Germany · CRUISES & BOAT TOURS

The 15 Best Boat Trips in Germany

84 tours  ·  from $15 a head

Rivers did the work here long before the railways, and the cities still face them. The 15 below run from a one-hour city loop to a full day down the Rhine gorge, each priced and clear about how much of it is commentary.

Berlin: 1-Hour City Tour by Boat with Guaranteed Seating - Choosing Friedrichstraße or Nikolaiviertel
1-Hour Experiences, City Tours, Cruises & Boat Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Tours in Berlin

Berlin: 1-Hour City Tour by Boat with Guaranteed Seating

1.1-Hour City Tour by Boat with Guaranteed Seating

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 16,993 reviews · 1 hour · from $25Our pick

Spend one hour on the Spree with Stern und Kreisschiffahrt, passing the Reichstag, Government Quarter, Bellevue Palace, Victory Column, Hauptbahnhof, Berlin Cathedral, Museum Island, and Nikolaiviertel. Your seat is guaranteed, though not necessarily by a window. Food and drinks are sold on board, and audio commentary is available in 12 languages.

“easy to get to. good information via audio. good price!”

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Hamburg: 1.5-Hour Harbor and Speicherstadt Day Cruise - Speicherstadt canals and the tide question
Cruises & Boat Tours, Harbour & Elbe Cruises, Tour Reviews, Tours in Hamburg

Hamburg: 1.5-Hour Harbor and Speicherstadt Day Cruise

2.1.5-Hour Harbor and Speicherstadt Day Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 14,200 reviews · 1h 30m · from $40

Spend 90 minutes aboard a traditional Hamburger Barkasse, passing Speicherstadt, Hafen City, container ships, St. Pauli’s Pier, and Elbphilharmonie. The live guide speaks German, while a free audio app covers 11 languages. Tides control the Speicherstadt route, and you may leave at the Elbphilharmonie pier or return to Überseebrücke.

“Very nice tour with audioguide in different languages. Please prepare headphones and charge the your Phone in order to use audioguide if you are not German-speaking”

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Berlin: Boat Tour Along the River Spree - The government quarter from the River Spree
Cruises & Boat Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Tours in Berlin

Berlin: Boat Tour Along the River Spree

3.Boat Tour Along the River Spree

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 11,252 reviews · 2h 15m · from $34

Take a 135-minute round-trip cruise from Friedrichstrasse through Berlin’s central waterways. You’ll pass the Chancellery, Bellevue Palace, Victory Column, Central Station, Charlottenburg Palace, canals, ministries, and Hamburger Bahnhof. German commentary plays onboard, with audio devices available in 11 additional languages. Food and drinks can be bought onboard.

“Good way to spend a couple of hours on a sunny day in Berlin,,enjoyed it more than the sight seeing bus we had been on ,,app is easy to use ,no issues at all”

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Hamburg: 90-Minute Evening Lights Harbor Cruise - Starting at Landungsbrücken and finding the right boat
Cruises & Boat Tours, Evening Experiences, Harbour & Elbe Cruises, Tour Reviews, Tours in Hamburg

Hamburg: 90-Minute Evening Lights Harbor Cruise

4.90-Minute Evening Lights Harbor Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 7,728 reviews · 1.5 hours · from $27

Spend 90 minutes on a traditional barge with a German-speaking captain, passing Hamburg’s harbor lights, container ships, Speicherstadt when tides allow, and the Elbphilharmonie. Meet at Landungsbrücken, Bridge 10. Drinks are sold onboard, but bring cash. Special departures sometimes follow Queen Mary II or Hamburg Harbor anniversary events.

“It was my fault. I didn't realize it was only in German. I would have enjoyed it more. Probably if it was in english but it was a nice time”

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Hamburg: 2-Hour XXL Port of Hamburg Cruise Tour - St. Pauli Landungsbrücken and the first harbor views
2-Hour Experiences, Cruises & Boat Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Tours in Hamburg

Hamburg: 2-Hour XXL Port of Hamburg Cruise Tour

5.2-Hour XXL Port of Hamburg Cruise Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 6,979 reviews · 2 hours · from $47

Cruise Hamburg’s working port for two hours aboard a compact, heated boat that can enter narrow canals and pass through locks. A German-speaking guide provides live commentary, while the free Rainer Abicht app offers audio in several languages. Bring headphones, check the departure bridge, and expect industry as much as city views.

