90min Brisbane River Cruise/Tour
4.5

90min Brisbane River Cruise/Tour

By River City Cruises
Recommended by 93% of travellers
93% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
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Explore the best of Brisbane on this relaxing cruise along the Brisbane River. Learn about the history of the city and its legends while taking in sights such as Kangaroo Point Cliffs, Brisbane City Center, and Story Bridge. If you choose the morning departure, enjoy a morning tea while you sail.
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation

Ages 0-99, max of 20 per group
Duration: 1h 30m
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English
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Audio guide: English, Chinese
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Highlights
  • Catch the highlights of Brisbane on a family-friendly river cruise
  • Enjoy informative commentary about the city and its history
  • See landmarks such as Kangaroo Point Cliffs and Story Bridge
  • Enjoy a light tea during the morning departure

  • 1.5-hour Sight Seeing Cruise
  • Live commentary
  • Morning Tea (10:30am cruise)
  • Souvenir Map of Brisbane City
What's not included
  • Alcoholic drinks (available to purchase)

Hop aboard your cruise boat in front of the famous Wheel of Brisbane to begin your tour down the Brisbane River. Throughout the cruise enjoy informative, live commentary on the history and legends of the surrounding sights. Relax on board and snap some photos of Brisbane’s landmarks such as Kangaroo Point Cliffs, which extend out to the mountains, and Story Bridge, built in 1940 and connects the north and south suburbs. There are two departures for this river cruise—morning and afternoon. Enjoy a morning tea while you sail during the morning departure.

Start:
  • Cultural Centre Public Pontoon, Cultural Centre Boardwalk, South Brisbane QLD 4101, Australia
    Ensure you are there at least 15min before departure time.
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point.

    • Infants must sit on laps
    • Not wheelchair accessible
    • Pushchair 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: 30012P1

    • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
    • Most travellers can participate
    • 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 20 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: 30012P1

    From
    AU$52.27
    per adult
    Select date and travellers
    Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.

    Similar experiences

    Itinerary
    • Cultural Centre Boardwalk, South Brisbane QLD 4101, Australia
      Ensure you are there at least 15min before departure time.
    • Pass by
      Customs House
      Story Bridge
      The Brisbane River
      River City Cruises
      Kangaroo Point Cliffs Park
    About the operator
    Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
    • River City Cruises
      4.5 of 5 bubbles1,475
      Australia
      Joined in September 2010
    • 2and8
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Stunning views and relaxing.
      Very relaxing and wow, stunning! From the moment we arrived we were made to feel welcome. The captain was amusing and friendly. We sat on the top deck to get better views but the views were just as good underneath. A snack was provided as we set off but it wasnt anything fantastic. We weren't there for the snack though. Drinks were available and the music playing was great, a great mix of songs. There was no commentary as we sailed along but that suited us too, much prefer to listen to the tunes. Had a fantastic time and would highly recommend for tourists.
      Written 8 March 2025
    • DebbieR1995
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Morning Cruise
      Cruise cancelled Notified via text Happy with the quick response from the business itself. Refund not received but that's coming between 3 to 5 business days from TripAdvisor.
      Written 6 March 2025
    • O4802EQcatherinem
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Great boat trip to see Brisbane from the river.
      Great boat trip, Excellent visibility from open top deck and very good commentary about all the buildings, bridges and history of Brisbane
      Written 3 March 2025
    • Camper31456990132
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      This was perfect!
      This was perfect! Uncrowded, beautiful scenery, smooth cruising and a great lunch. Our cruise Captain guided our tour with interesting historic and relevant information. The MV Neptune was clean and very steady in the water providing a solid platform to view the Brisbane river and City sights. We were offered Cream Scones with jam and tea and coffee as we cruised towards the famous Breakfast Creek Hotel where great service and history was received with excellent food and drinks. This was great value and the highlight of our visit to Queensland.
      Written 3 March 2025
    • lynettew734
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      River cruise relaxing and most enjoyble
