70-Minute Charles River Sightseeing Cruise

Name: 70-Minute Charles River Sightseeing Cruise
Price: 31.5 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.33 (43 reviews)

Overview

Available languages

English

1 hour 10 minutes

Mobile ticket

Enjoy a 70-minute, fully-narrated sightseeing cruise along the Charles River. Your captain and crew will both entertain and educate while pointing out the historic and cultural sights of Boston and Cambridge.

Additional Info

Wheelchair accessible

Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller

Service animals allowed

Public transportation options are available nearby

All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible

Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

What To Expect

CambridgeSide

You will find our ticket booth and docks at the back entrance of the CambridgeSide Mall, directly outside the Food Hall.

10 minutes • Admission Not Applicable

Charles River

We will cruise by many neighborhoods including Back Bay and Beacon Hill (including the recognizable and distinctives brownstones), view of the Boston skyline with the many buildings that shape it. Cruise under many bridges including the Henry Longfellow bridge (better knows to locals as the Salt and Pepper Bridge). And so much more.

Admission Not Applicable

What‘s Included

Local guide

All taxes, fees and handling charges

Live commentary on board

Food and drinks (available to purchase)

Alcoholic drinks (available to purchase)

Options

Narrated Sightseeing Tour

Duration: 1 hour 10 minutes: Enjoy a 70-minute, fully-narrated sightseeing cruise along the Charles River.

Reviews

4.33

43 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

A lovely way to see the skyline and sights of Boston from a different perspective.
Frank T,Sep 8, 2022
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
We spent a beautiful day cruising the Charles River on a comfortable vessel and viewing the sights of Boston's beautiful buildings and college institutions. The activities of the school's crew and sailing teams dotted the river as we learned about the history of this great city from our able and courteous Captain Andus and Crewmate and Bartender Noah. We actually felt like family at the completion of this 70 minute cruise. What a great way to spend an afternoon while visiting Boston.
Great way to see both Boston and Cambridge
ToTravelIsBrilliant,Jun 27, 2020
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
The dock for the Charles Riverboat Company was through a park very close to the hotel where we stayed and right behind the CambridgeSide Galleria, so it was easy for us to get there, It was a lovely day, and on the water is a wonderful way to see both Boston and Cambridge (we went all the way to Harvard College). We saw the skyline of Boston, the Back Bay, MIT, crew houses of various rowing teams, the new Liberty Hotel (which used to be a jail) and we went under bridges we have only driven over. This is worth doing!
Efficient City Tour
maevie95,Nov 13, 2019
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
This Boat Tour was perfect!! We didn't have a lot of time to spend sight seeing so this was ideal as we got to see all of the city's main attractions and hear about the history of how the city built up from the very knowledgeable tour guide. The tour took off on time and lasted the full 90 minutes. We got to see beautiful views of the city skyline either from the comfort of the inside cabin or out on the deck enjoying the fresh air. There is a bar with drinks and snacks available on board which is handy but we didn't avail of it as we had just had lunch. There were a few nice surprises about the city too which we would never have seen or heard if not for having taken this tour. We were a couple but there were plenty of families, business colleagues and a few solo travelers also! Highly recommend, 10/10!
Nice relaxing trip
Judgepam,Oct 2, 2019
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
There were 2 choices, an architecture tour or a Charles River tour. I wanted to go up the river, but the architecture tour sounded good so we did that. The tour guide was very knowledgeable and it was very good. I did not understand that we had gone into the ocean as there was never a view of the wide open ocean, what a busy body of water that is. Since my son has relocated to Cambridge, I will return and do the Charles Rive4 ride the next time.
Informative,I guess
shelleyp1953,Sep 22, 2019
- Review from Tripadvisor
3.00
Affordable, pleasant boat ride. However, we could not hear most of what the guide was saying due to the lack of volume of the microphone. He seemed quite knowledgeable and did invite us to move closer to him, but there weren't many seats available. I also thought we'd get a better view of Harvard and Fenway Park. I was slightly disappointed. Beautiful weather, though!
1 person show
jayv235,Sep 21, 2019
- Review from Tripadvisor
3.00
Not sure if this situation was because it was a weekday but our guide was also the bar tender and first mate. This took her away from the guide duties for a good chunk of the trip and made it hard to get a drink. While she was super nice, she didn’t seem super knowledgeable about Boston history or the things we were seeing. Overall underwhelming. We did have good weather though!
Informative, entertaining and great views at an affordable price.
KatCon22,Sep 10, 2019
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Fun, informative and affordable, the guide was entertaining and knowledgable. The views were beautiful. For photography purposes, if you stay inside,where the majority of the seats are, a window seat on port side (or your left as you face the front of the boat) are best since Boston is port side on the way out and Cambridge is port side on the way back. You can however, move about the boat and go up to the bow of the boat to be outside and see it all!
Really nice
Rachel123000,Sep 6, 2019
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Really nice narrated boat ride on the Charles River. We were really glad we did this tour. Easy to get to via the T green line.
Great, bargain alternative to Duck Tours
Kapiris,Sep 4, 2019
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
A lot of fun and very pleasant. Much cheaper than the Duck Tours. Funny, amusing guide with great anecdotes and stupid, fun jokes. They need more outside space, but we were able to sit outside.
Fun and informative
TravelDad42,Aug 31, 2019
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
A fun cruise around the Charles River and Boston Harbor with a clean and comfortable boat and knowledgable guides and friendly captains. Convenient location and perfect length of cruise for all ages.

