Melbourne Tours
Highlights of Melbourne Cruise
4

Highlights of Melbourne Cruise

By Melbourne River Cruises
What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Get unique views of Melbourne from the Yarra River on this cruise. Take in vistas from both banks as you travel the river in both directions. Hear in-depth commentary while you ride, getting a full picture of Melbourne's history and modern existence. Choose between outdoor or indoor seating depending on the day’s weather, and enjoy a pick-me-up with provided tea or coffee.
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation

Ages 0-99, max of 78 per group
Duration: 2h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English
More

Highlights
  • Comprehensive river cruise traveling both directions; you won't miss a thing
  • Refresh yourself with included tea or coffee
  • Listen to educational narration from a guide
  • Great introduction for first-time visitors or those short on time

  • Commentary
  • Drinks (tea and coffee)
  • Yarra River Cruise
What's not included
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
  • Gratuities

Make your way to the departure point, camera in hand, for this comprehensive river cruise through Melbourne. Board the boat and find a comfortable seat from which to take in views of the city’s historic buildings, modern skyscrapers, and lush gardens. Seating options include both indoor and outdoor areas, with tea and coffee provided in the cabin. This tour cruises both up and down the Yarra River for views of both banks, a great way to check off all the sightseeing goals on your list in just a short time. Listen to live commentary about Melbourne's history, geography, and ecology, and its role as a modern cultural capital. Walk away with a great overview of the city, memorable photos, and an idea of how you'd like to spend the rest of your time in Melbourne. Snacks and beverages are available to purchase on board.

Start:
  • Melbourne River Cruises, Berth 2, Southbank Promenade, Southbank VIC 3006, Australia
    Berth No 2, Southgate Arts and Leisure Precinct Landing
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point.

    • Not wheelchair accessible
    • Service animals allowed
    • Near public transportation
    If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 3013SIGHTAB

    • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
    • Most travellers can participate
    • Please note the travel date is only required as an indication within 3 months from booking confirmation date
    • Unfortunately the vessel is NOT wheelchair accessible. However, passengers in a wheelchair can be accommodated only if they can get on and off the vessel on their own and if the wheelchair is collapsible. The staff are not permitted to assist handicapped persons due to insurance restrictions
    • The Melbourne Highlights Cruise may include a pause between the two tours and may require switching to a different boat.
    • This experience requires good weather. If it’s cancelled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
    • This experience requires a minimum number of travellers. If it’s cancelled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
    • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 78 travellers

    • For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.

