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Discover a truly unique way to explore the bustling city of Melbourne by setting sail on a Yarra River cruise. Growing widely popular amongst tourists, Melbourne river cruises allow you to relax on serene waters while a live commentator shares historical tidbits and lesser known facts about the city’s iconic landmarks, including the Eureka Tower, the Royal Botanical Gardens, Herring Island and more.
From sightseeing cruises to luxurious dinner cruises and even convenient ferry transfers, we have curated the top Melbourne river cruise options for you to plan the perfect trip to the cultural capital of Australia.
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Sail along the lower stretches of the famous Yarra River that helped establish the cultural hub of Victoria, Melbourne city. Choose between two routes; one that explores the bustling Melbourne Docklands or the other that passes by tranquil gardens and Herring Island; or pick the Melbourne Highlights route that covers both. You can also choose to cruise the river while enjoying a delicious meal on a lunch cruise.
Recommended experiences:
1 or 2-Hour Sightseeing Cruise on Yarra River
Get easy transfers between Melbourne and Williamstown, a suburban area located just a few miles south of the CBD. Choose between one-way and round-trip transfers either from Melbourne to Williamstown or vice versa, depending on your itinerary. You can also enjoy complimentary tea and coffee served on board during your journey.
Recommended experiences:
Ferry Transfers between Melbourne and Williamstown
Save a few dollars by combining your Melbourne river cruise with a visit to a popular attraction with combo tickets. Get tickets to Melbourne Skydeck, IceBar Melbourne or SEA LIFE Aquarium. You can also pick individual dates for each experience.
Recommended experiences:
Combo (Save 15%): SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium Skip-the-line Tickets + Yarra River Cruise
Yarra River sightseeing cruises
Availability: Every day
Timings: slots from 11am to 5pm; duration - from 1 to 2 hours
Yarra River Bottomless Brunch
Availability: Saturdays & Sundays
Timings: departs at 1pm; duration - 2 hours
Williamstown ferry
Availability: Fridays to Sundays
Timings: slots from 10:30am to 4pm; duration - from 1 to 2 hours
Peak season vs low season
Peak travel season in Melbourne is from December to March during the summer. The weather is warm and dry which is perfect for cruises. Temperatures usually stay between 12° to 26°C, except for a few hot days. But this is also the time for school holidays, so expect large crowds wherever you go.
Autumn (Mar to May) remains cool and breezy, making it a good time to go on a Melbourne cruise. There are fewer crowds at this time as well. Spring (Sep to Nov) has lower temperatures than summer, but you can expect a few showers.
Weekdays vs weekends
Sightseeing cruises are available every day, so if you have the time, pick a weekday cruise. The weekends may get crowded, especially in the summer. However, meal cruises are usually only available over the weekends, so book your cruise a couple of weeks in advance to guarantee seating.
The two most common boarding points for Melbourne cruises are Southbank Promenade and South Wharf Promenade.
Addresses
Melbourne river cruises: Berth 2, Southbank Promenade, Southbank VIC 3006, Australia.
South Wharf: 45 S Wharf Promenade, South Wharf VIC 3006, Australia.
Melbourne Cricket Ground: Visit the second-largest cricket stadium in the world at MCG. Explore the Australian Sports Museum and uncover the history of the popular worldwide sports, Cricket.
Skydive Melbourne: An adventurous way to explore the Melbourne coastline, Skydive Melbourne offers 4 different dropzones to choose from. Also choose the height of your fall between 8000 to 15000 ft.
Phillip Island tours: Less than 2 hours away from Melbourne, Phillip Island is a traveler’s paradise for nature and wildlife lovers. Come across koalas, fur seals, whales and the island’s star animal, the Little Penguin.
Ballarat Wildlife Park: With freely roaming kangaroos and koalas, Ballarat is also home to the majestic Sumatran Tigers. Interact with the friendly animals and listen to ranger talks to learn about the native Australian wildlife.
You can usually find Yarra River sightseeing cruises available on both weekdays and weekends. Meal cruises, however, are usually held over the weekends.
The 1-2 hour Sightseeing Cruise on the Yarra River is the most affordable option, starting from AU$26.60.
Although both the Bottomless Brunch and the Spirit of Melbourne cruises serve alcoholic beverages, they also have mocktails, fruit juices and cold drinks for children. You can take your kids along on either of the meal cruises.
The Williamstown return ferry transfers have a 2-hour duration, sufficient time to take a quick tour of the suburb and return to Melbourne. However, if you wish to spend more time or stay the night, take a one-way transfer and a return ticket whenever you wish to head back.
Melbourne river cruises usually depart on time and will not be able to wait for you if you are running late. To avoid missing your cruise, we suggest that you plan early and arrive at least 15-20 minutes before its departure.
The cancelation policy for Melbourne river cruises vary from experience to experience. While some may allow cancelation up to 24 hours before departure, some cruises have cancelation up to 48 or 72 hours. Some cruises may also not allow cancelation but permit rescheduling. Read the cancelation policy of your ticket carefully before making the booking.
Melbourne river cruise combo tickets allow you to select the dates for each experience individually, so they’re valid until the day of your experience. You can check their availability and book whichever dates that are best suitable for you. However, keep in mind that you will be unable to modify your booking later.
