The 15 Boat Tours in Halifax That Repay the Ticket

1.Tall Ship Silva Sailing Cruise Ft. a Live Musician

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 289 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $40Our pick

Tall Ship Silva sails from Halifax Waterfront for about 2 hours with live commentary, live music, and a chance to help hoist the sails.

“Though the conditions were perfectly fine, this boat spent three quarters of the 2 hours motoring about. When they finally raised the sails, it was only for show because the engines were never turned off and the boat really didn't go sailing. To make matters a little worse, the live music which was selected to "entertain" the guests wasnt nautical and far too loud. We were all glad not to hear it when we got off the boat.”

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2.Harbour Hopper City & Water Cruise in a Duck Boat

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 154 reviews · 55 min · from $56

Race the streets and harbor in a Halifax duck boat, narrated by lively guides, then splash into the water for views of Georges Island.

“Very informative and interesting tour. Huge splash entering water was a bonus. Terrific captain and tour guide. Thanks for a fun experience!”

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3.JFarwell Sunset Wine and Cheese Yacht Sailing

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 149 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $150Top rated

A small-group Halifax sunset cruise with guided Nova Scotia wine and cheese, plus hands-on sailing past George’s and McNabs Islands.

“The crew were amazing! Simone, Megan and Brandon were a lively bunch, and made the experience fun and enjoyable. We had luck with the weather, and got a gorgeous sunset paired with good wine and charcuterie. Many thanks for such a wonderful experience!”

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4.JFarwell Adventure Yacht Sailing in the Halifax Harbour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 147 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $82

A hands-on, wind-powered Halifax Harbour yacht sail with up to 12 guests, sweeping views, helm time, and Georges Island scenery.

“Ryan and Margaret made it spectacular! Made us feel like welcome, gave us a little history of the area.”

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5.Halifax Sunset Cruise Aboard the Tall Ship Silva

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 116 reviews · 1h 30m · from $34

A 90-minute Tall Ship Silva sunset cruise in Halifax with live music, harbor sightseeing, and golden hour views from Cable Wharf.

“Gary the entertainer was quite funny and had a great voice. It was cool to see Halifax from the harbour. And we saw a lovely sunset. All around, a top notch evening.”

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6.Best of Halifax Harbour Boat Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 77 reviews · 1 hour (approx.) · from $44

Halifax Harbour sailing on a Beneteau yacht with small-group stories of the Titanic, Pier 21, Navy Dockyard, plus Georges Island.

“Great tour! Excellent captain and crew, very knowledgeable and friendly. Loved seeing Halifax Harbour from the water!”

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7.Tall Ship Harbor Sailing Cruise with Live Music

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 75 reviews · 2 hours · from $42

Sail Halifax Harbour on the Tall Ship Silva, enjoy live music, and if wind cooperates, help raise the sails on this 2-hour cruise.

“It was a really nice boat trip with great music played by Tommy.”

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8.JFarwell Moonlight Yacht Cruise from Halifax Waterfront

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 48 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $75

9:30 pm moonlight yacht cruise from Halifax Waterfront, small group, blankets, drinks for purchase, 1.5 hours, $75.06.

“Beautiful time on the water with incredible staff leading the way. An unforgettable experience. Book it now!!!”

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9.Halifax Sunset Cruise Ft. a Live Musician

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 47 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $41

A 90-minute Halifax sunset cruise with live music, tall-sail energy, and harbor views plus a stop near Fort Charlotte.

“The sunset cruise was wonderful. It was just the right length and let you see a lot of the Halifax skyline/waterfront. It would have been nice to have had a tad fewer people on the boat, as there really wasn't enough seating for everyone. So, if you got up to see something, you risked losing your seat. The harbor views were the entertainment we came for, but, the singer/guitarist, who gave a concert on board, was nice to hear. He was very friendly, approachable, and performed well. Overall, it was a great, affordable experience that I recommend.”

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10.Halifax Summer Breeze Sail

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 25 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $95

Halifax Summer Breeze Sail, a 2-hour small-group cruise with a local cocktail or mocktail, scenic stops near Georges Island and Pier 21.

“It was really lovely. The Captain & 1st Mate were friendly & engaging. A bit of history of the harbour area thrown in , & an overall great experience”

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11.JFarwell Private Yacht Wine & Cheese Sunset Sail

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 18 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $149

Sail Halifax at sunset on a private yacht with Nova Scotia wine and cheese, plus harbour stories as you cruise the Northwest Arm.

“We had a wonderful cruise. Enjoyed the small group we were with.”

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12.Happy Hour Cruise with Live Music

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 11 reviews · 2 hours · from $24Best value

A 2-hour Halifax Harbour cruise with live music, great drink prices, and skyline views, departing from 1751 Lower Water St.

“It was nice to be on the water, there should have been more comfortable seating(chairs) down stairs, especially for older people.”

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13.Cruise Ship Shore Excursion

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 8 reviews · from $121

A half-day Halifax coach tour with pickup, Peggy’s Cove lighthouse, and Halifax Public Gardens, plus expert guidance and easy timing.

“Our tour got off to a poor start because the email we had received said: "We will meet in the parking lot of Pier 22 at 12.00 noon on the 29th to start your tour. Pier 22 is behind The Westin Hotel." We walked to and around the Westin, but Read more”

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14.50-Minute Boat Tour of the Harbour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 6 reviews · 50 min · from $42

50-minute Halifax Harbour speedboat with live guide stories, passing George’s Island, McNab’s Island, Hangman’s Beach and York Redoubt.

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15.Party Cruise on the Harbour Queen

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 6 reviews · 2 hours · from $37

Party cruise on Halifax Harbour Queen with DJ Mutts, onboard drinks, and harbour views. Great for weekends, groups, and bachelorettes.

“Overall, our experience was good. The ambiance, cleanliness, staff, and security were all well-maintained and appreciated. However, we had a very disappointing experience with the individual in charge of the music. We were a group of around 11 Indians and politely requested that at least one Bollywood song be played. Since we paid the same amount as all other guests, we felt this was a reasonable request—especially as the package clearly stated that music requests would be accepted. Unfortunately, the person handling the music was extremely rude and dismissive each time we approached him. His behavior made us feel unwelcome and gave the impression that people of other nationalities are…”

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