Bottomless drinks at midday
Bottomless brunch cruise on the Yarra, from Southgate
★ 4.8 · 323 written reviews
- Opening pricefrom $95
- Time on board2 hrs
- Cancel ruleIncluded
Plan your booking
Choose your day. See the total.
Choose your date and head count: the total updates as you adjust, and the next page shows the current price and the open departure times.
- Free to cancel up to 3 days before
- Sells out around 6 days early
What's included
In the booking, in your bag, not covered
Included3
- 2 hours cruising the Yarra River
- Bottomless beer, wine and Prosecco mimosas, as the listing names them
- A host or greeter who speaks English
Bring3
- Your booking, ready at the Berth 1 office
- Photo ID that shows you are over 18
- A layer for the wind on deck
Left out2
- Transport to Southgate
- Guaranteed weather on the river
2hours
on the Yarra River, brunch included
323reviews
averaging 4.82 on GetYourGuide
4.9out of 5
for the host and crew
3days
free cancellation window before you sail
Side by side
Four ways to eat or sail on the Yarra, side by side
A seated lunch on the water
Melbourne: Spirit Of Melbourne Yarra River Lunch Cruise
★ 4.9 · 71 written reviews
- Opening pricefrom $102
- Time on board2 hrs
- Cancel ruleIncluded
Dinner as the city lights up
Melbourne: 4-Course Dinner Cruise with Drinks
★ 4.8 · 578 written reviews
- Opening pricefrom $147
- Time on board3 hrs
- Cancel ruleIncluded
Sightseeing only, lowest price
Melbourne: 2-Hour City Highlights River Cruise
★ 4.1 · 1,959 written reviews
- Opening pricefrom $53
- Time on board2 hrs
- Cancel ruleIncluded
Making sense of it
The brunch cruise beside a lunch cruise, a dinner cruise and a plain sightseeing boat, rated and priced live.
Per-person prices from the booking platform, shown live.
Guest feedback
Guest ratings and notes
4.8
★★★★★323 reviews, all verified
From start to finish the whole cruise was a joy. The crew were warm and attentive, kept every glass topped up, and the river views of Melbourne were lovely. I would book it again.
VanessaJuly 2026, with friends
We came for a friend's hen day and it went exactly as we planned. The crew were outstanding and our glasses stayed full; the food was simple, but that was never the point.
AnnabelMay 2026, with friends
Nothing to complain about at all. A great crew, plenty of excellent food and a steady flow of drinks the whole way along the river.
RichardMarch 2026, as a couple
A relaxed, lovely afternoon with a friendly and attentive crew. On a hot day I was glad of a seat on the lower deck, and I would gladly go again.
AlyssaJanuary 2026, with friends
A brilliant day out, and we already want to book another. The crew were quick with the drinks, the food was good, and seeing Melbourne from the water was the highlight.
ChristopherJanuary 2026, as a couple
A superb afternoon on the Yarra. Good food and drink, a crew who looked after us brilliantly and perfect weather on the river. I recommend it without hesitation.
AndrewNovember 2025, with friends
the afternoon in brief
An afternoon of brunch on the Yarra, explained
The bottomless brunch cruise in Melbourne that this site books is 2 hours on the Yarra River, with bottomless beer, wine and Prosecco mimosas and a spread of sweet and savoury food. It sails on the Spirit of Melbourne from Southgate, and you check in at Berth 1 at 12:50 PM. A host or greeter speaks English on board.
The operator runs the brunch on Saturdays and Sundays, and its timetable puts the cruise from 1:00PM to 3:00PM. The gangway closes at 1:00PM on the dot, so the first rule of the day is simple: be at the river early. After that there is nothing to organise. The boat moves, the glasses are filled, and the city slides past the windows.
Seats start from $95 per person on the listing, and the money comes back in full for a cancellation made 3 days or more ahead. Bottomless here means the drinks, not the food, and even then spirits stay outside the deal. The guides below cover what a 2-hour bottomless brunch cruise in Melbourne costs, the rules, the choice between river and land, and every other way to eat on the Yarra.
