The first time I was ever in Sydney, my number one sight to see was obviously the harbor, complete with its breathtaking skyline.
The best way to see it is undoubtedly on a cruise, offering a fantastic journey right into the center of one of Australia’s most lively cities. Once you get there though, you’ll see that there are a ton of tour options available and not all of them are of the same quality.
I’m here to provide you with 5 hand-selected options that for me are easily the top Sydney harbor sunset dinner cruises available today. Let’s get started!
Best Dinner Cruises in Sydney Harbour
| Sydney Harbour Dinner Cruise | Sydney Harbour Gold Penfolds Dinner Cruise | Sydney Harbour Sunset Dinner Cruise | |
|---|---|---|---|
Best 2-Hour Dinner Cruise | Best Luxury Dinner Cruise | Best Value Dinner Cruise | |
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| Location: | King Street Wharf 1 or Circular Quay in Wharf 6 | King Street Wharf 1, New South Wales | King Street Wharf, King St Wharf 1, Sydney |
| Start: | 7:30 PM | 7:00 PM | 5:00 PM |
| Duration: | 2 hours | 3 hours | 2 hours |
| Includes: | 4-course a la carte dinner, including canapés, upper deck seating, live music Saturdays & Sundays | 6-course dinner complimented by Penfolds wines, unlimited beer, wine, house spirits and soft drinks, live music Sat-Sun | Sydney Harbour dinner cruise, 3-course dinner, served alternatively, live music Saturdays & Sundays, Wine tasting, Cheese tasting |
Quick Answer: The 5 Best Rated Sydney Harbor Dinner Cruises For 2024
- Sydney Harbour Dinner Cruise
- Sydney Harbour Gold Penfolds Dinner Cruise
- Sydney Harbour Sunset Dinner Cruise
- Journey Beyond Cruise Sydney Harbour – All inclusive Dinner Cruise
- Sydney Harbour Tall Ship Twilight Dinner Cruise
Sydney Harbour Dinner Cruise Tour Reviews
1. Sydney Harbour Dinner Cruise
- Duration: 2 hours
- Departure: King Street Wharf 1 or Circular Quay in Wharf 6
- Departure Time: 7:30 PM
- Includes: 4-course a la carte dinner, including canapés, upper deck seating, live music Saturdays & Sundays
If it’s your first time in Sydney, you absolutely have to do this first tour! The Sydney Harbour Dinner Cruise allows the city to give you a full show, departing from either Circular Quay or King Street Wharf.
What better way to experience the beautiful skyline than as the sun sets over the glittering water with its brilliant golden colors? I actually discovered this tour by chance one night when we wanted to go out to a nice restaurant for dinner, and one of our local friends recommended it to us as a great alternative.
It was indeed, serving up a 4-course a la carte dinner right on board, complete with canapes – plus the view is a million times better than anything in a restaurant.
You can choose to depart from either King Street Wharf or Circular Quay though I recommend the wharf as you’ll be dropped off first if you’re coming from CQ.
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Start off by sailing out over the water, walking around and enjoying the ample space on the flagship vessel, taking photos, and so on. I found the staff to be super friendly and were more than willing to offer information about specific buildings and points of interest as we cruised by.
As the sun sets, watch as the pinks and oranges completely envelop the harbor before sitting down for a delicious dinner.
Dinner includes various international options with fresh seafood, such as smoked salmon, ravioli, salads, barramundi, sirloin steaks, chicken, eggplant, and more. Dessert was equally as amazing, with lemon and lime tarts, malibu and coconut slice, and chocolate raspberry coconut pebbles.
After eating, feel free to head to the upper deck to enjoy an unobstructed view of the city, or get to the dancefloor for some live music!
Tour Information & Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
2. Sydney Harbour Gold Penfolds Dinner Cruise
- Duration: 3 hours
- Departure: King Street Wharf 1, New South Wales
- Departure Time: 7:00 PM
- Includes: 6-course dinner complimented by Penfolds wines, unlimited beer, wine, house spirits and soft drinks, live music Sat-Sun
Next up is a slightly longer tour, though it’s one that I find better if you’re looking to go out after dinner. With this tour, you’ll have quite a substantial dinner but then have time to have some drinks and dance afterward.
If that sounds like fun to you, check out the Sydney Harbour Gold Penfolds Dinner Cruise! Literally, the only part of this tour I wasn’t completely happy with was the fact that there was no pickup or drop-off, so you do have to figure out transport to and from King Street Wharf beforehand.
However, it’s more than worth it and this would be the case if we were going to any restaurant, so not really a big deal.
When we first boarded, I immediately noticed that the vessel was very well taken care of and spacious and that the staff were super attentive and friendly. This alone would’ve made it a great experience, but it’s only the beginning.
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We did pay a bit extra for premium window-side seating on the upper deck, but it looked like all the seating had pretty great views of the city.
Enjoy a carefully curated 6-course dinner consisting of various international dishes, along with unlimited beer, house spirits, soft drinks, and Penfolds gold selection of both bin and vintage wines with each course.
The live music from a lounge singer and pianist set the mood for this beautiful waterfront tour, offering views and vibes that you can’t get anywhere else.
