Boston Cruises

Touring Boston by water

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Whether you're visiting Boston for the first time or have lived here all your life, Boston cruises give you unforgettable views of this beautiful city and some of its most famous historical sites.  You can also cruise out to the Harbor Islands National Park Area, and beyond.

Most important, sightseeing while on a cruise boat is fun and relaxing - you'll feel you're in a different world.  You'll discover that there's a lot more to Boston than just what you can see on land.

Boston is a peninsula, surrounded by the Charles River, the Inner Harbor, and Fort Point Channel.  The Outer Harbor leads out to the Atlantic Ocean.  Harbors, rivers, and ocean play huge roles in Boston's history and development.

Touring Boston by water gives you a unique perspective of the old and new layers of the city.  You can cruise around the Harbor Islands, visit lighthouses, explore the Charles River, do some whale watching, and even visit Provincetown, Martha's Vineyard, and Nantucket. 

Or for an even bigger adventure, take one of the cruises from Boston to Bermuda, Nova Scotia, the Caribbean, and other places. 

Have you taken one of the Boston cruises?  Tell us about it!

Boston Harbor Cruises

Boston Harbor cruises give you a fascinating view of some of the most important historical sites, Harbor Islands, and even glimpses of luxury waterfront condos.

Tour guides keep you informed and entertained.  And for the biggest thrill, there's a high-speed cruise on Codzilla, terror of the Harbor. 

More about Boston Harbor cruises

Charles River Cruise

Take a Charles River cruise, and you'll see not only Boston but Cambridge sights such as Harvard, MIT, and famous biotech companies. Depending on the cruise you select, you'll be on a regular cruise boat, a riverboat, or perhaps best of all, an authentic Venetian gondola.

More about Charles River cruise options

Boston Dinner Cruise

Going on a Boston dinner cruise - or lunch cruise - is a favorite local activity. If you're visiting Boston, you'll want to book yourself on at least one.   Not only do you get to enjoy a delicious gourmet meal, but you'll also have a memorable voyage around the Harbor or Charles River and see gorgeous scenery. 

On some Boston dinner cruises, you'll even enjoy DJs and dancing - or go for a New England Clambake in the Harbor Islands.

Best of all, some dinner cruises happen year-round.

More about going on a Boston dinner cruise

Boston Booze Cruises

Maybe these should be called "party" or "dance" cruises - but here, we fondly call them "Boston Booze Cruises." Of course, plenty of partying and dancing goes on as well as the cruise boats take you for a star-lit spin around the Harbor.

If you like to have a good time, these strictly 21+ cruises - whatever you want to call them - may be your fondest memory of your trip to Boston.  You'll probably find lots of partying locals on them as well.

More about Boston booze cruises

Tall Ship Cruise

The romance of billowing white sails against blue skies . . . the excitement of being on an actual tall ship, a windjammer schooner that's a replica of mid-19th century Baltimore clippers . . . the adventure of exploring coastlines and open waters . . .

You'll get all of this and much more on a sailing cruise on the Liberty Clipper, Boston's tall ship.  You'll also find plenty of specialty cruises on this magnificent tall ship - lobster dinners, wine tastings, racing trips.  You can even join a reenactment of the Boston Tea Party.

More about going on a Tall Ship Cruise

Boston Whale Watching Cruises

As your whale watching cruise boat whisks you 25 miles east of Boston to Stellwagen Bank Marine Sanctuary, you'll enjoy city skyline views and the beautiful Harbor Islands. 

Although the cruise out to Stellwagen Bank is spectacular, once you're there, the real fun begins as you watch the whales, other sea mammals, birds, and fish come close to your boat. 

More about Boston Whale Watching cruises

Boston Harbor Islands Cruises

Hop on a Boston Harbor Islands cruise, and in only 15 minutes, you can be in another world.

The Harbor Island National Park Area includes 32 islands and 2 coastal peninsulas in Boston's Inner and Outer Harbors.  You'll find a rich assortment of activities sponsored by local groups, a 19th century fort to explore, sandy beaches, hiking trails, campgrounds, and some of the best views of the Boston skyline. 

More about Boston Harbor Islands cruises

Boston to Provincetown Ferry

Take a fast ferry from Boston to Provincetown, and be there in 90 minutes - perfect for a day trip or weekend away.  The Provincetown ferry runs daily from May - October, and you can choose from 2 departure locations in Boston.

More about the Boston to Provincetown ferry . . .

Inner Harbor Boston Ferry "Cruises"

Well, maybe Inner Harbor Boston ferry rides shouldn't be called "cruises."   After all, they're standard transportation - when you live in a city like Boston that's surrounded by water.  They're part of the services provided by the MBTA - that is, Metropolitan Boston Transit Authority. 

They whisk us back and forth from Boston Logan Airport to Downtown (Long Wharf) to Charlestown, and to Salem, Hull, and Quincy - they even provide the ferry service to the Harbor Islands. 

Boston Water Taxis

You're flying into Boston Logan Airport and staying in a Downtown Boston hotel . . . so you take a cab from the airport, right? 

Wrong!  You take a water taxi . . . faster, cheaper, and much more fun!   And what a view!

Several companies provide on-call water taxi service to a number of locations - they'll zip you to most spots in 10 minutes or less.   Think of this as one of the best Boston mini cruises!

Find out more about Boston water taxi services

Cruises from Boston

Boston is a major port city, and a favorite departure point for cruises going to Bermuda, other New England ports, Canada, the Caribbean, and even Europe.    More about cruises from Boston

Your favorite Boston cruises

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