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Ottawa Boat Cruise - Paul's Boat Line

Ottawa, Canada
High interest
Booked 5+ times today.
  • 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.)
  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English

Why travelers loved this

4.3
·
· 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.
· 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

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
Type to search

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Itinerary

1

Paul's Boat Lines

1 hour 30 minutesAdmission 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

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

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)
Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)
Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)
Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)
Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Featured review

Walter_P
Our family visited us in July. We took a boat ride together and had a great time. The weather was nice and we were able to see lots of sites. Tour guide Melody was amazing. We learned a lot about Ottawa during the boat ride. I definitely recommend this boat ride to others. I will make sure to take my friends and relatives on this boat ride when they visit us in Ottawa in the future.

Reviews

4.3
based on 955 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Sort by: Most insightful

A pleasant Ottawa tour on water.

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.

Extremely Disappointed 😞!

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.

Great experience

Christine_R, Jul 2026
Great staff, clean, snacks and beverages available on main floor The tour guide was very knowledgeable

An amazing day on the...

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.

Excellent experience

Beyhan_S, Jun 2026
I had excellent experience. I would highly recommend everyone who wants to explore Ottawa. They were very kind and professional.

Well run excursion. Good...

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.

Enjoyable

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.

River cruise in Ottawa

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

The ride was beautiful....

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!!!

Terrible customer service ripped off for $400 for a cruise we canceled.

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.

The boating experience...

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.

The boat tour was...

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.

Great experience but...

Louise_V, Oct 2025
Great experience but dress warm! Great tour guide & nice to hear the history & see buildings from the river.

Great tour

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

Interesting

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.

Cruise on the Ottawa River

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.

Ottawa boat cruise

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.

Cruising the Ottawa River

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.

Excellent, short and...

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.

Good service

DALMACIO_M, Sep 2025
They cancelled my tour the day itself. But good thing they called me and they will refund my payment. Due to blockade of the street

Nice way to spend an hour or so!

Julie_L, Sep 2025
Lovely afternoon on the river. Good commentary. Good view from the deck. A pleasant experience on holiday. Signage to the pickup point could be better!

Morning cruise on the River Ottawa

Andrew_J, Sep 2025
Wendy was an excellent host with plenty of knowledge of the Ottawa River and the surrounding area all with a touch of humour.

Cruise

chris_j, Sep 2025
We enjoyed our cruise along the ottawa shoreline and would recommend to any other visitors staying in the city

Was Nothing special...

Alina_R, Sep 2025
Was Nothing special It Repeats everything that other tours do and say. Should go further in the river

Perfect

Audrie_C, Sep 2025
It was amazing Wendy the lady working there was so nice and friendly. She explain well the places we saw. She is a 10/10

Great way to end the day in Ottawa

Douglas_H, Sep 2025
Great way to end the day in Ottawa. We took the 7pm tour and it was great to catch sunset and learn about Ottawa.

Highly recommend this...

Zamand_S, Aug 2025
Highly recommend this tour to everyone visiting Ottawa. The tour guide was very nice and explained everything in detail!

Cruising’ Down the Ottawa

Anne_C, Aug 2025
I grew up in Ottawa but never took the opportunity to take this cruise on the Ottawa River. It was a beautiful day and we thoroughly enjoyed our experience. We saw many sites from a different angle on the water rather than just from the road. Our tour guide, Andi, was fabulous and had a very good knowledge of the city sites.

Ottawa Boat cruise

Shannon_B, Aug 2025
This was a nice relaxing time on the Ottawa River. Elodie the guide was very informative and fun! We really enjoyed!

Response from Host, Aug 2025

Dear costumer, Thank you for your kind review, we truly appreciate you taking the time to do so! We're so glad to hear you enjoyed your experience with us. Feedback like yours means a lot and helps us keep improving. We hope to welcome you back on board soon! If there’s ever anything we can do to make your next cruise even better, please don’t hesitate to let us know. Thank you once again for choosing us! Best regards, Team Ottawa Boat Cruise

Fabulous

Monique_L, Aug 2025
that Elodie our guide was dynamic and knew how to capture our interest. The information was clear and interesting.

Response from Host, Aug 2025

Dear costumer, Thank you for your kind review, we truly appreciate you taking the time to do so! We're so glad to hear you enjoyed your experience with us. Feedback like yours means a lot and helps us keep improving. We hope to welcome you back on board soon! If there’s ever anything we can do to make your next cruise even better, please don’t hesitate to let us know. Thank you once again for choosing us! Best regards, Team Ottawa Boat Cruise

From $38.61

per person

-You will not receive a refund if you cancel.

Book ahead!
On average, this is booked 5 days in advance.

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