From US$31.50

4.33

(43 reviews)

Free cancellation

Check availability

Want a private experience? Upgrade to a private tour

Related Experiences

Operated by Charles River Boat Company

70-Minute Charles River Sightseeing Cruise

Overview

Available languages

English

1 hour 10 minutes

Mobile ticket

Additional Info

Wheelchair accessible

Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller

Service animals allowed

Public transportation options are available nearby

All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible

Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

What To Expect

CambridgeSide

You will find our ticket booth and docks at the back entrance of the CambridgeSide Mall, directly outside the Food Hall.

10 minutes • Admission Not Applicable

Charles River

Admission Not Applicable

What‘s Included

Local guide

All taxes, fees and handling charges

Live commentary on board

Food and drinks (available to purchase)

Alcoholic drinks (available to purchase)

Options

Narrated Sightseeing Tour

Duration: 1 hour 10 minutes: Enjoy a 70-minute, fully-narrated sightseeing cruise along the Charles River.

Reviews

4.33

43 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

A lovely way to see the skyline and sights of Boston from a different perspective.
Frank T,Sep 8, 2022
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
We spent a beautiful day cruising the Charles River on a comfortable vessel and viewing the sights of Boston's beautiful buildings and college institutions. The activities of the school's crew and sailing teams dotted the river as we learned about the history of this great city from our able and courteous Captain Andus and Crewmate and Bartender Noah. We actually felt like family at the completion of this 70 minute cruise. What a great way to spend an afternoon while visiting Boston.
Great way to see both Boston and Cambridge
ToTravelIsBrilliant,Jun 27, 2020
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
The dock for the Charles Riverboat Company was through a park very close to the hotel where we stayed and right behind the CambridgeSide Galleria, so it was easy for us to get there, It was a lovely day, and on the water is a wonderful way to see both Boston and Cambridge (we went all the way to Harvard College). We saw the skyline of Boston, the Back Bay, MIT, crew houses of various rowing teams, the new Liberty Hotel (which used to be a jail) and we went under bridges we have only driven over. This is worth doing!
Efficient City Tour
maevie95,Nov 13, 2019
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
This Boat Tour was perfect!! We didn't have a lot of time to spend sight seeing so this was ideal as we got to see all of the city's main attractions and hear about the history of how the city built up from the very knowledgeable tour guide. The tour took off on time and lasted the full 90 minutes. We got to see beautiful views of the city skyline either from the comfort of the inside cabin or out on the deck enjoying the fresh air. There is a bar with drinks and snacks available on board which is handy but we didn't avail of it as we had just had lunch. There were a few nice surprises about the city too which we would never have seen or heard if not for having taken this tour. We were a couple but there were plenty of families, business colleagues and a few solo travelers also! Highly recommend, 10/10!
Nice relaxing trip
Judgepam,Oct 2, 2019
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
There were 2 choices, an architecture tour or a Charles River tour. I wanted to go up the river, but the architecture tour sounded good so we did that. The tour guide was very knowledgeable and it was very good. I did not understand that we had gone into the ocean as there was never a view of the wide open ocean, what a busy body of water that is. Since my son has relocated to Cambridge, I will return and do the Charles Rive4 ride the next time.
Informative,I guess
shelleyp1953,Sep 22, 2019
- Review from Tripadvisor
3.00
Affordable, pleasant boat ride. However, we could not hear most of what the guide was saying due to the lack of volume of the microphone. He seemed quite knowledgeable and did invite us to move closer to him, but there weren't many seats available. I also thought we'd get a better view of Harvard and Fenway Park. I was slightly disappointed. Beautiful weather, though!
1 person show
jayv235,Sep 21, 2019
- Review from Tripadvisor
3.00
Not sure if this situation was because it was a weekday but our guide was also the bar tender and first mate. This took her away from the guide duties for a good chunk of the trip and made it hard to get a drink. While she was super nice, she didn’t seem super knowledgeable about Boston history or the things we were seeing. Overall underwhelming. We did have good weather though!
Informative, entertaining and great views at an affordable price.
KatCon22,Sep 10, 2019
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Fun, informative and affordable, the guide was entertaining and knowledgable. The views were beautiful. For photography purposes, if you stay inside,where the majority of the seats are, a window seat on port side (or your left as you face the front of the boat) are best since Boston is port side on the way out and Cambridge is port side on the way back. You can however, move about the boat and go up to the bow of the boat to be outside and see it all!
Really nice
Rachel123000,Sep 6, 2019
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Really nice narrated boat ride on the Charles River. We were really glad we did this tour. Easy to get to via the T green line.
Great, bargain alternative to Duck Tours
Kapiris,Sep 4, 2019
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
A lot of fun and very pleasant. Much cheaper than the Duck Tours. Funny, amusing guide with great anecdotes and stupid, fun jokes. They need more outside space, but we were able to sit outside.
Fun and informative
TravelDad42,Aug 31, 2019
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
A fun cruise around the Charles River and Boston Harbor with a clean and comfortable boat and knowledgable guides and friendly captains. Convenient location and perfect length of cruise for all ages.