Ottawa


RIVER & CANAL CRUISES

9 Best Ottawa Cruises

Reviewed, compared and ranked by the people aboard.

The 9 most popular ottawa cruises, compared side by side. What you see from the water, how long you are aboard, what it costs and which operator to book, so you can pick your boat in a couple of minutes.

9 Best Ottawa Cruises

Ottawa: Sightseeing River Cruise - The Route: Parliament Buildings, Rideau Locks, and the Ottawa–Gatineau View
Cruises & Boat Tours, Ottawa, Sightseeing River Cruises, Tour Reviews

Ottawa: Sightseeing River Cruise

/

1.Ottawa: Sightseeing River Cruise

A 90-minute Ottawa River cruise with bilingual guide talk, great photo angles, and Parliament and Rideau views from the water.

Most Popular★ 4.3

“The Ottawa Sightseeing River Cruise was a memorable experience. Our narrator was exceptional—engaging the audience with thought-provoking questions that kept everyone attentive and involved. Cruising along the Ottawa River offered stunning views of Parliament Hill, showcasing its grandeur from a unique vantage point. The highlight was undoubtedly the Rideau Falls, a breathtaking sight that added…”

1,585 reviews1.5 hoursFrom $39by Ottawa Boat Cruise

Check Availability →Read the review →

Ottawa: Rideau Canal Cruise - North America’s Largest Electric Passenger Vessel: The On-Board Difference
Cruises & Boat Tours, Ottawa, Ottawa Rideau Canal Cruises, Tour Reviews

Ottawa: Rideau Canal Cruise

/

2.Ottawa: Rideau Canal Cruise

Rideau Canal cruise in Ottawa on a 100% electric boat. 90 minutes of bilingual live commentary and views from Château Laurier to Dow’s Lake.

★ 4.4

“We absolutely loved this canal trip! Our guide was fun. We chose the final trip of the day at 18.30 and it was delightful. So pleased we did this in our few days in Ottawa.”

1,303 reviews1.5 hoursFrom $41by Ottawa Boat Cruise

Check Availability →Read the review →

Ottawa Boat Cruise - Rideau Canal Cruise - The Guide Factor: Stories That Put Buildings on the Map
Cruises & Boat Tours, Ottawa, Ottawa Rideau Canal Cruises, Tour Reviews

Ottawa Boat Cruise – Rideau Canal Cruise

/

3.Ottawa Boat Cruise – Rideau Canal Cruise

Rideau Canal on a 100% electric passenger boat in Ottawa. See Château Laurier, Dow’s Lake, locks, and 30 landmark stories.

★ 4.5

“The location is very difficult to find so leave yourself plenty of time to find it. I can’t rate the tour because I missed the boat. I messaged Viator during the time when I was trying to find the spot and didn’t ever get a response.”

1,127 reviews1 hour 30 minutes (approx.)From $42.89by Ottawa Boat Cruise Inc.

Check Availability →Read the review →

Ottawa Small Group Premium City Tour - Hotel Pickup, Timing, and the Real-World Day Plan
City Tours, Ottawa, Tour Reviews, Tours

Ottawa Small Group Premium City Tour

/

4.Ottawa Small Group Premium City Tour

Small-group Ottawa tour with hotel pickup, Rockcliffe Park views, Notre-Dame Basilica, Parliament Hill grounds, and a seasonal Rideau Canal cruise.

★ 4.5

“It was great, very informative - our tour guide Gabriel was amazing. After the mini-van ride, we went on a boat tour of the canal.”

159 reviews4 hours (approx.)From $104.39by See Sight Tours

Check Availability →Read the review →

Ottawa Premium Small Group Tour with Canal Cruise - Rockcliffe Park and Rockcliffe Lookout: the view you can’t skip
Cruises & Boat Tours, Ottawa, Tour Reviews, Tours

Ottawa Premium Small Group Tour with Canal Cruise

/

5.Ottawa Premium Small Group Tour with Canal Cruise

A 4-hour small-group Ottawa tour with hotel pickup plus an included Rideau Canal cruise and photo stops at Parliament and more.

