Ottawa Boat Cruise - Paul's Boat Line
Ottawa, Canada
- 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
See a new perspective on the Canadian capital—and enjoy a relaxed, hassle-free sightseeing experience—during this narrated boat tour along the Ottawa River. Choose a departure point and tour time that work best for you, find your preferred seat on the two viewing decks, and get comfortable. You can look out for sights ranging from Parliament Hill to Nepean Point, all while learning more from the bilingual commentary.
- See more of the sights in less time when you travel by boat
- Enjoy special views of Ottawa landmarks that most visitors miss
- Your bilingual guide narrates the tour in French and English
- A range of start times are available to suit your busy schedule
What's Included
- Bilingual commentaries
- All Fees and Taxes
- Hotel pick up & drop-off
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting points
Select a meeting point
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End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Itinerary
1
Paul's Boat Lines
1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
National Gallery of Canada (Pass By)
Nepean Point (Pass By)
Canadian Museum of History (Pass By)
Supreme Court of Canada / Cour Supreme Du Canada (Pass By)
Parliament Hill and Buildings (Pass By)
Royal Canadian Mint (Pass By)
Rideau Falls (Pass By)
Prime Minister's Official Residence (Pass By)
Rockcliffe Park Pavillion (Pass By)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Wheelchair accessible
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Most travelers can participate
- Please note- there is no rescheduling
- Only wheelchair accessible on the Hull Marina on Gatineau side
- Please note - Our tickets our non-refundable.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 80 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
This experience is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason. If you cancel or ask for an amendment, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Susan_M
We were lucky enough to book this almost last minute on our trip to Ottawa. The location from our hotel was a short and enjoyable walk along the canal. Once aboard Andy and the crew were great. Andy is an awesome guide and provides a lot of information and fun facts. I would definitely recommend this cruise to visitors and locals too!!
Reviews
4.3
based on 987 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Marion_C, Aug 2026
The tour was listed as 90 minutes but lasted just one hour. The guided portion was only about 30 minutes. He was friendly and explained all the historic buildings but we would have enjoyed more history and stories/anecdotes.
Judy_P, Aug 2026
Great trip with lots if info while enjoying the cool breeze and sights. Great tour guide. Recommend!
RT_B, Aug 2026
The experience of cruising down the Ottawa River was amazing. The guide was very informative and did a wonderful job of telling us the history and interesting facts about the surrounding area. Awesome job. Worth the fare.
Paul_G, Aug 2026
Great view from the water.
Our announcer Cam was very enthusiastic and informative. Great job!
Smooth sailing.
Hayden_T, Aug 2026
More interested in money than customer service. No help in a difficult situation. No response to our concerns.
Emile_F, Jul 2026
It was fun! We went up to the Rideau Falls and back, with a detour around Gatineau to pick up and drop off passengers.
Julie_E, Jul 2026
Make sure you know which port you are leaving from! Hard to know off you’re not from the area but customer service is terrific and real humans answer the phone to help and accommodate!
Hayden_T, Jul 2026
Theo was funny and informative.
It was easy riding on the river and hearing the history of Ottawa. Great!
Lori_P, Jul 2026
Know that some cruises are NOT 1.5 hours….ours was 55 minutes! Of course nobody working there could help with our concerns, so emailed Viator for partial refund….no answer.
Know that a beer is $15.95 and a small bag of chips is $3.95!
Know that not all cruise ships go to infront of the falls, as pictured in the advertisement.
Know that I have taken this cruise many times over the years would NEVER take it again.
Alason_H, Jul 2026
The advertisement says 1.5 hours, but the tour only lasts ONE hour. This seems very dishonest since you don't get 1/3 of what you pay for. When I asked an employee about it, they actually suggested that the time we spent waiting in line was part of the tour. The boat ride was great, just false advertising as far as the length of time actually on the water.
Malcolm_C, Jul 2026
Interesting trip along the river, with a different perspective of sites we had seen from land tours.
