Food, drink and nights out
The best Sydney dinner cruises
Buffet, three-course, cabaret, tall ship, glass boat and lunch cruises on Sydney Harbour. Here is how they compare, with honest advice on whether the food is good, what the price leaves out, and what happens if you need to cancel.
See our 8 picks
The best Sydney dinner cruise for most people is the 3-course all-inclusive cruise from King Street Wharf, from €101 with wine and beer included. On a budget, the buffet dinner cruise from Circular Quay costs from €50. For a show with dinner, the cabaret cruise costs from €124.
Our pick of the Sydney Harbour dinner cruises
Six dinner cruises and two lunch cruises. All eight have free cancellation on GetYourGuide, and none includes hotel pickup.
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from €101 per person Our top pick 2 h 30 min 4.7 (418) reviews on GetYourGuide
3-course all-inclusive dinner cruise
A 2.5-hour cruise from King Street Wharf 8 with a 3-course dinner. Wine and beer are included, so there is no bar bill.
Best for Couples, a birthday
Check availability: 3-course all-inclusive dinner cruise on GetYourGuide -
from €50 per person 2 h 15 min 4.7 (944) reviews on GetYourGuide
Buffet lunch cruise
A 135-minute lunch cruise from the Eastern Pontoon at Circular Quay. You get a buffet lunch, tea and coffee, and live commentary.
Best for Families, daytime views
Check availability: Buffet lunch cruise on GetYourGuide - from €124 per person
Dinner, a stage and a singer
Cabaret show cruise
2 h 30 min 4.6 (308) reviews on GetYourGuide
Cabaret show cruise with 3-course dinner
A dinner cruise on a theatre-style boat with a stage, from King Street Wharf 5. You get a 3-course dinner, a reserved table and a show with an Australian cast.
Best for A night out, groups
Check availability: Cabaret show cruise with 3-course dinner on GetYourGuide -
from €110 per person 2 hours 4.4 (212) reviews on GetYourGuide
Glass boat signature dinner cruise
A 2-hour dinner on a glass boat with 360° views of the city lights. Boarding is at 7 pm at King Street Wharf 5, and you are back at 9 pm.
Best for City lights, a special dinner
Check availability: Glass boat signature dinner cruise on GetYourGuide - from €81 per person
3, 4 or 5 courses
Choose your menu
105 minutes–3 hours 4.4 (1,086) reviews on GetYourGuide
3-, 4- or 5-course dinner cruise
Choose a 3- or 4-course menu or a 5-course tasting menu. The cruise lasts 105 minutes to 3 hours, and there is live music on Saturday and Sunday nights.
Best for Food lovers who want to choose their menu
Check availability: 3-, 4- or 5-course dinner cruise on GetYourGuide -
from €50 per person 2 hours 4.4 (984) reviews on GetYourGuide
Buffet dinner cruise
A 2-hour dinner cruise from the Eastern Pontoon at Circular Quay, with a buffet of hot and cold dishes.
Best for The lowest dinner price
Check availability: Buffet dinner cruise on GetYourGuide -
from €68 per person 2 hours 4.4 (358) reviews on GetYourGuide
Tall ship twilight dinner cruise
A 2-hour twilight sail on a tall ship from Campbells Cove, with a three-course meal. You can help hoist the sails.
Best for Something different
Check availability: Tall ship twilight dinner cruise on GetYourGuide -
from €75 per person 3 hours 4.4 (244) reviews on GetYourGuide
3-hour lunch cruise with live music
A 3-hour lunch cruise from King Street Wharf 9, with a seafood and carvery buffet, dessert and live music. It takes the longest route on the harbour.
