Site cruise
Brunch tables
Shared weekend sailing
- Length2 hours
- Check-in12:50 PM
- Boards atBerth 1, Southgate
Quick decision aid
Private lunch cruise in Melbourne or a table on the brunch boat
Bottomless brunch cruise on the Yarra, from Southgate
★ 4.8 · 323 written reviews
The quick version
A hen party or birthday on the Yarra can take shared seats on the weekend brunch, where every booking gets its own table, or charter a whole boat for up to 90 guests.
For groups
Two questions, one boat
Which group cruise fits your party
Say how big the group is and what kind of afternoon you want, and a cruise appears with its starting price.
Best for you
The weekend bottomless brunch
from $95
2 hours from Berth 1, Southgate, with check-in at 12:50 PM; every booking gets its own table.
Best for you
The electric picnic boat
from $62
A self-drive boat for up to 8 people, 1 to 3 hours, with your own food and drinks.
Best for you
The private wine and cheese cruise
from $308
A private 1.5-hour cruise for up to six guests from Docklands, with a skipper.
A hen party, a big birthday or a couple's treat each fits a different boat. Here is how a shared brunch table compares with a private lunch cruise in Melbourne, a BYO charter and a self-drive picnic boat.
Editorial team, bottomlessbrunchcruisemelbourne.com · Updated November 8, 2026 · A 9 min read
Main facts
- Small groupBook seats on the weekend brunch: every booking gets its own table.1
- Whole boatThe Spirit of Melbourne can be chartered for up to 90 guests.2
- Party lengthHens and bucks charters usually run two to three hours.3
- CakeThe cruising restaurant allows one, but it cannot be stored.4
- AgeDrinking in Victoria starts at 18, and ID gets checked.5,6
A shared brunch table or a boat of your own
Group cruises on the Yarra come in a pair of distinct shapes, and the choice between them decides almost everything else. On a shared sailing such as the weekend brunch, your party books seats and is given its own table in a dining room with up to 90 passengers, so the strangers at the next table are part of the atmosphere.1 On a private charter the vessel is yours, the crew works only for your guests, and you shape the music, the food and the decorations with an event coordinator.7,8
For most hen parties that fill a table or a few, the shared brunch is the simpler and cheaper answer. This site's cruise runs for 2 hours, check-in is 12:50 PM at the Southgate berth, and it is listed from $95. A bottomless brunch river cruise in Melbourne like this one comes with ambient background music rather than a dance floor, which suits a group that wants to talk, toast and look out of the window more than it wants a DJ.9
A private lunch cruise in Melbourne makes sense once the group is large, the plans are loud or the guest list includes people who would rather not share a room with strangers. The operator charters the Spirit of Melbourne for up to 90 guests and builds the menu, the drinks and the entertainment around your numbers.2,8 Pricing for a private party boat is quoted from your guest count, the package and the extras you choose, so there is no single fare to compare until you ask.10
Group formats side by side
Ways to put your group on the Yarra
| Format | Length | Who it suits | Drinks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brunch seats | 2 hours | Hens up to a few tables | Bottomless beer, wine, mimosas |
| Private charter | 2 to 3 hours | Big hens and birthdays | Bar package |
| BYO charter | By quote | Groups on a budget | Bring your own |
| Cheese and wine boat | 1.5 hours | Couples, up to six | Wine served |
| Picnic boat | 1 to 3 hours | Up to 8, self-drive | Bring your own |
Lengths and sizes as the listings and the operator state them; charter prices are quoted per group.3,28,10
Planning a hen party on the river
The operator's own hens and bucks cruises usually last between two and three hours, depending on the package you choose.3 Groups board at Southgate or Federation Wharf, both close to the trams and trains of the city centre.15 For a charter the bar is stocked with beer, wine, spirits and soft drinks for the whole sailing, and food runs from light cocktail menus to buffets and a sit-down four-course meal.16,17
Music is where a private boat pulls ahead of a shared one. Charter groups can hire the jukebox or a DJ, and there is a microphone for speeches, which matters when the maid of honour has prepared something.18,19 The party boat pages also list karaoke and themed decorations among the extras, so a costume theme is possible as long as it is agreed in advance.20 On the brunch sailing, by contrast, you get the background music the operator plays and a table among other guests.9
Start early. The operator advises booking a hens or bucks cruise as far ahead as you can, especially for a Friday night or a weekend, and its planning notes say spring, summer and weekends fill first.11,21 Settle the date with the bride, then the head count, then the style of party, because the size of the group decides which boat can take you. Ask the coordinator what the deposit and final-number deadlines are before you send the invitations.
