Kopar Fine Dining Dinner and Northern Lights Cruise from Reykjavik

Kopar’s six-course dinner and a night cruise make a neat Reykjavik pairing: settle in for Icelandic-inspired food by the Old Harbour, then head out by boat to look for the aurora. It gives your evening two very different settings, with the harbor lights behind you and dark water ahead.

I like that the meal is a proper part of the evening, not just a quick stop before the boat, and that the cruise includes warm coveralls, commentary and a video. The short walk between Kopar and the ticket office also keeps the changeover simple.

The main catch is timing. Dinner and boarding are linked, so a slow course or a late start can put you under pressure. And even with a capable crew, cloud and aurora activity are beyond anyone’s control.

• Six courses at Kopar: The set Adventure Menu makes dinner a substantial tasting meal, with dishes that can include seafood, lamb or duck.
• Old Harbour views: Kopar sits beside the water, and a window table gives you a view across the marina.
• A short changeover: The Special Tours ticket office is about a one-minute walk from the restaurant.
• A 2.5-hour aurora search: You’ll head out by boat with warm coveralls, commentary and an onboard video.
• A weather-dependent finale: You may see the lights, but the sky can just as easily stay cloudy.

Kopar’s Adventure Menu Makes Dinner the Main Event

This is a food-and-boat evening, not a cruise with a meal tacked on. Your first stop is Kopar at Geirsgata 3, in Reykjavik’s Old Harbour. The package includes a six-course dinner from the restaurant’s Adventure Menu, with admission included.

The menu is designed as a tasting sequence, but don’t mistake that for six tiny bites. Portions can be generous, and the full meal may leave you quite satisfied before dessert. Past menu examples have included lobster soup, smoked Arctic char, cod, lamb, duck and chocolate brownie. The precise dishes can change, so treat those as a sense of the style rather than a promise of what will be served.

The appeal is the chance to try several flavors in one sitting instead of ordering a single main course. Icelandic seafood and local ingredients feature in the dishes described, while the set menu gives you less menu planning to do. If you’re hoping to sample something new, this is a better fit than a quick, familiar dinner.

The setting adds to the meal. Kopar is in the Old Harbour, and the tables near the windows look out over the marina. If the view matters to you, ask about a window seat when you confirm your reservation. It is a request, not a guarantee, but the harbor is a fine backdrop for a long dinner.

Food and service are the strongest parts of the package. Diners have praised the meal’s flavors, presentation and attentive staff, and several found the six courses among the best meals of their Iceland trip. That is not a promise that every dish will suit every palate. One diner found a cod course too salty, and another had trouble with lamb that was fatty and undercooked. Still, the overall pattern points to a restaurant meal worth making time for, rather than simply paying extra to fill the hours before the boat.

A fixed menu also means less flexibility than ordering à la carte. One account describes vegan and non-vegan diners finding choices that worked for them, but the package information does not guarantee a particular dietary menu. If you have a dietary requirement, contact the restaurant before you book and get confirmation. Drinks are not included, though beer, wine and cocktails are available to buy.

Keep the Dinner-to-Boat Handoff Simple

The evening starts at Kopar, and after dinner you make your own way to the Special Tours Ticket Office at Geirsgata 11. It is about a one-minute walk from the restaurant, so there is no transfer to arrange. The cruise ends back at the meeting point.

The listed duration is about five hours. The dinner portion is allotted three hours, followed by a 2.5-hour cruise, so allow the evening to take up much of your night. The exact timing matters: you need to finish dinner and check in for the boat. In one case, a delayed replacement lamb course meant diners left before dessert and missed the last two courses to make the cruise.

That is an unusual but useful warning. If a course is taking longer than expected, tell your server early that you have a boat departure. Better still, confirm your dinner reservation and timing as soon as you book, then check the full confirmation email for both restaurant and boat details. The app may not show every timing detail.

There is a small but important booking wrinkle. The instructions ask you to contact Special Tours after booking to confirm your Kopar reservation. Do not assume the restaurant table is automatically secured just because you have booked the package. The listed contact is [email protected]. Getting the dinner time in writing helps avoid a confusing start to the evening.

