Best Brisbane River Cruises

Best Brisbane River Cruises

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Posted 2016-02-07 by Roy Chambersfollow
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Brisbane styles itself as the river city. No visit to Brisbane is complete without a trip or cruise on the river. The river has a long and rich history as the Brisbane was founded as a river port and the river itself was a working port right up until the 1980s.



Today, along with history, the river a vibrant place to live, travel and play. There are lots of ways to get on the water, and you are bound to find a perfect way to tour or cruise the river whether you are a visitor or a local.



[SECTION]Little Red Free Ferry[/SECTION]

The little red CityHopper ferry had long been popular with tourists even before it was made free. The service runs from 6 am until Midnight 7 days a week and runs from North Quay, on the side of the city opposite South Bank, crosses the river to South Bank, stops at Eagle Street Pier and both sides of Kangaroo Point. Being free, it is the cheapest way across the river and links a number of interesting tourists sites.



If you are looking to view the city from the river just jump on the ferry. Don't worry about which way it is going as it doesn't travel far up or down the river and is free. When you get to the far end, stay on board and it will turn around and head back in the other direction.



The main disadvantage is that tourists head up to the upper deck and at popular times it is not possible to find a spot. There is also no commentary or information and with limited staff you won't receive much assistance.



Still the service is free and it is a great service that can be used by both tourists and locals to travel between the city, Eagle Street Pier, Kangaroo Point and South Bank.

[SECTION]CityCats[/SECTION]

The CityCats provide both a great commuter service and are great for tourists. There are open decks on the front and the back of the boats, as well as comfortable enclosed cabins.



You can buy a ticket while on board the ferry. Talk to the staff and tell them where you are going and whether you plan to link to any other services and they will provide you with the best ticket as well as advice on where to go.



Most tourists jump on the ferries and head up to one end of the trip and then immediately take it back again to where they started. This can be well worth it because from the deck of the ferry you see the various bridges, art works, government buildings, houses and historic buildings.



While there is no commentary some information is provided on TV screens on some of the ferries. They also run all day and into the evening and stop at numerous locations, so if you are visiting the city it is well worth thinking about one ferry trip.



I would recommend the CityCat as a way to hop on and off to see several locations. You can combine your trip with the free red CityHopper ferry to save some money. Places worth disembarking include the University of Queensland , South Bank, Kangaroo Point, New Farm, Teneriffe and Bulimba .



[SECTION]River Tour Cafe[/SECTION]

One of the newer options on the river, the River Tour Cafe is one of the best value for money cruises. Starting at $24 for adults and $12 for children, they offer 90 minute cruises at 10 am and Midday Saturday and Sunday.



As the name implies, you have a cruise that leaves South Bank and visits the areas around the city. There is full colourful commentary offered by the boat captain, but also there is the cafe part of the name. They offer coffee, tea, cake and meals on board with prices similar to cafe prices in South Bank.



[SECTION]River City Cruises[/SECTION]

River City Cruises provides the basic cruise experience with one and a half hour morning and afternoon cruises for $29 leaving from Jetty A at South Bank. The morning cruise includes coffee/tea and scones. They also have a fully licenced coffee shop.



These tours run daily and go down as far as Newstead, giving you the chance to see much more of what is the most interesting part of the river. The morning cruise gives you the option to hop off at Newstead to visit Newstead house and go to the Historic Breakfast Creek Hotel for Lunch. If you hope off, you do have to make your own way back though.



[SECTION]Mirimar Koala Cruise[/SECTION]
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An alternative experience is the Mirimar Koala cruise . This is a great way to both see the river and visit the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary . Cruises leave daily at 10 am from the Cultural Centre Pontoon. The boat goes up the river, past the University of Queensland, so you get to see parts of the river that most people don't see. It takes just over an hour to arrive at the Koala Sanctuary and you can buy food and drink on board.