Best for A long, lazy lunch
Check availability: 3-hour lunch cruise with live music on GetYourGuide
Dinner cruises compared: price, length, food and reviews
| Tour | From | Duration | Food and drinks | Who it suits | Why we picked it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3-course all-inclusive dinner cruise | €101 per person | 2 h 30 min | 3 courses, wine and beer included | Couples, a birthday | The only dinner cruise here with drinks included: 4.7 from 418 reviews. |
| Buffet lunch cruise | €50 per person | 2 h 15 min | Buffet lunch, tea and coffee; other drinks to buy | Families, daytime views | Daytime views and live commentary: 4.7 from 944 reviews. |
| Cabaret show cruise with 3-course dinner | €124 per person | 2 h 30 min | 3 courses; drinks to buy | A night out, groups | Dinner and a show in one: 4.6 from 308 reviews. |
| Glass boat signature dinner cruise | €110 per person | 2 hours | 4 courses; drinks to buy | City lights, a special dinner | Glass walls for the night view: 4.4 from 212 reviews. |
| 3-, 4- or 5-course dinner cruise | €81 per person | 105 minutes–3 hours | 3 to 5 courses; drinks to buy | Food lovers who want to choose their menu | The most-reviewed dinner cruise here: 4.4 from 1,086 reviews. |
| Buffet dinner cruise | €50 per person | 2 hours | Buffet; drinks not listed | The lowest dinner price | The cheapest dinner cruise, from €50, with 4.4 from 984 reviews. |
| Tall ship twilight dinner cruise | €68 per person | 2 hours | 3 courses; drinks to buy | Something different | The only sailing ship at dinner: 4.4 from 358 reviews. |
| 3-hour lunch cruise with live music | €75 per person | 3 hours | Seafood and carvery buffet; drinks to buy | A long, lazy lunch | The longest cruise here, with 4.4 from 244 reviews. |
3-course all-inclusive dinner cruise
€101 per person2 h 30 min 4.7 (418)
Details
- Food and drinks
- 3 courses, wine and beer included
- Who it suits
- Couples, a birthday
- Why we picked it
- The only dinner cruise here with drinks included: 4.7 from 418 reviews.
€50 per person2 h 15 min 4.7 (944)
Details
- Food and drinks
- Buffet lunch, tea and coffee; other drinks to buy
- Who it suits
- Families, daytime views
- Why we picked it
- Daytime views and live commentary: 4.7 from 944 reviews.
Cabaret show cruise with 3-course dinner
€124 per person2 h 30 min 4.6 (308)
Details
- Food and drinks
- 3 courses; drinks to buy
- Who it suits
- A night out, groups
- Why we picked it
- Dinner and a show in one: 4.6 from 308 reviews.
Glass boat signature dinner cruise
€110 per person2 hours 4.4 (212)
Details
- Food and drinks
- 4 courses; drinks to buy
- Who it suits
- City lights, a special dinner
- Why we picked it
- Glass walls for the night view: 4.4 from 212 reviews.
3-, 4- or 5-course dinner cruise
€81 per person105 minutes–3 hours 4.4 (1,086)
Details
- Food and drinks
- 3 to 5 courses; drinks to buy
- Who it suits
- Food lovers who want to choose their menu
- Why we picked it
- The most-reviewed dinner cruise here: 4.4 from 1,086 reviews.
€50 per person2 hours 4.4 (984)
Details
- Food and drinks
- Buffet; drinks not listed
- Who it suits
- The lowest dinner price
- Why we picked it
- The cheapest dinner cruise, from €50, with 4.4 from 984 reviews.
Tall ship twilight dinner cruise
€68 per person2 hours 4.4 (358)
Details
- Food and drinks
- 3 courses; drinks to buy
- Who it suits
- Something different
- Why we picked it
- The only sailing ship at dinner: 4.4 from 358 reviews.
3-hour lunch cruise with live music
€75 per person3 hours 4.4 (244)
Details
- Food and drinks
- Seafood and carvery buffet; drinks to buy
- Who it suits
- A long, lazy lunch
- Why we picked it
- The longest cruise here, with 4.4 from 244 reviews.
- Group size is stated on only two listings: up to 80 on the 3-course cruise and up to 100 on the buffet dinner.
- None of the eight includes hotel pickup. You meet the boat at the wharf.
