9 Canada River Cruises Worth Booking

1.Guided Sightseeing River Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 3,000 reviews · 90 - 210 minutes · from $47Our pick

Board at Chouinard Pier, near Petit Champlain, for a 90-minute cruise past Old Québec, Château Frontenac, Île d’Orléans, and Montmorency Falls. A bilingual guide, sometimes presented in character as Louis Jolliet, explains the sights in French and English. Outdoor decks, an enclosed lounge, bar, and bistro make this an easy break from the city’s steep streets.

“If you go to Quebec you need to have this experience. Beautiful views, had a bar for your drinks and a menu with food inside. You can view 360 inside the boat. Great experience.”

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2.Montréal: Guided Sightseeing River Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 1,889 reviews · 90 - 210 minutes · from $36Best value

Cruise from Montréal’s Grand Quay past the Old Port, Jacques Cartier Bridge, Olympic Stadium, Biosphere, and Îles-de-Boucherville. A bilingual English and French guide explains the city as you sail, with an eight-language audioguide, outdoor decks, a bar, and bistro onboard. Standard sightseeing cruises last about 90 minutes.

“Very nice cruise on the St Lawrence river. Great and spacious boat with an excellent service. I loved it 😍”

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3.Ottawa: Sightseeing River Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 1,585 reviews · 1h 30m · from $39

Board the Paula D for a 90-minute Ottawa River cruise from Ottawa or Gatineau. Guides such as Andi, Elodie, and Pascale mix English and French commentary with humor and local history. Enjoy Parliament, Rideau Canal Locks, Rideau Falls, embassies, and water-level views from the open upper deck or sheltered lower deck.

“The cruise was fun and didn’t feel rushed, plus you can have a view and take pictures only when riding a boat or cruise. I went during the summer, but it’s breezy so you need to prepare your jacket still. There was a bar in the cruise, so you can enjoy a drink and some snacks. The tour guide was knowledgeable and explains them in a fun way.”

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4.Ottawa: Rideau Canal Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 1,303 reviews · 1h 30m · from $41

Set out from behind Ottawa’s National Arts Centre on a 90-minute cruise aboard North America’s largest 100% electric passenger vessel. Your English and French guide points out about 30 sites between Château Laurier and Dow’s Lake, including the Canadian Museum of Nature, Lansdowne Park, and the Dominion Arboretum. Drinks and snacks are available for purchase.

“The tour guide was very knowledgeable and was entertaining! only bad thing I have to say about the entire tour was the snack bar closed 35 minutes before the tour was over...LOL It was hot and we all could have used an extra drink”

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5.Niagara Falls, ON: Jet Boat Tour on Niagara River

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 1,128 reviews · 45 min · from $69

Take a 45-minute jet boat ride from the Canadian side of Niagara River into Devil’s Hole and through Class 5 rapids. Choose the Wet Jet for full-force splashes or the Jet Dome to stay dry. Your English-speaking guide covers river history and landmarks, while captains such as Charlie and John handle the sharp turns and rough water.

“Captain Charlie and our guide who said to call him Fred if it was bad was so funny we forgot his actual name they were both so great! Would absolutely do this tour again and totally worth the cost!!! Unforgettable experience definitely recommend!!”

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6.Ottawa Boat Cruise – Rideau Canal Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,127 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $42

Spend about 90 minutes aboard a fully electric passenger boat on Ottawa’s Rideau Canal. Your guide covers roughly 30 landmarks and local stories, from Château Laurier and the Ottawa Locks to Dow’s Lake, Lansdowne Park, and the Canadian Museum of Nature. Guides such as Lily, Wendy, Ellen, and Theo have earned praise for friendly, lively commentary.

“Well organized but the passengers should know in advance that they will be let off on the opposite side of the canal.”

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7.Montreal: Small Group Tour with River Cruise and Notre Dame

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 67 reviews · 6 hours · from $160

This six-hour small-group tour takes up to six people from downtown Montreal to Mont Royal, St Joseph’s Oratory, Old Montreal, Notre Dame Basilica, and the St. Lawrence River. Guides such as Bill and Mustafa add local history and flexible stops. The seasonal cruise is replaced by La Grande Roue outside summer.

“Our guide, Mustafa, was fabulous. Couldn’t have asked for a better experience.”

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8.Campbell River: 6-Hour Whale Watching Boat Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 46 reviews · 6 hours · from $245Top rated

Set out from Campbell River in a 12-passenger Zodiac or covered boat with a naturalist guide and captain. Watch for humpback and killer whales, dolphins, bears, sea lions, and eagles in Discovery Passage and Johnstone Strait. The tour includes onboard washrooms, hydrophones when conditions allow, homemade snacks, and a fresh wrap lunch ashore.

“Our experience was fantastic, the tour was very well organized and worth the money. Martin, our guide, is a great guy, patient and knowledgeable. The lunch was good.”

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9.Campbell River: Whale Watching Cruise with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 20 reviews · 6 hours · from $230

Join Discovery West Adventures at Campbell River’s Discovery Harbour Marina for a six-hour whale-watching cruise aboard a covered, heated 30-foot aluminum boat. Captain Josh knows the local waters and may find humpbacks, orcas, dolphins, seals, and seasonal bears. Lunch, snacks, hot drinks, and a shore stop are included.

“This was a great day out. Josh was very knowledgeable and engaging about what we were looking for and was full of interesting facts about the local wildlife. The weather stayed fine for us and we saw hump back whales, a family of Orcas, a small seal colony but the icing on the cake at the end of the day, was a hump back whale breaching and having some playtime in the water. Josh was happy to stay out longer than planned so we could all enjoy the show that was being staged for us. A once in a lifetime experience 😍”

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