Icelandic meal, a harbor setting, and a well-organized chance to look for the aurora. Just confirm the restaurant reservation, read the email for the real timing, and dress as if the sea air has a personal grudge.

FAQ

Where does the experience begin?

It begins at Kopar, located at Geirsgata 3 in Reykjavik’s Old Harbour.

How long does the full experience last?

The experience lasts approximately five hours.

How many dinner courses are included?

The package includes a six-course dinner from Kopar’s Adventure Menu.

Is the northern lights cruise included?

Yes. A 2.5-hour Northern Lights cruise is included in the package.

Are drinks included with dinner?

No. Drinks at Kopar are not included, but they can be purchased separately.

Where do I check in for the boat?

After dinner, walk to the Special Tours ticket office at Geirsgata 11. It is about a one-minute walk from Kopar.

Are warm clothes provided on the boat?

Warm coveralls are provided for use during the cruise. You should still dress warmly because conditions on the water can be very cold.

Is seeing the northern lights guaranteed?

No. Sightings depend on conditions such as cloud cover and aurora activity.

Can I take the cruise again if I do not see the lights?

The operator may offer a free opportunity to take the cruise again if the lights do not appear. Ask the crew about the arrangement and make sure you have enough time in Iceland to use it.

What happens if bad weather cancels the activity?

If poor weather causes a cancellation, you may be offered a different date or a full refund.

Do I need to confirm my dinner reservation?

Yes. Contact [email protected] or confirm with the Kopar reception team after booking. Also check your email confirmation carefully for the dinner and boat times.