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Queenstown: Lake Wakatipu Scenic Cruise (90 Minutes)

Recommended by 96% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Queenstown, New Zealand
Queenstown: Lake Wakatipu Scenic Cruise (90 Minutes)
High interest
Booked 5+ times today.
  • 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.)
  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English

Why travelers loved this

4.8
·
· Jennifer_D ·
Oct 2025
It was absolutely amazing ! The service was fantastic! Troy was super accommodating to everyone. Definitely recommend to people with kids! My 1 year old and 4 year old had a wonderful time.
· Duncan_N ·
Oct 2025
It was exactly as you would expect. A lovely cruise about beautiful place with lots of interesting commentary to give context. Skipper had a warm and dry sense of humour and there were a few cool surprises. Recommended!

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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.
  • Food and snacks (available for purchase onboard)
  • 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
Supplied by

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Questions?

Visit the Viator Help Centre for any further questions.

Product code: 71002P1

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)
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Featured review

Andy_F
A beautiful day for the cruise around Lake Wakatipu. Troy and Bree were great! Troy navigated us around with his knowledge of the surrounding sites and feature's, ensuring we all had chilled and relaxing experience. Bree was hospitable taking our orders and was very friendly. There were 4 of us in total and we all enjoyed the cruise and would recommend it to anyone, whether you’re a visitor or a local.

