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We loved learning about the history of different parts of the Yarra,it was very informative.Loved our female skipper,she was amazing to watch how she manoeuvred the boat into various places and we loved her commentary,she was witty !!!
It was enjoyable. We opted for the upstream and downstream tours. There was a half hour break between the two and the boat returns to the pickup point between them for the half hour and we needed to disembark for the duration of the break. There is a toilet on board and the seats are relatively comfy. Unfortunately the rain came down during the downstream tour so we couldn't get any good photos as the windows were covered in droplets but, that's Melbournes weather. All in all it was an enjoyable ride and we got to see Melbourne from a different perspective.
Nice weather great crew commentary
very informative,nice cruise up and down the yarra
Enjoyed the cruise. However due to high tide only could one way for 1 hour. Manager said has out request through for partial refund to headout. Expecting this back
We loved seeing the beautiful buildings and sites from the water view. The boat stopped halfway to pick up and drop off passengers. The entire ride on the boat was less than 2 hours.
The first hour down the South Yarra was calm and clearly informative. During the second hour, there were a number of passengers who were totally disinterested in the commemtary and proceeded to converse loudly amongst themselves! It might be an idea to make a comment before departure to be considerate of those who want to enjoy the whole experience!
The tour was informative. The boat was clean. Staff on the boat were friendly and helpful. The ticket booth employee was a grumpy man. But overall the tour was 10/10
Dave and crew were lovely and friendly. The views of Melbourne were awesome and commentary to support it taught us a lot about the city.
The Tour required you to disembark from the boad, wait 15 minutes and then return to the boat to complete. This was not communicated and if was, we would have not taken the tour. The issue is, that their is very little shade and only a small proportion of seating, so if you are with ederly (which we were) it made the experience uncomfortable. Not sure why this detail was not clearly indicated on either the ticket or the webpage. Otherwise everything else was good.
The cruise itself was fantastic. Great captain and commentator. The only criticism would be the organisation before embarking was bad. I had a QR code on my phone. I asked the guide about instructions and she ushered us to berth 2. At no stage did she say I needed to print off a ticket, it also doesn't say that on the email. Nearly missed the cruise because of this , it was a crazy few minutes. Really needs to be improved
Ticketing experience was very straightforward. The whole trip was enjoyable and very informative.
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Melbourne Skydeck
Yarra River
Melbourne Skydeck
Melbourne River Cruise
Impressive view from the 88th floor of the Eureka, you can see the whole city. A visit not to be missed by anyone passing through Melbourne. You can also buy souvenirs of your visit. I bought our tickets through Headout which allowed us immediate entry, you just have to show the QR at the entrance.
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We loved learning about the history of different parts of the Yarra,it was very informative.Loved our female skipper,she was amazing to watch how she manoeuvred the boat into various places and we loved her commentary,she was witty !!!
Great view, I love the small balcony that I can be outside in the wind!
Great experience if it's your first time in Melbourne. Amazing view!!
It was enjoyable. We opted for the upstream and downstream tours. There was a half hour break between the two and the boat returns to the pickup point between them for the half hour and we needed to disembark for the duration of the break. There is a toilet on board and the seats are relatively comfy. Unfortunately the rain came down during the downstream tour so we couldn't get any good photos as the windows were covered in droplets but, that's Melbournes weather. All in all it was an enjoyable ride and we got to see Melbourne from a different perspective.
Nice weather great crew commentary
Overall a please experiance. There are complementry tea and copffe on board and teh crew are pretyy friendly
Gorgeous view and loved going at sunset. A bit crowded, but expected that!
very informative,nice cruise up and down the yarra
The purchase process was easy.
Dolphins by day, penguins by night!
Dolphins by day, penguins by night!
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Phillip Island Cape Woolamai Morning Cruise
Phillip Island Nature Parks Penguin Parade
3 Parks Pass (if option selected)
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Phillip Island Cape Woolamai Morning Cruise
Phillip Island Cape Woolamai Morning Cruise
Nature Parks Penguin Parade
Incredible centre. Very modern and informative. Great experience to see the penguins in such a natural environment. Great staff, friendly and doing their best to control large crowds. Loved the no camera policy. Clean facilities, overall 10/10
Overall it was a great experience.