    If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 3013SIGHTAB

    From
    ₹3,489.65
    per adult
    Select date and travellers

    Similar experiences

    Itinerary
    • Berth 2, Southbank Promenade, Southbank VIC 3006, Australia
      Berth No 2, Southgate Arts and Leisure Precinct Landing
    • Pass by
      Melbourne River Cruises
      Yarra River
      Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG)
      Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria
      Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre
      Docklands
    About the operator
    Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
    • Melbourne River Cruises
      1,593
      Australia
      Joined in December 2008
    • sophiedM8850KQ
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Lovely evening
      What a lovely evening spent on the Yarra! The food was lovely, the staff were amazing. Very relaxed and enjoyable experience :)
      Written 1 February 2025
    • Carmel2604
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      A lovely dinner cruise
      Excellent evening with changing scenery, plenty of drinks, delicious food and attentive wait staff. We were lucky that we had perfect weather also. We booked only a few days earlier (once we knew the weather). Seats were locked in and we had been loctaed a table upstairs. We all had plenty of time to move around the boat to take photos, enjoy the views, chat to fellow passengers and wave to others on the river banks or in passing boats. There was a relaxed but celebratory vibe the whole night and although the staff worked hard, they were happy to chat too. We were told to arrive 20 mins early but 5-10 mins was ample. Nobody needed to sight our tickets (but we'd been asked to bring them). Tea and coffee didn't seem to arrive upstairs, but we were happy to sit on our wines/spirits and desserts (while delicious) were different from what was described. We received two large ones on one platter rather than several small ones. Be aware that you need to organise which entree (of two choices) and which main meal (of several good choices) a few days before the event.
      Written 21 January 2025
    • miagA5840ZA
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Fabulous Experience
      Fabulous afternoon on the water. Great food and drinks. Wonderful friendly happy staff. Would definitely recommend. And love to go again
      Written 20 January 2025
    • ThomVM
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Great experience
      Great food, great service, a very relaxing evening spent seeing some of the city. The cruise was sold out and at full capacity we still had plenty of room.
      Written 17 January 2025
    • aussie1Sydney
      0 contributions
      4.0 of 5 bubbles
      Great service but overpriced.
      The service was outstanding and the drinks were free-flow. The staff were always looking to ensure that your glass was never empty. The food was very nice and most people would be full at the end of the meal. The trip up the river was mildly interesting and, while it was great to see the lights of Melbourne when you get back to the starting point, I am not sure it is value for money. I would not do it again.
      Written 13 January 2025
    • Dee S
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Spirit of Melbourne Dinner Cruise Spectacular
      We had a fantastic experience. From start to finish, it was just spectacular. Food and staff were amazing. Would recommend to anyone for a great night out in Melbourne 😍
      Written 11 January 2025
    • nataliebirt5
      0 contributions
      3.0 of 5 bubbles
      Disappointing for the money
      Sisters weekend away Very hot day in Melbourne we were inside but the air con wasn't cooling us at all Food was dry , not fresh Young waitress could not understand English that well Took awhile to get drinks Overall not what I expected
      Written 5 January 2025
    • 728AndreaH728
      0 contributions
      2.0 of 5 bubbles
      Don't waste your money on platinum package if at all
      We did the NYE | Party Cruise - Over 40's Dec 31st 2024. We paid extra for the Adult Platinum Package $335.00 Per Person. First of all we queued for ages at one berth, only to be told it was a different berth for platinum - so then we queued up again..The boat & people were fun - but WOW such a waste of money food wise and drinks. The food was atrocious - cold unappealing, nibbles few and far between. The spirits - were negligible . Look the boat was fun, but as for paying $335 each for rubbish lack of food, and only sparking wine, so disappointed. 'IF' you're really wanting to do this - DON'T pay for platinum and secondly, seriously think if it's even worth your money at all.
      Written 2 January 2025
    • Wanderer152466
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      5/5 Dining Experience
      Went on the cruise with my husband and parents, who were visiting from Scotland. It was absolutely fantastic, definitely 5/5 Food was delicious and the drinks were always flowing.
      Written 1 January 2025
    • Nishant S
      0 contributions
      1.0 of 5 bubbles
      Disappointing Experience with Rude Staff
      Disappointing Experience with Rude Staff I regret to say that our experience on this boat was far from enjoyable. The staff were shockingly rude, displaying a complete lack of courtesy throughout the trip. Their attitude toward children was particularly appalling, treating them with clear contempt, which made the atmosphere very uncomfortable for families. Adding to the frustration, the boat left significantly later than scheduled, with no explanation or apology provided. This lack of professionalism and respect for customers’ time only added to the overall disappointment. I would not recommend this experience to anyone, especially families with young children. A serious overhaul in staff training and management is desperately needed.
      Written 29 December 2024
    • reereez
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Wonderful evening experience
      Excellent experience, staff, food, lovely evening. Well worth doing with someone special. Great value for money, highly recommended.
      Written 28 December 2024
    • scroly1
      0 contributions
      4.0 of 5 bubbles
      Melbourne Dinner Cruise
      It was wonderful. The food was excellent and more than enough. Drinks were always topped off throughout the dinner. The servers were very attentive and friendly. Seeing Melbourne from the river was awesome especially at night when it was all lit up. Only drawback I think it was too long. It said 3 hours but it really didn’t need to be that long. But overall I think they did an excellent job.
      Written 27 December 2024
    • MelGrant
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Christmas day lunch cruise
      What a wonderful way to celebrate Christmas. The food was beautiful, plentiful and so much variety. The staff were so friendly. And the weather sure turned it on. Fantastic experience and we are already planning next year. Thankyou more than we can say.
      Written 25 December 2024
    • Odyssey806
      0 contributions
      2.0 of 5 bubbles
      Terribly boring. Could have been more interactive.
      We did a 2 hour cruise and it was one of the most boring things we did on our Australian holiday. They had this pre recorded voice giving us details of the sights, who we could not hear properly at all. Half the boat was open to the sky and it was 2 pm in the afternoon. Couldn't wait for it to get over. Terrible waste of money.
      Written 25 December 2024
    • Julie K
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Christmas eve cruise
      Very good entertaining evening, drinks free flowing and food very tasty! Would thoroughly recommend,very efficient in every way
      Written 24 December 2024
    See all 1,593 reviews
    These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

    Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

    Popular mentions

    4.0
    4.0 of 5 bubbles189 reviews
    Excellent
    69
    Very good
    56
    Average
    30
    Poor
    18
    Terrible
    16

