ON THE WATER · LUNCH CRUISES IN AUSTRALIA
Every trip has one evening that has to count. These 15 lunch cruises in Australia earn it, priced and timed so you can pick in minutes and get back to the packing.
Spend 90 minutes cruising Mooloolaba’s river and canals from The Wharf, with a seafood lunch, private booth, table service, and lighthearted commentary. Choose fish, calamari, prawns, or an Aussie burger, then add drinks or upgrades from the licensed bar.
“The weather was a little overcast but the trip was good, and the commentary was interesting. This is our second time on this cruise, and hope to travel again.”
Cruise Sydney Harbour from Circular Quay for 135 minutes with a 13-choice buffet lunch, tea, coffee, and live English commentary. Guides such as Ron and Ellen bring the harbour’s story to life as you pass the Opera House, Harbour Bridge, Botanical Gardens, and Darling Harbour.
“Good narration, Plenty food, very comfortable ship. Great value”
Spend two hours aboard Spirit of Elston, cruising from Surfers Paradise past Sea World, Marina Mirage, Palazzo Versace, and waterfront homes. You get a tropical buffet with prawns, mussels, ham, chicken, salads, fruit, and pavlova, plus open-air decks, commentary, and a licensed bar.
“food was good and staff were excellent friendly and helpful cruise was relaxing just what we wanted”
Spend 270 minutes aboard Schouten Passage II, cruising Freycinet’s cliffs, coves, sea caves, and Wineglass Bay. Skipper Noah has earned praise for his lively commentary, while the crew watch for dolphins, seals, whales, and seabirds. Lunch is included, drinks cost extra, and warm clothing is essential.
“This was an excellent tour. We saw multiple whales breaching the staff on the boat were super enthusiastic and wanted us to have a great experience. The crew were very helpful for anybody who needed assistance moving about the boat. Even the on board coffee was good. Many thanks for a very memorable day.”
Spend 10 hours exploring Bruny Island with Pennicott Wilderness Journeys. Guides such as Zoe, Liam, and Jamie combine warm commentary with a thrilling three-hour cruise past seals, dolphins, sea caves, blow holes, and towering cliffs, plus morning tea and a local lunch.
“Ben was a great guide, both as the bus driver and on the boat The tour was well organized and took us out to see some beautiful views. Lunch was also great.”
Cruise from The Wharf through Mooloolaba’s river and canals while enjoying a made-to-order lunch, local stories, and table service. Choose fish and chips, calamari, prawns, or a burger, then add drinks or seafood upgrades from the licensed bar. Captain Shorty, Sandy, Ollie, and Darren are among the crew featured on this relaxed outing.
“Very good host captain and crew with informative commentary& food was excellent value”
Travel from Brisbane to Redcliffe, then cruise Moreton Bay aboard the multi-million-dollar Eye Spy catamaran. Captain Kerry Lopez and her crew guide you toward humpback whales, with a fresh picnic lunchbox included. Hotel pickup may be added, and every ticket supports whale research.
“An amazing experience! The tour was so informative and a beautiful site to see the whales in their natural habitat. Even better to have a tour which cares for these beautiful creatures and there environment. Thank you!”
Cruise from Strahan through Hells Gates and Macquarie Harbour to the Gordon River. You’ll walk Heritage Landing’s rainforest boardwalk and explore Sarah Island with guides such as Maggie, Shannon, and Lyel. Choose standard seating or Premier Upper Deck comforts with drinks and canapés.
“Very good. We particularly enjoyed going out to Hell’s Gate and the walking tour with Josh on Sarah Island.”
Travel from Adelaide into the Hills for Mount Lofty views, Bridgewater, a three-hour Captain Proud paddle wheeler cruise with a two-course lunch, and free time in Hahndorf. Guides such as Paul, Phil, Roy, and Karen provide local stories. Hotel pickup and return are included.
“Phil was awesome. He was great guide and very knowledgeable. The cruise food was good as well. Enjoyed a lot.”
Board a comfortable catamaran at Hobart’s Franklin Wharf for a 5.5-hour Sunday cruise to Peppermint Bay. Expect commentary from the captain, views of the Derwent River and Bruny Island, possible seals or dolphins, and an included seasonal lunch at the waterfront hotel.
“The journey was OK but although speakers were fitted everywhere the captains comentary could not be heard mostly. The food was not particularly good, very small portions and not that nice, money spent on this trip could be better spent elsewhere.”
Cruise from Brisbane to Moreton Island aboard the Spirit of Mulgumpin for guided snorkeling at the Tangalooma Wrecks, a tropical buffet with local prawns, beach time, paddleboarding, and a wildlife cruise. Caroline and the crew lead the water activities, while dolphins, turtles, and dugongs may appear along the way.
“The only good time for this tour was the time we were let go on the beach. The wreck dive was too dangerous with the waves and the current. It does not say that once you go snorkeling you are committed to 35 to 45 minutes. My wife can only do 20 minutes at most. We did not see any dolphin. If the Captain sees dolphins, then he stops and try to show them, so you may get lucky. Again the advertisement makes it sound that part of the tour is to look for dolphins which is a lie. We should have been dropped off on the main vessel from…”
Spend 3.5 hours cruising from South Bank to Newstead and back, with live English commentary, morning tea, city views, and lunch at the historic Breakfast Creek Hotel. You’ll also see the keg tapped and sample its beer before returning along the Brisbane River.
“Loved everything about the trip ,the crew on the boat were lovely and the food on board and at the Creek hotel food was delicious”
Spend eight hours with a small group exploring Fogg Dam, Window on the Wetlands and the Mary River Wetlands. Guides such as Evan, Cam and Richard bring the region to life before a 2.5-hour open-air cruise, where you may see saltwater crocodiles, freshwater crocodiles, buffalo, jabirus and about 30 bird species.
“Fantastic day. It was great out on the water of the Mary River Wetlands. We saw the big 5 in a very relaxed atmosphere. Our Guide Paul was extremely knowledgeable on the area, wildlife as well as the history of the NT.”
Board Captain Cook Cruises at Perth’s Barrack Street Jetty for a 2.5-hour return trip to Fremantle. You’ll have reserved seating, captain’s commentary, a seasonal buffet with dessert, and access to a full bar while passing yacht clubs, riverside homes, marinas, docks, and heritage buildings.
“Excellent from start to finish. We all thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience along with a delicious lunch”
Join Melbourne River Cruises at Southgate for a relaxed 2-hour brunch aboard the Spirit of Melbourne. You’ll receive sweet and savoury food, unlimited beer, wine, and Prosecco mimosas, plus tea and coffee, while passing city views, gardens, parks, and sporting venues.
“Great lunch cruising the river. Very attentive staff and yummy food”
Pick a river, a harbour or a kind of evening.
