Cruise Milford NZ Small Boutique Cruise Experience
Overview
Available languages
1 hour 45 minutes
Mobile ticket
Rated one of the Top 10 Experiences in New Zealand.
Join our boutique small boat cruise and experience Milford Sound the "local" way.
We limit passenger numbers on all cruises to half of the boats capacity (capacity 150 passengers) to guarantee an uncrowded and much more personal experience.
Let us show you our backyard on this once in a lifetime experience.
Relax with complimentary coffee, tea and biscuits and enjoy the skipper’s live commentary while marvelling at the breath-taking scenery.
The smaller size of the vessel enables us to get you up close and personal with the local wildlife like New Zealand Fur Seals, dolphins and the very rare Fiordland Crested Penguin (spring/early summer). A “Glacial Facial” under the Sterling Falls is an experience not to be missed.
Additional Info
Wheelchair accessible
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Please feel free to bring your own food and drinks on-board the cruise.
Please note proof of age for children is required upon check-in at Milford Sound.
For any extra information regarding the drive, transport or the cruise please contact us via phone or email.
The main car park at Milford Sound costs $10 per hour. Payment can be made at payment stations on site. This Car park area is approximately a 10 minute walk to the Milford Sound Visitor Terminal building.
A free car park is available on the corner of Milford Road and Deepwater basin, the walk from here to the Milford Sound Visitor Terminal building will take approximately 40min.
Disability Parking can be found outside the main Milford Sound Visitor Terminal and is wheelchair accessible.
Office hours for bookings assistance: 8am to 8pm
What To Expect
Milford Sound
The best thing about Milford Sound Cruises is that the weather doesn’t matter! On a sunny day, it is beautiful and on a wet day it is spectacular! Fiordland has some of the worlds highest waterfalls and they are a popular feature of Milford Sound. In all weather, you will see water cascading down massive cliffs into the sea. Milford Sound is in the Fiordland National Park, which is part of the Te Wahipounamu World Heritage site which covers 26,000km² and encompassing four national parks. It is widely considered to be one of the World’s top travel destinations. At Cruise Milford we know that you will have a wonderful and truly memorable day out on your Milford Sound cruise. We love sharing the natural beauty of this special place to visitors and your captain will inform you about the Sound, it’s history and wildlife.
Mitre Peak
Mitre Peak is the most photographed mountain located in New Zealand
Options
Cruise only
Award-winning customer service: Received TripAdvisor Best of the Best award for New Zealand experience in 2019 & 2020 Duration: 2 hours: all cruises have a duration of 1hr 45min free coffee, tea and biscuits Full length of Milford Sound: We cruise down the southern side of the fiord, turn around in the Tasman Sea and travel back on the northern side Boat: Our two boats hold 150 passengers- all cruises are limited to 75 to guarantee an uncrowded experience uncrowded experience: Join our uncrowded boutique small boat cruise on Milford Sound. We limit passenger numbers to 1/2 of our capacity
Day Trip from Queenstown
Duration: 12 hours Packed Lunch Box included
What‘s Included
Complimentary coffee, tea and biscuits on-board all sailings
No food sold on-board the cruise
Parking fee- $10 per hour (Payment can be made at the parking stations on site with card only).
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Reviews
3,174 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Unbelievable experience
624gabye,Jun 19, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had a great time. Everything went smoothly. The company can't take credit for the views but it was not over full and it felt very comfortable.
Better service and service
GilmaraAlmeida,Jun 18, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I would like to praise the service we had at Cruise Milford. We arrived late for the ride in the competitor next door and Léo realized that we were Brazilians and offered an hour 30 minutes earlier. But, we ended up with the last time, because there were fewer people, since we were staying at Milford sound was a very good proposal. The company provides coffee, tea and cookies at will without charging for it. And as informed by IA, this company was the only one that came so close to nature, as it had the smaller boats and with reduced capacity, which makes the ride more pleasant compared to the competition. The people who stayed outside literally took a waterfall bath. The day was beautiful and sunny and everything flowed perfectly. In addition, we were able to see dolphins and the pilot of the boat waited for a few good minutes patiently so that we could enjoy this beautiful moment. I thank Leo for his patience with our indecision and for approaching us without any commitment and making our tour a special day.
Amazing cruise to see a beautiful part of Aotearoa.
Sheree T,Jun 16, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Amazing experience and we got up and close to some amazing waterfalls. Staff were great with knowledge and able to help capture the beautiful sights by taking pictures of us - thank you so much.
A must-do activity when...
Nicole S,Jun 15, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00A must-do activity when travelling the South Island. Friendly service, a seamless experience, and breathtaking scenery throughout the drive & cruise. Slightly overpriced, but understandable given the remote location and logistics involved. Well worth it for the experience.
Amazing
jessicayZ8686HS,Jun 10, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Absolutely amazing great crew, so much room on the boat. Highly recommend!
Nightmare fuel!
Briana S,Jun 9, 2026
- Review from Viator
1.00I was so looking forward to this cruise, only to be left extremely disappointed, wet and cold! Unsure how this could be described as a ‘small boutique cruise’, it was nightmare fuel, the amount of people was excessive for the size of the boat. The trip should have been cancelled or we should have been given the option to reschedule or get a refund due to weather (which was noted by the guide as over 100ml of rain having fallen and 100km winds). The trip was extremely rough, and my partner and I were counting down the seconds until it was over! Having paid over $300 (not to mention fuel costs for the 8 hour drive there and back) for this was actually awful. And to hear over the radio comms another tour guide asking about the conditions on the water and whether another tour should proceed and our guide saying “everyone is out on deck with smiles on their face” was a blatant lie! Clearly this company don’t care about the quality of the tour/satisfaction of the customers and are in it for a cash grab, very, very disappointing!
What an amazing experience - we loved it!
markaU2443JP,Jun 8, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00What an amazing experience - we loved it! Dress warmly though as it gets pretty cold - we were prepared. We drove early in the morning and it was a beautiful drive and we avoided the traffic. The tour and the operators were first class and we were lucky to run into a pod of dolphins.
Great little cruise!
Petra C,Jun 7, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00We had a great experience seeing Milford Sound on this small boutique cruise. Very well organized, with helpful and friendly staff. Great commentary by the captain! We much appreciated the smaller boat and much smaller crowd which made the experience much more private and intimate! Well worth it!
Wet and wild ride on Millford Sound
davidbW3944LF,Jun 1, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Skipper was skillfull and entertaining, making the most of difficult but spectacular conditions
Great! Saw dolphins and...
Nathan T,Jun 1, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Great! Saw dolphins and rainbows and a seal! Small boat with great viewing! Risks for everything. Well worth it!
Related Experiences
Operated by Cruise Milford New Zealand Ltd.