One of the best! This was such an enjoyable experience, sailing most of the harbour in a genuine old time tall ship. The staff were lovely and the food plentiful and tasty. Highly recommended.

A Great Introduction to Sydney I'm a bit of a nautical nerd, but this experience had something for everyone. I was absolutely thrilled with the boat, mast climb and helping out with the rigging and setting of sails. And both my wife and I enjoyed learning more about the history and sights around the harbor from our extremely knowledgeable crew, but particularly the host, Howard. This guy knew every nook and cranny, and seemed to have a story about every one.

Vibe was super casual and friendly. Oftentimes with these sorts of tours you're pretty limited as to where you can go and what you can do. Here, beyond a few obvious safety related restrictions you had free reign to explore the ship, chat with the captain and crew, and hang out on whatever part of the deck felt most comfortable.

Highly recommended. I know that if I ever find myself back in Sydney I'd book another outing; maybe even the multi-day trip to Tasmania.

Great experience Great way to see the harbour. Crew were very friendly and helpful. Set sail on the way back, lovely and peaceful and you get plenty of time to take it all in. Simple but very nice dinner and a chocolate brownie straight out of the oven at the end. Most of what you pay goes into maintenance of the ship which is over 100 years old. Would definitely recommend.

Fantastic experience What an amazing experience, and so interactive.
Jimmy was awesome the information he provided was very very informative all crew were very friendly making for a very special time, and the captain was great

Amazing sailing experience James and the team were fantastic.. The food was nice and the views spectacular. Interactive, helping set the sails and steering the ship. Great value for money.

Delightful Authentic Australian Evening Sailing on the Harbor Traveling with a teen and tween, I wanted them to appreciate the history and culture of Australia as well as the see the visually stunning harbor, not just 'go on a boat'. The ship is an authentic trading vessel and my children could hoist the sails and climb the mast (with safety equipment, of course). My daughter was atop the ship as we passed under the Sydney Harbor bridge in an unforgettable experience. We sailed around to Darling Harbor and paused for sunset and evening photographs around the harbor and Opera house. The staff were knowledgeable about the history of the trading routes and early colonies of Australia, also trained sailors who take out school groups. It was a perfect blend of sightseeing, education and the unique experience I was looking for. There's a lovely bar and dinner is served in the authentic ship's wooden galley - simple but tasty and nutritious. Definitely a step up from a ho hum touristy harbor cruise.

Tall Ships Cruise that Failed Completely Beware! Four of us booked a 'Tall Ship Shanty Sail' which was due to depart at 6:45 PM on Friday 3 July. It didn't happen! The gates to Campbell's Cove Jetty remained locked and the vessel stayed tied up at the jetty with no-one in sight. We did not receive any notification whatsoever about the cruise being rescheduled or cancelled. Very disappointing particularly because we had travelled to Sydney for the week-end and incurred additional expenses including accommodation! Their booking office is in the Philippines - not Sydney! Be careful when booking a cruise with Sydney Harbour Tall Ships!

A Fun Experience ! We really enjoyed our afternoon cruise around Sydney Harbour . It was a great experience and something very unique.
I recommend this trip.

A Vivid Sydney tall ship cruise is an amazing way to experience the festival. Watching the Opera House and Harbour Bridge light up from the water is stunning, with reflections adding to the effect.
The classic tall ship setting makes it feel special, and without the crowds, you can relax and fully enjoy the views. Overall, it’s a unique, calm, and unforgettable way to see Vivid.

Walk the plank These reviews mustn’t be real because it wasn’t that great at all - this is specific to the pirate tall ship cruise. Captain Pineapple was great and his enthusiasm was probably the best part, but he also ran from place to place constantly and it was hard to know what was going on. They would say go to another part of the boat and we’d go with our child, but then nothing would really happen, then it would be back to the previous part of the boat again for more talking. The pirate actions include drawing on the deck with chalk, having plastic swords that the kids did nothing with, and a cannon that well, did nothing because it’s plastic, and sweeping the deck with some brooms. It was really hot to just stand there listening to random talking and disorganisation. Keep Caltain pineapple but get a proper structure so guests know what they’re doing and a story is great, but the kids especially young kids need to be engaged. For the price you also expect more pirates stuff maybe more pirates!

Yo ho- yo ho! Such a unique experience on the Sydney Harbor! We had an enjoyable afternoon out in the harbor on this unique 1800s ship. We got lucky cause there was only a group of 10 of us, so we basically had the entire ship to ourselves. We met the captain and the crew, but our tour guide was great! He was quite the historian, and gave us so much interesting information and stories of the area. We also got to help the crew with the sails which was a lot of fun! They offered us beverages and capers which made for a super nice voyage out and then back under the bridge before returning to the dock.