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Glasses up on the Yarra
Photos from Melbourne river cruise listings
why the river
Melbourne looks different from the water
A city that is famous for its laneways shows a second face from the river. From your table the view runs from parkland to stadium roofs to towers, all framed by the glass of the dining room. The Yarra is calm and flat, the operator adds, so motion sickness is very unlikely. It is a gentle way to see a lot of Melbourne without walking a step.
The river is also old country. Tourism Australia says Melbourne stands on the grounds of the Kulin Nation of the Wurundjeri people, and that the traditional name of central Melbourne is Narrm. The cruise operator acknowledges the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung and the Bunurong Boon Wurrung, both of the Eastern Kulin, as the Traditional Owners of the land where it works.
The boats are built for this river. Their roofs are flat by design, the operator explains, which lets them slip beneath the old, low bridges in the centre. That is why a dining cruise can thread through the heart of Melbourne rather than stay out on the bay, and why the view changes every few minutes as you pass from one bridge to the next.
Book today, cancel free of chargeClimate chart
Warmth and rain in Melbourne, month by month
NOAA averages 1991 to 2020 at the Melbourne Regional Office station, 1.7 km from Southgate.
Tap any month for temperature and rain details.
Average day temperatureEvery dot: 20 mm of rainNOAA 1991 to 2020 · Station Melbourne Regional Office
booking terms
Cancelling, reconfirming and showing your ticket
Change your mind 3 days or more ahead and this listing hands back the whole fare. Its record shows no option to reserve now and pay later, so expect to pay when you book. Inside the 3-day window, plan as if the money is spent, and swap the date early if your weekend looks uncertain. A reminder in your calendar a week ahead is the easiest way to keep that choice open.
Booking direct follows other rules, and they are stricter. Tickets sold on the operator's own website carry no refund and no exchange, except where the law says otherwise. Its brunch page also wants each booking, and every food need that goes with it, confirmed once more with 72 hours or more to spare.
At the berth you will be asked for proof of your online ticket. Save the confirmation to your phone as an image as well, since mobile reception by the river can be patchy. The operator does not offer a group discount on the brunch, so a big party pays the same fare per guest. Collect the money from friends before you book, not on the gangway.
Book today, cancel free of charge
Your weekend
Pick a Saturday or Sunday on the river.
Choose your date for brunch on the Yarra, with free cancellation up to 3 days before.
the seasons
Summer afternoons and winter brunches on the Yarra
Melbourne has four distinct seasons, and Tourism Australia warns that the weather is a bit unpredictable, sometimes all four in one day. It names spring and summer, November to February, as the high season. Summer in Australia runs from December to February, the reverse of the northern half of the world.
The station figures show the range. Highs at the Melbourne Regional Office station average 26.8 °C in January and drop to 14.5 °C in July. Rain is spread through the year: November averages 61 mm, the wettest month, and March 38 mm, the driest. There is no dry season to wait for, and a wet forecast is no reason on its own to skip the river.
A brunch on the water works in every month, since you sit behind glass with the deck outside for fresh air. Summer gives long light and warm decks; winter gives a cosy cabin and quieter weekends. Remember too that some dates from November to January carry a peak surcharge on the operator side, so the warmest weekends can also be the dearest.
Book today, cancel free of chargeOverall score
323 people reviewed this
4.8
Excellent★★★★★
- 5 out of 5100%
- 4 out of 50%
- 3 out of 50%
- 2 out of 50%
- 1 out of 50%
Our bars cover the 10 most recent reviews in the dataset. On GetYourGuide the best-rated appear first. Counting all 323 reviews, the overall rating is 4.8.
Check what is still open
from $95 · you can cancel for free
Instantly confirmed · booked through GetYourGuide
what guests praise
Attentive crews and glasses that stay full
Across 323 reviews the average is 4.8, and the host scores highest of the three sub-ratings at 4.9. Read the newest reviews and the crew is the common thread. Guests call the staff attentive, friendly and accommodating, and several say their glasses were topped up all afternoon without having to ask.
