Very beautiful cruise, you can take very beautiful photos but it only lasts 1h15, not 1h30. The staff is very friendly.
Grand Harbour Cruise





At a glance
- Duration
- 1h 30min
- Price from
- $23 / person
- Location
- Malta
- Rating
- 3.7 / 5 · 23 reviews
- Languages
- DE, DE, EN, EN
- Group
- Small group, up to 197
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
- Confirmation
- Instant
- Ticket
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Operator
- V. Tabone Travel
- Meeting point
- iSeeMalta red harbour catamaran ferry boat operated by Captain Morgan from Sliema (Google map Plus Code: WG52+8WC, Sliema, opposite Sliema Hotel by ST Hotels, 59 The Strand, Sliema).
Description
Join us on a 90 minute cruise of Malta's Grand Harbour and Marsamxett Harbour, the two natural harbours either side of Valletta, on a state of the art, eco-friendly, 20 metre, harbour catamaran ferry boat. Relive Malta's gallant history with a detailed live commentary in English and German, unfolding the history between the two Great Sieges of 1565 and 1942. Enjoy fantastic views of the magnificent forts, battlements, creeks and skylines of Valletta and the Three Cities - this is a great opportunity for some superb photos. Sit outdoors or indoors in air-conditioned comfort. Free WiFi and restroom facilities are available on board and food and drinks are available to purchase. Choose from various departure times starting your cruise from Sliema. Either stay on board for the 90 minute cruise back to Sliema or hop-off at the Esplora Interactive Science Centre in Kalkara to visit the science centre and the Three Cities and then hop-on later to return to Sliema.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Board the state of the art, eco-friendly, 20 metre, red iSee Malta harbour catamaran ferry boat operated by Captain Morgan, moored at the Ferries in Marsamxett Harbour in Sliema. Arrive early since boat boarding is on a first come first served basis. Relive Malta's gallant history with a detailed live commentary in English and German. Enjoy and take photos of the fantastic views of the magnificent forts, battlements, creeks and skyline of Valletta. Marsamxett Harbour is a natural harbour located to the north of the larger Grand Harbour bounded by Tigné Point in Sliema and extending to Gżira, Ta' Xbiex, Pietà and Msida. Off Gżira lies Manoel Island, which is connected to the mainland by a bridge. The south eastern shore of the harbour is formed by the Sciberras peninsula, largely covered by the capital city Valletta. At its tip lies the 16th century Fort Saint Elmo.
The fortress captial city Valletta on the Sciberras peninsula, divides Marsamxett Harbour from the larger parallel natural harbour, Grand Harbour. The use of Grand harbour dates back to prehistoric times to circa 3700 BC. The Grand Harbour has been described as Malta's greatest geographic asset. Grand Harbour is bounded to the north Saint Elmo Point and the bastions of Valletta, and is bounded to the south by Ricasoli Point and the Three Cities of Cospicua, Vittoriosa, and Senglea. Fort Saint Angelo in Vittoriosa was the base for the Order of Saint John for 268 years, from 1530 to 1798. The area was the scene of much of the fighting in the Great Siege of Malta of 1565 when the Ottomans attempted to eject the Order of St. John but were ultimately defeated. The area was heavily bombed during the Second Siege of Malta during World War II, as the docks and military installations around the port became targets, causing a large number of civilian casualties.
The harbour cruise starts from Sliema. You can either stay on board for the 90 minute cruise back to Sliema or (weather permitting) hop-off at the Esplora Interactive Science Centre in Kalkara to visit the science centre and the Three Cities and then hop-on later from Esplora at 11:40, 13:40 or 15:55 to return to Sliema. Esplora Interactive Science Centre is a fun, recreational and educational interactive space for visitors of all ages. Over 200 indoor and outdoor interactive science exhibits make science fun. An exciting Activity Centre allows visitors to experience hands-on workshops and entertaining science shows. Esplora’s stunning Planetarium includes a Colour space 4K theatre showing full-dome shows and live presenter-led visualizations of astronomy and other sciences. Visitors are encouraged to explore, think and imagine as they immerse themselves in a positive and exciting interactive experience.
