Very Poor Experience with Melbourne Boat Hire My partner was extremely excited about this experience, as it had been given to her as a gift. Unfortunately, our experience with Melbourne Boat Hire was very disappointing due to very poor customer service and administrative practices. Anybody interested in have an experience on the Yarra - go elsewhere. We were charged $367 with no service delivered.

We contacted the company by email and phone to change the type of boat connected to our booking as it was too big for our group. After a lot of back and forth via email and phone, and after us chasing them up, the team amended our booking. The process to make this change was very tedious, with little guidance or assistance from Melbourne Boat Hire, and we were therefore under the impression the booking remained in the afternoon (in keeping with our original time). Unbeknownst to us the team had also made a change to the departure time (that was not communicated or confirmed with us during either of the phone calls in which the booking was amended).

When the booking day arrived and the misunderstanding became apparent, the owner, Matt, was rude and dismissive over the phone and made no genuine effort to resolve the confusion, despite us genuinely attempting to figure out what had gone wrong and attempts to work with him. We have since sent several follow-up emails requesting a reschedule and, after receiving no meaningful response, a refund. We also raised our concerns regarding our rights under Australian Consumer Law.

Matt repeatedly shrugged off our attempts to reach a reasonable resolution over the phone and has not responded to any of our follow up emails. The overall impression is that the business is more interested in taking customers’ money than providing an acceptable level of service.

After reading the company’s other Google reviews, it appears several customers have raised similar concerns about poor communication, cancellations and being left out of pocket.

This was an extremely disappointing experience, and I would strongly recommend using another boat-hire company to all who are interested in having an experience on the Yarra. I would consider amending this review if Matt contacts us and makes a genuine effort to resolve the matter.

Great sunset cruise from Melbourne Docklands up the Yarra river and back. We love a good Duffy boat ride and this was exactly that! Our Captain and guide Fabio was fantastic!

Celebrated my birthday on Harvey A. It was a cute and relaxed picnic on a boat. Kid friendly. Beautiful views of the city. Easy to drive. Customer service was really nice. It would’ve been better if all the zips on the blinds were working so we could’ve had more breeze.
I would definitely recommend and do this again

We had an incredible night for a function on the Lady M on the weekend. The staff Nora and Fabio were welcoming and accomodating to all our needs. The boat is stunning and clean, and throughout the night the views you’re exposed to get better and better. We highly recommend this company for a fun night out or romantic experience 🙌🏼🤩

Fantastic experience!! Hired Birrarung for 2 hours for my birthday and it was great. Great crew, fantastic views and good space. Even with 35 people on board, it felt like a good amount of space. My only small thought is the platters provided were quite expensive considering their size so I would probably have opted to bring my own food instead but did it for the convenience. Still 10/10 night

A fantastic day out. We booked the four-hour self-drive and would highly recommend it to anyone wanting to see Melbourne from a different perspective. The boat was comfortable, clean, and very easy to drive. It’s an experience suitable for everyone. Self-catering is simple, with a small fridge, esky, glassware, and tablecloths all provided.

Thanks Alex for a wonderful, very peaceful, and relaxing cruise up the Yarra. I highly recommend the romantic lunch for 2. It was very quiet with the electric motor, and the food and drinks really made for an amazingky pleasant experience. We appreciated the shade on such a sunny and beautiful day.

I took my 90 year old Nana on the boat. Whilst there were three big steps for her to navigate she was supported with care by the staff, even moving the boat to make it easier. The seats were a bit high for her so they found a footrest. Her wheelchair was stored carefully at the front of the boat. Our cruise had background music and we were able to chat with people around us. Despite some wind this cruise was so smooth and the electric engine meant there was no noise or smell. A lovely evening!

We had another fantastic day cruising with Melbourne Boat Hire, our 3rd over the years. The team are always most welcoming, communicate everything required for a great occasion and when cruising Melbournes central waterway, you are certainly the envy of every other person, looking from the banks, bars and walkways. We highly recommend MBH for your next special occasion. We are already looking to our next cruise. Thanks again team.

A spectacular experience for our work Xmas Party on the Birrarung. Lovely boat with great facilities . All went like clockwork. No one wanted to get off. Do it at night when the city lights dazzle with pre drinks at the Cargo for a perfect event.

Thank you Matt and crew for the lovely private cruise today. My mother had an unforgettable 70th on the Yarra.

Thank you for your care with the wet weather, helping set up our guests and making sure we’re all comfortable and having fun.

I recommend having your milestone birthday in this boat! 5 stars!

