Pouring drinks
Bottomless brunch
Our pick
- On board2 hours
- DrinksBeer, wine, mimosas
- RunsWeekends
Price it for your group
Bottomless cruise in Melbourne: the price and what it buys
The quick version
A bottomless cruise in Melbourne starts from the listing price per person for 2 hours on the Yarra, with beer, wine and mimosas poured and spirits sold separately.
Price essentials
Review 4 options
Price the river for your group
Set the number of guests to see each river ticket priced for the whole party.
- Bottomless brunch2 hours, weekends · per person starting at $95
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View - Lunch cruise3 courses, Fridays · per person starting at $102
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View - Dinner cruise4 courses, 3 hours · per person starting at $147
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View - City highlightsSightseeing only · per person starting at $53
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View
From-prices on GetYourGuide, shown at the ECB reference rate. Your exact price is confirmed during booking.
A bottomless cruise in Melbourne bundles a river trip, a brunch spread and free-pouring drinks into one ticket. Here is every line of that bill, plus the extras that sit outside it.
Editorial team, bottomlessbrunchcruisemelbourne.com · Updated November 8, 2026 · A 7 min read
Main facts
- Our listingFrom $95 per person for 2 hours on the Yarra, rated 4.8 from 323 reviews.
- Operator fareThe operator lists the same brunch from AUD 135 per adult on its own site.1
- What is bottomlessThe drinks only: beer, wine and mimosas keep coming, while the food is a set spread.2,3
- What costs extraSpirits are sold separately, and peak dates from November to January carry surcharges.3,4
- CancellingFull money back on this listing when you cancel 3 days or more ahead.
What the brunch cruise on this site costs
The bottomless brunch cruise this site books starts from $95 per person on GetYourGuide, for a trip that lasts 2 hours on the Yarra River. Its labels list bottomless beer, wine and Prosecco mimosas alongside sweet and savoury food, served on the Spirit of Melbourne from Southgate. One ticket covers the boat, the brunch and the pouring, which is the whole appeal: there is no running tab for the poured drinks while you watch the city slide past.
Treat the from-price as the lowest fare the listing shows, not a quote for your date. Use the price tool on this page to multiply it by your party size and see a rough total for any weekend. Across 323 reviews the listing holds 4.8; guests rate the host 4.9, the transportation 4.8 and the value 4.7. Value is the lowest of the three sub-scores, though only by a whisker.
The cancellation rule matters as much as the fare. Cancel 3 days or more before sailing and this listing pays the fare back in full. Put a reminder in your calendar a few days before that cut-off if your weekend plans are still moving. Once the cut-off has passed, count the money as spent and build your Saturday or Sunday around the boat.
Listings side by side
River cruises on GetYourGuide by price and length
| Cruise | From | Time | Reviews |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bottomless brunch | $95 | 2 hours | 323 |
| Lunch cruise | $102 | 2 hours | 71 |
| Dinner cruise | $147 | 3 hours | 578 |
| City highlights | $53 | 2 hours | 1,959 |
All four are from-prices on GetYourGuide; your date and headcount set the real total.
The operator rate card, read line by line
Melbourne River Cruises, which runs the Spirit of Melbourne, sells the same brunch directly. Its brunch page shows a fare from AUD 135 per adult and describes the package as savouries and desserts, a 2 hour cruise, and a drinks list of mimosas, proseccos, Aperol Spritz, beers and wine, running on Saturdays and Sundays.1 The operator adds that prices on its website include GST where it applies.8
The two prices cannot simply be set side by side. One is a GetYourGuide starting fare shown in your chosen currency, the other is the operator figure in Australian dollars, and each channel has its own terms. On the operator side, tickets bought online are non-refundable and cannot be exchanged unless the law requires it.9 On this listing the 3-day free cancellation applies instead. If flexibility is worth something to you, that difference belongs in the comparison.
Dates move the operator price too. Its brunch page flags a peak surcharge on a scattering of dates from November through January.4 That is the stretch of Christmas parties, end-of-year lunches and long summer weekends, so a December Saturday can cost more than a quiet one in winter. The operator also answers the group question directly: there is no group discount on the brunch cruise.10
What bottomless covers, and what it does not
Bottomless is a promise about the glass, not the plate. In the operator's words, the bottomless part covers drinks only, though a waiter may find extra food on some days if you ask.2 The brunch itself mixes sweet and savoury plates, with beer and wine to go with them.17 The food, then, is fixed, and the pouring is where the open-ended part sits.
Spirits are the line that catches people out. Your ticket covers beer and wine, but a spirit is a separate purchase.3 The operator's own drinks list names premium beers, wines, prosecco and mimosas.18 If your idea of brunch is a gin and tonic or an espresso martini, budget for paying at the bar; if it is bubbles and orange juice, the ticket already covers it.
