This was so easy to book, easy to find, easy to use! It's a clean ride with bathrooms on board. A quick private ferry ride to the zoo which included the entrance fee as well! The zoo was fantastic as well! Captain Cook also offers a hop on hop off option which would be a fun way to see more places- next time! read more

Captain Cook Cruises - Top deck - Boat Tours Near Me - Sydney, NSW

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My friends and I went on a sunset cruise. It included 2 drinks each and a charcuterie board. Great experience with beautiful views!

Used the Hop on Hop Off Ferry for Two days. In hindsight, for us one would have been enough. We started a Circular Quay then stops to Taronga Zoo, Shark Island (no amenities, bring what you need), Watson Bay and Manly Beach. It was a beautiful 2nd day so we just stayed on the boat for a complete loop. Staff was pleasant and helpful. Safety conscious and clean. Bathrooms aboard if needed. Enjoy! read more

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What a waste of time. No commentary. The ship just goes out, floats around and comes back. Made one stop at Watsons Bay, went out then returned to Watsons Bay again for some reason. Don't waste your money. read more

We took a one hour guided tour of the Sydney Harbor, very busy Harbor, it's a number of Tour Boats that go out. But this one came highly recommend, they have several different sizes of Tour Boats. Nice friendly people on board. Sydney Harbor is simply breathtaking.. read more

We booked the sunset dinner cruise about a month in advance and paid for the guaranteed window seat. Your actual table is reserved on purchase but if there are extra window tables on the day of the tour then you can be upgraded for free! I would recommend not paying extra because you will have plenty of time after your meal to go up to the viewing deck. You board 20 minutes prior to the schedule departure and are seated at a table already set with appetizers and bread. Bread, wine, and beer are unlimited. You select your entree and dessert for the 3 course meal and are served as the boat cruises at a comfortable pace around Sydney Harbor. The views are great, but the windows are not super clean so I would recommend taking pictures on the viewing deck rather than at your table. The food was surprisingly good. I ordered the Tasmanian salmon filet which was tender and on a bed of vegetables. The orange chocolate flourless chocolate cake was excellent and had a beautiful presentation. Still, there are better food options in Bangaroo so I would recommend skipping dinner and only paying for the view. Considering the amount of people, the servers did well to attend to all of the patrons but their attention is understandably split. This means you won't get individual service, but can flag their attention as needed. It's a bit pricey of a tour but a great way to view Sydney from the harbor. read more

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Since we had enjoyed the architecture sightseeing boat cruise we had taken in Chicago last year, one of my travel companions in particular wanted to take a sightseeing cruise in Sydney as well, We went with Captain Cook Cruises' Harbour Story PM $45: Quality sightseeing cruise experience aboard premium sightseeing vessels Personalised commentary of the stories of Sydney Unlimited self-serve coffee, tea & biscuit selection Duration approx 2 hours It was to be our first taste (of several!) of Sydney Harbor with the lovely view of the Sydney Opera House and the bridge. Exterior seating at the top of the boat was rather limited, but after a while, we relinquished our chairs and headed down to the interior covered space, where I discovered that free coffee or tea was being offered at the bar when you show them your ticket. Individually portioned packages of Anzac Biscuits with Wattleseed were offered beside the sugar packets. It made for a nice leisurely treat that made me feel like a proper lady for a bit. Pinkies up! From our seat below deck, I managed to notice which of the ladies was the voice behind the tour. At one point she even welcomed guests to come by to ask her questions one on one. *** Since we were also interested in the Taronga Zoo, and figured that the ferry would be a nice way to get about, we came back to Captain Cook Cruises for the: $42 2-Day Hop On Hop Off Harbour Explorer ferry ticket between Taronga Zoo, Circular Quay, Darling Harbour, ICC Sydney, Barangaroo, Watsons Bay, Luna Park, Manly, Fort Denison, & Shark Island with live commentary Valid for 2 calendar days With an Attraction entry ticket valid for one single day (within 7 days of cruise) *** Tip #1 - pay attention to the signage. Our boat changed sides of the wharf, and we hadn't noticed, so we ended up missing our first choice for departure times. Tip #2 - you can also go Opal, scanning as you enter and exit each wharf Tip #3 - Captain Cook Cruises charges a small fee for paying with an international credit card. However, you have the option of paying with an Opal card to avoid this charge. There is a station nearby where you may top up your Opal card. Tip #4 - their non-sightseeing cruises also offers commentary, so we probably would have done without the sightseeing specific cruise if we had known. But then we wouldn't have enjoyed their delicious cookies and tea... a relaxing experience in itself. read more