Delightful Sunset cruise What a lovely peaceful way to spend a warm evening after a busy day on the tourist trail around the city. Many thanks to the fabulous Fabio at the helm who was full of knowledge about Melbourne !

🚤 Melbourne Boat Hire – Rain, Shine, and a Glorious Sunset
Our group of 12 booked the 1.5-hour Sunset Cruise with Melbourne Boat Hire, and despite a dramatic downpour right at boarding time, it turned out to be an unforgettable experience. Captain Matt and deckhand Gabriel welcomed us aboard with calm professionalism and good humour—thankfully, we had the boat all to ourselves!
After a thorough safety briefing from Matt, we set off through the port and up the Yarra River toward the city. The tide was high, so we couldn’t pass under one of the bridges, but it didn’t dampen our spirits. About 20 minutes in, the rain eased and gifted us a stunning sunset—absolutely perfect for photos and memory-making.
Matt was incredibly informative, sharing insights about the area as we cruised along. The boat itself was cosy, dry, and warm—just what we needed after the soggy start. And yes, the champagne was chilled to perfection!
Thanks Matt and Gabriel for turning a rainy evening into a golden one. Highly recommend Melbourne Boat Hire for anyone looking to see the city from a fresh, scenic perspective.

Spectacular Sunset & city lights Matt & Gabriel excellent hosts. Cruise started out in wet rainy conditions but Melbourne turned its charm on ending in a perfect sunset. Our 12 group of ladies, Women Who Walk from Mackay enjoyed the tranquil but scenic city views & lights of a sunset cruise. Highly recommend cruise. Perhaps some crackers, cheese & snacks could be provided by the hosts as part of cost.

Had a great time on the boat PETER A with family. The boat is neat and stylish, smooth crusing speed and stunning view made our day. Of course, staffs are nice and professional. Highly recommended!

Yarra River at its best!! Bradley is such a sweet, friendly and knowledgeable guide and the boat tour was so pleasurable. What a wonderful afternoon.

My friends and family had a great time with the self-drive boat. Matt is extremely friendly, helpful and guided both my friend and husband on how to navigate the boat. The rest is just pure peaceful and scenic boat ride. We hope to come again next time and experience it again perhaps at another season and time. Recommend Melbourne Boat Hire to everyone! 🫡🚤

Fantastic experience Staff members super friendly, the Boat was clean, equipped and comfortable, 100 percent recommended for a special occasion

Matt was beyond kind to us after missing our tour time, he offered us an alternative option of another private boat ride which was really beautiful. Very leisurely boat ride down the Yarra river in Melbourne, which was enhanced by the gorgeous sunset on the city skyline. I couldn't recommend Matt and his boat hire enough, he was so generous with his time and kind offering and a perfect gentleman. Thank you so much again for a beautiful evening.

Lovely and professional experience Gorgeous boat and lovely skipper. Food was great too ☺️ very nice views of Melbourne skyline along the Yarra. Would recommend to friends and family ☺️

Brave the Winter elements and you won"t be disappointed! I had relatives coming from Europe and I booked the midweek sunset cruise 5pm-6.30pm experience months in advance. I knew I was playing Russian Roulette with our Melbourne weather but I only had one day with them and I had to take a BIG leap of faith with my WOW factor intention, given everything I heard and read about this tour. With a 90% chance of rain, the weather forecast was not looking hopeful. Yes it was bitterly cold, yes it was windy outside but sitting in that electric boat with the cafe blinds down, it was such a quiet, peaceful, smooth, warm (yes warm), picture perfect and SPECTACULAR experience. Seeing Melbourne at night is seriously taking our city to another level. Fabio our skipper was amazing. He was so patient, accommodating and knowledgeable with our group of 8. He even spoke the same language and we didn't have to translate the commentary. We just sat back and lapped up the views. We couldn't believe our luck. Woohoo! The colours, the brilliance, the magic of our cityscape, it's up there as one of the BEST things to do in Melbourne. I cannot recommend it enough. THANK YOU FABIO and the crew at Melbourne Boat Hire. Keep up the amazing experience. I will be back!!!

We searched for weeks to find a sunset cruise that runs in winter and stumbled across this company. When we got to the dock (which was very easy to find and right next to the tram line), we were greeted by a lovely man who took us down to the boat! There was only 4 of us on the cruise so he took out the smaller boat. It was such a beautiful experience, Matt was lovely, the view was incredible the whole hour and a half, we got a free drink and had a bit of a chat with Matt. Thank you for a great afternoon!! Would 100% do it again when we come back to Melbourne.

