Sydney

Travelers' Takes

Rates and Deals

Captain Cook Cruises

More Photos
ggcahill
ggcahill
First Reviewer
4 out of 5
Avg. Member Rating
3
Reviews
12
Photos
Sort by: Most Recent|Positive|Negative|Most Useful
1-3 of 3
Editor Pick

Captain Cook Cruises Lunch Cruise – Ahoy Mate!

  • January 19, 2006
  • Rated 3 of 5 by Carmen from Fairfax, Virginia
Captain Cook Cruises Lunch Cruise – Ahoy Mate!

PHONE ENQUIRIES CALL 61 2 9206 1122

Included in my AAT Kings tour was a lunch cruise through the harbor, and I learned when we arrived at Wharf 6 that it was to be aboard a Captain Cook ship.

We were met at the ticket counter by Captain Cook himself – well, not really, since he was eaten by natives in Hawaii some 200 plus years ago – but a poor suffocating soul dressed as Cook to greet people and help them decide on tickets.

The ship itself was the Sydney 2000, and we entered and climbed to the second floor where our lunch tables awaited us. It was a buffet style lunch – but let me warn those of you who, like me, can’t eat seafood – there wasn’t much else. Oh, there was chicken (dark meat), curry mystery sauce with rice, bread and dessert, but it left a lot to be desired. Though, I will admit, I’m a picky eater, and wasn’t expecting much to begin with.

During the 2-hour cruise, there was a commentator giving a description of what we were seeing and a bit about the history of the city. I think that the Sydney natives are taught to spell and say “Utzon” (the architect of the Sydney Opera House) before they can say much else. Ha.

After lunch was (quickly) over, I climbed to the top deck to take in the sun (a rare sight on this particular Australian trip) and the views of the harbor. I will say that the commentary on top of the ship was hard to hear, as the harbor is quite windy – plus being on a ship made it windier. I didn’t really need to hear as much as I needed to see – the marvelous coastline, the envy-inspiring, Mediterranean-style homes along the shore, the sailboats, etc. And, of course, the view that inspires millions – the Opera House and the Bridge.

I think a cruise on the harbor is a must-do for any Sydney visitor. It’s the life-blood of the city, and it’s likely one of the most distinctive waterways in the world. You have many options of cruise companies, and I’d say Captain Cook Cruises is as good as any. You could save money and take a water taxi, but you’d miss the bad lunch and the commentary, plus, it wouldn’t be as big of a boat.

Oh, and bring your Dramamine, no matter which one you choose.

Since this was included in my tour, I don’t know the exact price, but the web site http://www.captaincook.com.au/sydney/dining.htm indicated a price range of $60-$75 Australian dollars.

From journal Sydney - Where Music and Fireworks Float

Captain Cook Cruises

  • February 12, 2005
  • Rated 5 of 5 by Slaney from Sheffield, United Kingdom
Captain Cook Cruises

We opted for the evening cruise to see Sydney from the water. We set off during daylight and were able to watch the sun set under the harbour bridge and the lights of the skyscrapers light the city. It also gave us a good view of people on the bridge climb.

There was a commentary on board which pointed out all the highlights, including the apartment block in Darling Harbour where Russell Crowe is supposed to have an apartment.

From journal Australia - The Land Down Under

Editor Pick

Captain Cook Cruises

  • April 13, 2004
  • Rated 5 of 5 by ggcahill from Mont Albert North, undefined, Australia
Captain Cook Cruises

We did the dinner cruise on the first night in Sydney (well, we had to eat and we wanted to see the harbour at night!) and thoroughly enjoyed it. They were offering a $20 reduction in price for the cruise that night (must have been short on bookings), and I can't resist a bargain. The food was excellent, particularly if you decided to break from the tradition of eating fish on Good Friday. The fish was nice (my wife had that) but the steak was just perfect. Cooked just as I like it and very tender!

The cruise lasted two hours and 30 minutes and took us around to Darling Harbour (beautiful at night) and out towards the heads. It turned at Watsons Bay, I guess because night tours only work where there are some city lights!

we enjoyed the cruise (and the food) so much that we went back for a second trip. This time it was the coffee cruise, which went all the way up the upper reaches of middle harbour to show us the $1 million+ mansions. Actually, some were over $30 to $40 million dollars. We were staggered not just by the prices, but by the fact that so many people had so many millions to spend on housing! We thought we had found our dream house until we heard the price and found out how they had to get down the hill to their houses!

If you are taking a cruise on Sydney Harbour, we found Captain Cook cruises to be a good value. The pace is slower than the catamaran cruisers, but we thought that was better. Time was not critical. The night cruise was romantic (hehehe).

From journal Sydney for Easter 2004

Sort by: Most Recent|Positive|Negative|Most Useful
1-3 of 3

Compare Sydney Rates

1. Enter travel information

City

2. Select websites to compare rates

Each selected website will open a new window.

Helpful Sydney Links

Sydney Travel Deals