Special Tours

An Icelandic sea tour operator based at Reykjavik's Old Harbour

Special Tours runs its own boat tours from Reykjavik's Old Harbour, at Geirsgata 11, 101 Reykjavik, sailing into Faxafloi Bay for whale watching, puffin watching, sea angling and northern lights cruises. It also runs whale watching from Akureyri, listed on the site as Whale Watching Akureyri. Alongside its own boats, the site sells combo tours and a separate list it calls "Partner Tours," such as the Sky Lagoon, FlyOver Iceland, the Icelandic Lava Show and Golden Circle Direct, which it lists apart from its own sea tours. Prices are in Icelandic krónur (ISK).

The About page says the company "was founded in 1996 as a Puffin Watching & School Trip Sea Tour Operator," and that it is "very proud to be the first company in our marketplace to offer these unique tours from Reykjavik." It describes its focus as "comfort and personal service, while making sure we protect and respect the environment," and says there is "a skilled & friendly crew, as well as an experienced guide on every tour." The footer shows that it is "Authorized by the Icelandic Tourist Board" and displays "Iceland tourism's official quality label," and the About page lists a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence and "Top rated by Viator." Its vision statement says it "offers sea adventures all year around, both to individuals and groups," names a goal of being "a leading company in sustainable tourism in Iceland," and the footer notes that it supports the local children's hospital.

The tours and what they cost

The homepage lists its own tours with prices. Whale Watching Reykjavík is from 12.998 ISK for 2.5 to 3.5 hours, and Whale Watching Express is 12.490 ISK for 2 to 2.5 hours. Whale Watching Akureyri is from 12.998 ISK for 2 to 3 hours. Northern Lights by Boat is from 12.998 ISK, and the version with a backup plan is 10.490 ISK. The RIB Express speedboat is 23.800 ISK for 2 hours. Puffin Express is 7.800 ISK for 1 hour, and Puffin Express by RIB Speedboat is 11,490 ISK for 1 hour. Sea Angling is 18.490 ISK for 2.5 to 3 hours. The Whales & Puffins Midnight Sun Tour is 12.490 ISK, and the New Years Fireworks Cruise is 23.490 ISK for 1.5 hours. The Whales of Iceland Museum is 4.000 ISK for 1 hour. Groups and Incentive Tours are "Rates upon request," and at the top of the page the site advertises a promo code, BLACKFRIDAY, with 15% off.

The combo list pairs a boat trip with something on land, for example Whale Watching & Sky Lagoon at 26,280 ISK for 5.5 hours, Golden Circle & Northern Lights by Boat at 23,990 ISK for 10 to 11 hours, and Whales and Horses at 32,665 ISK.

Northern lights with a backup plan

The Northern Lights by Boat with a Backup Plan page explains the idea: "A lower price and a guaranteed adventure!" The boat sails "about 15-20 minutes" out of the harbor, away from the city lights, and an expert guide explains the science and the myths. If the lights do not appear, "you get a complimentary ticket to try again." If the boat trip is canceled for weather, guests are booked automatically into Auroras at Whales of Iceland, a northern lights themed museum visit that runs at 21:00, with a guided tour of the museum's 23 life-sized whale models, a 25-minute northern lights film on an 8-meter screen, a Q&A and a complimentary drink, and they keep their boat ticket for another night. The schedule table puts departures at 22:00 in September and October and at 21:00 from November to April, with 22:00 again from 15 March to 15 April, and the page lists the guidance as English. The museum is 900m from the ticket office, transport between the two is provided, and a short northern lights photography workshop is offered on site. Adults pay 10.490 ISK, children aged 7 to 15 pay 4.875 ISK, and children up to 6 go free.

The page lists what is included on the boat: warm overalls "also available in children's sizes," heated indoor seating, WC's, a snack bar and WiFi on board, and photos taken on every tour that can be downloaded free.

How the day works

The starting point is the Special Tours ticket office at Geirsgata 11, where guests must show ID at check-in. Pick-up in central Reykjavík is from designated city bus stops, following a city council arrangement from 2017, and the pickup page lists which hotels and guesthouses use which stop, from Ráðhúsið (City Hall) and Harpa to Hallgrímskirkja and Hlemmur, plus a set of direct pick-up hotels. Pick-up starts 60 minutes before departure. Guests staying in an Airbnb are asked to contact the company.

On safety, the About page says "All safety regulations of the Icelandic Maritime Administration are met and fulfilled," that all crew members have finished STCW training at the Maritime Safety and Survival Training Center in Reykjavík, and that "Children under the age of 12 are required to wear life jackets during the tour." The homepage shows a live departures board with each sailing marked pending, confirmed or canceled.

Booking and terms

Tours are booked on the site, and contact is by phone on +354 560 8800 or by email at info@specialtours.is. The backup-plan ticket is non-refundable, and the page says why: because you are "guaranteed a night of fun no matter what happens," the ticket "is therefore non-refundable." It also has a 48-hour booking cut-off.

What the site leaves open, and who it suits

The footer links to Terms & Conditions, but the homepage tour cards give no cancellation window for the standard whale, puffin and angling tours. Only the backup-plan page names a guiding language (English), no passenger capacity appears next to any tour, and the site does not describe wheelchair access.

The strengths are the published prices, the clear pick-up system, the free retry on northern lights tours, a backup plan that turns a weather cancellation into an evening indoors, and a live departures board. It suits visitors based in Reykjavík who want whales, puffins or the aurora from the water, families (with overalls in children's sizes and free places for young children on the backup plan), and anyone in Akureyri looking for a whale trip. Travelers who want flexible refunds should note that the backup-plan ticket is non-refundable and check the terms for the standard tours.