Queenstown: Lake Wakatipu Scenic Cruise (90 Minutes)
Recommended by 96% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Queenstown, New Zealand
- 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Explore Lake Wakatipu by boat on a 1.5-hour cruise from Queenstown. As you travel to the end of the lake, you can see stunning lakeside homes, a variety of bird life, Kawarau Dam, and the magnificent scenery that surrounds Queenstown. Get unobstructed views from the sundeck or stay warm in the heated cabin, and have the option to purchase drinks from the onboard bar.
- Cruise around Lake Wakatipu
- Affordable boat tour with great photo ops
- See more of Queenstown’s surroundings
- Suitable for all ages
What's Included
- 90-minute Lake Wakatipu scenic cruise
- Live commentary from the captain
- Friendly onboard crew
- Indoor and outdoor seating
- Central Queenstown jetty departure
- Please arrive 15 minutes before your scheduled departure time.
- Additional charges apply for food, snacks and drinks on board
- Hotel transfers
- Wheelchair access (due to vessel design)
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- 50 Beach Street, waterfront, Queenstown 9300, New Zealand
Please arrive 15 minutes before your scheduled departure.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Itinerary
Lake Wakatipu (Pass By)
Queenstown (Pass By)
Queenstown Golf Club (Pass By)
Kawarau River (Pass By)
The Remarkables Ski Area (Pass By)
Frankton Trail (Pass By)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 49 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Kathleen_D
It's a comfortable, we'll narrated tour of a most beautiful lake. The crew were friendly and helpful. Wouldn't hesitate to recommend this cruise.
Reviews
4.8
based on 1,521 reviews
Tainara_L, Apr 2026
The tour is definitely worth it! It’s good value for money, the pilot is friendly and makes the experience even more enjoyable — there’s even a moment when he stops to take photos of the passengers. Highly recommended!
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Kia ora, thank you for joining us! We are so glad you have enjoyed the trip and the photo opportunities along the way. We hope to see you again soon!
Darren_C, Apr 2026
Skipper Troy and first mate Emily were excellent. Cruise was fantastic, travelled around lake wakitipu and up inside frankton arm estiry.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you for the lovely review! We are glad to hear our crew looked after you well.
Mina_T, Apr 2026
The Captain of the boat was very well informed. The service on the boat is very good, as the trip is 90 minutes what is available is sufficient.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Kia ora, thank you for the great review! We are glad you enjoyed both the service and the cruise overall.
Emily_H, Apr 2026
Such an enjoyable and relaxing morning on the lake. Tyler was exceptional! so knowledgeable and full of positive energy the whole way through. Ian and Emily were also fantastic! Brilliant experience!
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you very much for such a wonderful review. It is great that you had a fun and enjoyable time on our cruise and we look forward to seeing you again in the future.
Ajay_K, Apr 2026
This was a remarkable Out of the world experience i have never gone through such a supportive staff love the Cruise
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you for a wonderful review. It is wonderful that you enjoyed our cruise and we look forward to seeing you again in the future.
Charline_M, Apr 2026
My daughter and I had an amazing experience with million dollar cruise. Staff are accommodating. My daughter had a chance to be a captain of the cruise.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Kia ora,
We are so glad you enjoyed the cruise experience! Thank you for the lovely review!
Mudassar_A, Apr 2026
This is such a fantastic cruise. Super friendly staff and Troy was patient and very knowledgeable! Great team!! Enjoyed every moment of this cruise
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you for such a wonderful review. It's great you had such a nice experience with us and we look forward to seeing you again.
Susan_R, Apr 2026
Excellent! Views and info were fascinating! One of my Favorite excursions! Dan, caption was outstanding!
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you for your wonderful review. We are so pleased you enjoyed your experience with us and we look forward to seeing you again.
Jitendra_S, Mar 2026
Great experience! Tour narrator (and Captain) Dan was insightful and kept the tour entertaining. Very scenic and informative tour! Refreshments available for purchase on the tour was a plus. Captain Dan took pictures of those wanting a scenic photo, as well as allowed a select few to steer the boat. Overall, a wonderful tour and experience!! Highly recommend!!
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you so much for such a wonderful review. It is great to hear you enjoyed your experience on our beautiful cruise, and we look forward to seeing you again in the future.