The views come next. Reviewers mention seeing Melbourne from a new angle and the river on a fine day, and one guest who sailed on a hot day was glad of a seat on the lower deck. A group celebrating a friend's hen day says the afternoon went exactly as they had hoped, and a couple writes that they want to book another.
The food draws a more measured note. Most reviewers praise it, but one guest calls it simple and adds that nobody comes to a bottomless brunch on a boat for the food. That is a fair summary of the product: the spread is good, the setting and the service are the draw. Another guest mentions rain on the day and still rates the cruise highly.
Book today, cancel free of charge
FAQ
Know more,worry less.
How long is the bottomless brunch cruise?
2 hours.
On the operator timetable you sail at 1:00PM and are back at 3:00PM; boarding begins at 12:50PM.
Which days does the brunch cruise sail?
Saturdays and Sundays.
The operator runs the brunch cruise at weekends only; a lunch cruise sails on Fridays.
Where does the cruise leave from?
Berth 1, Southgate.
Look for the Spirit of Melbourne at the water's edge, opposite the Langham Hotel.
What drinks are bottomless?
Beer, wine and mimosas.
The free-flowing part is the drinks list; spirits are an extra you pay for at the bar.
Is the food unlimited?
It is a set spread.
You get a sweet and savoury spread, and the crew can sometimes bring more if you ask.
Do I need ID to board?
Bring photo ID.
Victoria allows drinking from 18, and the crew is entitled to see proof of that.
Is there a dress code?
Smart casual.
Smart casual is the rule; Melbourne weather turns quickly, so a light extra layer earns its place.
Can the kitchen handle dietary needs?
Many of them.
There are substitutions for vegan, vegetarian, halal, dairy free and gluten free guests, given in advance.
Can I cancel for free?
Yes, up to 3 days before.
This listing refunds in full for cancellations up to 3 days in advance.
What happens if it rains?
You usually still sail.
The cabin is enclosed, and should the weather or the tide stop a sailing, the operator calls you beforehand.
rain and tide
When rain or a high tide changes the plan
Rain rarely ends a brunch on its own: the dining room is enclosed, and guests eat behind the glass. When weather or water forces a change, the operator judges each sailing on its own and gets in touch before departure. Keep your phone on the morning of the trip and check your messages before you head to Southgate.
Tide matters on this river more than visitors expect. On the operator's golden hour cruise, a high tide can limit the route to upstream only. Its dinner cruise path also depends on weather and tide, according to the FAQ. The route on a given afternoon is the river's choice as much as the skipper's, so treat any list of landmarks as a guide rather than a promise.
Melbourne weather changes fast, so dress for all of it. Tourism Australia advises packing layers and carrying an umbrella in your day bag. On the back deck the breeze off the water can feel colder than the streets, even in summer, and the sun on the glass can make the cabin warm on a clear day. A thin layer you can take off beats a heavy coat you cannot.
Book today, cancel free of charge1981founded
The crew behind the boat
The operator of the Spirit of Melbourne dates back to 1981.
The operator says its first large vessel, the Yarra Princess, was the first in the city to carry over 100 passengers, and in 2023 its cruising restaurant won Silver for tourism catering.
the drinks
What is poured, and the rules that come with it
Expect mimosas, prosecco, Aperol Spritz, beer and wine in the glass, going by the operator list. Gin, vodka and the like are sold over the bar instead. The brunch also has non-alcoholic drinks, so a guest who does not drink still has something in the glass. Tell the crew early in the afternoon which you prefer, and they can keep it coming.
The law sets the limits on any bottomless deal. Alcohol is for adults of 18 and over in Victoria, and a venue with a licence has to ask for ID and refuse a guest who has had too much. Pack a driver's licence or an Australian proof of age card, whatever your age. A crew member who asks for it is doing their job, not doubting yours, and a quick look at the card keeps the afternoon moving.
Pacing helps the afternoon last. The national limit for a healthy adult is 4 standard drinks in a day and 10 across a week. In sparkling wine at 13%, one standard drink comes to 100 mL. Ask the crew for water between rounds and enjoy the view as much as the glass. A slower afternoon is a better one, and you will remember more of the river.