Non-drinkers are not stuck with water. The operator says the brunch cruise pours both alcoholic and alcohol-free drinks, with premium beer, wine and mimosas among them.19 What it does not publish is a cheaper fare for guests who skip the alcohol, so a sober friend pays the same ticket. Ask before you book if that matters to your group, and see the rules page on this site for who can be served what.
Pick by budget
Which river ticket suits your wallet
Say what matters most and see which cruise keeps the bill in line.
If I want drinks that keep coming
The bottomless brunch
Beer, wine and mimosas are poured throughout, from $95.
If I want a full meal for little more
The Friday lunch cruise
A 3 course banquet with drinks, from $102.15
If I only want the view
A sightseeing cruise
The 2-hour highlights trip starts from $53.
If I want spirits in the deal
The dinner cruise
Its premium bar includes spirits, over 3 hours.16
If I may need to cancel late
Book where terms are flexible
This listing refunds up to 3 days ahead; operator web tickets are non-refundable.9
Three ways to spend
Brunch, lunch or a plain river view
A proper meal
Seated lunch cruise
Three courses
- On board2 hours
- MealBanquet of 3 courses
- RunsFridays
Lowest fare
City highlights boat
Sightseeing only
- On board2 hours
- CommentaryAudio, in English
- FoodBought on board
Is a bottomless brunch on the water worth the money
Worth is personal, but the parts of the price can be named. You are paying for a 1:00PM to 3:00PM sailing, a brunch spread, the pouring and the service.7 Reviewers rate value for money at 4.7, a little below the host score of 4.9. The gap is small, and the host score is the strongest part of the listing.
Health guidance is a useful yardstick for the drinks side. By the national health advice, a healthy adult stays at or under 4 standard drinks on any day.20 Each of those drinks carries 10 grams of pure alcohol, in beer, wine or bubbles alike.21 If you plan to stay within that daily limit, the value of a bottomless ticket comes more from the setting and the food than from the free refills.
There is also a legal limit on how far the pouring goes. Victorian venues with a liquor licence must see ID and must stop serving a guest who is drunk.22 However the ticket is worded, the crew decides when your glass stays empty. Judge the ticket on the river views, the company and the brunch, and treat the drinks as a pleasant part of the deal.
Where the money goes
From booking to the last pour
At booking
Pay the ticket
The listing starts from $95 and refunds in full up to 3 days before.
Before the day
Reconfirm and diets
Tell the operator again about your seat and diet at least 72 hours out.5
At the berth
Check in on time
Boarding runs from 12:50PM until the 1:00PM cut-off.6
On board
Included pours
Beer and wine are included; spirits are paid for on board.3
Back on shore
Nothing more to settle
The 2-hour trip ends at 3:00PM on the operator timetable.7
How the brunch price compares with lunch and dinner cruises
The same operator runs three dining cruises from the same berth, and their adult fares form a ladder. The brunch starts from AUD 135, the Friday lunch cruise is AUD 145 for an adult, and an adult dinner seat is listed at AUD 210.1,13,14 On GetYourGuide the brunch starts from $95, the lunch cruise from $102 and the 4-course dinner cruise from $147.
Each step up buys something different. The lunch cruise serves a 3 course banquet with drinks included over 2 hours, and runs every Friday.15 Dinner stretches to 3 hours and 4 courses, and its bar pours spirits as well.16 So the brunch is the cheapest of the three on the operator card, and the one built around drinks that keep coming.
If what you want is the river and not the meal, a sightseeing boat costs far less. The 2-hour City Highlights cruise starts from $53 on GetYourGuide, with audio commentary in English. The operator lists its own 2-hour Melbourne Highlights adult fare at AUD 76, with drinks and snacks on sale on board.12,23 The lunch and dinner comparisons on this site go deeper into those trade-offs.
Video
A bottomless brunch cruise on the Yarra, filmed by two guests
Bell And Shae on YouTube · The video waits until you tap play to load.
The Bottomless offering applies to drinks only. Additional food may be available on some occasions, please ask one of our friendly waiters onboard.
Before you pay
In the ticket, extra, and ways to save
In the ticket3
- 2 hours on the Yarra River
- Poured beer, wine and mimosas
- A sweet and savoury brunch spread17
Extra on the day3
Brunch on land as a price yardstick
A brunch cruise competes with the city's restaurants, and the City of Melbourne publishes a guide to them. Its prices start at AUD 35, the cost of an hour of free-flowing drinks added to a cafe dish, through AUD 80 for a rooftop session, up to AUD 99 for a limitless menu with food.24,25,26 The City last updated that guide on 29 Sep 2026.27
Many of those sessions last 90 minutes, not 2 hours; at one Asian fusion bar that is AUD 55 for drinks alone or AUD 79 with a meal.28,29 For a cheap bottomless brunch in Melbourne, land wins on price. The boat adds the moving view and a fixed 2 hours, which a restaurant table cannot offer, and for a visitor it doubles as a sightseeing trip, which a city bar never will.