Lynne_R, Mar 2026
Gorgeous scenery, attentive crew, delicious coffee, interesting dialogue from captain. He took time to take photos for us with our cameras.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Kia ora Lynne, thank you for the lovely review! We are so glad you enjoyed the photo opportunities, the coffee and the commentary! Thanks for joining us.
Margaret_D, Mar 2026
What a wonderful way to explore the Frankton arm of Lake Wakatipu. Our Captain provided us with interesting information as to what we saw on our trip. The
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Kia ora, thank you for the lovely review! We are so glad you enjoyed the trip, and that you enjoyed the commentary on board too.
Gordon_H, Mar 2026
Captain very knowledgeable. informative and entertaining. Would definitely recommend this cruise to other people.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Kia ora, thank you for the lovely review! We are so glad you enjoyed the cruise, and thanks for the recommendations!
Michael_D, Mar 2026
Nice tour of the harbor area. Right time and distance involved, nice boat and good historical and local information from the captain. Well worth the money.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Kia ora, thank you for the great review!
Andrew_J, Mar 2026
Lovely cruise & a great way to see a different perspective of Queenstown & surrounds. Inside & outside seating, hot & cold drinks & small range of snacks are available to purchase (efficiently managed by Emily) & there's a toilet on board. Can be chilly, so bring suitable clothing. Very informative commentary from our captain, Tyson, who also gave suggestions of other activities do.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Kia ora Andrew, thank you for the amazing review. We are so glad you found our cruise lovely, and that our crew looked after you well. Thanks for joining us!
Clo_M, Mar 2026
Great experience! Dan, the captain and tour guide, was fantastic—funny, knowledgeable, and very welcoming. The ride was beautiful and peaceful, with incredible views the whole way. Highly recommend this tour if you’re visiting Queenstown.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Kia ora Clo,
Thank you so much for the lovely review! We are so glad you enjoyed the cruise, and the stunning views. Thank you for the recommendation, we hope to see you again one day!
Dennis_B, Mar 2026
Great boat cruise. In spite of choppy seas and inclement weather, Captain and Crew did a great job with overview of Queenstown and Frankton and showing little gem details along the shoreline. Highly recommend this excursion.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you for taking the time to write your review. It's great you enjoyed your experience with us on board our cruise and we look forward to seeing you again in the future.
Kathleen_D, Feb 2026
It's a comfortable, we'll narrated tour of a most beautiful lake. The crew were friendly and helpful. Wouldn't hesitate to recommend this cruise.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you for your review. We are pleased that you enjoyed your experience with us and we look forward to seeing you again.
Richard_T, Feb 2026
Great Captain with ability to communicate to all ages of the Lake information. Saharan his knowledge so easily was great
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Kia ora,
Thank you for the amazing review, we're stoked to hear you had such a wonderful time with us and you enjoyed our skipper's commentary.
Erin_F, Feb 2026
We have no idea why this trip has received such high ratings. Captain Troy ruined the experience for us when he immediately started off on the wrong foot. He approached our table of three adults and three children aged 8 to 13 and immediately lecture us on how our children need to be very quiet if we’re sitting there because he would lose his concentration. They weren’t even being loud when we boarded. His stories were very boring and we couldn’t hear him very well, even though we sat directly behind him. The ship seemed clean and Bri was great with the patrons, serving drinks and snacks. Definitely not worth the money.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Kia Ora Erin,
Thank you for your feedback. We’re sorry to hear the experience didn’t meet your expectations.
Our skipper shares the same welcome and safety briefing on every cruise as a general reminder to help ensure the comfort and enjoyment of all guests onboard. It’s never intended to be directed at any specific group, and we’re sorry if it felt that way during your trip.
We’re pleased to hear you found the boat clean and that Bri took great care of you. If you would like to discuss your experience further, please feel free to reach out to us directly at info@milliondollarcruise.co.nz
Michelle_W, Feb 2026
Lovely hour and a half on the lake. Very informative and great commentary along the way. Weather was nice enough to sit out on the top deck and enjoy the views
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Kia ora, we're glad to hear you enjoyed the commentary from our Skipper. Pleased to hear the weather put on a show for you! Thanks again for the lovely review.
Lynne_S, Feb 2026
It was a great experience,lots of information and friendly banter from the skipper ! Really enjoyed our time on board,and the wait girl was very friendly,a great trip !