Fantastic day on the bay Had a fantastic day with our 6 and 8 year olds. The crew were wonderful- particularly the two entertainers, Jolly Roger and Captain Pineapple! On Sydney Harbour with a beer and the kids were having a ball. Highly recommended

To the boarding!!! We spent a very enjoyable and fun day with the Pirates, aboard a splendid vintage ship. The tour, or rather, the "Mutiny Cruise," was a truly entertaining experience in a splendid and unique setting in Sydney Harbour. A must-do for families with children, who joyfully and enthusiastically participate in the mutiny, the steering of the ship—even as deckhands—and the search for treasure! Definitely worth a try!

A pleasant sail around Port Jackson The cruise staff were very gracious, providing a tasty meal while sailed the harbor in their 100+ year old ship. Great views of Sydney from the water. Our only complaint was having to pay extra for beverages; this should have been disclosed at the time of booking the tour.

Twilight dinner cruise A wonderful evening on Sydney Harbor. Crew was fantastic, food very good. We had a great time.

Perfect sunset cruise Wonderful sunset trip on this beautiful old tall ship. Very relaxed, fun and informative crew, food was delicious and we enjoyed it very much.

Great experience for all ages! A fantastic way to experience Sydney harbour at sunset for all ages! We went with family spanning 3 generations and all enjoyed the time on board. Everything went smoothly, we enjoyed the food and the crew was friendly, knowledgeable, engaging and got our kids involved, which they loved!

Great evening Great atmosphere onboard. Staff were fun and entertaining. Lots to see.

Worth it! An awesome experience! Staff were excellent, food was great and views were amazing! Loved every minute. Highly recommend.

Should not be advertized as a dinner cruise. This cruise was booked through our travel agent at Go Way tours for our last excursion in Sydney on our 2 week tour of Australia. I will start by saying it wasn't at all what we were expecting. There were probably 30-40 people crammed on this ship that probably could comfortably accommodate half that number. There was very limited seating mostly 2 x 12 planks affixed the to the insides of the boat hull and not everybody had a seat. The alternative was to sit at table in the bowels of the ship where the bathrooms were located and btw the bathrooms were filthy. The appetizers were as stated, 3 slim slices of chorizo on a toothpick and a small wedge of spanakopita. The meal was watery butter chicken of which we got 2 or 3 small chunks of chicken and a little sauce for very dry basmati rice and curried veg. If you didn't like the Indian fair there was also a pre-dressed lettuce salad or potato salad, all which were served on a flimsy paper plate. Dessert was a small 1 x 2 inch slice of brownie. Clearly the selling point of this cruise was the alcohol and not the dining experience. There were no non-alcoholic beverages offered so we're not sure they were even available. The tour itself was boring and there was little dialogue or commentary offered. All in all, would not recommend.

An unforgettable sailing experience — rain, memories, music, and pure magic What an absolutely magnificent experience. Even with the rain gently setting the scene, Marion and I had an unforgettable time aboard this beautiful historic sailing vessel. From the very first moment, it was clear that this was going to be something truly special.

As a former Navy sailor myself, stepping aboard instantly brought back a flood of memories — the smells, the sounds, the rhythm of the ship — and those feelings were only amplified by the generosity and warmth of the crew. James, the captain, went above and beyond: he invited me to take the helm and even allowed me to assist during the docking process. That moment alone was priceless and deeply personal, rekindling memories from my time in the Navy that I will treasure forever. We spent the entire sail sharing stories and experiences, making the journey feel incredibly human, genuine, and alive.

Adding even more magic to the atmosphere were the sea shanty songs sung onboard during the tour. They were perfectly chosen and beautifully performed, echoing across the deck and harbour, and they tied the entire experience together in the most authentic way. Those songs transported us straight back to another era and made the sail feel not just historical, but alive and deeply emotional.

This sail was also a birthday gift from my wife, which made the experience even more meaningful. It couldn’t have been more perfect.

Despite the weather, the crew transformed a rainy day into a truly memorable adventure. Ruth and the onboard team looked after everyone impeccably, serving delicious food that exceeded all expectations: a gorgeous chicken curry with rice, a fresh potato salad, a delightful starter pastry, and an indulgent chocolate brownie to finish — all accompanied by a great selection of drinks. Comforting, generous, and exactly what you want while sailing historic waters.