The overall experience was reasonably good We had visitors from the UK & wanted them to see the penguin parade . Although we only had general viewing tx , we still had a good view of the beach area . However this was diminished slightly as the. Light directly behind us was not functioning ( the only one not working ) & we feel that this definitely affected our enjoyment, as it was difficult to see the pegiuins as clearly as we would have hoped had the light been in working order .A bit disappointed !
Saw penguins on way out clearly and up close. Online tickets worked great. Appreciated buggy for husband who had difficulty walking so far. Some people didn't follow Ranger's directions, sit on bum and no phones. Thank you great evening.
This was first time for my mum and sister and they loved watching the little guys waddling towards their burrows. I had booked tickets online which was a seamless experience. Glad to see their were plenty of food options as we were hungry. The only not so good experience was trying to locate the charging station.
Great set up and lovely to see the penguins. Disappointed in the number of people not following the rules re seating and photography, which seems to mostly be about the number of people being too large and not enough staff to enforce the rules. Maybe some of the money spent on the fancy building should have gone to employing some more staff.
This is not a reflection on the venue but the disrespect from a majority of guests was disheartening. Those poor animals having flashes from phones they weren't meant to be using, pushing through children with their videos on their phones. The amount of times I had to tell people 'No photos' 'No videos' was ridiculous. There needs to be something in place to stop this from happening. My children have nothing to look back on beacaue I did the right thing and didn't take photos or videos. Get staff to walk around with eftpos machines and fine these entitled people on the spot and make them delete images from their devices.. it was very overwhelming.
Sue the guide was very good, you could see that she loves her job and is (in my opinion) too kind with certain clients. I would have liked more information about the penguins during the "waiting time" on the viewing platform but I had answers to all my questions in the venue. What was really disturbing was the crowd, I'd say at least half of the people there were still taking pictures after the picture policy applied. There should be more staff to assess bad behaviours and especially on the boardwalks where lots of people were shouting (even adults) and using their flash directly in the birds eyes. On top of that and even if it is not part of this experience, the nobbies was the worst. There was people's hats and trash on the grass and everyone would gather around a penguin screaming as soon as it would leave his burrow. I think there should be walls of glass on both sides to reduce trashs and noise pollution.
I love the ambiance of the place, the high light of the penguins parade is amazing and they are so cute. Would love to come back again. Such a great and beautiful experience 🥰
The wait of more than an hour and fifteen minutes was too long on a hard bench. It was quite dark when the penguins came ashore in dries and drabs, not really a parade. I'm glad I went, but was a bit underwhelmed.
Ticket experience was good. The facility excellent, restaurants good. The guide at facility was not too clear in speaking. Plus weather did not go our way. Lots of rain but watch cute little penguins great experience.
The guides were so helpful and experienced within the answers to questions. They were so friendly, I definitely felt seen with questions I had. I am definitely coming back, it is one of those experiences that I just can't wait to experience again.
We loved seeing the penguins although we came at a bad time (when they were moulting) and not many came up the beach. We didn't like the fact that we were told to arrive at 6.45pm when the penguins actually didn't start to arrive until 8pm. The two kids were totally bored and over it by the time we saw the penguins!
Accessibility was key and was handled perfectly! My mum has bad hips and needed a wheelchair to get to the viewing area. The staff were very helpful and friendly making this a great experience. It is also great to see the level of protection being maintained for these precious animals.
We had a really great vantage point sohad a cloe encounter with the penguins staff pointed out where to see penguins as we were lea ving gift shop was great and I formation about the work they do at the centre was very informative. Happy to know the money goes into maintaining and improving the environment for the penguins and visitors
Beautiful experience for kids., infirmation is amazing.
It all went smoothly especially given how many people were there.
This experience is perfect for
We had a great experience. The one hour cruise was amazing. Our stay should have been longer.
It was a great experience and we saw lot of Penguins there.
Loved the parade but unsure of the numbers advertised we where lucky to see 100 come yet 419 reported to have come in
Everything, courtesy of the guides n the viewing of the penguins. Thank You all very much. Keep up your good work.
Seeing the little penguins in their natural environment was delightful.
3 parks pass - good price and easy to purchase.
Best arrangement! Although saw few penguins but love the Place!
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We liked wht we could hear of the commentary. Easy to book and find strt off point
The trip wasn't great... though the company can't control screaming kids, it was very hard to hear any of the information over the speaker. Also, I guess Melbourne (Yarra River) isn't as beautiful as the river cruise we took in Brisbane. I guess I missed the 'Docklands' destination description when I booked.