Tour Information & Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
3. Sydney Harbour Sunset Dinner Cruise
- Duration: 2 hours
- Departure: King Street Wharf, King St Wharf 1, Sydney
- Departure Time: 5:00 PM
- Includes: Sydney Harbour dinner cruise, 3-course dinner, served alternatively, live music Saturdays & Sundays
One of the most beautiful ways to see Sydney is on the waterfront at sunset, and the Sydney Harbour Sunset Dinner Cruise is always a good choice. This is yet another 2-hour cruise featuring a tasty 3-course dinner with impeccable vibes.
I personally find it to be a fantastic date night idea, and is much more exciting than going to have dinner at a restaurant. This premium sunset cruise departs from King Street Wharf, which is very easy to find and likely well-located for the vast majority of guests.
You’ll be escorted onboard by a very friendly staff, where you’ll have some time to walk around and enjoy the views from different parts of the vessel. After getting acquainted with the amenities, you’ll finally be seated at your table and get ready for some drinks and an early dinner!
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The sun started setting at about this time, and we were able to see iconic landmarks like the famous Opera House, Luna Park, Sydney Harbour Bridge, and Fort Denison, among others.
They look even more beautiful immersed in the electric citrus colors of the sunset, and it’s at this point that dinner began. Our starter consisted of some fresh smoked salmon, but I know they also had a veggie option of a pear and garden salad.
The rest of dinner was amazing, and we were served plenty of top-notch wines before having a coffee and dessert of lemon and lime tart. The live music onboard only added to the feast for our senses, though keep in mind that it is only available on Saturdays and Sundays, apparently.
With amazing service, tasty food, and scenic views of Sydney, you simply can’t go wrong with this tour!
Tour Information & Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
4. Journey Beyond Cruise Sydney Harbour – All inclusive Dinner Cruise
- Duration: 3 hours
- Departure: Wharf 8, King Street Wharf, Sydney NSW 2000
- Departure Time: 6:10 PM
- Includes: Alcoholic beverages, dinner, soda, coffee and/or tea, bottled water
I loved this next tour in every way, but I particularly enjoyed the fact that they really focused more on educational commentary about Sydney and the scenery around the harbor.
Clocking in at 3 hours, it’s the perfect length for dinner and a beautiful cruise that is ideal if you’d like to get a lay of the land (or sea) and see some of the city’s best sites.
The Journey Beyond Cruise Sydney Harbour – All Inclusive Dinner Cruise offers top-notch food, impeccable views of Sydney at sunset, and so much more.
Starting out at King Street Wharf (like most others), I found it easy to get to and simple to find, which is not always the case for water cruises. However, the staff was very friendly and eager to make sure that everyone was happy.
I saw a few people celebrating birthdays and anniversaries, and I found that the experience and service from staff made for the perfect celebration environment, too.
I found it a fantastic way to escape the hustle and bustle of the metropolis itself, even though you’re literally right there with the best views around.
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While you cruise on a spacious boat, you’ll get prime views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Opera House, and many other interesting landmarks the staff told us about. The top deck offers full, unobstructed views, which makes for some fantastic photos and videos!
Then, it’s time for the 3-course meal starting with some local wines and either juicy poached chicken or premium Wagyu Bresola! The main course consisted of slow-cooked Junee lamb shank, though I heard other people say that there were vegetarian options.
The dessert of lemon meringue tart was delicious – even more so with a cup of coffee or wine!
Tour Information & Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
5. Sydney Harbour Tall Ship Twilight Dinner Cruise
- Duration: 2 hours
- Departure: The Rocks NSW 2000
- Departure Time: n/a
- Includes: 2-hour cruise around Sydney Harbour, dinner served during cruise
Next up, is a magical cruise that I feel everyone should take if they really want to experience Sydney in all its splendor. The Sydney Harbour Tall Ship Twilight Dinner Cruise feels like you’re traveling back in time, cruising aboard a historic tall ship (perfect if you’ve ever wanted to experience a more ‘traditional’ ship).
While it’s not exactly as luxurious or plush as the others, it’s more of an “authentic” touring experience that I loved as I’m very interested in maritime history.
This cruise departs from The Rocks, and upon arrival we were greeted by both the Captain and First Mate, who were incredibly friendly and knowledgeable. I asked them frankly way too many questions about the ship and its history, and they knew everything.
The captain and crew are really who made the experience so fantastic – so much so, that the crew literally cooked the freshly-made dinner for us. I will say one thing, though: I noticed that there wasn’t much seating available and the older participants seemed to get tired after a while.
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Keep this in mind if you’re someone who can’t stay standing for long periods of time – especially on a ship. However, I did notice that they let plenty of people steer the ship if they wanted to, and this kind of interactive experience was a ton of fun.
As we started on our delicious dinner, our captain regaled us some fascinating tales of Australia and its maritime importance, along with how the British colony established itself here in the 1700s.
The twilight views of Sydney were simply amazing, and somehow this ship made it feel like we were even closer to the sights than on the larger boats out there. Either way, if you’re at all interested in the history of sailing or Australia, I can’t recommend this one enough.
Tour Information & Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
Sites Seen
Dinner
Value
The Sydney Harbour Dinner Cruise is our Editors Choice for the best dinner cruise in Sydney Harbour.
