Boat Tours in Quebec City: 11 Worth Every Dollar

1.Québec City: Guided Sightseeing River Cruise

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

Cruise from Chouinard Pier past Old Québec, Château Frontenac, Île d’Orléans, and Montmorency Falls. A bilingual guide, often in character as Louis Jolliet, explains the sights in English and French. Outdoor decks, an enclosed viewing area, bar, and bistro make this a scenic break from Québec City’s steep streets.

“It’s always nice to be on the water, we didn’t have the best weather, but we enjoyed it. Anyhow, the gentleman that did the speaking and information on the ship was great.. Very enjoyable !”

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2.Quebec City Guided Sightseeing Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 894 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $48

Board the AML Louis Jolliet at Old Quebec for a 90-minute narrated cruise past Château Frontenac, Montmorency Falls, Île d’Orléans, and Beauport Bay. A bilingual guide provides commentary, with audio available in eight languages. Food and drinks are sold onboard, and the cruise returns to its starting point.

“Staff were very helpful. Reservation was easily made. We were lucky with the weather. The narration on board was excellent.”

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3.Full-Day Quebec City Tour plus Sightseeing Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 855 reviews · 13 hours (approx.) · from $127

Travel from Montreal to Quebec City by air-conditioned coach, stopping at 275-foot Montmorency Falls before a guided walk through Old Quebec. You’ll see Place Royale, Petit Champlain, Notre-Dame Basilica, and Château Frontenac, then take an AML cruise from May to October. Guides such as Joyce, William, Rebecca, and Angela have led recent departures.

“Excellent hotel pick up. However, our on board driver for the day was just okay. Asian/French/English…yeah, very difficult to follow his speaking delivery. Don’t bother with the cruise portion- again boring non-stop voice on-board of which we couldn’t decide when she was speaking French and back to English. Seemed not much to see. Maybe an evening cruise would be more interesting. Archibald/red umbrellas (meet up location) was delicious lunch.”

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4.Grosse-Île: Irish Immigrant Memorial Cruise & Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 576 reviews · 6 hours · from $73Top rated

Spend six hours cruising from Quebec to Grosse-Île, where Parks Canada guides, costumed characters, and preserved quarantine buildings bring immigrant stories to life. Captain Lachance may add local insight on the river, while the island tour can include a trolley ride. Bring lunch, allow extra time for parking, and expect English and French guiding.

“I've wanted to go for years (Irish ancestors) but with 5 kids, the ferry is really expensive ($50 for each of us!) So when the older 4 went to visit their grandparents, we took advantage and finally visited Grosse Ile. Although I find the ferry cost prohibitive for families, the service was very good. On the island, we were one of the only English speaking groups so we pretty much had a private tour. The guides were extremely knowledgeable and friendly (especially Philippe on the trolley). It's a beautiful place and we really enjoyed learning about its history.”

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5.Québec City: Evening Cruise with Live DJ

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 330 reviews · 2 hours - 210 minutes · from $51

Board at Chouinard Pier for an evening on the Saint Lawrence River. The 2-hour cruise includes a complimentary drink, city and waterfall views, several bars, terraces, and a live DJ. Choose the 3.5-hour sailing for more time on the water and dancing, but note that the free drink applies only to the shorter option.

“Great atmosphere people and dancing.Good views from the boat.”

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6.From Montréal: Québec City, River Cruise & Montmorency Falls

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 262 reviews · 1 day · from $98

Travel from Montréal to Québec City with a trilingual guide such as Yang, William, or Shuo. Visit 276-foot Montmorency Falls, join a 1.25-hour Old Québec walking tour, enjoy free time near Petit Champlain and Château Frontenac, then take a 1.5-hour guided cruise from the Old Port. The $98 price includes transport, admissions, guides, and gratuities.

“The tour was well organized and Rebecca did a great job as our tour guide. Quebec City is definitely a place to visit during your stay in Canada.”

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7.Québec City: 3 or 5-Course Dinner Cruise with DJ & Dancing

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 116 reviews · 3h 30m · from $127

Spend 210 minutes aboard an AML Cruises dinner boat from Chouinard Pier. Enjoy a locally inspired 3 or 5-course meal, views of Château Frontenac, Montmorency Falls, Île d'Orléans, and the bridges, then head upstairs for DJ-led dancing. Red Carpet adds priority boarding, a reserved table, wine, and extra menu privileges.

“The perfect evening. We bought the VIP and it truly was a great experience. No waiting in the hot sun. We boarded as soon as we got our passes at the ticket booth. Got to sit by the window with early boarding, a bottle of wine and the lobster tail with the salmon was cooked perfectly. Then the DJ and dancing. OMG. so Fun. Had time to meet and chat with Canadians at the next table before heading up to the dance floor. A must event in Quebec City.”

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8.Québec City: Weekend River Brunch Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 116 reviews · 2h 30m · from $73

Spend 2.5 hours aboard an AML Cruises boat from Chouinard Pier. Start with a three-course brunch, then cruise past Old Québec, Château Frontenac, Île d’Orléans, and Montmorency Falls while a costumed bilingual guide shares local stories. Outdoor decks offer the best photos, but bring layers for wind.

“From our experience it was evident the serving staff ratio to customers on board was not sufficient. Waited too long for coffee refills and general customer concerns. Overall the experience was enjoyable and the historic info provided was excellent. I would definitely recommend your brunch cruise.”

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9.From Montreal: Full-Day Tour of Quebec City with Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 101 reviews · 13 hours · from $120

Travel from Montreal to Quebec City by comfortable coach, with stops at Montmorency Falls, Old Quebec, Château Frontenac, Petit Champlain, and Place Royale. A bilingual guide such as William, Luc, or Rebecca leads the day, followed by a scenic St. Lawrence River cruise. Lunch is not included.

“This is such a great trip for those who are time poor and want to see Quebec City and the Montmorency Falls. Clean, modern coach took us first to the falls with plenty of time for photos and the cable car if you want, then onto Quebec City with an entertaining walking guide (Luc) and a lovely boat cruise. There was also enough time to explore on your own for a while or settle for a meal. Rebecca was a lovely guide who kept everyone on track. Highly recommended.”

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10.Québec City: 2-Hour Cocktail & DJ Evening Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 13 reviews · 2 hours · from $51

Spend two summer hours on the St. Lawrence River aboard AML Cruises, with a complimentary cocktail, live DJ, outdoor dance floor, bar, and bistro. You’ll see Québec City lit up from the water while French and English staff keep the evening moving. Bring a credit card, arrive early, and expect music and dancing rather than a sightseeing-heavy cruise.

“Peu de chose a voir depuis le bateau Et pas le choix du cocktail ou de la boisson Nous avons tout de même passé un bon moment”

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11.Guided cruise to discover Orleans Island and Quebec City

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 6 reviews · 2 hours · from $57

Join a professional captain for a two-hour Saint Lawrence River cruise near Quebec City. You’ll see Île d’Orléans, Montmorency Falls, Château Frontenac, the fortifications, and Lévis from the water, with commentary in English or French. Transport from downtown Quebec City to the marina is included, and the small-group setting keeps the outing personal.

“Vraiment une excellente journée,nous étions 4 et on a tous adorer et la capitaine est vraiment très gentille.De toute beauté,je vous recommande de le faire.”

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