Australia · BOAT TOURS IN MELBOURNE
Good boat tours in Melbourne sell out well ahead and the pick of them go first. Here are 13 to lock in early, what each includes, and where they part company.
See Melbourne from the Yarra River on a two-hour cruise with English GPS-triggered commentary. Travel upstream and downstream past Docklands, Southbank, the MCG, Olympic Park, Herring Island and the Royal Botanic Gardens. Choose indoor seating or the open rear deck, with tea and coffee included.
“Value for Money, You Should take Down Stream and Up Stream as well”
Board at Southbank Promenade for a three-hour, fully enclosed dinner cruise past Federation Square, Flinders Street Station, Rod Laver Arena, and the Botanic Gardens. Your four-course meal includes Australian wine, bubbly, beer, spirits, dessert, cheese, coffee, tea, and port. Boats may be the Yarra Countess or Yarra Empress.
“excellent experience! very very atentive staff! me and my wife enjoyed evey moment! good food and appropiate drinks. 5 stars… clear!”
Join Yarra River Cruises at Federation Wharf for a one-hour sightseeing trip through central Melbourne. Your crew points out Eureka Tower, the Royal Botanic Gardens, Southbank, bridges, and riverside districts. Tea and coffee are included, drinks can be bought onboard, and guides such as Gilbert, Bridgette, Paul, and Pete have added plenty of humor and local detail.
“Lovely experience from start to finish. Absolutely amazing river cruise! Beautiful views of Melbourne City from the river side, smooth ride, and excellent service. Highly recommended!””
Cruise from Southbank along the Yarra River in both directions, passing the MCG, Royal Botanic Gardens, Docklands, Crown, and the port. Commentary covers Melbourne’s past and present, while panoramic windows, a sun deck, tea, and coffee keep the ride comfortable. High tides can sometimes shorten or alter the route.
“Very good experience. I thought it was fun and enjoyable and something worthwhile to do for people who like cruises”
Board at Southbank Promenade for a three-hour dinner cruise through central Melbourne. You’ll enjoy tasting platters, a choice of chicken, beef, barramundi, lamb, or vegetarian main, dessert, cheese, and drinks including wine, beer, spirits, and soft drinks. The enclosed boat keeps the evening comfortable in cool weather.
“Service on the boat was exceptional. The boat ride was leisurely. I would take this tour again.”
Take a roughly one-hour ferry ride between Melbourne and Williamstown, with large windows, a sun deck, tea and coffee, and onboard commentary. Choose one way or round trip, then spend your time in Williamstown visiting galleries, gardens, cafés, and waterfront restaurants. Check the timetable carefully, since tides and river traffic can shift departure times.
“Farmers market, cafes, ferry views The river was a bit high so we were a bit late leaving as we had to wait to fit under the bridges.”
Sail from Southgate along the Yarra River and across Port Phillip Bay to Williamstown. Your English-speaking guide or skipper points out Melbourne sights, docks, bridges, and local history. Choose a one-way trip with time for lunch and a walk, or stay aboard for the return to Southbank. Tea and coffee are included.
“The views of the city all the way down to Williamstown were great..The commentary was great, with all the information about Melbourne & Williamstown. ...time it took (1 hour) was just long enough...a”
Board the Spirit of Melbourne at Southgate for a relaxed two-hour brunch cruise. Your table service includes unlimited beer, wine, Prosecco mimosas, tea, coffee, and a spread of sweet and savoury food. Glass viewing areas give you changing views of Melbourne parks, gardens, stadiums, and city buildings.
“Easy to navigate, plenty of accommodation near the docking point and walking distance from local pubs and restaurants to kill time prior to boarding. Captain and staff on board were all very lovely. A special request for a happy birthday dessert to come out for my partner was honered, which made this extra special. Bottomless drinks 100% great value for money, and the food was delicious!”
You captain a quiet, Danish-designed electric picnic boat along Melbourne’s Yarra River, with no boat license or experience required. Bring your own picnic and drinks, then choose your pace for one to three hours. Staff provide a clear safety briefing and route advice. The boats are wheelchair accessible and suit private groups of up to eight.
“We randomly decided to do the boat rental after seeing people do it whilst we were walking along the Yarra. It turned out to be one of our best experiences in Melbourne. The boat is easy to learn to navigate. The water was calm and wasn’t particularly busy. We got to see Melbourne from a different point of view. Bring a picnic and drinks you’ll be set. We did the max length of time you can rent the boat and to be honest, we could’ve done with about a half hour shorter. During the last 30 minutes, we were just going in circles to kill time. Either way, this is…”
Spend one hour on the Yarra River, leaving from Southgate and passing Princes Bridge, the Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne Cricket Ground, Olympic Park and Herring Island. You can sit inside behind panoramic windows or step onto the sun deck. English commentary and complimentary coffee and tea are included, but the route can change with tides and river closures.
“Enjoyed this river cruise . We tend to do these things when travelling so we thoroughly enjoyed being tourists in our own city. Commentary was informative and we learned quite a bit on this cruise”
Choose an upstream cruise past the Royal Botanic Gardens, MCG, Olympic Park, and Princes Bridge, or head downstream through Docklands toward Hobson’s Bay. Your one-hour Melbourne River Cruises trip includes live English commentary, tea, coffee, indoor panoramic windows, and an open sun deck. Bring sunglasses and arrive early for better seats.
“The ferry trip was wonderful, with a lovely breeze blowing. Only one complaint: the windscreen where the ferry captain sat was badly cracked. Not safe.”
Spend two hours aboard the Spirit of Melbourne, cruising through central Melbourne while enjoying a three-course lunch made with seasonal Victorian produce. Choose chicken, beef, salmon, or a vegetarian main, with wine, beer, juice, and soft drinks included. Crew members such as Sarah, Thomas, and Adrian have been praised for warm, attentive service.
“Was such a lovely trip, thoroughly enjoyed it. All the staff were lovely and attentive”
Take a 45 to 50 minute cruise from Berth 3 at Federation Wharf, traveling downstream past Southbank, Queens Bridge, and Flinders Street Station, then upstream toward Punt Road Bridge and the Royal Botanic Gardens. Your English-speaking captain provides GPS-triggered commentary. Drinks and snacks are available to buy onboard.
Pick a reef, a cellar door or a coast road.