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Cancellation
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Frequently asked questions
How long does Grand Harbour Cruise take?
Grand Harbour Cruise lasts about 1h 30min. The itinerary has 3 stops.
How much does Grand Harbour Cruise cost?
Prices start at $23 per person for this Malta experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. There is 1 booking option, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
Can I cancel Grand Harbour Cruise for free?
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
Where does the tour start?
The meeting point is iSeeMalta red harbour catamaran ferry boat operated by Captain Morgan from Sliema (Google map Plus Code: WG52+8WC, Sliema, opposite Sliema Hotel by ST Hotels, 59 The Strand, Sliema). Hotel pickup is not part of this experience.
What languages is Grand Harbour Cruise offered in?
The experience is available in DE, DE, EN, EN.
Is this a private or a group tour?
It is a small-group experience with a maximum of 197 participants.
Is the tour suitable for children?
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Will my booking be confirmed immediately?
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
Is Grand Harbour Cruise worth it?
Travellers rate it 3.7 out of 5 across 23 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor; it is run by V. Tabone Travel.
Reviews(23)
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
Don’t waste your time. Not very informative. The commentary was mostly in French. The English commentary never mentioned the war or crusades or Napoleon. We cancelled another trip by the same group. They’re difficult to get to from Valletta.
The handling until the end was flawless. The team on board gave their best. The guide's English and German skills were good, and he explained everything perfectly. I would have liked to ride for another hour. Thank you very much
It was educational, offered spectacular views and it lasted an ideal amount of time. The trip was not too long not too short.
Firstly you are told the wrong place to meet the activity to complete the tour. We were told to meet opposite the M&S store when in fact, it was opposite The Londoner Pub. The email received advertised the tour as the following: Find attached your confirmation voucher for Grand Harbour and Marsamxett Harbour catamaran boat cruise from the 'Captain Morgan Harbour Cruise' at The Strand, Sliema (Google map Plus Code: WG53+GW Sliema) opposite M&S Marks & Spencer Sliema departing at 10:30 or 12:30 or 14:45. The whole cruise was boring and what makes it worse is the fact that Malta is a lot richer in history. Would not waste £40 again for this tour, waste of time and money
Thank you for your feedback. We are sorry to hear that the experience did not meet your expectations. Please note that the standard departure point is indeed opposite the M&S, as indicated in your confirmation email. However, due to weather conditions on the day of your cruise, the departure point was temporarily relocated approximately 300 metres away/a 4-minute walk, as communicated by staff on site. We understand that this may have caused some confusion and inconvenience, and we appreciate your understanding in such cases where safety and operational flexibility are required.
Interesting views but big disappointment because no English translation of the comments or audio guide. Avoid for non-bilinguals
Great cruise, very interesting and informative. We thourghally enjoyed it. Very good value for money, we would definitely recommend it.
Excellent overall view of Malta from the water. English ability by your operator was average…difficult to understand at times.
Very disappointing. It’s hard to see how they can have made such a poor job of this wonderful tour. The views are really spectacular and these harbours are full of interesting history, so what can go wrong? The English commentary was really poor, delivered in a monotonous, dreary voice and in an accent that most of our group of 30 intelligent English tourists couldn’t understand. Those who spoke German said that it was better! Most people turned off completely so I can’t comment on the content delivered but we didn’t come back with much interesting background or history. The red two deck catamaran is too big to do this job and so a large portion of people have to sit in seats that don’t afford a clear view or make it easy to take photos, especially as some passengers often stood up to take their own photos blocking the view of those in inner seats. If you get a good view from side seats ok but I can’t recommend this cruise if you want to learn any history. It’s clearly a very popular and commercially successful trip but this sort of “industrial tourism” is not giving a good service.
Splendid views of the harbour and Grand Harbour with informative commentary, although sometimes a little difficult to hear/ understand. A pre-recorded commentary might be better. However, overall, good value for money and worth experiencing.
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