The fleet
How many guests each boat can take standing
Birthdays and milestone parties
Birthday cruises follow the same pattern as hen parties: a private boat, a crew of captain, deckhand and service staff, a bar and a menu chosen in advance.7 The operator pitches its birthday cruises at anyone from 18 to 80, and most of them last two to three hours depending on the package.31,32 Themed parties and costume events are allowed, provided the decorations and outfits suit a working vessel, so check anything with wheels, open flames or long trailing fabric first.33
For a smaller birthday the shared sailings are easier. The cruising restaurant says it celebrates special occasions on board all the time, and the brunch page welcomes birthdays too.34,35 Book every guest on the same reservation, because each booking gets its own table, and mention the occasion when you reconfirm.1 On the brunch page, the operator wants every reservation, diets included, reconfirmed 72 hours or more before sailing.12
Milestone dates fill fast. The birthday page recommends booking several months ahead, above all for a weekend or a busy event period, which on the Yarra means late spring and the run up to Christmas.36 If your date clashes with a public holiday, expect a higher fare: the cruising restaurant warns that public holidays and peak dates can add AUD 10 per person to the fare.37 Build that into the budget before you collect money from the group.
Bookable today
Boats for a group or a couple
Up to six
Private wine boat
Your own skipper
- Length1.5 hours
- Leaves fromDocklands
- Alcohol18 and over
Up to 8
Picnic boat
Drive it yourselves
- Length1 to 3 hours
- FoodBring your own
- GroupPrivate
Cakes, decorations and what you can bring
Cakes are the question every organiser asks, and the operator's own websites answer it differently. The cruising restaurant's own site says you are welcome to bring a cake, though the crew cannot store it, and that no other outside food or drink is permitted.4 The brunch page on the operator's main site says no outside food or drink is allowed on board at all.39 Ask when you book which rule applies to your sailing, and get the answer in writing.
Decorations are a charter privilege. Private groups can arrive an hour before the cruise to set up, and the coordinator will say what may come aboard and how it must be fixed.13,40 On a shared sailing you do not control the room, so keep it to sashes, badges and a small table piece. Confetti and glitter are a poor idea on any boat: they end up in the river and on the deck, and the crew has to clean them up before the next sailing.
If the group wants to bring its own drinks, the BYO charter is the format built for it. It lets you bring your own drinks, food and music, and gives you the boat with no set package.28,41 The party boat pages also sell inclusive drinks packages, with prosecco, mimosas, wine, beer and spirits poured for groups who would rather not carry an esky to the wharf.42 Whichever you pick, the operator can still refuse service or ask a guest to leave if things go wrong.43
Price the group
Shared tables for the whole group
Set the number of guests to price a shared table on each dining cruise.
Review 3 options
Shared tables for the whole group
Set the number of guests to price a shared table on each dining cruise.
- Brunch tables2 hours · per person starting at $95
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View - Friday lunch tables2 hours · per person starting at $102
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View - Dinner tables3 hours · per person starting at $147
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View
From-prices on GetYourGuide, shown at the ECB reference rate. Your exact price is confirmed during booking.
Hen party countdown
From the first message to the last toast
Months ahead
Pick the date
Friday nights and weekends book out first, so settle the date early.11
Weeks ahead
Choose the format
Shared brunch seats or a charter quoted on numbers and extras.10
Before the day
Reconfirm
Confirm again, diets included, 72 hours or more before.12
One hour early
Decorate
Charter groups may board an hour before to set up.13
Boarding
Show your ID
Carry proof of age: you may be asked for it.14
On the water
Celebrate
Most party cruises last two to three hours.3
Age, ID and drinking on a group cruise
Victoria sets its drinking age at 18; licensed venues have to check ID, and bar staff may ask anyone to prove their age.5,6,14 Remind every guest to carry a driver's licence, a passport or a proof of age card, even the ones who look well past the age limit, and to keep it on them rather than in a bag left at the table. Buying a drink for a younger guest is not a workaround: secondary supply is completely prohibited in a licensed venue.44
Some sailings close the door to younger guests entirely. The New Year's Eve dinner cruise is strictly an 18+ event, the Christmas party cruises are strictly over 18, and the operator's seasonal guide calls the 14 February cruise an 18+ event as well.45,46,47 The dinner listing this site compares also gives a minimum age of 18 years. For a mixed-age family birthday, a daytime sailing or a sightseeing cruise is the safer plan.
Drinks flow on these cruises, and the crew is required to manage that. Licensed venues may not serve anyone who is already intoxicated, so a guest who is unsteady at boarding may find the bar closed to them.6 Pace the day: eat when the platters arrive, drink water between glasses, and agree on who is getting everyone home afterwards. Nobody wants the bride remembered for the wrong reason.
Video
A river cruise through central Melbourne
KoiWander on YouTube · The video waits until you tap play to load.
Hens and bucks party cruises can generally continue when it rains, as guests can celebrate within the vessel’s covered areas
Organiser's list
Before the group sets sail
When you book4
Couples and anniversaries on the river
Not every group is a crowd. For a couple, the shared sailings work well because every booking gets its own table, and the cruising restaurant takes requests for window seats and tries to honour them.1,48 A Melbourne dinner cruise for 2 is the classic anniversary choice, and even a booking that small is seated at a table of its own.1 The dinner listing this site compares runs for 3 hours with a four-course meal and drinks, and it is listed from $147. The dress code on the cruising restaurant is smart casual.38
Valentine's Day is its own sailing. The operator runs a dinner cruise on 14 February that lasts 3 hours, and its seasonal guide calls that date an 18+ event.49,47 Book early and ask for a window table when you reserve. If the two of you want the boat to yourselves, the private cheese and wine cruise on the Yarra is built for up to six guests, lasts 1.5 hours and leaves from Docklands with a skipper.
