"My partner and I were celebrating our anniversary we thoroughly enjoyed it the staff were amazing food was fantastic and the entertainment was great. The captain or skipper Allen was great introduced himself before we left and was very friendly. We will definitely be doing it again with some friends next time. Regards Ronnie J"
Gold Coast · Surfers Paradise · The Broadwater · Evening Cruises
Dinner Cruise Gold Coast: A Buffet on the Broadwater, a Sunset River Cruise or a Private Yacht
Two and a half hours on the Broadwater past the lights of Surfers Paradise, with a buffet dinner and a musician on board, or a shorter sunset cruise through the canals.
From
US$92
per person
Free cancellation
- 4.6 / 5 472+ Reviews
- 14 Experience Types All Gold Coast Activities
- Free Cancellation
The Experience
What the Buffet Dinner Cruise Includes
Drinks are sold at the licensed bar on board.
Highlights
- A 2.5-hour evening cruise on the Broadwater
- A chef-prepared buffet dinner with hot and cold dishes
- Live music from a local musician
- The city lights of Surfers Paradise from the top deck
- Commentary past Marina Mirage, Sea World and the waterfront homes
What's Included
- 2.5 hour sightseeing evening dinner cruise on the Gold Coast Broadwater
- Local musician live entertainment
- Chef-prepared buffet dinner, including hot and cold selections made with quality local produce
- Seasonal fruit platter and delicious desserts
- Take in the spectacular city light views of the famous Surfers Paradise
- Cruise past local landmarks including Marina Mirage, Home of the Arts, Sea World, Palazzo Versace, and lavish waterfront homes
- Entertaining and informative onboard commentary
- Comfortable air-conditioned lower deck with full amenities
How a Gold Coast Dinner Cruise Works
From boarding in Surfers Paradise to the lights coming on.
Pick Dinner or Sunset
The buffet cruise runs 2.5 hours with a full dinner; the sunset river cruise 1.5 hours with cheese and crackers.
Check In Early
Arrive before your sailing time. Tweed Eco Cruises asks for 20 minutes, and its boat leaves on time without late arrivals.
Eat, Drink, Watch the Skyline
Dinner is a buffet on the dinner cruise; drinks are bought at the bar. The top deck has the 360-degree view.
Cruise Past the Landmarks
The Sea World Cruises boats pass Marina Mirage, the Home of the Arts, Sea World, Palazzo Versace and the canal houses.
Photo Gallery
The Broadwater at Dusk
The skyline, the canals and the dinner deck.
Book Your Experience
Check Availability & Prices
Select your preferred date and time. Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Buffet Dinner Cruise vs. Sunset River Cruise vs. Private Sail
Three Gold Coast evening cruises side by side. Prices as of October 2026.
| Feature | DINNER INCLUDED Buffet Dinner Sightseeing Cruise | Sunset River Cruise | Private Sunset Sailing Charter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | From US$92/per person | From US$23 per person | From US$693 for up to 10 |
| Rating | 4.6/5 (466 reviews) | 4.6/5 (646 reviews) | 5.0/5 (5 reviews) |
| Length | 2.5 hours | 1.5 hours | 2 hours |
| Food | Buffet dinner, fruit, dessert | Cheese, crackers, nibbles | Grazing board with prawns |
| Drinks | Bar on board, extra | Bar on board, extra | Two each included |
| Entertainment | Live musician, commentary | Commentary | Your own group |
| Free Cancellation | Up to 24 hours ahead | Up to 24 hours ahead | Up to 24 hours ahead |
| Best For | Dinner and the skyline | Sunset on a budget | A private group |
| Check Availability | View the Sunset Cruise | View the Charter |
Other Evening Cruises
A cheap sunset cruise on the canals, a private sailing charter, and a sunset cruise on the Tweed River.
The Gold Coast Evening Cruise Guide
Dinner Cruise Gold Coast: Which Boat for Which Evening
Five cruises compared on food, length, price and who they suit.
The Gold Coast dinner cruise to book is the Buffet Dinner Sightseeing Cruise from Sea World Cruises: 2.5 hours on the Broadwater with a chef-prepared buffet, a live musician and the lights of Surfers Paradise, from US$90 a person as of October 2026, rated 4.6 from 466 reviews. If you want the sunset without the dinner, Surfers Paradise River Cruises’ 1.5-hour sunset cruise costs from US$23. Both cancel free up to 24 hours ahead (checked October 2026).
What is on the dinner cruise menu
The buffet has hot and cold dishes made with local produce. The menu lists grilled calamari, chicken tenderloins, roast lamb with a rosemary crust, barramundi in a coconut bisque with rice, Gold Coast ocean king prawns and New Zealand mussels, with salads, potatoes, vegetables, fruit and desserts. Dishes are marked vegetarian, vegan, gluten free or lactose free, and the potatoes, vegetables and garden salad are vegan. Drinks are not included; the licensed bar on board sells them.
The evening cruises compared
| Cruise (operator) | From | Rating (reviews) | Length | Food | Where |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffet Dinner Sightseeing Cruise (Sea World Cruises, Whales in Paradise) | US$90 | 4.6 (466) | 2.5 hours | Buffet dinner, dessert | The Broadwater, Surfers Paradise |
| Sightseeing Sunset River Cruise (Surfers Paradise River Cruises) | US$23 | 4.6 (646) | 1.5 hours | Cheese, crackers, nibbles | The canals and the Broadwater |
| Private Sunset Sailing Charter (Sun Sailing) | US$693 for up to 10 | 5.0 (5) | 2 hours | Grazing board with prawns, two drinks each | The Broadwater |
| Tweed River Sunset Cruise with Live Music (Tweed Eco Cruises) | US$53 | 5.0 (5) | 2 hours | Grazing box | The Tweed River |
| Sightseeing Cruise with Buffet Lunch (Sea World Cruises, Whales in Paradise) | US$62 | 4.8 (693) | 2 hours | 2-course tropical buffet lunch | The Broadwater |
Prices, ratings and review counts as of October 2026; operators change prices, so treat them as the shape of the market, not a quote. The sunset river cruise’s from price is a discount on a US$39 list price.