The ship itself is breathtaking — a 104-year-old Danish sailing vessel with an incredible history, once a cargo ship that even carried goods to Greenland. Being aboard such a vessel is like stepping back in time. Guests are encouraged to truly take part in the experience: helping to set the sails, learning the ropes, and even having the opportunity to climb the mast if you wish. This level of engagement makes the sail feel authentic and immersive rather than passive.

Every single member of the crew contributed to an atmosphere of warmth, passion, and professionalism. Their enthusiasm and love for the ship and for sailing are infectious, and they genuinely care about creating an experience people will remember.

Rain or shine, this was one of the highlights of our trip and a memory that will stay with us forever. I cannot recommend this experience highly enough — it is history, adventure, music, hospitality, and heart all rolled into one extraordinary sail.

Thank you, Captain James Parbery, Host Mrs Ruth Kunde, and the entire crew, for turning a rainy day into something truly magical.

Nice experience Nice experience on the Sydney Harbour at sunset. Along with the included dinner, you also get the chance to climb up the ship mast for an extra fee.

Set Sail on a piece of History!! What an adventure !! Even in the Sydney downpour !! Captain James and Ruth made our sail unforgettable . Paolo loved the hands on experience and we both thought the food was very good what a beautiful old Tall Ship !!

We had a fantastic afternoon. Our host was wonderful, the staff were all incredibly friendly.
My kids loved climbing on the pirate ship, and the food was delicious.

I would 100% recommend this harbour cruise.

Enjoyable upclose experience on Sydney Harbour Booked at the last minute on our final evening in Sydney. I have a bit of a nautical background and I enjoyed immensely boating around the Harbor I mean Harbour.
Meal service was sufficient and acceptable. I would have preferred a free cocktail or two. The guide was entertaining but I would appreciate him keeping his opinions of American politics to himself. Truly excited upon my return to the US to see the very spot we sailed on in Sydney Harbour featured on the American TV series rerun .. NCIS Sydney. It was a good experience!

Fun evening out! Really fun way to spend an evening as a date or with friends. The crew was so nice and knowledgable!

Enjoyable Trip The captain and crew did an amazing job. 2 hours was the perfect amount of time around the harbor and the dinner was good.

Wonderful Sydney Harbor Dinner cruise aboard the Southern Swan tall ship! Staff were informative and entertaining. Learned so much about the sorted history of the vessel and the surrounding area. Food was delicious and views couldnt be beat. My daughter got to steer the ship and I got to help hoist the main sail. Unforgettable way to see Sydney Harbor. The pace was relaxed and compared to the ferry, this was a much more romantic experience.

What an epic experience! We booked with Sydney Harbour Tallships for New years eve on the harbour and they did not disappoint. firstly, our skipper was funny, friendly and gave us all the information we needed before setting sail. there was alot of communication leading up to the event as well. The food was great and probably my only complaint that there wasnt enough dessert, which was delicious. But the thing that Absolutely MADE OUR NIGHT was the band, give those boys a raise. Between classic sing alongs, to aussie favourites they kept the vibe up. Absolutely worth every cent.

An absolutely great experience. The weather was good with strong winds, but the ride was still smooth and surprisingly calm—no one even came close to feeling seasick. The crew was incredibly friendly and genuinely enjoyable to talk to about everything from sailing to the ship’s history.

The ship itself is a Danish vessel from the 1920s, full of character, and you’re invited to help set the sails during the tour. If you opt for the premium ticket, you can even climb the mast and sit at the top for the trip.

Seeing Sydney from the water at sunset is truly one of a kind. If you have the time while you’re in Sydney, this is something you should do.

An absolutely great experience. The weather was good with strong winds, but the ride was still smooth and surprisingly calm—no one even came close to feeling seasick. The crew was incredibly friendly and genuinely enjoyable to talk to about everything from sailing to the ship’s history.

The ship itself is a Danish vessel from the 1920s, full of character, and you’re invited to help set the sails during the tour. If you opt for the premium ticket, you can even climb the mast and sit at the top for the trip.

Seeing Sydney from the water at sunset is truly one of a kind. If you have the time while you’re in Sydney, this is something you should do.

We (2 adults) joined the Pirate Cruise. Captain Pineapple had plenty of clean humour that even adults would appreciate and Jolly Roger (Ruth) was a lovely greeter, both really got into character for the kids which was sweet to see.

