Yarra Duchess

Melbourne River Cruises, Southbank Promenade, Southbank VIC, Australia

4.4 (2220)
Google icon

Boat

Why you'll love Yarra Duchess

  • Offers unforgettable views of the skyline, Botanic Gardens, and Southbank.
  • Versatile space for various events and celebrations.
  • On-site chair setup and catering arrangements available.

Google iconReviews for Yarra Duchess

Vi

January 13, 2026

Let me start first with the staff were lovely, they looked after us well. We boarded on time they were extra attentive to needs of passengers and made sure we were looked after. And yes you have good views of fireworks from Southbank - the quality of the show will vary depending on the design year on year. The bar had reasonable prices for beer. (Review edited following their response) The fireworks cruise was alright.. wasn't the best and there weren't many great views as there was no way to look up for majority of those on board. I'll give it 3.5 stars.(That's on the city deciding to do more lasers this year, no fault of the River Cruises). Even though they hired a DJ there was no place to dance and there were no vibes. But most of the negativity is directed towards management, ticketing and boarding process. For the price that we pay you would expect them to have more than 2 trestle tables and one person to manage the 100s of people and handing out paper tickets after ticking off a paper print out? Laughable in 2025-2026. Happy to take my money online but not use technology to handle guests? Get an online ticketing system. Regardless of method, you guys were under staffed - that's no way to treat the staff too. It's not fair for them to handle that crowd without support. Part of this year's messiness is also due to council led extra security, road closures etc. Etc and not the fault of Melb River Cruises. There was also no security or support staff to separate the cruise people from general NYE crowds. You guys need a serious review on the process for NYE as someone can and will get hurt from the lack of management. Take this as free consultive advice. HNY! Edit : bringing it to 3 stars as 2 was too harsh. I'm sorry that the review is negative - I just think you guys have so much potential to bringing it from Good to Brilliant. And thank you for responding to my review. There is of course some emotional bias given the extra $ for NYE and also having a tourist with me so I wanted to show him the best experience. Compared with how the city managed pedestrian traffic afterwards you guys did good job, and we did see amazing views of the city that night.

R M

January 18, 2026

Went for a one hourr cruise. The captain and his assistant were friendly. Weather was nice si had a wonderful tour which lasted an hour. You can go to the decks in both front and back of the boat to take pictures. There are some lovely views of the city from a couple of.points. You might see a seal.or two if you're lucky. Booking online in advance helps. Arrive 15 minutes early to get a seat near the window.

Robynne McKerracher

December 28, 2025

The Christmas Day Lunch Cruise was absolutely fantastic!!! All the staff were very attentive and happy and couldn't have been more helpful!!! The food was delicious and the drinks flowed freely for the entire trip!!! I would definitely recommend this cruise to anyone and everyone!!! Thank you for such an amazing day!!!

Kevin Leong

December 31, 2025

The Melbourne cruise was a relaxing and enjoyable experience. It was a great way to see the city from a different perspective, especially along the river. The ride was smooth, the views were lovely, and it was a nice break from the busy city.

Danielle O'Brien

September 15, 2025

This was an amazing experience. The dinner was delicious, the staff friendly and attentive. It was already dark when we left, so we probably missed out on some of the scenery, but the night lights were so pretty. The bats were out and we luckily had great weather. 3 hours of very pleasant cruising down the river, would highly recommend to anyone looking for a unique way to see Melbourne while enjoying good food and wine.


Frequently Asked Questions


Need help finding a venue?

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