Best Boxing Day harbour cruises in Sydney 2024

Boxing Day might be a public holiday, but Sydney doesn't take the day off. Instead, it hosts one of the most iconic yacht races in the world: the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race.

From the harbour, yachts set sail for Bass Strait vying for glory. And while you can watch it on the TV or the foreshore, for something truly exceptional, you can hop on a cruise to chase the yachts as they leave the headland.

Now that's how you spend Boxing Day.

Check out our top picks for the cruises that are operating this year.

Searching for Boxing Day cruise deals? Click here.

Our top picks for Boxing Day harbour cruises in Sydney 2024

Boxing Day harbour cruises

Keen for a sleep-in? Maybe you'd prefer to soak up the Sydney sun instead of being part of the race action? These cruises run on 26 December and take in the beauty of the harbour throughout the day.

Cruises	What's included?	Price	Book with
Twilight Tall Ship Cruise	2-hour sailing Snacks	$109 per person	RedBalloon
Boxing Day Social Sail	4-hour sailing Experienced skipper on board	$120 per person	AnyBoat
Harbour Cruises on Vagabond Spirit	Buffet menus Bars	$155 per person	AnyBoat
Sydney Harbour Sailing Cruise	Luxury yacht	$250 per person	Experience Oz
Boat Cruise to Discover Sydney Harbour's Secrets	4-hour boat cruise See Sydney's history, culture and environment Activities include bay-hopping, swimming or snorkelling	$385 per person	Finder.com.au
Harbour Cruises on Kondor	BYO food and drinks BBQ Catering Dance floor Swimming	$500 per hour (chartered)	AnyBoat
Boxing Day Cruises on Sea Monkey	5-hour sailing BBQ BYO food and drinks	$725 per hour (chartered)	AnyBoat
Boxing Day Cruise on Galene	BBQ chicken lunch and soft drinks Alcohol bar Catering	$900 per hour (chartered)	AnyBoat
Boxing Day Cruises On Karisma	Alcohol bar BBQ Hot tub Boat hire catering	$1,188 per hour (chartered)	AnyBoat
Boxing Day Cruises on Spellbound	5-hour sailing BBQ BYO food and drinks Swimming Open saloon with lounge	$3,250 per hour (chartered)	AnyBoat
Boxing Day Cruises on Prometheus	Luxury sports cruiser BYO food and drinks Swimming	$9,690 per hour (chartered)	AnyBoat

Boxing Day lunch cruises

Cruises	What's included?	Price	Book with
4-hour Sydney Harbour Boxing Day Lunch Cruise with Sydney Constellation Cruises	3-hour themed cruise Buffet with a complimentary bubbly cocktail Live entertainment	$69 per person	Groupon

Morpheus Cruise Boxing Day

Cruises	What's included?	Price	Book with
Boxing Day Cruises on Morpheus	Beers, wines and soft drinks On-board chef	$140 per person	AnyBoat

Groupon Boxing Day cruises

Cruises	What's included?	Price	Book with
Three-Hour Boxing Day Cruise with Food and Drinks with Legend Cruises	3-hour themed cruise Photo opportunities Lunch buffet menu	$95 per person	Groupon

Boxing Day Sydney to Hobart cruises

Cruise company	What's included?	Price	Book
Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race Spectator Cruise	Australian BBQ lunch Soft drinks	$225 per person	Adrenaline

Boxing Day cruise deals for Sydney Harbour

Where to watch the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race

The Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race is back!

If you haven't secured yourself a spot on one of the spectator ships above, there are numerous vantage points in both Sydney and Hobart where you can watch the race in action.

Sydney vantage points:

• South or North Head. These are the ideal spots to catch the fleets as they set sail from the 2 starting lines to the north and south of Shark Island. In North Head, find your place at Cremorne Point, Bradley's Head, Clifton Gardens or at the Q Station. In South Head, try for Rushcutter's Bay, Hornby Lighthouse and restaurants along the shore of Watson's Bay.
• Sydney Harbour National Park. Offering more space for a better view, Sydney Harbour National Park boasts panoramic views of both North and South heads.
• Headland Park. This former military lookout drinks up endless views of Sydney Heads, the city skyline and the eastern suburbs.

Hobart vantage points:

• Constitution Dock. Sending the fleets off is one thing, welcoming the winners as they stream in is another. In Hobart, Constitution Dock comes to life with the Hobart Race Village. It's a week-long festival with family-friendly activities, food trucks, markets and more.
• Battery Point. For that glorious photo finish, be there at the official finishing point on Castray Esplanade in Battery Point.
• Wrest Point. Overlooking the Derwent River, Wrest Point hotel is one for the fanatics trying to catch the first fleets as they arrive in the wee hours of the morning from the comfort of their private balconies.

The official Rolex Sydney to Hobart website provides a live tracker to monitor the progress of the fleets in anticipation of the winner. You can also follow the race on the site via a live feed.

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Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race frequently asked questions

• When does the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race start? The fleet officially sets sail at 1pm on Boxing Day from the start lines just off Nielson Park. A 10-minute warning signal is made at 12:50pm and a preparatory signal sounds at 12:55pm.
• When does the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race finish? The race ends on 1 January, the time of which is dependent on when the first ship crosses the finishing line in Hobart.
• Where does the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race finish? The official finishing line of the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race is off Castray Esplanade on the River Derwent, right in Battery Point.
• When was the first Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race? The first Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race set sail in 1945 after a group of friends decided to sail in competition. The winner took 6 days and 14 hours to complete the journey.
• How far is Sydney to Hobart? The course is 628 nautical miles, which is approximately 1,170 kilometres. It sails from Sydney into the Tasman Sea, travelling south down the east coast of Australia, through Bass Strait and down the coast of Tasmania, ending in Hobart.
• How long does the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race take? While the first Sydney to Hobart may have taken over 6 days to complete, these days the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race lasts around 1 and a half days. In 2017, LDV Comanche completed it in 1 day, 9 hours, 15 minutes and 24 seconds.

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