The ticket price of $72 for adults and $40 for children includes entry into the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. You have two and a half hours at this great zoo where you can see koalas, emus, kangaroos, platypuses as well as a sheep dog and sheep shearing show.



You will probably want to eat lunch at the zoo, but you can also eat on the cruise on the way back. You arrive back at the Cultural Centre at 3 pm. So this is a full day adventure.



If you are just interested in the river cruise, you can take a one way trip for $28, but you have to make your own way back as that price does not include a return trip.



[SECTION]Kookaburra ShowBoat Cruises[/SECTION]

The boats that attract the most attention on the Brisbane River are the paddle boats. While they look traditional, they were built in the 1980s and have been a tourist favourite ever since. The Kookaburra ShowBoat Cruises offer a broad range of cruises



The weekday river sight lunch cruise runs on Thursdays and Fridays, and opens for boarding at midday and leaves at 12:30 for a cruise of up to 2 hours. Lunch includes entree, main and dessert with the option to upgrade your lunch to a seafood platter. The cost is $49 plus whatever upgrades you pay for.



On Weekends they have Jazz Lunch Cruise. Once again boarding starts at 12 pm for a 12:30 departure. This time the cruise is up two and half hours. The menus is the same, but for the jazz cruise you also have jazz during the entirety of the trip. Cost for this is $59. Jazz cruises are popular with both tourists and locals.

Friday and Saturday nights they offer a wonderful city lights dinner cruise. For $79 you have a 3 hour cruise that boards at 6:30 pm and leaves at 7 pm. The menu is pretty much the same as the lunch menu, but there is live music and a space reserved as a dance floor.

There are also high tea cruises. These Saturday and Sunday afternoon cruises include three tier high tea, free flowing champagne, live music and a 2 hour cruise. The cruise boards at 3 pm for a 3:30 departure. All this for $55.

There are some disadvantages to these cruises. They pretty much stick to the Kangaroo Point and South Bank area and you are not guaranteed a window seat. But if you pay an extra $40, they will guarantee you a window seat (or you can arrive early and try and get a good table). However for a dinning and entertainment experience, you can't go wrong with the Kookaburra Queens.

[SECTION]Gondolas[/SECTION]

If you are looking for something a little more private and magical, why not try a Golden Gondola cruise instead. There are intimate cruises for between 2 and 6 people. However many people you take, you get the gondola to yourselves. A twilight cruise costs $200 for a couple for hour that includes dinner. There are cheaper non-catered cruises as well, starting at $98 for for half-an-hour. On all cruises drinks are BYO.



While not a cheap option, with a 2 hour cruise at peak times costing up to $395 per couple, it is more of a one of special event. Think anniversaries and other romantic occasions.



Meals include a range of options, but the most popular are the hot or cold seafood or meat platters. Vegetarian options are also available.


[SECTION]Kayaks[/SECTION]

If you want to see the river a little differently, you can hire a kayak from Riverlife at Kangaroo Point. You can hire kayaks and paddle the river by yourself or join one of the guided sessions.



Hiring a kayak costs $28 for one and a half hours. Joining a day kayak group (Daily 1-2:30 pm, Sat & Sun 11 am - 12:30 pm) is $45. You can also kayak at night. Kayaks come with lights for safety at night and tours operate on Friday and Saturday nights from 7 - 8:30 pm at a cost of $59. For $85 you you can enjoy the prawns, BBQ and drinks events on Friday nights.



[SECTION]Event Cruises and charters[/SECTION]

Most cruises boats also offer special event cruises. These include Valentine's day cruises, RiverFire and New Years Eve. In addition, many of these cruise boats are available for your private party or event.


[SECTION]River Taxi[/SECTION]

At the time of writing this review, there were no Water Taxis on the Brisbane river, however one is planned to open soon with access to South Bank wharves, but it is yet to be seen whether they will have access to the CBD wharves.

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166286 - 2023-06-15 02:51:44

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