Melbourne Boat Hire offers such a unique and versatile proposal experience – we love that we can set up in the boat, along the Yarra as you cruise, or on the dock upon return. It’s romantic, private, and always a standout moment. Matt is amazing to work with – super easy going, helpful, and makes the whole process seamless. Highly recommend!

Mother’s Day great experience Thank you to Melbourne boat hire for such a wonderful Mother’s Day experience cruising down the Yarra on one of your beautiful boats. Will definitely be back.

2 hour boat hire Wonderful afternoon for a birthday outing. Everything was very straightforward from start to finish. The boat was setup so well with a fridge and wine glasses on board. Even lovely table linen. Highly recommend an afternoon on the Yarra with Melbourne Boat Hire!

The perfect way to see Melbourne for a group We live in Melbourne and had a group of friends visiting from inter-state. Travelling the Yarra on the Lady M was the perfect way to see the city, while catching up at the same time. The boat is really well put together and the crew were lovely. Catering worked well and the ability to have the roof both open and closed was very helpful.

Very professional and friendly to deal with. Our boat was in excellent condition, clean, spacious and easy to drive. Such a fun way to experience a part of Melbourne. We’ve done this boat hire twice and highly recommend.

Awesome experience Awesome experience we had. The kids and adults all loved it. The fact that the boat had toilet in it made it lot easier.

Great experience Excellent staff, explained very well about how to self-drive boat, highly recommended. Beautiful scenic view

Melbourne Boat Hire It was a great evening spent of the Yarra River with family. There was plenty of room for the 7 adults plus a family dog. Being self catered was a bonus. A fridge was available and they supplied glasses for our use. The boat was clean and tidy. Staff were helpful and polite.

Love everything about Melbourne Boat Hire We hired the Eliza J with capacity for 12 people for our staff Christmas Party after having a great experience with them a few years ago. The boat is luxurious and comfortable, unlike the other smaller boats available for hire on the Yarra. There was even a toilet on board! Would highly recommend Melbourne Boat Hire!

Excellent Experience Highly recommend, we had an awesome time and the whole experience was seamless and well organised. The boat was fantastic and very comfortable.

Friendsmas Had a great time! Staff are super helpful and the boats are great! This is my 3rd time using Melbourne Boat Hire and they will continue to be my Melbourne boat of choice.

Thank you for hosting our team lunch recently. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the food and experiencing Melbourne from a slightly different perspective. A fabulous day and we’d happily book again in future. Thank you again for making this a memorable event for all concerned.

I booked to celebrate my father’s birthday, he absolutely loved the experience. Very clean and maintained boat. Enjoyed peaceful boat ride with amazing city view.

What a seamless, fun experience! Beautiful and comfortable boat, simple to drive and lovely staff. We hired the Harvey A for 8 people and it was fantastic. We did bring our own little speaker as the one onboard wouldn't connect. Highly recommend. Could have easily enjoyed the 4 hour cruise!

Wonderful day. Fin an excellent skipper who took us all the way to Herringbone Island.
🙏Melbourne Boat Hire for the great food

The staff were super friendly and involved and always asked if we wanted more drinks. The boat was great, it was really smooth and not windy. There was enough room for everyone to dance and mingle and speakers had a great volume. The views on the Yarra were incredible.

Amazing Experience We had a very nice day with our friends. We had a nice boat drive on Yarra.
Our boat was nice and tidy.
Melbourne Boat Hire staff are so polite and lovely people.
I recommend " Melbourne Boat Hire"

The best way to see Melbourne! This 2-hour trundle down the Yarra River was a great way to enjoy busy Melbourne, peacefully.
Our vessel, Eliza J, glided her way through the CBD via the river.
She was comfortable and easy to skipper.

Perfect evening This was a gift from my Mum. My fiance and I had the most perfect evening together floating on the Yarra. Our driver was so lovely and also gave us what privacy he could just to enjoy each others company.

Flawless experience No further comment, perfect experience.
Went with a couple of friends for the birthday of my partner.

A view of the Yarra and Melbourne that you will not regret! We had a terrific time on board 'Lady M' for our friends Hens party. With amazing weather it did not disappoint and even though the covers offered a perfect wet weather plan, it was also great to escape the sun for us. The boat was super clean and well equipped with everything we needed to have fun. Super easy to link to the music via their on board WiFi. The organising team were super responsive and accommodating of the babies we had on board organising all details well in advance. 10/10 would recommend this crew for your next Yarra River adventure.

D&D Websdale Cowwarr 3857 The correspondence was excellent. CPT James was absolutely outstanding, the food was perfect. Thanks

I would recommend the private dinner cruise. Eating delicious food while casually boating down the river with the sun setting on the Melbourne skyline is a memory I’ll cherish.
Thank you to our knowledgeable and super capable skipper, James.