“Amazing time to go around Hamburg and see places from another view. Recommend to everyone.”

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Cologne: Panoramic City Cruise - Finding the right landing stage
City Tours, Cruises & Boat Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours in Cologne

Cologne: Panoramic City Cruise

6.Panoramic City Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 5,698 reviews · 1 hour · from $23

Spend one hour cruising Cologne’s Rhine waterfront with German and English commentary, covered seating, an open deck, toilets, and an onboard bar serving drinks and snacks. You’ll pass the cathedral, Old Town, Hohenzollern Bridge, South Bridge, Deutz Bridge, the chocolate museum, and Rheinauhafen. Arrive early, since the ship may depart from a different landing stage.

“The commentary in German and English. The staff were also excellent.”

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Dresden: River Sightseeing Boat Cruise - First Views: Dresden’s Riverfront and Elbe Valley
Cruises & Boat Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours in Dresden

Dresden: River Sightseeing Boat Cruise

7.River Sightseeing Boat Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 5,323 reviews · 1h 30m · from $31

See Dresden from the Elbe aboard a paddle steamer or modern boat, passing three riverside palaces, the Loschwitz Villa Quarter, and four bridges including the Blue Wonder. The 90-minute trip includes German and English commentary, indoor and outdoor seating, and food and drinks for purchase.

“Nice way to spend a couple of hours, seeing a few of the sights, with some commentary and drinks!”

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Frankfurt: River Main Sightseeing Cruise with Commentary - Downstream toward Griesheim and Frankfurt’s towers
Cruises & Boat Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours in Frankfurt

Frankfurt: River Main Sightseeing Cruise with Commentary

8.River Main Sightseeing Cruise with Commentary

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 5,127 reviews · 50 - 100 minutes · from $18Best value

Cruise the River Main from Eiserner Steg on a 50 or 100-minute round trip. Choose the quieter upstream route toward Offenbach, the skyline-focused route toward Griesheim, or combine both. A recorded German and English commentary points out Sachsenhausen, the museum embankment, Frankfurt’s towers, and Goethe’s Gerbermühle. Food and drinks are available to buy onboard.

“Relaxing way to see the Mein and hear about some history. We took the 100 minute tour. We sat inside for the first half because the top was completely full. We were able to move up for the second half of the tour. This was the best experience.”

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Hamburg: 1-Hour Harbor Evening Lights Cruise - Brücke 4 at St. Pauli Landungsbrücken
1-Hour Experiences, Cruises & Boat Tours, Evening Experiences, Harbour & Elbe Cruises, Tour Reviews, Tours in Hamburg

Hamburg: 1-Hour Harbor Evening Lights Cruise

9.1-Hour Harbor Evening Lights Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 4,861 reviews · from $30

Take a one-hour evening cruise from St. Pauli Landungsbrücken through Hamburg’s illuminated harbor. You’ll see Speicherstadt, HafenCity, the Elbe Philharmonic, museum ships, container cranes, and ocean liners. Live commentary is in German, with an audio app in several languages. The route through Speicherstadt depends on tide levels.

“Very nice boat trip at night! I recommend it to you! :)”

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Berlin: 3.25-Hour Spree & Landwehrkanal Boat Tour - From Jannowitzbrücke toward Berlin’s waterways
Cruises & Boat Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Tours in Berlin

Berlin: 3.25-Hour Spree & Landwehrkanal Boat Tour

10.3.25-Hour Spree & Landwehrkanal Boat Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 4,311 reviews · 3h 15m · from $38

Board at Jannowitzbrücke near Alexanderplatz for a 195-minute cruise along Berlin’s Spree and Landwehr Canal. You’ll pass more than 40 bridges, Museum Island, Potsdamer Platz, the German Museum of Technology, and government buildings. English and German audio commentary is available, with food and drinks sold aboard.

“Positive experience, even the menu (Menu 1) consumed on the boat was very good and talented revealed the waiter.”

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Berlin: Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Bus with Boat Options - Ku’damm, KaDeWe, and Berlin’s Western Side
Cruises & Boat Tours, Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours in Berlin

Berlin: Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Bus with Boat Options

11.Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Bus with Boat Options

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 4,012 reviews · from $30

See Berlin by open-top bus on red and blue routes covering Museum Island, the Brandenburg Gate, Checkpoint Charlie, the Berlin Wall, and East Side Gallery. A 48-hour ticket adds Freddie’s live history walk, currywurst, and an evening tour. Add a one-hour Spree cruise from April to October.