Book today, cancel free of chargeThe cruise in brief
Board at Southgate.Glasses filled.City drifting by.
Our pick is a 2-hour bottomless brunch on the Yarra River, with poured beer, wine and Prosecco mimosas and sweet and savoury food on the Spirit of Melbourne. It starts from $95, holds 323 reviews averaging 4.8, and refunds in full for cancellations up to 3 days before.
Free cancellation up to 3 days before you sail
what to wear
Smart casual, with a layer for the deck
The operator dress code is smart casual. Think of a good restaurant lunch rather than a nightclub: neat clothes, comfortable shoes, nothing that needs constant attention. If you are celebrating, a theme for the group is part of the fun, but check with the operator before bringing anything large on board.
Layers are the real dress code in Melbourne. Tourism Australia advises them in every season, and the breeze on the back deck can be sharper than the forecast suggests. A light jacket, a scarf in winter and sunglasses in summer will cover most afternoons. The cabin behind the glass can get warm when the sun is out.
Shoes matter more on a boat than in a restaurant. Gangways and stairs can be wet, and heels are harder work on a moving deck, so flat soles are the safe choice. Smokers have a set area of their own on the back deck. Leave large bags at your hotel: space at the table is limited, and you will want both hands free for a glass and a camera.
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food and diets
A set spread, and how to ask for changes
Food arrives as a spread of savoury bites and sweets for the table, not a menu to order from. If the plates empty fast, asking a waiter sometimes brings more. Produce and seafood come from Victoria, and the line-up shifts with the season. Eat a light breakfast if you get hungry early, as the boat only leaves at 1:00PM.
Diets are handled ahead of the day. Plant-based, halal, fish-only and gluten or dairy free guests can all be looked after, while diets free of fructose, onion or garlic are beyond the galley. Any change to your choice has a deadline of 1pm the day before. If you booked through a reseller, send your needs to the operator too, so nothing is lost between the two.
Allergies need a clear message. Traces of nuts or dairy cannot be ruled out, the operator warns, since what it cooks with is bought in. Outside food and drink are not allowed on the brunch, and that includes a birthday cake. Tell the operator about any allergy in writing when you reconfirm, and mention it again to the crew as you board so the right plate reaches the right seat.
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after you land
Southbank and the city after the boat
You step off opposite the Langham Hotel, straight onto Southbank with the afternoon still ahead. The promenade runs along the water in both directions, and the city centre is a short walk over the bridges. It is an easy place to slow down after 2 hours of brunch, with benches, gardens and plenty of spots to sit by the water as the light changes.
If you want to stay on the water, Yarra Botanica, a bar and kitchen moored on the river over two floors, is listed by the City of Melbourne. The operator also runs a golden hour cruise that leaves in the last hour before sunset, a calmer way to end the day. Classic Steamboat Cruises runs half-hour and one-hour trips that depart every 35 minutes.
Getting around without a car is simple. Tourism Australia notes a free City Circle tram line with historical commentary in central Melbourne. After bottomless drinks, leave driving out of the plan, as the national limit is a blood alcohol reading of 0.05. Trams, trains and taxis cover the trip back to your hotel.
Book today, cancel free of chargewho it suits
Who the brunch cruise suits, and the honest caveats
The brunch cruise suits groups who want one clear event: birthdays, hen parties, friends visiting from out of town, or a couple marking something special. The operator welcomes special occasions on board, and large groups can book. A Melbourne brunch cruise also suits first-time visitors, who get a slice of sightseeing with their brunch.
The caveats are worth knowing. Sailings are Saturday and Sunday only, and anyone who reaches the gangway after 1:00PM watches the boat leave. Spirits are extra, there is no group discount, and the food is a set spread rather than an open kitchen. Guests who want cocktails or a weekday may prefer a bottomless brunch on land.
Families should ask before booking. Only an adult fare appears on the brunch page, with no age policy spelled out, and in Victoria nobody under 18 may drink. For a family outing the Friday lunch cruise, with its child fares, may fit better. For everyone else, the river, the crew and the pouring make this a very Melbourne way to spend a weekend afternoon.
Book today, cancel free of charge