Darwin Harbour: Sunset Cruise + Buffet Dinner

About this experience

Book Darwin Harbour sunset cruise tickets and spend your evening on the water aboard the Charles Darwin, with a buffet dinner of fresh seafood and local produce served as the sun goes down over the Top End. The cruise lasts 2 hours and leaves from Stokes Hill Wharf, just minutes from the city centre, so it is an easy way to see the harbour, the coastline and the city skyline from the water in one relaxed evening. What is the Darwin Harbour sunset dinner cruise? It is a 2-hour evening cruise on Darwin Harbour aboard the Charles Darwin, timed so you are out on the water for sunset. Guests board the boat from 5:30pm, it departs at 6pm and returns to the wharf at 8pm. The usual route leaves Stokes Hill Wharf and follows the Esplanade at a gentle pace past Larrakeyah Barracks, Cullen Bay and Fannie Bay, although the skipper can change the route depending on the tide, safety and comfort. The boat has two air-conditioned levels as well as open deck space, so you can move between the cool cabin and the outside deck to watch the sky change colour. Background music plays on the boat, and the harbour waters are generally calm. What does the buffet dinner on the Darwin sunset cruise include? Your ticket includes a Territory-style buffet dinner featuring fresh seafood and local produce. The current menu lists salads such as a Top End Caesar with local crocodile, a Thai-style beef salad and a bush-spiced watermelon salad with kangaroo, followed by chilled Australian wild-caught prawns, Northern Territory barramundi with laksa sauce, a chicken casserole, slow-braised beef, stir-fried vegetables with tofu and seasonal sides. Desserts include mango cheesecake, apple and native muntries crumble, chocolate cake, coconut panna cotta, and vanilla ice cream with tropical fruit. The menu can change, and dishes are labelled for gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, vegetarian and vegan options. Because it is a buffet, cross-contamination cannot be ruled out, so guests with a serious allergy should choose their dishes carefully and ask the crew for help. Drinks are not included. A licensed bar on the boat sells wine, sparkling wine, beer, cider, spirits, cocktails, juices and soft drinks, and extra oysters can also be bought on the boat. The bar closes 15 minutes before the end of the cruise. Outside food and drinks are not allowed. Departure point, accessibility and tips for your Darwin Harbour cruise The cruise departs from Dock 3 at the far end of Stokes Hill Wharf, on the city side. Crew meet guests under the large blue umbrellas, and guests board the boat from 5:30pm to 5:45pm before the 6pm departure. Show your booking confirmation when you get on the boat. Parking on the wharf is limited to 3 hours, so it is better to park near the Darwin Convention Centre and walk about 400 metres to the dock. Cash is not accepted on the boat. Pay by Visa, Mastercard or EFTPOS (American Express is not accepted), so bring a card for drinks. A hat and a camera are useful, and a light cardigan helps if you feel the cold, as it can drop to around 25 degrees on the water. The cruise is not wheelchair accessible: guests need a reasonable level of mobility to get on the boat, wheelchairs and mobility scooters cannot be brought onto the boat, and the toilets are down a short flight of stairs. Collapsible walkers and walking sticks are allowed. Guests of all ages are welcome and small strollers are allowed, but high chairs are not available on the boat. The whole boat is non-smoking. Cancel for free until 24 hours before your visit date and get a full refund. Why book a sunset dinner cruise in Darwin? Darwin is known for its sunsets, and watching one from the harbour gives you an open view of the sky that is hard to find on land. With dinner served on the boat, you get sightseeing and an evening meal in one booking, which makes it a good first night out in the city, an easy date night or a relaxed evening with family. Earlier in the day you could meet saltwater crocodiles at Crocosaurus Cove, learn about outback aviation at the Royal Flying Doctor Service Tourist Facility, or cool off at the Waterfront lagoon. If you would rather skip the full dinner, the Darwin sunset cruise with a food platter is a 2-hour harbour sunset cruise with a food platter instead of the buffet. Browse more things to do in Darwin to plan the rest of your Top End trip.

Highlights

• Watch the Top End sunset from the deck on a 2-hour Darwin Harbour cruise
• Buffet dinner of fresh seafood and local produce, including Australian prawns and NT barramundi
• Cruise past the Esplanade, Cullen Bay and Fannie Bay aboard the Charles Darwin
• Two air-conditioned levels plus open deck space
• Departs from Stokes Hill Wharf, minutes from Darwin city centre

What is included

• 2-hour sunset cruise on Darwin Harbour aboard the Charles Darwin
• Territory-style buffet dinner featuring fresh seafood and local produce
• Dessert from the buffet
• Relaxing background music on the boat

Not included

• Drinks (available to buy from the bar on the boat)
• Extra oysters (available to buy on the boat)

Before you go

Guests board the boat from 5:30pm to 5:45pm at Dock 3, at the far end of Stokes Hill Wharf. The cruise departs at 6pm and returns at 8pm. Show your booking confirmation when you get on the boat. Drinks are not included. Cash is not accepted on the boat, so pay by Visa, Mastercard or EFTPOS. The bar closes 15 minutes before the end of the cruise. Outside food and drinks are not allowed on the boat. The cruise is not wheelchair accessible. Wheelchairs and mobility scooters cannot be brought onto the boat, and the toilets are down a short flight of stairs. Small strollers are allowed. High chairs are not available. Parking on Stokes Hill Wharf is limited to 3 hours, so consider parking near the Darwin Convention Centre and walking about 400 metres to the dock. The menu can change. It is a buffet, so cross-contamination cannot be ruled out for serious allergies.

Cancellation terms

Cancel for free until 24 hours before your visit date and get a full refund.