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For the most part, this was a good experience. The cruise itself was good, and our guide was well- informed and well-spoken. I went on the 2-hour afternoon Harbour Story cruise. I booked online and picked up my ticket at Wharf 6. This was off-season, so only one person was in line in front of me. If you come during peak season, make sure to leave enough time to wait in line and get your tickets. You go out the proper gate and up a short gangplank. Premium customers enter at a different gate a little farther down. I was surprised there was no one at the door at the top of the gangplank. Every other cruise I've been on has someone there for safety reasons and to lend assistance as needed. There were three levels of seating. The only restrooms were downstairs, below the bottom seating level where you get on and off. There was an (erroneous) assumption that everyone would go upstairs to the top. I could not take the stairs and was the only one seated on the bottom level. It was as though I didn't exist. I could not hear the tour guide, and had to ask for the volume to be raised, which was done reluctantly. I don't think anyone told the guide I was there; everything was presented only for the perspective of those sitting up top. Not a single staff member acknowledged my existence; no one greeted me, no one even smiled. They walked past me as though I wasn't even there. There was coffee, tea, and Anzac biscuits available - but only up top. If you can't get up there or don't have someone who can go for you, forget it. Not one staff member checked with me to see if I wanted something. To be fair, I did not ask. For the first 30-45 minutes, I had to put up with a lot of noise. Silverware was loudly being separated and the kitchen door remained open with music playing as the cooks prepped for an evening service. Later, when everything was done, some staff members sat out near where I was seated. They all seemed really tired, like their bodies were there, but that's all. I felt sorry for them and began to wonder if they're being asked to do a lot for only a little. The cruise and commentary itself were good. You get to see and learn a lot. But the company needs to remember not everyone can (or maybe wants to) go up top. I did make a note about my situation when I made my reservation online, in a space set up just for such information, but no one seemed to pay attention to this. Thank you to the staff member who was at the bottom of the gangplank who lent me a hand so I could disembark more easily. read more

Oh gosh where do I start ? 1.) we ordered a bottle wine , the waiter only poured one persons wine and not the remaining two people 2.) we ordered steak and they said they only cook the steak medium ... ok weird but fine but how are you going to serve one steak well done , one medium and one medium rare ? 3.) they served really hot water in a glass and my mother spilled and burned herself They have a live band, she was a good singer but ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh the overall experience was not good. It wasn't even packed very very few people and enough staff so would've expected better service read more

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We went for the dinner cruise because our travel agent booked it. While there were some other young-ish couples I would say even with our ages pulling it down the average age of patron was 55. TBH, this cruise got two stars more than any other restaurant would get for mediocre food, terrible service, and cheesy music, but the views of the harbor, including the bridge and Opera House salvaged both stars. The food and menu was extremely limited and tasted, as expected upon boarding, like below average wedding food. We both started with the ravioli, which at best could've lost a blind tasting to a can of chef Boyardee. Bland and lukewarm my main, the stuffed chicken and vegetables, was underwhelming. Our waitress never asked us about getting a drink so we ended up unintentionally spending less money, silver lining. The singer tried her best and I appreciated her efforts. The real reason to cruise is for the views and those were spectacular. If this was a cocktail cruise I would've thoroughly enjoyed it. Unfortunately the food, service, and atmosphere brought me down a bit. Once we escaped to the roof for the quiet views I truly understood why we were booked this outing. read more

I got a "loop" ticket as part of my deluxe Big Bus ticket. Means I get to do a full 1 and 1/2 loops of the Sydney harbor and couldn't get out in any stop, had to stay in the boat. The total trip time it's like 45 min to an hour and seems like all the stops are very cool. I was here during Spring so the weather was beautiful. The boat was a few minutes late, but we made it up during the different stops. The guide was funny and gave us a bunch of facts, sometimes was hard to hear because I was seating outside. The boat has restrooms and plenty of room inside to seat. Outside there is a limited number of seats but the deck is open, a lot of room. As a woman, I recommend bringing something to hold your hair down, cause it can get extremely messy. Last thing: get your camera ready cause you can get pretty nice shots during the ride. The only thing I didn't like is that there wasn't a bar (in my boat) so I could get some water or drinks. Everything else was OK! read more