- All 8 offer free cancellation.
- Prices and ratings as shown on GetYourGuide on 25 October 2026. Prices are “from” prices in euros and can change; the booking page shows the live price.
Sunset dinner cruises
The best sunset dinner cruise is the 3-course cruise with wine and beer. Its listing says you can catch the sunset from the boat.
The 3-, 4- or 5-course cruise also has an early or sunset dinner option. Its listing gives sunset times from about 4:54 pm in June to 7:51 pm in November. So in winter an early dinner sees the sunset, and in summer a later one does.
Guides on food, drink and nights out
Lunch cruises on the harbour
Yes, there is a buffet lunch cruise in Sydney, and there are two. The 135-minute buffet lunch from Circular Quay has live commentary and runs rain or shine.
The 3-hour lunch from King Street Wharf 9 adds live music and a seafood and carvery buffet. A lunch cruise shows the harbour in daylight.
Only want the view? See our Sydney Harbour cruises.
Cruises with a show, live music or a tall ship
For a party feel, the cabaret cruise is the pick. It has a stage, an Australian cast and a singer, and table service all night.
- Live music: the 3-hour lunch cruise, and the 3-, 4- or 5-course cruise on Saturday and Sunday nights.
- Tall ship: the twilight dinner, where you can help hoist the sails. The mast climb costs extra.
New Year's Eve and other special-night cruises
None of these eight cruises is sold as a New Year's Eve cruise on GetYourGuide. Open the date picker on the booking page to see if your night is on sale and what it costs.
What to wear and what to expect on board
Wear smart casual clothes and comfortable shoes. The 3-, 4- or 5-course cruise asks for smart casual.
- Bring ID: the buffet dinner asks for your ID and the card you booked with at check-in.
- Alcohol on the tall ship: its listing says you must be 21 and show photo ID.
- Be on time: the cabaret boat waits no more than 5 minutes. Be at the wharf 15 minutes before boarding.
- Wheelchairs: four of the eight listings say they do not suit wheelchair users. Check the booking page first.
How to choose and book a cruise
Choose by where you are staying and by the meal you want. Five cruises leave from King Street Wharf in Darling Harbour, and three from Circular Quay.
- Circular Quay: the buffet dinner and buffet lunch (Eastern Pontoon), and the tall ship (Campbells Cove).
- King Street Wharf, Darling Harbour: the 3-course, cabaret, glass boat, Captain Cook and live-music lunch cruises.
The cabaret cruise and the glass boat both cruise under the Harbour Bridge and pass close to the Opera House.
More ways to spend an evening in Sydney
If a cruise is not for you, the guides above list food tours, ghost tours and pub crawls. The glass boat is back at 9 pm, so there is time for a drink after.
Planning a night for two without a cruise? See things to do in Sydney for couples for more ideas.
Booking tips for Sydney dinner cruises
If your plans change
All eight cruises have free cancellation on GetYourGuide. If the operator of the 3-, 4- or 5-course cruise cancels, you get a refund or a new date.
Drinks are often extra
Only the 3-course all-inclusive cruise includes wine and beer. On the others, drinks are for sale at the bar, so add them to your budget.
Rain does not stop most cruises
The buffet lunch runs rain or shine. The Captain Cook cruise goes ahead in rain unless the operator contacts you.
Tell them about food needs
The glass boat has vegetarian meals. On the cabaret cruise, vegetarians should speak to the cruise director when they board.
Sydney dinner cruises: questions and answers
What is the best dinner cruise in Sydney?
How much does a dinner cruise cost in Sydney?
What should I wear on a Sydney Harbour dinner cruise?
Is there a buffet lunch cruise in Sydney?
Are drinks included on Sydney dinner cruises?
More Sydney dinner cruises, live
More options with live prices and availability, straight from GetYourGuide.
See every tour with today's prices and open dates on GetYourGuide.
Browse all on GetYourGuideWritten by the Things to Do in Sydney editorial team.