Dates and cancellation terms are on each listing.
Which cruise suits you
Pick by the evening you want:
Dinner and the lights
Buffet Dinner Cruise
2.5 hours, a buffet with prawns and a live musician.
Check dates →Sunset on a budget
Sunset River Cruise
1.5 hours through the canals with nibbles and a bar.
See this cruise →Your own boat
Private Sunset Sail
Two hours under sail with a grazing board and two drinks each.
See this charter →The buffet dinner cruise is the evening out: a full meal, music and the skyline lit up, with an air-conditioned lower deck if the evening turns cool.
The sunset river cruise is the cheapest way onto the water at dusk, with cheese and crackers, a bar, and dolphins and sea eagles to look out for. It has disabled access, but the toilets are not wheelchair accessible.
Sun Sailing’s private charter costs US$693 for the whole yacht, which for a group of 10 is about US$69 each, and includes sparkling wine, beer or soft drinks, two each, with a grazing board of prawns, cheese and fruit.
Tweed Eco Cruises sails on the Tweed River across the New South Wales border with a local musician and a grazing box. It runs on Queensland time, rain or shine.
Practical: more for an evening out
For a show after dark, the dinner show page compares Dracula’s cabaret in Broadbeach with the coast’s other nights out. For a daytime cruise with the whales from June to October, see whale watching tours.
Guest Reviews
What Recent Guests Say
4.6/5
from 472 verified reviews
"Very well done. The personal care professional thoughtful in customer care re needs being met. Awareness of my need of gluten free option as I’m a celiac was the best I’ve ever experienced in my life and I’m 63. Well in 2 days time that is. The food delicious the musician entertaining and the drinks cold and hit great. Just loved the experience on top of the ship as it was so relaxing the atmosphere great. Thank you"
"great staff, great food, well organised, great cruise. would recommend to anyone. Thanks heaps guys."
"Had a great cruise. Great food, plenty to eat and a bar on board"
"Absolutely amazing food and cocktails! Was such a great night for mine and my partner’s anniversary"
"We celebrated our wedding anniversary and had such an amazing time! The food was fantastic, with the lamb and mint jelly being my favourite, along with the delicious couscous salad. There was also plenty of food to go around, which was great. My only suggestion would be to have a professional photographer on board to capture special moments throughout the experience, with the option to purchase the photos afterwards. I think that would be a lovely addition. Overall, it was a wonderful night spent celebrating our anniversary with my husband. Massive shoutout to Allan and Piper for their amazing hospitality and fantastic service. They really made the experience extra special. ❤️"
"Loved every minute of it. Seeing the lights of the high rises was beautiful and the meal was delicious.Going on to top deck after dinner and listening to music while admiring the sights was great."
"The meal was excellent, the music very gentle, and the crew lovely!"
Read all 472 verified reviews
See All ReviewsPick a Date, See the Price
Most activities on this site cancel free up to 24 hours ahead (checked October 2026). Some hinterland tours need two days' notice, and the Dreamworld and SkyPoint tickets cannot be refunded, so read the terms before you pay. Starting from US$92 per person.
Check AvailabilityFAQ: Dinner and Sunset Cruises on the Gold Coast
Prices, menus, length and the private option, as of October 2026.
From US$90 a person for the 2.5-hour buffet dinner cruise on the Broadwater, as of October 2026. Drinks are extra from the licensed bar. A sunset river cruise without dinner costs from US$23, and a private sunset sail for up to 10 from US$693 for the boat. See the buffet dinner cruise.
A chef-prepared buffet with hot and cold dishes, fruit and dessert. The menu lists grilled calamari, chicken, roast lamb, barramundi in coconut bisque, Gold Coast king prawns and mussels, with vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and lactose-free dishes marked. The full menu is on the dinner cruise page.
2.5 hours for the buffet dinner cruise; 1.5 hours for the sunset river cruise; 2 hours for the private sail and the Tweed River cruise. The dinner cruise passes Marina Mirage, the Home of the Arts, Sea World and Palazzo Versace with commentary. For the shortest evening, book the sunset river cruise.
For value, Surfers Paradise River Cruises' 1.5-hour sunset cruise, from US$23 as of October 2026 and rated 4.6 from 646 reviews. It includes cheese, crackers and nibbles, with a bar on board. For a group, the private sunset sailing charter takes up to 10 with drinks and a grazing board.
Yes: a local musician plays live on the buffet dinner cruise, and the crew gives commentary. The Tweed River sunset cruise also has a local musician. For a full show after dinner, see the dinner show page, or book the dinner cruise.
Yes: Sun Sailing's 2-hour private sunset charter costs from US$693 for up to 10 people as of October 2026. It includes two drinks each, from sparkling wine, beer or soft drinks, and a grazing board with prawns, cheese and fruit; smoking and vaping are not allowed. See the private charter.
Partly: the boat has disabled access, but its toilets are not wheelchair accessible. It is listed as not suitable for wheelchair users. The buffet dinner cruise has an air-conditioned lower deck with full amenities; ask the operator about access before booking.
Yes: Sea World Cruises' 2-hour lunch cruise with a tropical buffet and king prawns costs from US$62 as of October 2026, rated 4.8 from 693 reviews. It sails the same Broadwater route by day. See the buffet lunch cruise.
Still have questions? Email us at info@goldcoastactivities.com