Are you trying to find the best Hamburg boat tours for your next trip to the city? As someone who lives in northern Germany close to beautiful Hamburg, I believe that boat tours are among the best ways to explore this fascinating city. From taking in breathtaking views of the skyline from the river Elbe, to discovering hidden gems along its picturesque canals, boat tours provide a unique perspective of Hamburg that every traveller should experience.
However, while there is quite a wide selection of Hamburg boat tours on offer, many of them are run only in German, making it a bit tougher for us English-speaking folks to absorb all the interesting facts about the sights of Hamburg. So to help you out, here is my guide to some of the best Hamburg boat tours for English-speaking solo and group travellers!
Table of Contents
1-Hour Harbor Cruise
The popular 1-Hour Harbor Cruise offers a great chance to explore Hamburg from the water. While on board, you will have live German commentary from your guide, or a free audio guide available in English – just don’t forget to bring your own headphones and a fully charged phone. Over the 60-minute trip, you’ll be able to enjoy breathtaking views of the city skyline and get up close and personal with some of its most famous sights, including the historical Speicherstadt (warehouse district) with its canals, the modern HafenCity, the numerous bridges over the Elbe River, busy locks and container terminals, the Köhlbrand Bridge, and much more.
Drinks aren’t included but are available for purchase on board if desired – just be aware that it’s not allowed to bring your own food and drinks on board. Lastly, I’d recommend arriving approximately 30 minutes early for this one, as there are quite a few boats at the starting point so it can be tricky to find yours! Plus, once you’re on board there are no assigned seats, so getting there early gives you a better chance of finding somewhere suitable.
This 1-Hour Harbor Cruise is a great way to get an introduction to the city of Hamburg in a short time – whether you’re visiting for business or leisure this tour is perfect for squeezing in a sightseeing activity during your trip. Alongside admiring some stunning views of the cityscape, there’s also plenty of time to learn more about its culture, history and local attractions through your audio guide (or the lively commentary if you happen to understand German). It’s sure to provide lots of entertainment and stand out as a highlight during your trip to Hamburg.
This boat tour is a great option no matter the weather, as there’s both a sun deck and an air-conditioned lounge on offer. Depending on conditions, your boat will either have an open top or a closed glass roof, so you can rest assured that you’ll always get a good view. Not only that, but the tour departs at maximum 45 minutes all year round (with departures every five to 15 minutes in the high season), so there’s plenty of opportunity to make it part of your Hamburg experience.
| Price | From €18 per person |
| Duration | 1 hour |
| Live English commentary? | No, via app on your phone |
| Where to book | GetYourGuide: 1-Hour Harbor Cruise |
Harbor Evening Lights Cruise
If you’d prefer to experience the city as the sun starts to set, the same tour company also run a Harbor Evening Lights Cruise. This unforgettable excursion takes you on a boat trip through the beautiful and colorful harbor and historic speicherstadt district, where you can marvel at the illuminated ocean liners and container cranes as they stand out against the evening sky.
On board the cruise vessel, treat yourself to a spectacular view of Hamburg. You will be able to take in amazing panoramic sights like the Elbe Philharmonic Hall,the contemporary Hafen City – all while afloat on the river. Catch a breathtaking view of St. Pauli Piers all the way to Überseebrücke with Rickmer Rickmers and Cap San Diego museum ship, before heading back to the port of Hamburg.
As before, the live commentary is only available in German, with an app available to download for an audio tour in English. Bring your own headphones and device so you don’t miss out!
Boats depart at 6pm every evening (except for Christmas) from Hamburg port for those who wish to take part in this unique experience. Tours last approximately one hour and offer guests an unforgettable opportunity to explore Hamburg’s stunning attractions from an entirely different point of view.
| Price | From €22 per person |
| Duration | 1 hour |
| Live English commentary? | No, via app on your phone |
| Where to book | GetYourGuide: Harbor Evening Lights Cruise |
City Cruise on Alster Lake
If you’ve explored around the harbour and would like to try something a little different, then why not take a boat tour on Alster Lake? Also known as „Perle der Innenstadt“ (the “pearl of the city center”), from here the 1-hour boat trip takes you past the famous Alster Fountain and under the Lombards bridge directly to the Outer Alster.
Here you will be able to admire beautiful residential areas and sights like the Hotel Atlantic, Blue Mosque, U. S. Consulate General or Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten. This tour provides a stunning panorama of Hamburg’s church spires and bridges as well as an opportunity to observe the natural life along the lakeside with its many water birds and other wildlife. What’s more, if you’re lucky you may even spot a few swans!
The traditional steamers used for this tour have been a familiar sight on the Alster for decades, and the tour guides are very well versed in the popular sights and world-famous buildings of the Hanseatic city. Departing four times a day, the first cruise leaves at 11am and the last one at 4pm, meaning you can fit this unique experience into your plans. The guides on this tour are German-speaking, though if you would like commentary in English you can take advantage of the audio tour (you’ll need to bring your own headphones).
