Private Boat Hire

City Dock Tour

Perfect for a guided tour exploring Bristol’s fascinating maritime history or a short cruise with reception drinks to follow your wedding ceremony or bring your conference to a close.

For private hire you can arrange for this trip to depart from any public landing stage in the Floating Harbour, which works well with a visit to other dockside attractions. An informative and entertaining live commentary can be provided on request.

Please note that this cruise does not provide views of Clifton Suspension Bridge.

All boats have a fully licensed bar so we do not allow you to bring your own drinks. We can provide a range of catering options for you to enjoy on board.

overview

1 or 1.5 Hours

Historical Sites

Licensed Bar Onboard

Catering by Arrangement

Live Commentary on Request

All-time Favourite

Create your perfect Trip

Our packages are designed to offer you the most flexibility and customisation, ensuring your boat trip is tailor-made for you.

To create your perfect boat trip follow these steps and then complete the enquiry form:

Review your preferred boat from our fleet below.
Decide on the duration of your trip to ensure it fits perfectly with your plans.
Add any required catering options to enhance your experience.
Lastly, let us know your preferred dates.

Please note: During ‘Spring Tides’ access to the river may be restricted. Call our office or submit an enquiry to check availability and tides for your preferred date.

Prices are calculated based on your chosen boat, the duration of your trip, and the final number of passengers.

A deposit of £150 is required to secure your booking in the diary. The remaining balance will then be due on the day of the trip.

Boat Options

Tower Belle

Cruise Duration

Min Charge
(0-42 Persons)

Additional Persons
(Per Head)

Flat Rate
(53-95 Persons)

1hr Cruise

£525.00

£12.50

£662.50

1.5hr Cruise

£661.50

£15.75

£834.75

2hr Cruise

£798.00

£19.00

£1,007

3hr Cruise

£1060.50

£25.25

£1,338.25

Flower of Bristol or Bagheera

Cruise Duration

Min Charge
(0-22 Persons)

Additional Persons
(Per Head)

Flat Rate
(35-50 Persons)

1hr Cruise

£275.00

£12.50

£437.50

1.5hr Cruise

£346.50

£15.75

£551.25

2hr Cruise

£418.00

£19.00

£665.00

3hr Cruise

£555.50

£25.25

£883.75

Redshank

Cruise Duration

Min Charge
(0-22 Persons)

Additional Persons
(Per Head)

Flat Rate
(32-40 Persons)

1hr Cruise

£275.00

£12.50

£400.00

1.5hr Cruise

£346.50

£15.75

£504.00

2hr Cruise

£418.00

£19.00

£608.00

3hr Cruise

£555.50

£25.25

£808.00

Hydrogenesis

Cruise Duration

Flat Rate
(0-12 Persons)

Package with Prosecco
& Crisps

1hr Cruise

£255.00

£315.00

1.5hr Cruise

£315.00

£375.00

2hr Cruise

£380.00

£440.00

3hr Cruise

£505.00

£565.00

Food and Drink options

If you desire onboard catering for your private cruise, you can choose from one of the following catering menus to be arranged or delivered for your guests. We are happy to offer vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free alternatives wherever possible.

Onboard Catering

Per Person

Welcome Prosecco

£7.00

Savoury Nibbles

£5.75

Cream Tea

£9.90

Afternoon Tea

£16.50

Fish & Chips

£15.00

Wood-Fired Pizzas

£16.00

Boathouse Buffet

£19.50

See The Full Onboard Menu

Onboard Bar

Every boat has a fully licensed bar on board serving a range of bottled beverages.
Arrange a free bar, or purchase drinks individually.
Cash and card payments are accepted on board.

View drinks menu

Send Enquiry

Enquiries made through our form are viewed every day and we will respond as quickly as possible.

Or if you prefer contact us directly to discuss your options, check availability or make a booking.

First Name

Last Name

Email Address

Telephone

Organisation / Group Name

Occasion

Preferred Date

Preferred Time

Estimated Passenger Numbers

Boat Preference

Catering Required

Catering Required Catering Required Welcome Prosecco Savoury Nibbles Cream Tea Afternoon Tea Fish & Chips Wood-Fired Pizzas Boathouse Buffet

Additional Information

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      EXCELLENT  
   Based on 340 reviews 
    
 
 
 
   
 
 
       Posted on Tripadvisor  
   
   Per B 
 22 March 2026
 
 
 Verified Nice trip
Easy access from right next to SS Great Britain which you MUST see as well. Good captain/guide.
  
 
      Posted on Tripadvisor  
   
   CharlieBrys 
 15 March 2026
 
 
 Verified Relaxed and informative
Relaxed and informative. Friendly guide.
  
 
      Posted on Tripadvisor  
   
   Karen J 
 10 November 2025
 
 
 Verified very relaxing
lovely cruise and very informative, just a pity the member of staff (rose) who was at bar talked to her friends the whole trip, they was so loud it was difficult to hear the commentary
  
 
      Posted on Tripadvisor  
   
   Duncan B. 
 11 October 2025
 
 
 Verified Brilliant!
Brilliant! The trip was so informative and entertaining. A high spot in our stay in Bristol. It is a must do along with the SS Great Britain.
  
 
      Posted on Tripadvisor  
   
   Adrian G 
 10 September 2025
 
 
 Verified Great trip round the harbour
We took a 45 minute trip round the harbour which was relaxing and interesting. The boat (converted canal boat) had a bar and a toilet, and the crew of 2 were excellent at pointing out interesting sites. It was so good we went back and did it again in the afternoon!!
  
 
      Posted on Tripadvisor  
   
   917jaynel 
 18 August 2025
 
 
 Verified Lovely trip
Had a lovely 45 minutes going down the river. Landmarks and history were pointed out along the way. Easy to book and well worth it. Would definitely do it again if we go back to Bristol.
  
 
      Posted on Tripadvisor  
   
   One Way Ticket… 
 11 August 2025
 
 
 Verified Worth the time and not overpriced.
Enjoyed our 45 min trip George and George both professional and took safety serious, but also fun and informative. Not overpriced so would recommend to others if visiting area.
  
 
      Posted on Tripadvisor  
   
   Kirsty 
 9 August 2025
 
 
 Verified Birthday treats
OMG!! Thank you so much Jude and George 👏 what an absolutely awesome 45mins! Came with my Dad and Daughter sooooooo glad we choose this boat! Jude was super informative with a great presence and sense of humour keeping us entertained with witty banter and super fun facts! Can not recommend this highly enough! Again thank you guys for making my Dads birthday so special 💯🇬🇧
  
 
      Posted on Tripadvisor  
   
   TravellersOnTheGo 
 4 August 2025
 
 
 Verified Excellent
What a great way to spend 45 minutes on the water in Bristol Harbour. The boat was clean and very well laid out with a bar at the end. We sat and sipped rosé wine as we looked at all the sites around the harbour. The commentary was absolutely spot-on and was extremely interesting. This is really good value and I highly recommend.
  
 
      Posted on Tripadvisor  
   
   Tigi 
 29 June 2025
 
 
 Verified Messing about on the River
A group of 7 of us really enjoyed 2hr our cream tea cruise on the River Avon this afternoon. The commentary was excellent, giving us interesting facts about what we were seeing. We saw our first Gromit from this years trail (outside the Arnolfini) A Heron, Swans, ducks and ducklings, lots of paddle boarders and even swimmers. The cream tea was generous with some of the best scones I've had, cake and unlimited cups of tea which in todays warm weather was very welcome. Special thanks to Ruby who looked after us so well.