Lynn_F, Jul 2026
Although it was the guide's first day on the job, he was exceptional. Flipping over from French to English, flawlessly bilingual, telling us about the iconic buildings and interesting Ottawa history.
Heidi_B, Jul 2026
You can not drive to this location. The address has to be walked to, which we discovered when attempting to find it, and my husband is handicapped so we never made it to the dock. I requested information for handicapped when I purchased but no one responded.
Christine_R, Jul 2026
Great staff, clean, snacks and beverages available on main floor
The tour guide was very knowledgeable
Paul_M, Jul 2026
An amazing day on the Ottawa River. The guides were very knowledgeable about the Ottawa Area, Gatineau Atea and the Ottawa River. I would highly recommend this tour.
Beyhan_S, Jun 2026
I had excellent experience. I would highly recommend everyone who wants to explore Ottawa. They were very kind and professional.
David_P, Jun 2026
Well run excursion. Good selection of beverages and snacks. Views from the Ottawa River outstanding. Elleny ? Excellent cruise guide! Highly recommended.
Martin_W, Jun 2026
Quick, enjoyable trip along the river--out and back. Our guide was funny, personable, friendly. His bilingual narrative made me want to learn French.
Wayne_C, May 2026
Very friendly conductors , the guy that welcomes everyone was sincere and warm. The lady was very polite and informative it was very educational for us we learned a lot . The singing was very good . The only problem and I think that’s an easy fix they should have for sale some sandwiches and hotdogs or pizza for kids .Thanks Charles family will do it again
Diane_R, May 2026
The ride was beautiful.
The tour guide was energetic, entertaining, funny, and very informative!
And we had a treat with the bartender also being a new opera singer, and performing for us!
So, worth every cent!!!
Glen_P, May 2026
We could not cancel our trip even though they changed the boarding location and it was pouring rain. They owe us $400 for 4 people who did not take the cruise.
Very poor customer service.
Nancy_T, May 2026
The boating experience itself was pleasurable. Unfortunately it was difficult to listen to the commentary because it was too loud and muffled. My husband and I switched seats but it was still unpleasant. When it was quiet, the ride was much more enjoyable but we didn’t come away with the knowledge about what we had seen. The bathroom was nice and clean and the sites were nice. Our son and his girlfriend really enjoyed it.
Brad_W, May 2026
The boat tour was excellent! The tour guide was great.
Our only complaint was the connection in Ottawa. Due to high water the boat was unable to pick people up so they arranged for a shuttle to the dock. This fact and the location of the shuttle was not communicated very well so my wife and I had to wander around an area that had a number of tour buses and after asking someone on the street, we found the right bus.
Louise_V, Oct 2025
Great experience but dress warm! Great tour guide & nice to hear the history & see buildings from the river.
Kanchana_D, Oct 2025
Wendy was very informative. Despite the rain we got to see both sides of the river and learn a lot about Ottawa history and beautiful buildings
Marie_M, Oct 2025
Informative, you see the riverside of the homes on Sussex Drive. Even on a warm day it did get cool with the wind so bring a jacket.
Ian_M, Oct 2025
excellent guide, trip covered some new and historic sites on the Ottawa River, all in all a pleasant experience.
Would recommend.
Jo_N, Sep 2025
Boat trip was excellent. Traveller's should note it is a long walk over a 1/2 mile and a steep incline walking back. A lot of stairs (steep) if you use mobility aid there is a ramp but it is VERY steep. The cruise itself was excellent.
Michele_B, Sep 2025
Bathroom on board. They sell drinks, hot chocolate...and I think snacks. There was plenty of sitting room on board, folding chairs in rows. Wendy our guide was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic. She was great! Nice relaxing cruise, great views from the water of the Parliament Buildings. Very smooth ride! You can walk to the front and stand for more photo ops.
Mike_J, Sep 2025
Excellent, short and pleasant way to see Ottawa and surrounds from the water. Guide was knowledgeable and funny. Very pleasant experience.
From $39.38
per person-You will not receive a refund if you cancel.
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Ottawa Boat Cruise - Paul's Boat Line
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