Captain Cook Cruises - Boat Tours Near Me - Sydney, NSW

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This company runs a tourist scam for the 48 hours hop on hop off during their school holiday seasons. Represents themselves as a nicer service compared to public transportation with commentaries. BUT during holiday season, they have extremely limited schedule so you may not get on the boat at all. Every boat is late and NO COMMENTARIES. Local people use opal card and pay for it just like public transportation (5-7 AUD) while tourists are suckers who have to pay the premium for so called hop on hop off at 30/day or 50/2days and the city has a 7 day for 50 unlimited for tourists on their system. PLEASE DOUBLE CHECK IF THEY ARE RUNNING ON LIMITED SCHEDULES (aka no commentaries and just like public transportation.) read more

I paid for the priority ticket to get some champagne on the boat and it was great. Beautiful views of the harbor and also they educate you on the surrounding areas. It lasts a good amount of time and you can move around the boat comfortably, pricey drinks but what do you expect from a boat. I recommend this to anyone going to Sydney, pay a little extra for the ticket to get your champagne and priority boarding. It's worth it! read more

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We received a free pass for dinner on the Sydney 2000, and I was expecting a little bit tacky/cheesy cheap meal on a boat. I was pleasantly surprised! Hubby and I had a beautiful meal - sparking wine and a 3 course menu where you could choose from 3 options - cocktails to buy too - bonus!! There was musical entertainment - while the singer was a bit cheesy at times, she had a lovely voice and read the crowd to sing songs that suited. Hubby and I had a dance which was nice - a pianist played some jazz and classic tunes which on a boat is exactly what you expect - a bit of Tony Bennett and Michael Buble played into my expectations of a cruise dinner!! To top it all off the top deck (a 4 level boat) had an outdoor space to soak up the views of our beautiful harbour! read more

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We went with a group on a lunch cruise of Sydney harbor. While the boat is large and felt safe the donning staff appeared new and confused. One would think that he lunch would at least include a soda pop however the women helping us said that no free drinks and you must pay up front to get a soda $5. The poor was just ok and the desert selection was poor. I am including pictures. My suggestion is of you want to see the harbor and eat lunch then book at cruise without food at eat later. read more

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We booked this tour hoping for a sunset but the sun sets so late here, there wasn't a possibility. If you book the later 7pm seating, then you'll probably have one. When booking I reserved a window seat with the 2 course dinner and unlimited drinks. It was worth it because there is a mad dash to board with throngs of tourist groups. But with our ticket we were seated on the second level where it was much quieter. The boat ride was smooth and seating was perfect. We had champagne and wine limitless but you do have to flag the server as they didn't seem too prompt on bringing glass after glass of alcohol. The food was good. It's a cruise with 500 people so it's not Michelin rated. But the olive artichoke and sun dried tomatoes dip was a tasty starter. I chose the salmon as my entree. It was really well cooked I just say. Crispy skin, delicate meat. I chose the flourless cake for my dessert. It was a softer style orange topping with a very light flavorful chocolate base. A nice way to spend the evening/afternoon. Yes it's touristy but we are tourists! read more

Captain Cook Cruises - Boat Tours Near Me - Sydney, NSW

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We went on a Sydney Harbor cruise on a Tuesday afternoon and it was wonderful. Bob was the narrator of our tour and he was great. He was so informative and knowledgeable, but also very funny. He was approachable and spoke in a way that was entertaining and made you want to follow along. The locations/ distance covered on the cruise was excellent. We saw what felt like every inch of the harbor and were so pleased with the coverage, ranging from major attractions to real estate to colonial history. It's totally worth the $30 and two hours of your time. And you get coffee and cookies! read more

