Cruises

Sunset Cruise with Live Music every Thursday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday through Labor Day

Looking for a fun way to end your fun day in Wilmington? Look no further! Come aboard The “Wilmington”, our comfortable 49 passenger motor catamaran, for a Sunset Cruise on the Cape Fear River. Our full bar offers refreshments and snacks for all ages.

Whether you are looking for a special setting for a date night or looking to enjoy some quality time with family and friends, our Sunset Cruise is the perfect choice for an evening activity on the Cape Fear River.

This is a one-of-a-kind music venue in Wilmington and this is one of our most popular excursions, so be sure to book early! This is a 90 minute cruise. Boarding 15 minutes prior. Check our Tour Calendar for the featured musicians for each cruise.

Join us on a scenic 50-minute narrated eco-history cruise featuring views of unspoiled nature and a variety of wildlife daily.

Unwind with a scenic cruise aboard The Wilmington, a comfortable, fully enclosed 49-passenger catamaran offering panoramic views of the Cape Fear River and surrounding landscapes. This leisurely evening cruise glides past Wilmington’s vibrant downtown waterfront and along the serene edges of Eagles Island, offering a front-row seat to a breathtaking sunset. Sip on a handcrafted cocktail or your favorite drink from our full-service bar while enjoying a laid-back soundtrack curated by the captain. As day turns to night, watch the river glow with the final golden light, then take in the charm of Wilmington lit up after dark. A perfect outing for couples, groups, and anyone looking to end the day in a beautiful way.

Join Dr. Chris Fonvielle Jr., Professor Emeritus in the Dept. of History at UNC Wilmington, for a fun- and fact-filled cruise.

This morning, two-hour cruise goes up the Northeast Cape Fear River to the upper reaches of the black water system of this storied river. Captain Doug Springer will share his extensive knowledge of the history of the area while you take in the flora and fauna along the river banks. We will cruise through the Castle Hayne Aquifer and by the bluffs of the Rose Hill Plantation. Visit our full bar for a freshly brewed cup of coffee or the best Bloody Mary on the river.

This is a great cruise for photographers, birders and nature buffs. Bring your camera to capture the untouched beauty of this early morning adventure.

Join Wilmington Water Tours and our wine expert, Lauren Dixon with Winebow, for a 90-min. wine tasting as you cruise the Cape Fear River with five wines paired with light bites.  If you like the wine you can buy a glass.  We have a full bar for refreshments. Bring your friends and family for this relaxing and informative cruise.

Do You Love Outlander?

Come aboard Wilmington Water Tours for a presentation of Outlander in the Cape Fear with Hunter Ingram, Asst. Dir. at Burgwin-Wright Museum. In conjunction with “Burgwin-Wright Presents…Outlander in the Cape Fear” and based on the books and TV series, Hunter will share how Wilmington played a role in the series–all while cruising the Cape Fear River. Our full bar offers snacks and refreshments for all ages. This is a popular cruise and will sell out, $40. There is a second cruise at Noon on this day as well.

Whether you’re a novice or a long-time nature lover, you are sure to appreciate the birdlife our area has to offer.  Get out on the Cape Fear River with Wilmington Water Tours for this Specialty Cruise with local bird expert Jill Peleuses from Wild Bird and Garden.  Enjoy a continental breakfast on board.

This is a 90 min. cruise from 10am to 11:30am.

The Wilmington is available for private charters, wedding receptions, dinner cruises, corporate functions, planning committees, birthdays, family reunions, church groups, and tour groups.

Wilmington Water Tours Presents!

In addition to their sold out Wilmington Film History Cruises, Wilmington Water Tours has added a new Horror Movie-themed Cruise just in time for the Fall Halloween Season. This cruise will take a closer look at projects like “Firestarter”, “Silver Bullet”, “Scream”, “Halloween Kills”, “Sleepy Hollow”, “I Know What You Did Last Summer”, and “The Night Flier”. Hunter Ingram, film/TV writer, will bring some scary insights into these films shot locally in and around Wilmington.

Local Film History Cruise aboard Wilmington Water Tours

There’s nothing quite like the Wilmington film industry, and its story is one made for the big screen. Join Wilmington Water Tours and film/TV writer Hunter Ingram for a cinematic river cruise through the history of local film, with behind-the-scenes insight into local projects like “Firestarter,” “Dawson’s Creek,” “One Tree Hill,” “Sleepy Hollow,” “Iron Man 3,” “The Conjuring,” “Scream,” “I Know What You Did Last Summer,” and the newest addition to ILM’s Hollywood legacy, Netflix’s “The Waterfront.” This is our most popular cruise yet and we added the Noon cruise!

This is Wilmington’s only Christmas ghost story that takes place on the Cape Fear river. The story follows a Christmas Eve cruise that encounters a ghostly presence with ties to the Revolutionary war.

This Cape Fear river cruise is like no other. Dr.Fonvielle lives & breathes the history of the Cape Fear area, and makes sure he tells you some folk lore. Join us on Wilmington Water Tours for this fascinating History Cruise.

Experience Civil War History as shared by Dr. Chris Fonvielle, Professor Emeritus , Dept. of History, UNCW. On this cruise you will meet Rose O’Neal Greenhow, the D.C. Socialite who ran a Confederate Spy Ring during the Civil War. Dr. Chris will open your eyes to all that was nefarious during these times and how Wilmington played a role in the Civil War. Come aboard our comfortable 49 passenger motor catamaran with a full bar with refreshments and snacks for all ages.