Murray River Day Trip from Adelaide Including Lunch Cruise aboard the Proud Mary
Adelaide, Australia
- 8 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Travel from Adelaide to the historic Murray River without having to sort out your own transportation on this day trip. Take a lunch cruise on the river followed by free time in the town of Mannum. On the bus ride back, stop by a chocolate factory and cheesemaker to pick up some tasty souvenirs.
- Perfect for first-time visitors to the Murray River area
- Learn about the Murray River ecosystem on a cruise
- A buffet lunch will be served onboard at no extra cost
- Round-trip transportation from your hotel adds convenience
What's Included
- LunchBuffet lunch
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- Fuel surcharge$5 per person
- Alcoholic drinks (available to purchase)
- Afternoon tea at Melba's is at own expense
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Adelaide Central Bus , Franklin St83 Franklin St, Adelaide SA 5000, Australia
Please arrive at 9.00am to meet your driver by the entrance to the bus bays inside the Adelaide Central Bus Station, 83-85 Franklin Street, Adelaide
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Operating hours.9:15 am
Itinerary
After morning pickup in Adelaide, travel in a comfortable air-conditioned coach to the Murray River for your lunch cruise.
Relax as your triple-decker boat glides down the historic river and you soak in the surrounding scenery. Gain insight into the river system while having lunch on board the vessel.
When your boat returns to the dock, reboard your coach for a tour along the Murray River. Stop for photo ops at Mannum Lookout and other scenic locations.
Travel through the Adelaide Hills and enjoy free time to visit Melba’s Chocolate Factory and Woodside Cheese Wrights (optional). You can purchase afternoon tea (own expense) before your tour ends in Adelaide with drop-off at your starting point.
Relax as your triple-decker boat glides down the historic river and you soak in the surrounding scenery. Gain insight into the river system while having lunch on board the vessel.
When your boat returns to the dock, reboard your coach for a tour along the Murray River. Stop for photo ops at Mannum Lookout and other scenic locations.
Travel through the Adelaide Hills and enjoy free time to visit Melba’s Chocolate Factory and Woodside Cheese Wrights (optional). You can purchase afternoon tea (own expense) before your tour ends in Adelaide with drop-off at your starting point.
1
Mannum
2 hours • Admission Ticket Free
2
Mannum
1 hour 50 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
3
Melba's Chocolate & Confectionery
45 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Most travelers can participate
- Cruise varies slightly depending on river boarding poing - Monday: board at Mannum, Friday: board at Woodland Reserve
- Proud Mary Cruise duration is 2 hours
- Vessel type and times may vary at times of maintenance
- There is no lift on the Proud Mary - you will need to be able to get up the steep steps with hand rails on both sides to the lunch room area. Staff can assist if needed.
- Tour does not operate on Christmas Day
- Selected Adelaide CBD Hotels pick up & drop off available on request
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 48 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
Ricki_C
We were in Adelaide for Gather Round & decided to do this tour with our teen boys to see the sights. We loved it - our driver/guide was a delight & full of knowledge & jokes to keep us entertained. The Proud Mary cruise was great - the staff were so friendly & food was delicious. I would highly recommend.
Reviews
4.2
based on 113 reviews
Gwen_Y, Apr 2026
Athol was an excellent guide, lots of interesting facts. Went out of his way to give everyone on the bus an experience to remember.
John_S, Mar 2026
Most enjoyable trip. Travel to and from Adelaide was good. The Murray River cruise and lunch on the Proud Mary was excellent. Time in Mannum was good as was the Melba chocolate experience.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Hi John,
Really glad to hear you had such an enjoyable day out with us! Thank you for leaving us such a stellar review.
Thanks for coming along, and hopefully we’ll see you back for another trip sometime.
All the best,
Mara from Adelaide Sightseeing
Paula_B, Mar 2026
Very informative bus driver who new the area over 20 years. Very relaxing, comfortable bus. Pleasant murray river trip, and luncheon.
Sally_P, Jan 2026
A beautiful and relaxing cruise on the Murray River with delicious food and fantastic commentary. Highly recommended
Cassandra_C, Jan 2026
Very disappointed with this booking. I had booked a tour that was promised as the "Proud Mary" Murray River cruise. However when we arrived to the marina we were greeted by the "Captain Proud" - a totally different boat. When we spoke with our bus driver he said that the Proud Mary doesn't run between Christmas & New Years (something that is not listed on the activity profile). The activity details also state a buffet lunch, however we were offered a menu to order from. I ordered the burrito salad with meat added, and my mother had the chicken schnitzel with mushroom sauce. My salad was lackluster and the sauce on the schnitzel was extremely thick.
We were then supposed to be able to explore Mannum, and visit Melba's Chocolate Shop. Unfortunately our bus broke down so we didn't get to Melba's. We waited for 30 minutes for a new bus, but based on what they told us even if our bus didn't break down we wouldn't have been able to get to Melba's before it closed at 4pm.
Doesn't seem like we got what we were promised.
Barry_N, Dec 2025
A good way to see the countryside surrounding Adelaide and the Murray river.
Driver was very knowledgeable and shared it with those on the trip.
Mario_K, Nov 2025
Was a great tour extremely happy with our driver he did a wonderful job.The lunch and morning tea was excellent
Robyn_H, Oct 2025
A nice relaxing trip down the river.
Unfortunately the sound system on the boat needs improvement so we couldn't hear all the commentary.