We used captain cook cruises as a means of doing the tourist thing around Sydney Harbour. The staff were friendly and very helpful. We got the 2 day pass with an added attraction and we chose the Toronga zoo. The ferry's run fairly regularly and the crew we're very efficient getting passengers on and off the boats. It was a bit of a mad rush with due to a bus load of tourists getting on one boat but that's to be expected. Would use them again next time we needed to cruise the harbour. read more

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We got the 48hr deal where you can do the Sydney Harbour Cruise along with the HOHO bus. Highly recommended, it's a super easy nice way to see the city & take great harbor views. We just did the "blue" cruise takes you around to the most stops. Just cruising, the whole trip was an hour. We didn't get off. We started @ Circular Quay, where we picked up the tickets. The paper they gave us with the times on it, wasn't clear when/how to get to Darling Harbour. So we asked the attendant on the blue line, you have to get on the line called "Master Steps", would have never known that by the information sheet. read more

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We heard from others that the best way to see Sydney is through a harbor tour. Captain Cook had a special on their website that you can get a free child ticket with adult ticket (promo code Family) which made it a more affordable option. The standard ticket also provided coffee/tea and a biscuit. Premium included sparkling wine. The view from the boat was spectacular and it was interesting to see residential communities by the water and hear history of Sydney. read more

So, I hate boats. Well, I hate being on the water, and naturally this translates into hating boats. It seems, however, that plenty of Sydney can only be accessed via ferry, hence me being plonked on the Captain Cook cruise over to Toronga Zoo. One this has to be said, their systems are very efficient - there on time and you're on your way before you know it. With a brief history of where you're passing (the Opera House, Fort Denison etc) being told over the loudspeaker, there was a good distraction for me! Only downside was when we were queuing for tickets and the woman behind the desk had no interest whatsoever in making contact, instead continuing with her phone call - luckily, a man dressed up as a captain (who we're hoping works for the company...!) came over and showed us an alternative booth to buy from. read more

Service was poor at best food was cold send it back and they replaced it with another cold pasta dish dish was undercooked bread and wine was the only thing good on the boat in the band reminded me of really bad karaoke we got off early and took an Uber home read more

We took the highlight cruise from captain crook cruises. It was supposed to be at 2:30 for 75 minutes. However we stopped at another dock for 10 minutes to let people off. So it's really a 65minute cruise. Plus the tourist narration was difficult to hear and at least one speaker was not working. My in-laws almost got off the boat at the wrong dock and we had to stop them. No instructions were given to not get off here. I will give it 3 stars because it was a nice way to see the sites of Sydney. read more

Captain Cook isn't very punctual. Out itinerary said 3:30 and 3:50 for return ferry. We showed up a good 20 minutes before the ship was surprised to leave back to sydney along with about 30 other riders. The ship didn't show, then the 3:50 ship dosntThe ride was great, and the zoo was cool. Show. Another Captain cook ship arrived around 4:15 and almost didn't let us on but it was headed to another harbor. I'd go with another ferry. read more

On our last night together is Sydney my wife and I decided to go out on a dinner cruise. The food wasn't anything special. I had the beef tenderloin and my wife had the salmon. The tenderloin was ok but the salmon my wife had was bland. They had a very good selection of wines and champagnes. Overall it was the views that made this a 4-star vice a 3 star. Great and amazing views while out in the Harbor. The karaoke music gave us a laugh it wasn't horrible but it wasn't the best and it wasn't so overpowering that we couldn't have a conversation. We enjoyed the experience and would recommend anyone visiting Sydney to do it. read more

Our Top deck lunch was top notch! We were greeted with a smile for everything from boarding, to being seated to the table service. Our waitress, Shirley, had a such sweet vibe that I'm sure she enjoys her job. The food was amazing and I would definitely recommend it for a nice afternoon lunch with a view! I had the salmon and my friend had the beef. It was cooked to perfection! read more

Captain Cook Cruises - Tasmanian Grilled Salmon Fillet, with Dutch carrots & asparagus, served with capers and lemon oil Super delish! - Boat Tours Near Me - Sydney, NSW

1st day in Sidney and we decided to take a break from walking. Booked the cruise and dinner. This is a floating Restrauant. Wonderful staff and food and the views where outstanding. Had the salmon w a dill type sauce on the side. Loved it!!! They even have a photograph on board! Put this on your do do list! read more