“Very helpful representative who supported us to access tickets and begin the journey. Directions to the meeting point did not highlight that it was a rep that we should find and not an office which wasted time.”

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Berlin: 1-Hour Boat Tour with Bilingual Live Guide - What you see between the Humboldt Forum and Museum Island
1-Hour Experiences, Cruises & Boat Tours, Guided, Tour Reviews, Tours, Tours in Berlin

Berlin: 1-Hour Boat Tour with Bilingual Live Guide

12.1-Hour Boat Tour with Bilingual Live Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 3,629 reviews · from $22

Take a one-hour Spree cruise through Berlin’s center and government district aboard the heated glass-roofed MS Carola or MS Franziska. A live guide speaks English and German, pointing out the Reichstag, Berlin Cathedral, Museum Island, and more. Drinks are available for purchase, and guides such as Michael add humor and local detail.

“really enjoyed this tour. a good balance between information and fun. great to have an actual guide as opposed to a recording”

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Hamburg: 1-Hour Harbor Sightseeing Cruise with HafenCity - St. Pauli Piers and the Elbe opening
1-Hour Experiences, Cruises & Boat Tours, Harbour & Elbe Cruises, Tour Reviews, Tours in Hamburg

Hamburg: 1-Hour Harbor Sightseeing Cruise with HafenCity

13.1-Hour Harbor Sightseeing Cruise with HafenCity

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 3,067 reviews · 1 hour · from $30

Cruise Hamburg’s working harbor aboard a Rainer Abicht boat, passing Speicherstadt, HafenCity, the Elbphilharmonie, container terminals, cruise ships, and Blohm and Voss docks. German commentary is live, while an app provides audio in English and nine other languages. Choose the open sun deck or air-conditioned lounge.

“Amazing boat, nice and biig. Great if limited catering. Brilliant commentary”

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Cologne: Top Sights Rhine River Cruise - Skyline Tour - The Cathedral and Old Town From the Water
Cruises & Boat Tours, Rhine & Moselle River Cruises, Tour Reviews, Tours, Tours in Cologne

Cologne: Top Sights Rhine River Cruise – Skyline Tour

14.Top Sights Rhine River Cruise – Skyline Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 3,030 reviews · 1.5 hours · from $28

Spend 90 minutes aboard MS Rheinperle or MS Rheinland, seeing Cologne from the Rhine. The route passes the Cathedral, Old Town, Rheinauhafen’s crane houses, five bridges, and Rodenkirchen. Recorded commentary plays in English and German on selected departures. Choose an inside table or an open deck, with drinks and snacks available for purchase.

“Great welcome . Clean boat. Fabulous table service. Informative trip.”

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Düsseldorf: City Sightseeing Cruise on the Rhine - Boarding early for the best Rhine views
City Tours, Cruises & Boat Tours, Rhine & Moselle River Cruises, Tour Reviews, Tours in Dusseldorf

Düsseldorf: City Sightseeing Cruise on the Rhine

15.City Sightseeing Cruise on the Rhine

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 2,954 reviews · 1 hour · from $23

Cruise the Rhine from Düsseldorf’s central Rheinuferpromenade for one hour, passing views of the Old Town, riverbanks, Medienhafen, and city ruins. An audio commentary plays in English and German. Arrive 20 to 30 minutes early for a good outdoor seat, and buy drinks or snacks from the onboard bar.

“Friendly staff , cleanness and well organized. Need to include more audio languages.”

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New in Cruises & Boat Tours

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★ 5.01h Berlin-Cruise with 140 year old electrified steamshipFrom $2214 reviews
★ 5.0“After Work” – Sailing-Yacht Cruising Event, Hamburg/ElbeFrom $705 reviews
★ 4.7Full-Day, Half-Day, or Sunset Sailing ExperienceFrom $86174 reviews
★ 4.32-hour Christmas Boat Tour on the RhineFrom $2244 reviews
★ 4.4Panoramic Cruise on Moselle River to WinningenFrom $22283 reviews
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★ 4.51.5-Hour River Cruise on the RhineFrom $22109 reviews
★ 4.8Herrenchiemsee Palace and Boat Trip Day-TourFrom $69129 reviews
★ 4.7Breakfast boat cruiseFrom $94131 reviews

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