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Hi Robyn_H,
Thank you for sharing your feedback! We’re glad you enjoyed a relaxing trip down the Murray River. We appreciate your comment about the sound system and will pass it on to the Proud Mary Team.
We hope to welcome you aboard again soon!
Best regards,
Mara Watt
Sun_L, Jul 2025
Tour guide was just ok, not really friendly and informative. Just necessary details given, I don't remember him telling me his name. He was talking lots to the guests sitting behind him. Mannum was a bit dull as most of the shops were closed.
Michelle_R, Jul 2025
The boat needs some work done, and the lunch was very basic.
Our driver was very good and informative
Suzanne_B, Jun 2025
This was an absolutely fantastic day! We travelled on a super comfortable coach and Roger was a wonderful, funny and informative coach captain. The river cruise was beautiful, the food was delicious and it was the loveliest atmosphere. Sightseeing on the way home and the stop at Melba’s topped off a perfect day. I can’t recommend this experience enough. 10/10
Ricki_C, Apr 2025
We were in Adelaide for Gather Round & decided to do this tour with our teen boys to see the sights. We loved it - our driver/guide was a delight & full of knowledge & jokes to keep us entertained. The Proud Mary cruise was great - the staff were so friendly & food was delicious. I would highly recommend.
Patricia_J, Apr 2025
Our trip to the Murray was just perfect. From the moment we set off, winding through the picturesque Adelaide Hills,, then, u
pon reaching Mannum, we embarked on a Fabulous fun cruise on the Proud Mary, and as we ate lunch, the contrasting landscape unfolded around us. Highly recommended experience. A must do. Proud Mary offers 2 & 5 day cruisers as well, so you can experience so much more, eg. the cliffs at Sunset, & fish.
Jo_S, Feb 2025
Weather was perfect and so was the tour. The bus driver Phil was knowledgeable and ready to make the day a success for all passengers. The Proud Mary was a beautiful vessel and its crew pleasant and friendly. Lunch was great and the Murray is such a beautiful river. The drive back through the Adelaide Hills was a perfect end to the day, especially the spotting of koalas in their natural habitat - a thrill for both overseas and local passengers.
Liane_M, Feb 2025
Coach driver was very friendly, obliging and was very informative. The cruise was so relaxing and beautiful. The food was awesome and friendly staff. Overall the trip was fantastic with the cruise being the highlight.
JoAnn_B, Jan 2025
Bus driver was 10+, ship captain was good, staff on the river cruise were apparently all new except one and so were not helpful. My partner and I were not able to sit together at lunch because all spaces for our group was only at certain tables, we were told “work it out with your group”. I am suppose to ask people who want to sit together to move?” We had to get up and fill our small water class at a central location and were told we were not allowed to have a jug of water. Very unhelpful staff.
Jan_W, Dec 2024
Delayed by a group of passengers who were 30 minutes late despite strict time deadlines. The bus driver was not advised that the Proud Mary was not running. We ended up trying to catch another boat but missed the deadline due to the late group. Ended up at Handorf where I have been before. This was a waste of my limited time in Adelaide. Poor planning. Offered a full refund but does not compensate for lost travel time in Adelaide.
Gayle_L, Dec 2024
The two course lunch was lovely & everyone by me enjoyed - thought we were going out on a paddle steamer, it wasn’t - we only cruised the Murray river maybe 2hours enough to have lunch the other 6hours was time on a bus or free time with cheese or chocolate that was our disappointment - we could have stayed in Adelaide for a posh lunch & explored
Pat_I, Nov 2024
Our tour guide Phil was very informative and entertaining made the day time on Proud Mary was a bit rushed Otherwise all good
Brigitta_H, Nov 2024
The boat tour was very nice and lunch was also tasty
I personally find that the chocolate factory and cheese factory is overrated
I would rather go to Hahndorf as an alternative eg combine Hahndorf with Murray river cruise
Annette_H, Nov 2024
Great day, informative and the paddlesteamer was wonderful. The food was excellent and being able to wander around Mannum was fab.
Adrita_M, Oct 2024
Very nice trp, relaxed and not rished at all. Very knowledgeable guide and lovely places to visit. The cruise was the highlight of the trip.
Jeanette_W, Oct 2024
The bus trip was great. The driver was wonderful. The river cruise was great all the staff were wonderful.
The only down side was lunch. Overall had a really great day will recommend to anyone come down
kim_l, Oct 2024
Very disappointing and underwhelming nothing to see. Excellent food and staff.l don't want to say anymore
Peter_C, Oct 2024
The highlight of the trip was the tour around the outskirts of Adelaide, the beautiful villages, homes and green spaces. The lunch on the Proud Mary was a bonus.
Bruce_S, Sep 2024
Great cruise with lots of information and good food onboard.
Had fun interacting with other people onboard enjoying the wonderful scenery.
Liz_P, Sep 2024
The peace while on the murray, relaxing, enjoyable. Would recommend this trip. Woyld like to do a longer trip.
MARGO_C, Aug 2024
Nice drive in a comfortable coach. Proud Mary was good and a lovely meal but disappointed that there was no commentry about the history or info on bird life etc.
Dave_S, Aug 2024
This was an exceptionally good tour and well worth the money. Our driver Roger was most incredible in his knowledge and sense of humour during this trip. If you’re undecided then just book. You will be impressed and not be disappointed. The River cruise and staff were outstanding. Well done to all concerned.
Gay_C, Jul 2024
We had a lovely day on the Murray. Lunch and staff were excellent and our bus driver, Robin was friendly, helpful.
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