There is a practical difference too. A restaurant table can be booked on many days, while the boat sails at weekends alone.1 The land-or-river page on this site lines them up in a full table, including session length, start times and what each price includes. Read it before you book if you are torn, and look closely at what each price leaves out, since spirits, a cake or an extra hour can shift the comparison either way.
Ways to keep the brunch bill down
Choosing the date is the easiest saving. Peak surcharges sit between November and January on the operator side, so a winter or autumn weekend is the safer pick if price matters more than sunshine.4 Book through a channel whose cancellation terms suit you: this listing refunds in full up to 3 days ahead.
Next, know what you will buy on board. Spirits are extra, and so is any special drink outside the included list.3 If you stick to the poured beer, wine and mimosas, there is little else to pay for during the 2 hours. Smokers should note that a designated smoking area sits on the back deck.30 Eat something before you board if you tend to get hungry early, as the spread is set rather than endless, and bring a card for the bar if a cocktail is on your list.
Finally, for a bottomless lunch cruise in Melbourne with a group, run the numbers per head before choosing a private boat. There is no group discount on the brunch, so a large party simply pays the fare times the number of guests.10 The groups page on this site covers private hire for hens and birthdays.
FAQ
The short answers to your questions.
How much is the bottomless brunch cruise in Melbourne?
From $95 on our listing.
The listing covers 2 hours on the Yarra; the operator lists the same brunch from AUD 135 per adult.1
Are drinks unlimited on the brunch cruise?
Is the food unlimited too?
No, it is a set spread.
The spread is fixed, though the crew can sometimes find more if you ask nicely.2
Are spirits included in the price?
No.
Your fare includes beer and wine only; a spirit is bought at the bar.3
Do prices go up at Christmas?
They can.
The operator applies peak season surcharges on various dates between November and January.4
Is there a group discount on the brunch?
No.
The operator answers that question with a plain no on its brunch page.10
What if my plans change after booking?
Cancel 3 days ahead for a refund.
A cancellation made 3 days or more before sailing gets the whole fare back on this listing.
Sources
- Melbourne River Cruises (operator official site) · Melbourne's Brunch Afloat, Brunch Cruise ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises (operator official site) · Melbourne's Brunch Afloat, Brunch Cruise ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises (operator official site) · Melbourne's Brunch Afloat, Brunch Cruise ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises (operator official site) · Melbourne's Brunch Afloat, Brunch Cruise ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises (operator official site) · Melbourne's Brunch Afloat, Brunch Cruise ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises (operator official site) · Melbourne's Brunch Afloat, Brunch Cruise ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises (operator official site) · Melbourne's Brunch Afloat, Brunch Cruise ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises (operator official site) · Terms and Conditions ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises (operator official site) · Terms and Conditions ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises (operator official site) · Melbourne's Brunch Afloat, Brunch Cruise ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises (operator official site) · Golden Hour Cruise in Melbourne ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises (operator official site) · Melbourne Highlights, 2 Hour, Up and Down River ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises (operator official site) · Spirit of Melbourne Lunch Cruise ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises (operator official site) · Spirit of Melbourne Dinner Cruise ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises (operator official site) · Spirit of Melbourne Lunch Cruise ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises (operator official site) · Spirit of Melbourne Dinner Cruise ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises (operator official site) · Melbourne's Brunch Afloat, Brunch Cruise ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises (operator official site) · Melbourne's Brunch Afloat, Brunch Cruise ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises (operator official site) · Cruising Restaurant ↩
- National Health and Medical Research Council · Australian guidelines to reduce health risks from drinking alcohol ↩
- National Health and Medical Research Council · Australian guidelines to reduce health risks from drinking alcohol ↩
- Better Health Channel (Victorian Department of Health) · Alcohol and the law ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises (operator official site) · Melbourne Highlights, 2 Hour, Up and Down River ↩
- City of Melbourne (What's On Melbourne) · The best bottomless boozy brunches in Melbourne ↩
- City of Melbourne (What's On Melbourne) · The best bottomless boozy brunches in Melbourne ↩
- City of Melbourne (What's On Melbourne) · The best bottomless boozy brunches in Melbourne ↩
- City of Melbourne (What's On Melbourne) · The best bottomless boozy brunches in Melbourne ↩
- City of Melbourne (What's On Melbourne) · The best bottomless boozy brunches in Melbourne ↩
- City of Melbourne (What's On Melbourne) · The best bottomless boozy brunches in Melbourne ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises (operator official site) · Melbourne's Brunch Afloat, Brunch Cruise ↩