Reviews

4.8
based on 1,429 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
1172
201
31
8
17
We perform checks on reviews
Professional and very...
Roland_M, Nov 2025
Professional and very pleasant staff very knowledgeable Captain No problems very pleasant experience
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Kia Ora Roland, Thanks so much for the great review. We are so happy that you had a pleasant experience with us!
Excellent experience
Ideline_B, Nov 2025
I had an amazing 90-minute cruise on Lake Wakatipu near Queenstown. The scenery was stunning. Clear waters, surrounding mountains, and a peaceful, relaxing atmosphere. One of the highlights was getting the chance to drive the boat, which made the experience even more memorable and fun. The captain was excellent: very knowledgeable and shared lots of useful information throughout the cruise. We also stopped along the way for photos, which was perfect for capturing the beautiful scenery. Overall, a highly enjoyable and well-organized experience!
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Thank you so much for such a kind review! we are so glad you enjoyed yourself.
Great trip with a good...
Nigel_C, Nov 2025
Great trip with a good Captain who navigated the wild wind and turbulence very well.Also gave us a very good commentary on the area and it's history. Even went past the hotel where we were staying.
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Kia Ora Nigel, Thanks for the great review. Glad our skipper was able to provide some great commentary and driving skills! We hope to welcome you back in the future.
Lake Cruise at Queenstown
David_B, Oct 2025
Boat was warm and comfortable with friendly skipper and crew. Good selection of drinks from the bar. Unfortunately the weather was very cold and wet with limited visibility. On a clear sunny day this would be a five star review.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Thank you so much for your review, we appreciate you coming along on a wet and windy day and still having a lovely experience with us. We look forward to seeing you again soon on a much sunnier and calm day.
A great tour of the local...
Garry_M, Oct 2025
A great tour of the local lake to catch a glimpse of how the well to do live in Queenstown. Beautiful houses all along the lake shore, great views of the mountains which is par for the course in Queenstown. Skipper was very informative and the hot chocolate was very nice. Only drawback was finding the boat and a parking spot. Good idea to get there early and park your car within walking distance.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Kia Ora Garry, Thanks so much for your lovely review! We’re glad you enjoyed the tour, the views, and our informative skipper. Queenstown can be a bit hectic for parking, so your tip is a great one — arriving early definitely helps. Hope to see you again soon!
Jen
Jennifer_D, Oct 2025
It was absolutely amazing ! The service was fantastic! Troy was super accommodating to everyone. Definitely recommend to people with kids! My 1 year old and 4 year old had a wonderful time.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Kia Ora, Jen! Thanks for the lovely words - we're so happy to hear you and your little ones had a great time on board!
Damm good tour
William_C, Oct 2025
Captain and staff were excellent and courteous, information from captain was both interesting clear and informative mixed with a little humour to brighten up and already sunny day.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Thankyou so much for your kind review! We are very glad that you had such a fabulous time on such a sunny day!
Definitely recommended.
Duncan_N, Oct 2025
It was exactly as you would expect. A lovely cruise about beautiful place with lots of interesting commentary to give context. Skipper had a warm and dry sense of humour and there were a few cool surprises. Recommended!
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Kia Ora Duncan, Thank you so much for the great review! We are so happy to hear that you had a lovely cruise and enjoyed the commentary from our skipper. Thank you so much for the recommendation!
Relaxing and very enjoyable
Peta_B, Oct 2025
We enjoyed the cruise as it went in a different direction to the TSS Earnslaw cruise. We saw across the lake, the other side of Queenstown, The scenery was lovely and some lovely birds. One flock of which had mirgrated from Australia. The captain was great and knowledgeable but the jokes knocking Australia and Australians was getting tedious by the end of the cruise. We found this happened on almost all of the tours we did in Queenstown. We saw how far the Hilton was from Central Queenstown and were glad we didn't stay there.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Kia Ora, thanks for your kind words! I'm sorry to hear some jokes didn't land well - we appreciate the feedback and are so glad you still had a great time on board!
Highly recommended
Penny_P, Oct 2025
Dan was so knowledgeable about the history of the places we visited and was also quite engaging and entertaining with the guest who were on board. Sarah interacted nicely and professionally and made sure everyone was respectfully catered for.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Kia Ora Penny, Thanks so much for the amazing review. We are so happy to hear that both Dan and Sarah made the trip even better, we will be sure to pass along your kind words!
Great tour of lake
Ivonne_L, Oct 2025
Although only a 90 minutes boat tour the captain provided very informative narratioon about queenstown history and folklore. Just wished the weather had been warmer to be able to ride above.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Kia Ora Ivonne, Thanks so much for the great review. We are so happy that you enjoyed the captain's commentary! We hope to welcome you back in the future.
The skipper was fun and...
JOSEPH_C, Oct 2025
The skipper was fun and entertaining during the entire ride. Plenty of opportunity to take nice photos.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Kia Ora Joseph, Thanks so much for the awesome review! We are so happy to hear that you enjoyed the skippers commentary and that you were able to capture some great photos of the scenery!
It's a very quick trip...
Russell_S, Oct 2025
It's a very quick trip which doesnt cover the lake take a blanket for cold days easy access and friendly crew
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Kia Ora Russell, Thanks for the great review! Yes, it’s a 90-minute scenic cruise through the Stunning Frankton Arm and we’ve got blankets on board for those cooler days. Hope to see you again soon!
Interesting!
Vikki_D, Oct 2025
Good fun. Lots of interesting information on the way! Boat has bar and refreshments (and a toilet) great way to see the lake
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Kia Ora, We are so happy to hear that you had a fun time on Million Dollar Cruise! We are glad you enjoyed the commentary and the bar. We hope to welcome you back again in the future!
I recommend you don't...
Karl_D, Sep 2025
I sincerely suggest, you DON'T take this cruise. I booked tickets for my family, the boat ride was 11.00am, I was there at 10.55, as there were 4 boat operators, I went to the other boat who directed me to the right boat. I ran with my family to the boat and was there at 11.01 for a 11.00 ride of 90 minutes. The boat operators and driver did not allow us on the boat. The worst experience of my entire trip. Please don't pick these guys. They are a pathetic lot. The girl at the counter tells me they can refuse and won't give a refund. The worst lot. Pathetic and disgusting ride. Please avoid it.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Hi Karl, I was disappointed to see your review, especially after our phone chats over the past couple of days where you’d said you’d remove it. I wanted to reply here so others thinking about our cruise can also see the full picture. We’re genuinely sorry you didn’t make it in time for the 11am departure. Parking in Queenstown can be tricky, and it was a very tight turnaround once the boat had been untied from the berth. We pride ourselves on prompt departures to ensure each and every cruise runs on time. We do ask guests to check in 15 minutes prior so there’s time for the Captain to welcome everyone - and to feed the wild trout off the jetty before boarding. I completely understand it must have been frustrating to miss the sailing, and perhaps the review was written in the heat of the moment. I was also disappointed by how you spoke about our team - they really do take pride in welcoming guests from all over the world every day. On the positive side, we’re glad you could join us later on the 4pm cruise and that you enjoyed it, as you mentioned to me on the phone. We work hard to deliver great customer service, and I hope that came through in how we followed up with you. All the best for the rest of your time in Queenstown, and if there’s anything else we can help with, please just get in touch.
Would thoroughly recommend this trip
Mark_D, Sep 2025
Loved the trip with knowledgeable crew. Was a beautiful day with stunning scenery and the vessel travels at the appropriate speed to take it all in.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Kia Ora, Mark - thanks so much for your kind review! We're glad you enjoyed your time aboard Million Dollar 2.
Great cruise – it was...
Sara_P, Sep 2025
Great cruise – it was relaxing, engaging, and full of interesting insights. Would highly recommend!!
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thank you so much for such a lovely review. We are pleased you had such a good experience.
Brilliant Tour
1
Dave_W, Sep 2025
Wonderful tour of the lake with a very informative description of all the sights. We were blessed with a clear sunny day and it was great to see all the up market homes around the lake.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Kia Ora Dave, Thanks so much for the great review. We're so happy to hear that you enjoyed the information and that the weather was clear and sunny!
Great way to get your onboarding to Queenstown
Natalia_G, Aug 2025
Very convenient small boat with great views from inside and outside decks. Captain guide steered and told wonderful stories about Queenstown. Good wine bar. Highly recommend!
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Kia Ora, Thanks so much for your kind review. We are so happy to hear that you enjoyed the bar, the stories and driving the boat!
Brilliant
Penelope_M, Aug 2025
A fantastic cruise, totally worth the money. Our captain was a great guide sharing interesting facts and trivia about this stunning location.
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Thank you so much for your review. We are so pleased you had such a lovely experience with us and we look forward to seeing you again.

From $45.48

per person

up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)

- Secure your spot while staying flexible

Book ahead!
On average, this is booked 18 days in advance.

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