10/10 experience we had. The 9pm session was definitely it, seeing the beauty of the Melbourne lights on the water was definitely an experience.
James was more than accomodating and made the experience even more special for me and my wife. Thanks again James!

Had an amazing time with Melbourne Boat Hire !!! From the booking process, the service and the boat ride itself ....it was absolutely phenomenal. Booked the Luxury Private Romantic Dinner for my partner and I and they did not disappoint. Enjoyed the food, drinks and beautiful views of Melbourne. Also a big shoutout to James for being the best skipper !!! Overall lovely experience. Highly recommened !!

Great trip on the boat We rented Eliza J for two hours and it was perfect for our group of 9 people. Brought our own food and drink and they provided a birthday cake.
If you plan on using their Champaign glasses, they are not the best for the holders provided and easily tip over with any wave.
overall, we had an excellent trip.

A great afternoon on the Yarra Super easy and enjoyable way to see the amazing sights of Melbourne via the Yarra river. Packed a picnic basket and enjoyed a 2 hour self drive adventure. Very friendly staff gave great instructions and easy to follow. The boat was super comfortable and we all had a fantastic time. Highly recommend

Wonderful and Relaxing Experience Our skipper is very lovely. The boat is very luxurious and comfortable. We have included wine and cheese were good too but i hope they actually added some meats and antipasto with it.

Amazing experience for hens! I organised a hens for the bride and she absolutely loved it. We hired a private boat charter and decorated the place for her and had a cheese platter aswell. It was relaxing, and was a unique experience. 10/10 would recommend.

Nice Experience The boat is well equipped and maintained.
Crew and the weather played its part in the feel good experience we all had.
It was a birthday party attended by 25 people of all ages.
Everyone enjoyed it.
Wish we had it for longer.

However, anymore than 20 guests is a bit of crowding on this boat. A microwave oven may be a good addition if possible.

Very good experience overall.

Melbourne from the Water A great way to see Melbourne from the Yarra wwhilst enjoying a drink and food. THe boat was excellent for the 8 of us, good size. THe Captain supplied by Melbourne Boat Hire was amazing and added to a very enjoyable evening. RTecommend it to any group, family, friends or business.

Had my wife’s 30th party on the “Lady M” boat from 8-11pm. Three hours was a perfect amount of time, as we were able to see some of the bay as well as the Yarra. Deckhands Fabio and Andy were extremely welcoming and helpful throughout the trip, making for a great experience. Would highly recommend.

What an adventure! Best decision for an intimate 21st celebration. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed this experience & relaxed. Great to see the city, Docklands & Southbank from the water & take in the surroundings of people enjoying city life & Xmas cheer. Admit I was a little nervous self driving but with the help of a navigator for the bridges , can’t wait to put the captains hat on and do this again! Thank you so much for the special memories

Great boat, great captain Fantastic boat, comfortable, and well suited to our office Christmas party of 8 people. Great captain in Jamie, who was very helpful across the board.

Christmas Team Function This day on the Yarra with Melbourne Boat Hire is our fourth time and it was just as good as ever. What a way to spend 4 fours slowly cruising up the Yarra enjoying food and drink with your Work Mates. Flynn our skipper did a fabulous job.

Amazingly positive experience from booking to party. Thank you to hosts Darren & Bee for looking after us and making sure everything was fun, fun, fun!!! Beautiful boat, fabulous size and super hospitality from the staff. Would definitely recommend and we will be back!!

Perfect charter! The flexibility & value for bringing our own catering made it so easy to support dietary needs and preferences! We also opted for the skipper option and were on Peter A - a lovely new vessel which everyone loved, and all got to relax and enjoy! Jamie was brilliant!! Highly recommended!

We rented Harvey A for 4 hours on a pleasant Sunday afternoon celebrating our daughter's school graduation. We had 9 people on board and brought our own charcuterie and other provisions. We had the best time on board of this cosy boat, partly covered and partly open which was very refreshing. The boat driving was very easy and we had no issues passing underneath the 13 bridges on the way to Herring Island and back again. Music played through the speakers was a highlight and everyone was enjoying the fantastic scenery around Docklands, Fed Square and up river all the way to Herring Island. We had no problem getting back on time and 4 hours gave us plenty of time to enjoy all the sights and sounds while cruising on this beautiful and winding river.
The company is well run and their skipper Finn was very nice to greet us and explain everything we needed to know. The booking and waivers and on the day experience all ran smoothly. No issues. You can park on the streets around and or in the open car park across from St Mangos Ln.
I highly recommend this boat rental and would love to do it again!