    Pollard Family
    Nashville, TN204 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    The cruise was on a semi cold afternoon…this river boat is 90% enclosed with side windows that open so you’re really not cold. The roof is semi covered with glass that lets the sunlight in warming the compartment. The rear has seating for about 12 people to sit and another 10 to stand. The rear wasn’t windy at all and the picture you can take was incredible. There are two trips you can take … the up river and down river. I purchased both trip so it was a two hour river tour. The tour is mostly a pre-recorded audio tour but the captain and the first officer will answer any question you may have. Learned a lot about Melbourne and the aquatic and land history during the river excursion. They do offer drinks and snack at a cost that was reasonable so I would suggest pre-buying some food prior to getting into the boat if you take the 2 hour tour. The ship berth (berth 2) where you get into your boat has plenty of food / bar around the boat company berth. I truly enjoyed it but I like boat tours everywhere they offer one .
    Written 14 April 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Hello, Thank you for taking the time to share such a detailed and positive review of your experience with us! We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed your time on our Melbourne Highlights cruise! We appreciate your feedback and look forward to welcoming you back for another boat tour adventure in the future!
    Written 16 April 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    the_stoddarts
    Sydney, Australia2,390 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Sept 2022
    Waking up to a sunny morning, we decided to book a 2-hour cruise online for later that morning and this was an easy process. The cruise starts from Southbank with a return trip heading Upriver to the River Gardens, back to point of origin and then Downriver to the Ports and Docklands.

    Each trip shows differing sides of Melbourne, and we recommend doing both if you have time, and the weather!

    The crew were very friendly and helpful although, as we preferred to sit out the back in the open, the sound of the engines meant that we were unable to hear any of the commentary. Realise that it may even be hard to hear over an outdoor speaker; how about the headphones available on Hop On Hop Off buses around the world? It is also quite a small area which is a shame although understandable given Melbourne’s varied weather patterns 😊. We wouldn’t have been so happy to have to sit inside as it is all rather tired and feels ‘closed in’. We did notice a pail for people to put their cigarette butts on the deck but, thankfully, there were no smokers on our trip. Would have spoilt the experience if there had been.

    One very scary (but enjoyable!) experience was passing under some bridges with minimal (and I mean inches here!) clearance … thankfully everyone looked out for everyone else and no heads were lost!!

    The cruise was a great way to spend a couple of hours on a warm sunny day, and we ended back at Southbank in time for lunch.
    Written 12 September 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Hello, Thank you for this detailed review, your feedback means a lot to us! We will definitely look for ways to improve our speakers so everyone can enjoy the humorous and educational commentary. Thank you again for taking the time to share you experience with us and the community. We can't wait to see you on board again soon.
    Written 20 September 2022
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Tigerram
    224 contributions
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    Was a 2hr cruise, broken with a 30min interval between going upriver then downriver.

    Would have to say there is not that much detail to see from the boat, e.g. botanical gardens so mostly we found the understanding of the different areas of the city useful for subsequent walking around and also some of Melbournes history.
    The commentary is recorded, so lacks some kind of character often experienced with live guides.
    The seats are not built in to the boat, they are cheap chairs placed within the boat.
    There is a bar onboard and complimentary tea/coffee.

