Dining Cruises in Darwin

Dinner cruises in Darwin run from a seafood buffet at sunset to a 4-course dinner on the harbour, with lunch cruises on the harbour and at Corroboree Billabong, and dinner and breakfast cruises in Nitmiluk Gorge. This page sorts them by meal and by where they sail. They sit under Darwin cruises, and the national page covers dining cruises across Australia.

Sunset dinner cruises on Darwin Harbour

The Darwin Harbour sunset buffet dinner cruise on the Charles Darwin is a popular choice: a 2-hour sailing with a dinner of Australian seafood and local produce, served on an air-conditioned main deck with access to the Sun Deck and captain's commentary. It leaves Dock 3 at Stokes Hill Wharf at 6pm, returns at 8pm and runs from February to December.

The 4-course dinner cruise on Cape Adieu runs longer, a 3-hour sunset cruise from 5pm to 8pm seven days a week, built around fresh seafood, quality meats and regional ingredients.

Under sail, the sunset sailing cruise with BBQ dinner and drinks leaves Cullen Bay Marina at 4.30pm and returns around 7pm. It starts with an antipasto platter, then a barbecue with a menu that changes between the cooler and warmer months, and includes bottled wine and mid-strength beer. There's no bar on board, and BYO is welcome.

Lunch cruises on the harbour and wetlands

A 90-minute harbour cruise with lunch leaves Dock 3 at 12.30pm, with a Territorian-style grazing platter and expert guides on an air-conditioned vessel. At Corroboree Billabong, about a 90-minute trip from Darwin, the wildlife cruise with lunch departs at 12.45pm for a 2.5-hour trip through quieter waterways, with saltwater crocodiles, sea eagles, kingfishers and jacanas to spot. It's a seasonal trip, so check the dates.

Dinner and breakfast cruises on Nitmiluk Gorge

In Nitmiluk National Park, the Nabilil Dreaming sunset tour and dinner cruise is a 3.5-hour evening with a guided tour of the first two gorges, Jawoyn rock art dating back 8,000 to 10,000 years, a glass of sparkling wine and a 3-course dinner. There's a 400m walk between the gorges, with stairs and uneven surfaces.

For mornings, the Nitmiluk Gorge rock art cruise with breakfast is a 2-hour sailing at 7am, with breakfast served on the return cruise. More sit under dining cruises in Katherine.

How to choose a dining cruise in Darwin

Choose by meal and mood. The Charles Darwin suits a fuss-free seafood buffet, Cape Adieu a long sit-down dinner, the Kuru catamaran a relaxed barbecue with BYO welcome, and the gorge cruises a night built around culture and rock art.

Frequently asked questions

What dinner cruises run from Darwin?

Dinner cruises from Darwin include a seafood buffet on the Charles Darwin, a 4-course dinner on Cape Adieu and a barbecue dinner on a sailing catamaran, all on Darwin Harbour, plus a sunset dinner cruise in Nitmiluk Gorge near Katherine.

What time do Darwin dinner cruises leave?

The Cape Adieu 4-course dinner cruise leaves at 5pm, the Charles Darwin buffet dinner cruise at 6pm, and the sunset sailing cruise with BBQ dinner at 4.30pm from Cullen Bay Marina.

Are drinks included on Darwin dinner cruises?

The Kuru sunset sailing cruise with BBQ dinner includes bottled wine and mid-strength beer, and BYO is welcome. The Cape Adieu cruise includes drinking water and the Nabilil Dreaming dinner cruise includes a glass of sparkling wine.

Is the Darwin buffet dinner cruise wheelchair accessible?

No, unfortunately not. The Charles Darwin sunset buffet dinner cruise can't take wheelchairs or walkers because of tidal effects on the port gangways. Guests need reasonable mobility, and collapsible walkers and walking sticks are allowed.

Do Darwin sunset sailing cruises run every day?

No. The sunset sailing cruise on Kuru runs on set days that differ between summer and winter, and midweek trips need a minimum of 6 people. Sailings are weather dependent.

Can kids go on a Darwin dinner cruise?

Yes. The Charles Darwin buffet cruise sells youth tickets for ages 4 to 17 and infant tickets for ages 0 to 3. The sailing cruise sells children's tickets for ages 5 to 17 that cover nibbles only.

Local tip: for the 6pm Charles Darwin cruise, check-in at Dock 3 is at 5.30pm, and arrivals after 5.50pm are treated as a no-show.

Pick a Darwin dining cruise above, from a harbour seafood buffet to dinner in Nitmiluk Gorge, and book it online.