If you bring kids, there's plenty of activities and entertainment for them (storyline starting before you board the boat, setting off a cannon, treasure hunt, chalk drawing, scrubbing the deck) as well as lots of chances to get involved with ropes, sails, steering .

Supporting crew/deckhands are incredibly friendly and actively try to ensure you have the best time by offering to help with photos and sharing ship knowledge (Nora), pointing out best photo taking locations and double-checking whether cameras could be brought up to the mast once he saw we were really keen on photography (Alex) and undoing ropes just to teach us how to redo them so we could film and photograph the experience (Thomas).

3 of the 5 tall ships in Australia are held by this family-owned company, all staff are up for a chat and truly care about what they do, we will be coming back.

I have been to a few cruises before in and around Sydney Harbour, but the twilight tour at the tall ship is by far the most exceptional one. It transported us through time to an absolutely different era and gave us a glimpse of the past. The tour was fun, friendly with great complementary food and drinks. We loved our guide. He was very considerate and knowledgeable. Thank you once again.

Authentic and Fun Authentic family run, Although it rained the experience was still great, lovely family run business. Food was great and nearly all gluten free. Great few hours on the water!! Highly recommend and great value for money.

Great harbour cruise Really enjoyed our first cruise on a sailing ship. Staff very friendly. Great way to see the harbour. Sailing under the harbour bridge a highlight.

Great way to take in the harbor sites at sunset Much more relaxing and peaceful than taking one of the motorized harbor tours. Great crew with lots interesting facts about Sydney and its history. It was fun to be out on an old sailing vessel.

Cool thing to do when in Sydney Great experience to do in Sydney. The crew was amazing and the views you get in the tour are pretty nice. We even sailed a little bit without engine, which was even better

Enjoyed the sunset, stories along the way. The brownies were hot and great. Staff very friendly. Thanks. Thanks for nice evening out to start my visit to Sydney. Sunset gorgeous. Crew very friendly and willing to share their experiences.

Awesome night Awesome night cruise , great friendly staff, yummy food, great knowledge of the ship and the harbour.. great night 👍👍👍👍

Twilight dinner cruise of the Sydney Harbour Tall Ships Originally booked a lunch cruise however due to lack of numbers we changed to a twilight dinner cruise. We boarded the Southern Swan and motored out to where the sails could be raised, then glided around the harbour seeing the Opera House, botanical garden, Lady Macquarie's chair, Garden Island, Fort Denison, Taronga Zoo, Luna Park, Kirribilli House, Admiralty House, and back to the Harbour Bridge. Appetisers were served whilst we motored out and then a dinner of Butter Chicken, Vegetable Curry, rice and salad was served while we were under sail. Highly recommend this adventure.

Today we had an afternoon sail on the Southern Swan tall ship and absolutely loved the experience.
The captain was friendly and the host (Jim) was both entertaining and informative!
The boat itself was fabulous and the passengers were invited to help it sail.
The passenger group was small, therefore there was plenty of room to move around.
The route around the harbour gave views of the major tourist attractions.

Tall ship Wonderful experience. Crew amazing and informative. Loved every minute so did the of the family. Will recommend to everyone. 5 star .

Mast climb, whales galore and just a brilliant day. A memorable experience, the ship and crew made such an effort. A special thank you to captain James for his stories and setting us up to see the whales, Ruth for the chocolate brownies, chef for a tasty lunch of veg lasagne and the crew for their great attitude.
A day later and I am still smiling.
Also a big thank you to Sydney Tall Ships for making it all possible.
Absolutely 100 % recommended.

Spectacular day! What a fantastic experience, we loved every minute of the day. The crew were so welcoming and the lunch was delicious, seeing whales was an added bonus.
James was such a knowledgeable captain and we would definitely book this trip again!!! Thank you James and crew for a memorable day out.

Nice personalized sunset cruise of Sydney Harbor Booked last minute and had a great time. Shop staff was personable and informative. Food was good, the vegetarians in our group particularly loved the options.

An evening on the harbor after the Sydney Marathon Excellent experience, Sydney Harbour is a great view of the opera house and skyline. The captain gave a great history of the vessel and the crew was very interactive and answered any questions we had.