      Our beautiful daughter gifted me this cruise for Christmas and I took it with my husband close to my birthday: every aspect of the cruise (communication with the tour operator, getting to the departure site, boarding the vessel, the welcome - and in-cruise attention - by all staff, the included lunch (at The Brekkie Creek Hotel, and the fellow passengers) was just marvellous. We would travel with River City Tours again - and recommend them for pleasant, informative touring on the Brisbane River.
      Written 2 March 2025
    • Bagnallsfamilytrip
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Great Little Trip
      What a great day. Slowly cruising down the Brisbane Brown Snake, taking in the views ,while listening to the informative commentary. Devonshire tea in hand. Then a stop off and small walk to the Breaky Creek Hotel where we were entertained by the bar staff ,who spiked a wooden keg at the bar and shared it around, while telling us a few things about this historic pubs past. Steak lunch then back on the boat for a quiet cruise home. A very enjoyable day made better by the very capable and helpful staff onboard. Thank You
      Written 17 February 2025
    • Mobilekiwi
      0 contributions
      4.0 of 5 bubbles
      Informative and pleasent river cruise.
      An interesting and new perspective of Brisbane from the River. It's informative and a pleasant way to spend a couple of hours in the river breeze. The cold drinks available are definitely a good thing in the Brisbane summer. The lunch tour option looks good but didn't experience it. The only thought is to ask why people bring little kids on trips like this as they get bored and fractious in the heat.
      Written 17 February 2025
    • johnpK6898CC
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Excellent river trip with an informative commentary.
      Excellent trip with great informative commentary. We took the option of having lunch at a historic Brisbane pub. This was well worth doing. Food was good and the lunchtime was completed with a demonstration (and taster) of beer in a wooden cask. My wife and I really enjoyed this trip.
      Written 17 February 2025
    • scotte800
      0 contributions
      3.0 of 5 bubbles
      Meh
      Boat cruise was a bit “meh”. The “guide” was a recording that was not very engaging. We were hoping for an actual human telling us stories and background of the sites we cruised by. The seats were not that comfortable. You could sit in benches around the perimeter of the upper deck, but then you faced inward instead of outward. Or, you could sit on some plastic chairs in the middle around tables.
      Written 15 February 2025
    • briancF8684NI
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Valentines Day Sunset Cruise
      The crew were so so friendly, we had such an amazing evening and would highly recommend to anyone that is considering, they are highly accommodating and thoughtful to each passenger on board. Couldn’t fault them at all
      Written 14 February 2025
    • Sharon N
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      A great day out, definitely recommend
      It was a great experience and very well ran The staff were friendly. The tour was informative about the area Our whole group enjoyed it
      Written 10 February 2025
    • Raiha2510
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      An Enjoyable Day
      Great little trip along the River . The commentary was brilliant loads of information about current & past history of buildings/ Landmarks . Nice touch with the Devonshire Tea & Lunch at the CK Hotel. As it was my Birthday I got to “Slice the Cake” Uncork the Keg .Also a couple that celebrated their Anniversary of 58yrs got to slice the cake too..at the CK Hotel. After Lunch we returned to the Cruise Boat and traveled back with even more Commentary about the history of homes & landmarks. All in all an enjoyable trip. Thank you to the Captain & his crew whom were all really great & made for a safe & enjoyable trip. Cheers
      Written 10 February 2025
    • OPECCELLENTE
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      An extra touch “spiking the beer barrel”
      The visit fully fulfilled our expectations. The tour was guided well, personnel was friendly, the dinner was of good quality and the opening of a wooden beer barrel gave an extra unexpected touch. Thanks to the team, you did well
      Written 10 February 2025
    • 278nitsam
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Brisbane solo adventure
      Great views, very witty, and interesting. A little disappointing as the wheel was broken. Lunch at the plough inn was delicious Have another booked for tomorrow
      Written 9 February 2025
    • judyw154
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Brisbane River cruising
      Fabulous cruise,great commentary. Very interesting learning facts along the river and historical sites. Lovely scones and coffee. Loved lunch at the Plough Inn.
      Written 7 February 2025
    See all 1,475 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.