If the weather isn’t so great, you can still enjoy this Alster Lake pleasure cruise, as the boat has a glass roof. In better conditions, you can also enjoy sitting outside at the back of the boat if you wish. There are no food or drinks provided on this tour, so make sure you’ve grabbed a snack before you get on board.
| Price | From €20 per person |
| Duration | 1 hour |
| Live English commentary? | No, via app on your phone |
| Where to book | GetYourGuide: City Cruise on Alster Lake |
Sailing trip on the Hamburg Outer Alster
For something a little more intimate, you can experience the beauty of Hamburg and set sail on the Outer Alster Lake, one of the city’s most iconic waterways. This sailing trip offers you a chance to explore Germany’s second largest city from a whole new perspective, from the comfort of a beautiful wooden two-master from the 60s.
With an experienced captain at the helm and life jackets provided, you can sit back, relax and enjoy a leisurely sail as you take in some of Hamburg’s most impressive sights. You’ll be able to admire St Michaelis Church, built in 1786, and one of Hamburg’s main attractions; City Hall, which overlooks Binnenalster lake. Plus, with opportunities to help set the sails or just observe your surroundings, there’s something for everyone on this unique attraction.
Though your captain speaks both German and conversational English, don’t expect a typical guided tour. Instead, this boat ride is more of a sailing experience where you’re welcome to ask questions if you wish. Or, of course, you can simply sit back, enjoy the ride and take in the beautiful views of Hamburg. As the capacity of the boat is so small, there is a possibility it will be cancelled if not enough people buy tickets (or if there’s poor weather). If this happens, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
If you’d like to take part in the sailing trip, be sure to keep an afternoon free. It departs only twice a day, at 3pm and 5pm.
| Price | From €30.77 per person |
| Duration | 1 hour |
| Live English commentary? | Yes |
| Where to book | Viator: Small group sailing trip on the Hamburg Outer Alster |
Hop-on hop-off on the water with the Maritime Circle Line
The Maritime Circle Line is an exciting and unique way to explore Hamburg on the water, particularly if you want to include a museum visit as part of your trip. With a hop-on hop-off service, passengers can alight at up to nine different locations, including the BallinStadt Emigration Museum Hamburg, International Maritime Museum and Elbphilharmonie concert hall (although you should note that admission tickets not included in the boat tour).
The round trip takes 90 minutes and departs three times a day, with the earliest departure being 10:55am. Passengers who decide to get off will need to wait for the same boat to pick them up on its next circuit, so if you are planning to stop off somewhere, make sure you get the first boat of the day.
On board, you’ll be provided with live commentary from the Captain in both German and English over a speaker system, and there are also drinks available to purchase if you’re feeling thirsty. This is an ideal tour for anyone wanting to explore the heart of Hamburg from a unique perspective. It’s perfect for families, couples or individuals looking for something out of the ordinary.
Plus, it provides an extra opportunity for people who may have limited time in Hamburg but still want to experience as much as possible of this beautiful city. Immerse yourself in all that Hamburg has to offer by hopping on board this fantastic maritime adventure.
| Price | From €20 per person |
| Duration | 1 hour 30 minutes (if you don’t disembark) |
| Live English commentary? | Yes |
| Where to book | Viator: Hamburg Hop-On Hop-Off With The Maritime Circle Line |
Saturday Night Boat Party
Lastly, for something a little more lively, look no further than the Saturday Night Boat Party. While it’s technically not a boat tour, it is a fun way to experience Hamburg from the water while also starting your Saturday night off with a bang. Setting off at 8pm, you’ll spend three hours aboard a luxury passenger ship, where you can take in views of the Hamburg Harbor at night and admire the city lights.
A cold and warm dinner buffet is included in the ticket price, as are unlimited beers, wine and soft drinks. If you fancy something a little stronger, cocktails and shots are also availavle to purchase. The ship’s on board DJ provides the tunes, creating the perfect atmosphere for an unforgettable party evening on the Elbe. Departing fom St. Pauli Landungsbrücken, if you’re not quite ready to hit the hay yet, you’re in the prime position to venture into Hamburg’s party district to carry on your Saturday night.
This one is perhaps a little too lively for my tastes, but the Saturday Night Boat Party has been running for more than 20 years, and promises to be a fun-filled way to spend an evening on the water.
| Price | From €79 per person |
| Duration | 3 hours |
| Live English commentary? | No |
| Where to book | GetYourGuide: Saturday Night Boat Party |
Bear this in mind when booking your Hamburg boat tour
Despite being an international city and a popular tourist destination, there aren’t a huge number of English-speaking boat tours available in Hamburg. If you do choose one of the 1-hour tours with English audio commentary on the app, remember that English audio tours from an app will not be quite the same experience as listening to live commentary from a tour guide.
Audio tours lack the personal interaction and engagement that a live tour guide can provide, and lack the ability to answer questions or provide additional context on the spot. If you check the reviews for these tours, you’ll find that some people were left disappointed with the audio tour, or had trouble even accessing the app.
Really it’s down to your personal preference if you should opt for one of the other tours where you’ll get live commentary in English, or if you’re happy to simply experience seeing Hamburg’s top attractions and sights from the water. If you go in with an open mind and a relaxed attitude, you’re sure to have a good time regardless. Enjoy!
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