★ 4.5

“Dennis was fabulous. He went over and above when I lost my phone. He had a great sense of humour and shared lots of interesting information with us. Highly recommended.”

134 reviews4 hoursFrom $116by See Sight Tours (8177201 Canada Ltd)

Check Availability →Read the review →

Ottawa: Small Group Night Tour With River Cruise - Rockcliffe Park, Major’s Hill Park, and Napean Point: where the pictures get real
Cruises & Boat Tours, Evening Experiences, Ottawa, Tour Reviews, Tours

Ottawa: Small Group Night Tour With River Cruise

/

6.Ottawa: Small Group Night Tour With River Cruise

Small-group Ottawa night tour with a sunset Ottawa River cruise, narrated drive past Parliament, scenic stops, and a sweet dessert finish.

★ 4.2

“Our guide was informative and friendly. It was a wonderful way to tour the city. We appreciated the little perks. Stopping at the perfect places for pictures and having chairs for the northern lights. Thank you for the experience!”

54 reviews2.5 hoursFrom $80by See Sight Tours (8177201 Canada Ltd)

Check Availability →Read the review →

Ottawa Premium Night Driving Tour with River Cruise - Stop 2 by Van: Supreme Court to Nepean Point on a Fully Narrated Drive
Cruises & Boat Tours, Evening Experiences, Ottawa, Tour Reviews, Tours

Ottawa Premium Night Driving Tour with River Cruise

/

7.Ottawa Premium Night Driving Tour with River Cruise

Small-group Ottawa night cruise and narrated van tour with hotel pickup, Rideau Canal views, and a Parliament Hill light show.

★ 4.5

“The canal cruise was nice and the tour guide Lily was really good. The driving part was poor. It was dark so points of interest were not visible. We expected to see beautiful lights but this was not the case. That part of the trip should have been in daylight before the boat trip.”

25 reviews2 hours 30 minutes (approx.)From $82.42by See Sight Tours

Check Availability →Read the review →

Ottawa Small Group Walking Tour with Cruise and Art Gallery - ByWard Market: where Ottawa’s everyday life is loud and friendly
Cruises & Boat Tours, Museums, Ottawa, Tour Reviews, Tours, Walking Tours

Ottawa Small Group Walking Tour with Cruise and Art Gallery

/

8.Ottawa Small Group Walking Tour with Cruise and Art Gallery

Ottawa small-group walking tour plus a guided river cruise, starting at Louise Bourgeois’ Maman at the National Gallery.

★ 3.5

“We were late arriving. Actually planned to be there one hour early. Glad we did. Highway lanes were closed due to construction. Also, we were not advised by Viator where to park. We had to walk/run 3-4 blocks arriving 20 minutes late. Our guide was very nice and knowledgeable of the area. The canal cruise…”

21 reviews3 hours 30 minutes (approx.)From $73.96by See Sight Tours

Check Availability →Read the review →

Ottawa: 1-Hr. Public Tour on a Real Yacht (Thurs. to Sun. @ 6 PM) - The Yacht Crew Makes the Trip Feel Effortless
Cruises & Boat Tours, Ottawa, Sailing, Tour Reviews, Tours

Ottawa: 1-Hr. Public Tour on a Real Yacht (Thurs. to Sun. @ 6 PM)

/

9.Ottawa: 1-Hr. Public Tour on a Real Yacht (Thurs. to Sun. @ 6 PM)

Ottawa River cruise on a real yacht at 6 pm, passing Rideau Falls, the Prime Minister’s residence, and Parliament Hill with bar drinks.

★ 4.0

“Great, great experience! Eric, Phil and Rebecca were fantastic! They were so kind and professional. They know how to operate a yacht!!! Loved the experience!!! I would recommend your company to my friends.”

4 reviews1 hour 15 minutes (approx.)by Ottawa Yacht Tours

Check Availability →Read the review →

Scroll to Top

Explore the World by Water

Pick a canal city, a famous river, or the kind of cruise you want to be on.

Canal Cities

Europe by River

Asia & The Tropics

The Americas

Australia

Cruise by Style