


Melbourne River Cruises, Southbank Promenade, Southbank VIC, Australia
Boat
•About the venue
With 45 years of experience, Melbourne River Cruises offers a unique collection of floating venues cruising through the heart of Melbourne. Our vessels host everything from corporate functions and team-building events to social celebrations, bucks and hens parties, and venue-to-venue water transfers.
Cruising past Melbourne’s most iconic city sights, our events depart from Southbank, directly opposite Flinders Street Station, making us easy to access via public transport with ample nearby parking.
We offer fully licensed vessels with professional crew, flexible event formats including BYO charter options on selected boats, and reliable phone support during office hours delivering seamless, memorable events with Melbourne as your backdrop.

Embark on a unique journey along the Yarra River, where modern cuisine is paired with the stunning scenery of the riverbanks and the dazzling lights of Melbourne city. All vessels are equipped with large windows and an outside deck, showcasing stunning panoramic views, sure to create an unforgettable experience for your guests. Melbourne River Cruises offers six vessels for hire with a varying capacity. Whether you are planning a large corporate event, an intimate birthday, a festive Christmas, or a grand wedding celebration, Melbourne River Cruises are well-equipped to host your special occasion.
We had a nice time on the river exploring down stream with Yarra River Cruises. The 1-hour, 1:45 departure took us past the beautiful architecture and rapidly expanding city waterfront. The brief narration provided some historical perspectives and interesting tidbits. There’s open deck seating for around 40-50 although it felt a bit cozyy. Free water and coffee are available in the Cabot as well as a cash bar. Tip: sit in the back row, on the blue benches to give yourself maximum flexibility for photos of the soaring buildings.
1-hr boat tour of Yarra river. Pete was the commentator on the boat with good explanations. The captain took the mike on the way back to drop off point. I didn’t hear anything he said! They need to turn the volume up while the captain is speaking or ask him to speak louder. Otherwise I enjoyed the ride while sipping my free coffee/tea onboard.
Unfortunately, our trip on this cruise was spoilt by rain. A group of us had pre planned & paid deposits, so could only hope the day would be sunny. Definitely not a day for sightseeing or taking photos with window closed and foggy, and reliant on where there were gaps of opening for air circulation…. So, my recommendation is avoid committing to this cruise but go on a sunny day in hope of availability. The commentary was good. Had the weather gone our way, I’m sure with the boat set up as was, it would have been a great relaxing cruise with lots of opportunities for photos. For us, it was having to accept that it was an experience in which we couldn’t enjoy all that was on offer and all of us soaked in getting there so somewhat uncomfortable. Paying another $37 to do again not an option.
Very informative cruise along the Yarra River. Thanks for all the information regarding the districts, bridges and buildings alongside the river. We highly recommend sitting inside to listen to the commentary. Free water, coffee and tea included.
First time doing a river cruise and it was so relaxing and we all really enjoyed it! Shame the weather kept tourists away, we had the boat nearly entirely to ourselves! Great commentary, thank you!

Browse the VenueNow Marketplace or connect with one of our event experts to help you find the perfect venue free of charge.
Let's Get Started