We had an amazing experience on the Pirate Ship Adventure harbour cruise! Our 5 & 3yo pirate-mad boys loved every second. The whole experience from start to finish was entertaining, charming, funny, age-appropriate for small and big kids and just rollicking good fun!
Every minute of the 1.5hrs was packed with well thought out adventure and activity, so much so that we barely noticed the amazing views of Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Opera House and Denison Island!
Captain Pineapple and first mate Jolly Roger were top notch entertainers, and even the 'serious' captain and crew were in on the laughs and fun while keeping everyone safe and sound.
Can't recommend this enough, run by a family-owned business that really puts heart into the whole experience, one not to be missed by pirate enthusiasts young and old alike ☠️⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⚓

Interesting trip on beautiful old ship Good communication about time change. Beautiful old ship and interesting commentary from Ruth who answered all our questions. Only 8 on board which was nice

This is a must-do. PHENOMENAL. I can't recommend this highly enough. I took my son (7) and daughter (10) and both loved it. This was true entertainment and full engagement from the team, and as an adult onlooker, it was amazing. I would (and will) recommend this to anyone I know that goes to Sydney. It is a must-do. It's a family-run business that clearly takes pride in what they do. We paid extra for my son to climb the mast and it was WORTH IT. This is a must-do, and I would have been willing to pay 3-4X what we did for the experience that we got. Thank you!

A wonderful day out whale watching on the Southern Swan. We got to see a humpback whale breaching as well as dolphins, but it would have been a fantastic standalone day of sailing even if we hadn't seen anything. The crew was great, and it was a pleasure watching the operation of a more than 100 years old vessel.

A fun experience out on the water Fantastic experience. Something very different and romantic, I would recommend this to a lot of people wanting to getaway from the common modern boats and experience the waters differently

An amazing experience! Our twilight booking was moved to a lunch time booking, but despite this the trip was just as lovely. The drinks package was definitely worth it, with a good range of beer and wine options. The crew was fantastic, super welcoming and knew a lot about the history of the area we sailed past. Would definitely go again when back in Sydney!

"Ai...hoy"! All on board to capture the Vivid Lights. Wonderful experience around the Sydney harbor. A great way to capture the sights of the amazing and colorful array of the "Vivid Lights" at the various points along the Sydney Opera House, Circular Quay and Harbour area.

Ship crews were friendly and hospitable. Food was simple but nice with free flow of wine and beverages.

A night of Light on a Tall Ship Everything went smoothly from booking to return back to the dock. The staff on the boat were all lovely & informative about the area we travelled. The views were amazing & honestly the best way to see the whole Vivid experience, especially if you're a photography enthusiast.

The only thing that could possibly be done better, is making people aware that the Tall ship would be run off the ships motor & not the sails, prior to booking. I fully understand & respect that the Sails can't be used for safety reasons during Vivid & New Years due to all the Harbour traffic. Which was explained to us by the Captain of the vessel. However I feel that this should be known prior to booking. As some, like my friend & I, might be looking for that full Tall Ship experience .transporting you back in time. Regardless it certainly didn't ruin the wonderful experience we did have & we'll be back for a Day time cruise, when the harbour is less hectic & the Sails will be used to power the ship. Thanks for a wonderful Vivid tour. :)

This is our second visit and it's awesome fun - tasty lunch and some good views of Sydney harbour. We find the crew is particularly attentive and upbeat and obviously enjoy their work - special thanks to Marty and Annabelle for making us feel welcome!

This was a brilliant experience. A beautiful ship with a great crew. We sailed across Sydney Harbour and were able to help lower the sails so when the engine turned off, it was silent and beautiful. Two of our party climbed the rigging to the crow's nest just as the ship went back under the bridge, it was such an experience. The group aboard was very small (12) so easy to move about. A tiny bar, hot snacks and great views. Fantastic!

Absolutely loved it! It's amazing that such an experience is possible. It's so great that the team is looking after the sheeps and keeping them on the water. I would absolutely do it again, it's an amazing experience

This was a great way to spend some time on the water in the harbour. The staff were excellent and friendly. Once we knew that this was a small operation committed to keeping this well maintained 100 year old boat alive we opted to spend the extra $30 to climb the mast which we felt was well worth the cost. On the dinner cruise there is an open bar price or you can just buy the meal for $40 less and buy drinks individually at $10 per drink

I would highly recommend this unique experience to anyone

A delightful way to see the harbour. Barbara in the office was very friendly taking my call. An impromptu mast climb was a nerve racking but fabulous experience, with crew member Charlotte being very encouraging.

Several attractions combined in this one boat. Cruise in a Sail boat built with Danish Oak tree. Best attraction was Mast Climb. though mostly powered by engine however in the middle of trip, sails were hoisted and you can help them in that. Toilets available onboard. Staff are all very friendly and helpful. We booked the trip and Mast Climb online, however mast climb ticket can be purchased onboard but probably it would be cheaper to buy online. :)