The tour should show the dockland area but they cancelled it .
Fantastic way to see the lower Yarra. Lovely crew, comfortable boat, great views with an informative commentary. Spend time on the stern deck if the weather is good but don't forget to duck for the bridges.
Perfect weather and friendly onboard staff.
Great experience for entire family
The ease of booking was vey good. Quality of cruise was good. The audio is very poor. It should be heard to understand what is happening and which aites are we visiting.
It was very good experience i mean its very smooth you dont have to wait about anything.
Lovely cruise. Very informative.
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Good information, on time, amazing experience.
The ferry crew were excellent and the commentary along the river very informative.
The crew's assistance with me and my partner boarding on. Ashamed that the front row's window traped shut by the front door. Otherwise the service was exemplary.
Booking tickets was easy & the pier for departure was easy to find. The cruise was well organised & left on time. We enjoyed the experience immensely, although we had to move seats to avoid two neighbouring couples who were oblivious to us & speaking to each other at the tops of their voices. It was during the Aust Open season & being a warm day, the boat had quite a few tourists on board . The downside to this was that the commentary was almost inaudible. However this cruise along the Yarra to Williamstown is an awesome way to see the many beautiful office & apartment buildings & linear parklands lining the river at Southbank, Docklands, Fishermens' Bend & Williamstown. Just a fantastic way to view our beautiful city, river & environs. We intend to do it again oneday.
Smooth ferry ride, cruising the sights of Malbourne. Very relaxing
Easy to book and Good commentary by the staff.
The ferry was cancelled due to the high tide. I am asking for the full refund of my 4 tickets,
It was half hour late leaving and there was erratic info, no seats or shade for waiting.
It was our first time taking this ferry. I was thrilled by the very nice and helpful onsite team, as well as the ferry team. It was very memorable time for me and my boy. I will definitely recommend to friends!
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The dinner cruise was really nice, great food, friendly and helpful staff, great views. A nice relaxing night
Friendly attentative staff. Excellent dinner and free flowing drinks. Lovely gentle cruise down the river.
Everything was great from the booking process and the cruise with great food and drinks. We would look to book again in the future.
Great experience with friendly staff and great views of Melbourne. Great food and always topping up our drinks. Will be back next time I'm in Melbourne . 🙂
The staff were warm and welcoming with awesome hospitality. The meal and unlimited drinks were great. The atmosphere was calm and relaxing with beautiful view of the city at night. It's definitely worth it as we had a brilliant time.
From the time we boarded until we left the staff were exceptional. Extremely friendly and always right there to top up drinks before your glass was even empty. But it didnt feel like they were hovering. The food was plentiful and very tasty. The seating was not cramped so there was no problem moving around. Very relaxing from the top deck watching the night lights of Melbourne. Had a great experience celebrating my husbands 71st birthday.
The attention and food were to our liking, I recommend this place to my friends.
Had a wonderful time on the Spirit of Melbourne dinner cruise. Location was easy to find, people were shown to their tables quickly and every spot had a great view. Food was delious and staff were very friendly and always asking if you needed anything. The included drinks were always being topped up! Definitely got bang for buck and had a pleasant time.
Loved the scenery, food and service. Second time on Melbourne River Cruise and enjoyed it even more than first!!! Diappointed with ticketing service as it is out of Australia and charged considerable O/S bank fees .
Great food,great views, great service. Well done!
There was no major issue, but it was very odd to share the desserts (based on the description and price, I assumed that each person was getting smaller pastries and not big ones to share) and to eat the cheese platter after the desserts AND even worse after coffee/tea. It might be an Australian custom, but it is really bad for the stomach and I guess it would be safer to propose to have coffee / tea after the cheese.
The actual floating restaurant was nice and food was delicious. This was meant to be scenic tour, however it was dark and there was nothing interesting to see upstream. As a restaurant it was great, but it failed to be a scenic ride.
The night was fantastic, beautiful food and very friendly staff on board. Excellent night.👍
It was an amazing night The staff were great Food was delicious Cruise was very relaxing
Amazing food and wonderful staff. Great night had by all
Value for money greate food and drink as well good service
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
Download Melbourne highlights route mapGet 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.