The Northern Lights Cruise Is a Search, Not a Show

After dinner, check in at the Special Tours office and board the boat for a 2.5-hour cruise. The purpose is to get away from Reykjavik’s city lights and look for the aurora from the water. The crew provides onboard commentary and a video, giving you something to follow while you scan the sky.

The package includes warm coveralls, a welcome practical detail in Iceland’s northern lights season. Take the advice to dress warmly seriously: the suits help, but being on open water can feel very cold. Bring warm layers underneath, and check that your coveralls fit comfortably before you go outside. There may be refreshments available aboard, but they are not listed as included in the package.

The boat is described as spacious and comfortable, though comfort does not remove the chill or guarantee a sighting. You might get a vivid display, a faint glow, or a cloudy sky. The aurora depends on conditions you cannot control, and even a well-run tour cannot turn a poor forecast into a light show.

That uncertainty is part of the value calculation. You are paying for the boat trip and the chance to see the lights, not a guaranteed spectacle. Some departures have offered another cruise without charge when the lights did not appear, and some people have seen them on a return trip. But that possibility is not stated as a guaranteed inclusion, so ask Special Tours about its current policy before you rely on it.

Weather can also affect whether the boat sails at all. If poor weather cancels the experience, you are offered another date or a full refund. That is different from a cruise that goes ahead but finds no aurora, so it is worth understanding the distinction when deciding how much to spend.

What $204.24 Buys You

At $204.24 per person, this is a premium evening, especially once you remember that dinner drinks cost extra. The price includes a six-course meal, a 2.5-hour cruise, warm coveralls, onboard commentary and a video. If you would book a special dinner and a northern lights boat trip separately, bundling them can be a convenient way to plan both in one night.

The food is the more dependable part of the value. You know you have a full meal at Kopar, with a harbor-side setting and a menu intended to be an experience in itself. The cruise brings the possibility of a memorable sight, but the aurora is a gamble. If the lights matter more to you than dinner, compare the cost with a standalone cruise and choose your own restaurant instead.

The package is particularly appealing if you enjoy tasting menus and want to make one evening feel like an occasion. Couples celebrating a birthday or a special trip may appreciate the leisurely meal before heading out. It can also suit a mixed group of food lovers and aurora seekers, though it is wise to check dietary needs with the restaurant first.

For a family or group, the appeal depends on everyone’s patience for a long dinner and a cold boat ride. The meal can take much of the evening, and the cruise is not a quick harbor loop. The experience is offered in English, and the activity information says most people can participate; service animals are allowed.

Who Should Book This Evening

I’d book this if you want a memorable dinner as much as you want a chance at the Northern Lights. Kopar gives the evening a solid center, while the boat adds a sense of adventure and a very different view of Reykjavik after dark. The combination also saves you from planning two separate activities on the same night.

I’d think twice if you dislike set menus, have a strict schedule, or would be disappointed by a cruise without an aurora sighting. The six-course meal is fixed, drinks are extra, and the boat ride can be cold. Most importantly, the sky gets the final say.

Confirm the restaurant reservation and both start times directly after booking. Ask for a window seat if you’d like a harbor view, mention any dietary needs, and dress warmly for the boat. With those points sorted, this is a strong choice for a special Reykjavik evening, provided you treat the northern lights as a possibility rather than the promised main course.

FAQ

How long does the experience last?

Plan for about five hours in total. The dinner is allotted three hours, and the Northern Lights cruise lasts about 2.5 hours.

What is included in the price?

The package includes Kopar’s six-course Adventure Menu, a 2.5-hour Northern Lights cruise, use of warm coveralls, onboard commentary and a video.

Are drinks at Kopar included?

No. Drinks at the restaurant are available to purchase separately.

Where do I meet for the cruise?

After dinner at Kopar, walk to the Special Tours Ticket Office at Geirsgata 11 to check in. It is about a one-minute walk from the restaurant.

Do I need to confirm my dinner reservation?

Yes. Contact Special Tours after booking to confirm your reservation at Kopar. The listed email is [email protected].

Is a Northern Lights sighting guaranteed?

No. The cruise is a search for the lights, and weather and aurora activity can prevent a sighting.

What happens if poor weather cancels the experience?

You will be offered a different date or a full refund if the activity is canceled due to poor weather.