    Price seems a little high for the actual experience.
    Written 13 June 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Thank you for your feedback on your recent cruise experience. We appreciate your comments about the informative commentary and historical insights. We apologize for any inconvenience caused by the seating and the recorded commentary format. As for the price, we strive to offer a value-packed experience that includes complimentary tea/coffee and onboard amenities such as a bar. We appreciate your perspective on this and will take it into consideration as we evaluate our pricing structure. We hope to welcome you aboard again soon and provide an even better experience. Thank you for choosing our cruise.
    Written 16 June 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    A Family in Australia
    Brisbane, Australia2 contributions
    2.0 of 5 bubbles
    Nov 2024 • Family
    First things first, the booking lady at Booth#2 was pretty frustrated with herself and wasn't polite to anyone looking to buy the tickets. When I bought the tickets, I asked her a few questions and she surely appeared like she was doing a favour to me. Apart from that, the actual cruise wasn't bad but as there was a high tide, we ended up going outside the CBD so didn't get a chance to see the city how we wanted. It isn't bad and worth a trip if you have some time.
    Written 24 December 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Hello, Thank you for sharing your feedback. We're glad you found the cruise enjoyable despite the unexpected change in route. However, we're sorry to hear about your experience at the booking booth. We’ll address this with our team to ensure a more welcoming experience for all guests. We hope you’ll give us another chance to show you the city from the Yarra!
    Written 26 December 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    TsingSingTravel
    Macau, China2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Sept 2024 • Friends
    Loved this cruise highlights. The city is beautiful and the more lovely from the boat. The crew are very good and must say very knowledgeable. The river is called Yarra and there is a lot of history in the commentary which is the best thing we heard in Melbourne city. They have a good control on their operation which you can see in the staff. The new Zealand man was very professional and courteous while making my booking.
    Written 9 September 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Hello, Thank you for leaving us a review! We're thrilled to hear you enjoyed your time on our sightseeing cruise! We can't wait to have you cruising with us again soon.
    Written 11 September 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Garrali
    Sheffield, UK106 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Saw this trip advertised and decided to give it a go as this was our first time in Melbourne. On reading reviews, a lot of comments were around the commentary recording not been very good. Luckily for us, the recording wasn’t working so the captain took over with his own superb and knowledgeable information along with a nice sense of humour. We paid for the 2 hour cruise which took us both ways down the river firstly towards the sports area and then down to the port. We really enjoyed and after disembarking decided to walk along the river in the warm sunshine.
    Written 8 February 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Hi Garrali, Thank you for sharing your experience with us! We're delighted to hear that you decided to give our trip a try during your first visit to Melbourne. We hope to welcome you back on board soon for another memorable experience!
    Written 12 February 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    ChandlersForders
    Eastleigh, UK81 contributions
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    Dec 2022
    The cruise and the places visited were interesting and pleasant activities on a sunny day. The first mate on the boat gave a great personalised commentary to those outside on the first part of the cruise - otherwise you could not hear. We were then disappointed that we had booked the tours together, but had to change boat for them to accommodate more passengers and there was, therefore, a long delay. This was not the worst part, however - that was the lack of apology and indifference to the fact that it might inconvenience people. Disappointing.
    Written 24 December 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Hello, We are sorry to hear of your less than satisfactory experience with us and hope you will accept our apologies. Please do not let this isolated incident stop you from giving us a second chance. We would like to make things right and assist you personally and hope you will allow us to speak with you to discuss the situation. Please send us an email at info@melbcruises.com.au or simply contact our office at 03 8610 2600. Thank you.
    Written 29 December 2022
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Margie W
    1 contribution
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    Jan 2024 • Family
    Great views on the tour both sides of the river.
    Pre-recorded narration however was off sync and often too early or too late with no noted effort by staff to pause or try and sync.
    The reference to a structure on your right or left is not helpful enough for a person new to the city to identify especially as did not necessarily correlate to the exact location.

    Would be helpful to have in person narration or a person who can pause and point details or answer questions.

    The guy at the ticket sounded rather impatient, and uninterested to the couple ahead of us and to us.
    Cruise with lots of potential though
    Written 21 January 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Hello, Thank you for sharing your feedback with us. We appreciate your positive comments about the great views on the tour. However, we apologize for the issues with the pre-recorded narration being off sync and not providing clear references. We also regret to hear about your experience with the ticketing staff, and we apologize for any inconvenience caused. Thank you for acknowledging the cruise's potential, and we hope to have the opportunity to improve and provide you with a more enjoyable experience in the future.
    Written 22 January 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    LamsUK
    United Kingdom27 contributions
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    May 2022
    We departed on time heading towards the east of Yarra River.
    As we sailed along, the pilot who was also commentating seemed humorous but we couldn’t hear much of what he was saying as his speech was not clear it sounded muffled.
    We came back to the pier and was not aware that we had to stay on as we purchased full price tickets, the ticket booth staff did not inform us beforehand.
    Luckily we headed back onboard as we departed for the west of Yarra River which had better views than the east.
    We also wasn’t aware that we could go outside towards the rear of the boat until we saw other passengers go there when we traveled to the west.

    Overall the West of Yarra River was best for photo opportunities.
    Written 21 May 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Hi, Thank you for taking your time to leave a review. We would like to apologize for not being able to clearly communicate the necessary information beforehand. We hope to see you cruising with us again soon!
    Written 23 May 2022
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    LondonsOurSpot
    London, UK31 contributions
    1.0 of 5 bubbles
    Oct 2024 • Couples
    Complete con! Plan was to cruise up one end of the river, come back and do the other hour upstream. High tide prevented the second half but compensation only amounted to 75% of the amount promised. Not to be trusted & to add insult to injury, the limited views were rather uninspiring
    Written 16 November 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Hello, Thank you for sharing your feedback. We’re very sorry to hear that your experience didn’t meet expectations. We understand your frustration regarding the change in the itinerary, and we apologize for any inconvenience caused. We will certainly take your comments into consideration as we continue to improve our services. We hope you’ll consider giving us another chance in the future.
    Written 18 November 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Showing results 1-10 of 186
    *Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.

    Highlights of Melbourne Cruise provided by Melbourne River Cruises

    All Melbourne HotelsMelbourne Hotel DealsLast Minute Hotels in Melbourne
    All things to do in Melbourne
    Day Trips in Melbourne
    RestaurantsFlightsHoliday homesTravel StoriesCruisesCar Hire