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

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    4.5
    4.5 of 5 bubbles685 reviews
    Excellent
    506
    Very good
    137
    Average
    30
    Poor
    7
    Terrible
    5

    M C
    London, UK74 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Decided to take the 90 min 10.30am river cruise and we are very glad that we did!
    We are only in Brisbane for 48hrs on a months tour of Australia travelling from the UK, this was a great trip to get an historic overview of the city from the water.
    The cream scones and coffee as part of the price was an added bonus, would highly recommend this 90min tour!
    Written 26 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.

    Bec P
    Perth, Australia66 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    We had a group of 7 in our family take the 90 minute city cruise in January 2024, including ourselves, our parents and 12 year old. It was fantastic! We got a good look at Brisbane from the river, the guide pointed out lots of interesting facts along the way and morning tea of coffee, tea and scones with jam and cream was included. There is also a bar downstairs where you can purchase alcohol, other beverages and snacks if you want. I would definitely do this again. It was very relaxing, well paced and the guide was knowledgeable. Staff were friendly and helpful.
    Written 4 March 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.

    Kylie O
    Mosgiel, New Zealand169 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Highly rated this tour. Beautiful setting and great commentary along the way. Scones served for morning tea and there was a fully stocked bar on board also. We were only in Brisbane for a day trip and this tour fitted the brief to see some sights away from the crazy Brisbane road traffic! As a bonus the guide told us of the F14 fighter plane fly over about to happen which we witnessed on the bridge straight after - epic!
    Written 4 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.
    Thank you. yes the jets are an added bonus on the 1230pm cruise during Riverfire. Glad you enjoyed
    Written 7 September 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Ty S
    1 contribution
    2.0 of 5 bubbles
    Dec 2023 • Family
    Our boat trip: 12:30 Saturday 20th January 2024.
    The first 16 mins were really uncomfortable. We were visiting from Melbourne and had organised a group of 7 for the trip. 3 guests of which are from Brisbane and were family we hadn’t seen since our Dads funeral 4 years ago. It was a special moment to see each other and we’d been somewhat estranged for that time. However, we arrived at 12:15 for a 12:30 tour and as we boarded we were asked to provide just our surname of the booking and the party number. We said we were a party of 7 with 3 other guests arriving shortly. Well the skipper immediately in a rude manner said how far were they? I said I’m not sure exactly but I know that they were on their way. At 12:23 in front of all the guest as we were seated the skipper came up to me and asked again where were they. I said I’d sent a message and was just waiting to hear. And he said well can you find out. At 12:25 again the skipper yelled up from the lower level in front of everyone and told me to call them, and I said they had just messaged to say the were around the corner. He then proceeded to rudely say well what does that mean, around the corner on the highway, or around the corner on foot, around the corner where? I just said I wasn’t sure exactly what they meant but hopefully they’d be here on time. At 12.28 the Skipper yelled up again and said I needed to call them to hurry them up, and as he was saying that we saw them coming down toward us and I said I could see them, and he very rudely goes well are they running, can they run. I’d finally had enough of his rudeness and then said Mate, we’ve paid for the tickets, it’s our loss not yours, if you want to leave go, but we can see them right there so up to you. He then didn’t say a word. My brother, his wife and my 8 year old niece boarded the boat at 12:30 and settled on at 12:31. I appreciate that the boat needs to leave on time, but I not once put pressure on the Skipper to wait for them, yet I felt heckled from the moment we boarded. Their arrival was not my responsibility and had they arrived late and missed the boat well so be it, not within my control. Yet the skipper seemed to have it in for me. I would not recommend this company as clearly the culture is not great, if they speak to customers like this and behave that way, how are they treating the rest of the staff and more junior team members. This is not a professional business.
    Written 20 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.
    We appreciate the feedback you have provided and we sincerely apologise for your experience. Thank you for your understanding and we hope to see again!
    Written 6 February 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Philip A
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Jan 2024 • Couples
    Great trip, thoroughly enjoyed the chance to view the river side aspect of Brisbane. The boat is older but well suited to the job of ferrying 40+ customers and is fitted with clean, workable toilets and a well stocked bar/servery.
    The staff are helpful and the commentary is informative and well delivered with some humour thrown in.
    You get a good coverage of the current features of the riverside as well as a good look back into the history and development of the river precinct.
    Written 24 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.

    KBofLB
    Littleborough, UK583 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Feb 2024 • Couples
    This was a great trip from the South Bank Cultural Centre down stream to just beyond Breakfast Creek and back. It gave an opportunity to see the city central area from a different viewpoint as well as noting the work being carried out to create new pedestrian bridges to connect the CBD to South Bank and Kangaroo Point. Beyond the Story Bridge it was interesting to note the many industrial buildings which have been converted to housing.
    The journey was smooth with a helpful commentary as points of interest were passed.
    The light refreshments provided were appreciated.
    Highly recommended.
    Written 18 March 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.

    Tash
    Christchurch, New Zealand1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Aug 2023 • Family
    The cruise was exactly what was advertised. It was a lovely experience floating down the river at sunset and then looking at all of the beautiful city lights at night. The staff were outstanding. Exceptionally helpful and very attentive towards everyone on board. Would highly recommend sunset river cruise tour.
    Written 23 September 2023
    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.

    Stacey S
    Alameda, CA2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    May 2023 • Solo
    This tour was a great and relaxed way to take in the sites of the city with a unique vantage point. Both indoor and outdoor seating was available. A reasonably priced bar for drinks and snacks (with free coffee) was on the boat and the staff was helpful and friendly.
    Written 10 June 2023
    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.

    JHN
    1 contribution
    2.0 of 5 bubbles
    Apr 2023
    Very few items of interest along the tour of the river makes the tour overpriced and of little value. The vessel was crowded, no particular seat assignments and everyone wanted to sit upstairs in the open. Tea with scones were offered, but kids onboard went for multiple rounds of scones and they ran out. Commentary was often patchy and did not really flow along with the cruise. Better value is offered by taking one of the CityCats which also cover a larger portion of the river.
    Written 1 April 2023
    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 there, thank you for your feedback. We apologize for the patchy speaker system; we are working to rectify it and increase our database on knowledge of the river. Our service seeks to provide the best opportunity to everyone for access to our facilities, we don't have allocated seating for customers and can't take responsibility for passengers' behaviors, it is an honor system that works very well for us. We are sorry you did not feel this was the best experience, we will seek to improve.
    Written 5 April 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Brian B
    Arlington, MA5 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Feb 2025 • Family
    Excellent Brisbane tour! Convenient location and departure times. Easy reservations and fair prices. Superfast check-in at the boat. Friendly crew, and very good pre-recorded narration with exactly the right amount of detail. Great bar with many local beers. We had prime upstairs open seats with a sunroof, and the crew was very skilled at lowering the rain curtains for a brief but entertaining downpour.

    The tour was a perfect mix of scenery, boating, architecture, fancy homes and historic houses and factories. You really got a sense of Brisbane through the ages, especially in WWII.

    My only wish was that they had sunset tours on more days, but they know their market.

    Thanks again for a wonderful introduction to Brisbane!
    Written 5 February 2025
    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.

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    *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.

    90min Brisbane River Cruise/Tour provided by River City Cruises

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