Australia · RIVER CRUISES
The good river cruises run small groups and fill up weeks ahead. Below: the 15 to book early, what each includes and how they differ.
Review of Lady Douglas River Cruise in Port Douglas, with croc spotting, calm waters, local history, snacks, drinks, pricing, and booking tips.
“Awesome experience, friendly knowledgeable staff, lovely way to spend some time… and see a croc 🐊 or 3 !”
See Melbourne from the Yarra River on a two-hour cruise with skyline views, city landmarks, tea, coffee, and GPS audio commentary.
“lovely views Would prefer a 1 hr option as well..as the boat is slow and it gets monotonous towards the end...we hoped off early after 1 hr”
Review of the Blue Mountains day tour from Sydney, with zoo, waterfalls, Three Sisters, Scenic World, and Parramatta River cruise.
“The tour guide driver Les was extremely knowledgeable.,courteous, funny and patient, an excellent day out !”
Review of the Gordon River Cruise from Strahan, with quiet electric cruising, Sarah Island, lunch, seating tips, and practical advice.
“Must do, breathtaking, service was outstanding, all crew members should be proud of the job they do!!”
Review of Brisbane River Cruise to Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, with wildlife highlights, timing, value, practical tips, and booking advice.
“Great! Friendly staff on the boat, lovely scenery during the cruise, and just a wonderful and laid back day out at Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary.”
Cruise Brisbane River to Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary for koalas, kangaroos, wildlife shows, commentary, and a relaxed half-day outing.
“Amazing the see the animals in the sanctuary. They keep it very clean and treat the animals well from what we saw. Great trip. Loved the river cruise - sat up top.”
Review of the Daintree and Cape Tribulation day tour from Port Douglas, with Mossman Gorge, crocs, lunch, swimming, and practical tips.
“Mick was a wonderful guide.. brimming with information throughout the day. We came away with a much deeper understanding of the Daintree Rainforest, Mosman Gorge and Cape Tribulation.. the included morning tea and lunch were both first rate. So why not 5 stars? Primarily because when the tour has 10 people the four people in the back bench of the van are really squished. And for 10 hours that is just no fun. Another minor point is the ice cream stop on the way back was not very good.. we’ve had some remarkably good ice cream and gelato in Australia.. and given what we’ve seen is possible.. this was really…”
Review of Sydney’s Blue Mountains day tour with waterfalls, Sydney Zoo, Scenic World, local guides, and a Parramatta River cruise.
“Les was my guide, he was amazing the whole trip. First you stop in the zoo, we were the first ones so the zoo was empty (around 9am) and it was great because we could enjoy the whole area without waiting long queues. The trip is worth it, stopping in some points where you can enjoy the Blue mountains with “three sisters”in front of you. Then you stop in other points to see the waterfall and other cool places. I highly recommend.”
Review of Adelaide’s Torrens River Cruise, with sights, skipper commentary, pricing, practical tips, and who will enjoy this easy 50-minute ride.
“It was interesting and informative ,the 2 staff were helpful especially the young girl that looked after a little girl,pointing out what to look for along the way”
Cruise the Daintree River from Port Douglas for crocodiles, birds, rainforest views, expert guides, and a bonus return cruise.
“Seeing the crocs. The amazing information from the guides. the surprise was the bonus trip from a different location”
Review of the $31 Surfers Paradise sunset river cruise, with Gold Coast views, wildlife spotting, snacks, commentary, and onboard drinks.
“Great relaxing experience. Captain/Guide was entertaining and approachable. Worth doing”
Review of the Port Douglas Morning Daintree Tour, with a river cruise, crocodile spotting, Mossman Gorge swim, price, tips, and value advice.
“The reef was so beautiful first time experience it the crew all amazing friendly lunch was great the water was so beautiful”
Review of Strahan’s Gordon River Cruise with lunch, Sarah Island and rainforest walks, including sights, seating, value, weather tips, and practical advice.
“Very good. We particularly enjoyed going out to Hell’s Gate and the walking tour with Josh on Sarah Island.”
Cruise Port Douglas mangroves and Dickson Inlet, watch for wild crocodiles, and enjoy a drink, snacks, and lively local commentary.
“We had a fantastic time. Would definitely recommend. Our guide Chris was really knowledgeable and really helpful.”
See Surfers Paradise canals, luxury homes, yachts and possible dolphins on a relaxed 90-minute Gold Coast cruise for $19.
“This afternoon trip was a lovely way to enjoy the Surfers waterways. The staff were friendly, the ferry clean and the cheese and crackers an added bonus. Our only comment would be that we couldn’t hear all the commentary as the speakers at the back of the ferry were not working. Great afternoon entertainment.”
Pick a coastline, a cellar door or a national park.