The private option starts at $308. Whether that buys one seat or the whole boat is not stated on the listing, so check the total for your party on the booking page before you rule it in or out. For a couple who would rather steer themselves, the self-drive electric picnic boat carries up to 8 people for 1 to 3 hours, and you bring your own food and drinks. That turns a date into a slow picnic on the water, with nobody else at the next table.
Bigger groups and the boats that can take them
Once the head count grows, the rules change, and the operator's two sites draw the line in different places. The cruising restaurant's site offers other days to groups of 30 or more and may split them across two tables, while the operator's dinner FAQ sets both thresholds at 15.50,1,51,52 Large groups can book the brunch, but there is no group discount on it, so per-head maths stays the same however many friends you bring.29 Above that size, a charter of one of the fleet's other boats usually makes more sense.
The operator's fleet page gives each boat a range of guests, standing and seated. The Spirit of Melbourne takes 100 to 170 standing, the Yarra Countess 100 to 165, the Yarra Empress 85 to 145, the Yarra Queen 65 to 110, the Yarra Princess 55 to 100 and the Yarra Duchess 28 to 38.22,23,24,25,26,27 Those numbers are for functions with their own layout and catering; the restaurant cruise seats up to 90.1 Ask the coordinator which boat matches your seated or standing count before you sign anything.
Every one of these boats has a flat roof so it can pass under the city's low old bridges, and the open back deck doubles as a smoking area unless you ask for a smoke-free event.53,54 Rain rarely stops a party cruise, because guests celebrate in the covered areas.30 Tides are another matter: the optional drop-off at Crown depends on the tide, so count it as a possible extra, never as part of the plan.55
FAQ
The short answers to your questions.
Can a hen party book the brunch cruise?
Can we bring a birthday cake on board?
How long does a private party cruise last?
Usually two to three hours.
Hens and bucks cruises generally run two to three hours depending on the package you choose.3
Can we decorate the boat?
Can someone under 18 join the group?
How many people fit on a charter?
What if it rains on the day?
The party usually goes ahead.
Party cruises can generally continue in rain because guests stay in the covered areas of the boat.30
Sources
- Melbourne River Cruises · Spirit of Melbourne: cruising restaurant on the Yarra River ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises · Spirit of Melbourne: cruising restaurant on the Yarra River ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises · Hens and Bucks Party Cruises ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises · Spirit of Melbourne: cruising restaurant on the Yarra River ↩
- Better Health Channel, Victorian Government · Alcohol and the law ↩
- Better Health Channel, Victorian Government · Alcohol and the law ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises · Hens and Bucks Party Cruises ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises · Spirit of Melbourne: cruising restaurant on the Yarra River ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises · Bottomless Brunch Afloat ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises · Hens and Bucks Party Cruises ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises · Hens and Bucks Party Cruises ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises · Bottomless Brunch Afloat ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises · Hens and Bucks Party Cruises ↩
- Better Health Channel, Victorian Government · Alcohol and the law ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises · Hens and Bucks Party Cruises ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises · Hens and Bucks Party Cruises ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises · Hens and Bucks Party Cruises ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises · Hens and Bucks Party Cruises ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises · Hens and Bucks Party Cruises ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises · Party Boat Hire in Melbourne ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises · How to Plan a Hens or Bucks Boat Cruise Party in Melbourne ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises · Our Fleet ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises · Our Fleet ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises · Our Fleet ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises · Our Fleet ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises · Our Fleet ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises · Our Fleet ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises · BYO Boat Hire ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises · Bottomless Brunch Afloat ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises · Hens and Bucks Party Cruises ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises · Private Birthday Party ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises · Private Birthday Party ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises · Private Birthday Party ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises · Spirit of Melbourne: cruising restaurant on the Yarra River ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises · Bottomless Brunch Afloat ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises · Private Birthday Party ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises · Spirit of Melbourne: cruising restaurant on the Yarra River ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises · Spirit of Melbourne: cruising restaurant on the Yarra River ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises · Bottomless Brunch Afloat ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises · Hens and Bucks Party Cruises ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises · BYO Boat Hire ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises · Party Boat Hire in Melbourne ↩
- Better Health Channel, Victorian Government · Alcohol and the law ↩
- Better Health Channel, Victorian Government · Alcohol and the law ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises · Spirit of Melbourne: cruising restaurant on the Yarra River ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises · Christmas Party Cruises ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises · A Complete Guide to Melbourne's Seasonal River Cruises ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises · Spirit of Melbourne: cruising restaurant on the Yarra River ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises · Spirit of Melbourne: cruising restaurant on the Yarra River ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises · Spirit of Melbourne: cruising restaurant on the Yarra River ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises (operator official site) · Spirit of Melbourne Dinner Cruise ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises (operator official site) · Spirit of Melbourne Dinner Cruise ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises · Hens and Bucks Party Cruises ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises · Hens and Bucks Party Cruises ↩
- Melbourne River Cruises · Hens and Bucks Party Cruises ↩