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Kia Ora Lynne,
Thanks so much for the review. We are so pleased to hear that you had a great experience with our team at Million Dollar Cruise!
Leslie_M, Feb 2026
Great 90 min cruise staff on board very good.
Captain gave a commentary
Lovely girl came around and offered drinks and nibbles for sale.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Kia Ora Leslie,
Thanks so much for the nice review. We are so happy to hear that you had a good cruise with our crew at Million Dollar Cruise!
Jay_G, Feb 2026
My family came from overseas for the first time, and I booked this cruise hoping they would have a memorable experience on the lake. Unfortunately, the experience didn’t live up to what I expected.
We were asked by staff to keep our 3-month-old baby quiet or move to the back of the cruise, but the back area was already packed. The rooftop seating was also full, so we couldn’t find a comfortable place to sit and enjoy the trip. The cabin area felt very hot and crowded.
I paid $474 in total for our group, and honestly it didn’t feel worth the money. I also booked through Viator without realising the price was in USD rather than NZD, which made the experience more expensive than expected.
Most of the cruise involved looking at houses around the lake rather than scenic views, and the commentary focused a lot on the guide’s favourite café, bakery, and local homes. It felt more like promotion of local businesses than a scenic cruise experience.
Overall, my family didn’t have the experience I was hoping for, which was disappointing given it was their first visit.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Kia ora Jay,
Thank you for your feedback. We’re very sorry to hear the experience didn’t meet your expectations, especially with family visiting from overseas.
Our cruises operate with open seating, and during busy sailings some areas can fill quickly. When our crew speak with guests about noise levels, it’s always with the aim of ensuring comfort for everyone on board. We understand travelling with a young baby can be challenging and regret if this felt uncomfortable.
Our commentary shares a mix of history, notable homes, and local highlights, though we appreciate this may not suit everyone’s expectations. We also apologize for any confusion around pricing — Viator is a third-party booking platform, and we don’t control the currency they display.
If you would like to discuss your experience further, please feel free to email us at info@milliondollarcruise.co.nz
Les_V, Feb 2026
Should not be missed.Captain was very informative and humerous and the route itself was better than the other competitors as it took you round the bay rather than out to open lake.Great value
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Thank you for a great review. We are so happy you had such a wonderful experience with us and we look forward to seeing you again in the future.
Bobby_B, Feb 2026
Very nice boat. We saw lots of Queenstown great staff. Really like the tour with history and general info on the area. 5 stars
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Thank you for a wonderful review. It wonderful that you had such a good experience with us and got to see such a beautiful part of Queenstown. We look forward to seeing you again in the future.
Amjad_H, Feb 2026
Cruise showed what a tourist need to see . Speed and commentary was good. We liked and must for newcomers to QT.
Robert_D, Feb 2026
This cruise on the lake is highly recommended, even if the weather conditions are not ideal. Awesome experience!!
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Thank you, we are so pleased you had such a nice experience with us and we look forward to seeing you again in the future
Meansy_7, Jan 2026
The cruise around the lake was nice, unfortunately it was impacted by low laying clouds and mist. Not the operators fault,
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Kia Ora,
Thanks so much for your lovely review! We’re really happy to hear you had a great time with us. The weather can be a bit unpredictable in Queenstown, so we’re glad it didn’t stop you from enjoying the cruise. We hope to welcome you back again someday!
Lanford_B, Jan 2026
Beautiful cruise, friendly and professional crew — it was a perfect start to a brief stint in Queenstown!
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Kia Ora,
Thanks for your kind review. We are so happy to hear that this was the perfect start of your time in Queenstown and that our crew was friendly and professional!
Molly_K, Jan 2026
I was hesitant to sign up as I’m not a “wine” connoisseur. But, it was one of the best half day tours I’ve gone on. Our guide, Ben was knowledgeable and entertaining. The wineries were each unique. The third winery, with the cheese board snack, was great!
I went by myself and by the end of the day we were all friends!
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Hi Molly,
Glad you had a great wine tour! Think you may have left a review for the wrong business. We hope to welcome you on Million Dollar Cruise while you're in Queenstown!
From $48.12
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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Queenstown: Lake Wakatipu Scenic Cruise (90 Minutes)
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