Miami boat tours: the 90-minute bay cruise, the speedboat and the night run
Which Miami boat tour to book from Bayside: 90-minute bay cruises from $26.99, a 45-minute speedboat and night trips, with prices checked October 2026.
In breve
- Classic city tour: Island Queen's Millionaire's Row cruise: 90 minutes, $35 adults, $25 ages 4 to 12.
- Cheapest bay cruise: Miami Skyline Cruises: 90 minutes from $26.99, bilingual guides.
- Fastest: Thriller speedboat: 45 minutes, out into the ocean, from $40 on its own site.
- Night tour: Skyline's night cruise $29.99; Thriller's Miami River night tour from $35.
- Where they leave: All of these board at Bayside Marketplace, 401 Biscayne Blvd.
For a first look at Miami from the water, book a 90-minute bay cruise from Bayside past Star Island and Fisher Island; pick the Thriller speedboat only if you want speed and spray more than commentary.
Pick the boat tour by what you want out of it
| First trip, want the classic sights | A 90-minute Millionaire's Row cruise with Island Queen or Miami Skyline Cruises |
| Kids who get bored fast | El Loro, the pirate-ship sightseeing cruise run by Miami Aqua Tours |
| Speed and the open ocean | Thriller's 45-minute speedboat, ages 3 and up |
| Spanish-speaking group | Miami Skyline Cruises: live guides in English and Spanish on every sailing |
| After dark | Skyline's night cruise on the bay, or Thriller's Miami River tour under the city lights |
| Drinks are the point | Miami Aqua Tours' 2-hour night cruise with open bar, 21 and over, from $45 |
Bayside boat tours compared
| Tour | Length | Price | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Island Queen: Millionaire's Row | 90 min | $35 adult, $25 ages 4 to 12, $5 ages 3 and under | Exchange your e-voucher at a Bayside booth 45 minutes before; non-refundable |
| Miami Skyline Cruises: day cruise | 90 min | $26.99 adult, $19.99 ages 4 to 12 | Bilingual guides; mojito bar on board; under 4 free |
| Miami Skyline Cruises: night cruise | 90 min | $29.99 adult, $23.99 child | 8 pm on weekends in summer, 7:30 pm in winter |
| Miami Aqua Tours: El Loro pirate cruise | 1 hr 20 min | From $35 | Same bay route; pirate hats for kids |
| Miami Aqua Tours: night cruise, open bar | 2 hours | From $45 | 21 and over; champagne, wine and beer included |
| Thriller: speedboat | 45 min | From $40 | Runs out into the Atlantic; ages 3 and up |
| Thriller: Miami River tour | 45 min | From $35 | River, Brickell and Brickell Key; also runs at night |
These are the operators' own posted prices before tax and fees. Reseller sites list the same tours at different prices, so compare before you pay.
islandqueencruises.com, miamiskylinecruises.com, miamiaquatours.com and thrillermiami.com, checked October 2026
The Millionaire's Row cruise, and what you actually see
Most Miami boat tours are the same 90-minute loop with different boats. You leave Bayside Marketplace, pass the downtown skyline and PortMiami, swing past Fisher Island and the islands off Miami Beach, and slow down along the waterfront homes on Star Island that the operators sell as Millionaire's Row. A guide talks you through who owns or owned which house. Then you come back the same way.
Island Queen Cruises, the largest operator at Bayside, lists the tour at $35 for adults, $25 for children 4 to 12 and $5 for babies 3 and under. From November 1, 2026 to March 14, 2027 it runs a winter timetable: weekday sailings from 10:30 am to 5 pm, weekends to 6 pm. Seating is first come, not assigned.
The catch is the check-in. You have to swap your online voucher for a paper boarding pass at an Island Queen ticket booth inside Bayside, not in the boarding line, at least 45 minutes before departure, or you are marked a no-show. Tickets are transferable but not refundable. Snacks, soft drinks and cocktails are sold on board; outside food and coolers are not allowed.
Miami Skyline Cruises
Miami Skyline Cruises runs the same 90-minute sightseeing loop as everyone else at Bayside, but its posted prices are the lowest we found: $26.99 for adults and $19.99 for children 4 to 12 on morning and afternoon sailings, with children 3 and under free. In summer it sails more than ten times a day between 10:30 am and 5:30 pm.
Every cruise has live guides in English and Spanish, and a mojito bar run by a separate vendor takes cash, cards and Apple Pay. Check in at the window marked for Bayride Tours tickets at least 30 minutes before departure. The meeting point is on the waterside behind Victoria's Secret.
Thriller Miami Speedboat Adventures
Thriller is the answer if a slow double-decker sounds like a nap. Its speedboat tour lasts 45 minutes, passes Star Island, Fisher Island and the Art Deco side of South Beach, and then runs out into the Atlantic. Its own site lists it from $40, for ages 3 and up, with $10 off the 10 and 10:30 am departures.
Expect to get wet and expect less commentary than on a big boat. Thriller also runs a 45-minute Miami River tour from $35 past Brickell and Brickell Key, which doubles as its night trip.
Night boat tours: bay lights or the Miami River
A night tour is a different trip. Instead of mansions, you see the lit skyline from the water, and the heat is gone. There are two kinds.
On the bay, Miami Skyline Cruises runs a 90-minute night cruise at $29.99 for adults and $23.99 for children: at 8 pm on weekends in summer and at 7:30 pm in winter. Miami Aqua Tours sails a 2-hour night skyline cruise with an open bar of champagne, wine and beer, from $45, for guests 21 and over only.
On the river, Thriller's Miami River tour goes up the narrow Miami River between the Brickell and downtown towers at idle speed, with commentary on the Tequesta and on the city's growth. It lasts 45 minutes and its own site lists it from $35. Miami On The Water resells it as a 45-minute night cruise from $45, so book on Thriller's page if price matters.
New Year's Eve is its own thing: Thriller lists separate fireworks and city-lights trips on December 31. Book those early and expect higher prices.
Island Queen Cruises & Tours
Island Queen is the name most first-timers meet at Bayside. Its Millionaire's Row cruise is bilingual and fully narrated, 90 minutes long, and sails roughly every hour through the day.
It also sells combos with Big Bus Tours and a Vizcaya sunset cruise. If you buy a combo, the boat check-in rule still applies: boarding pass from the booth 45 minutes before your time.
Prima di andare
- All of these boats leave from Bayside Marketplace at 401 Biscayne Blvd. Give yourself time to park; our Bayside parking guide covers the garage.
- Check-in is earlier than you think: 45 minutes before with Island Queen, 30 minutes with Miami Skyline Cruises.
- Island Queen tickets are non-refundable. Book online only when your plans are fixed.
- Afternoon sun on an open top deck is strong. Bring a hat and sunscreen even in winter.
- Drinks are sold on board, not included, except on Miami Aqua Tours' open-bar night cruise.
Dove sono
Domande frequenti
How much is a boat tour in Miami?
A 90-minute bay cruise from Bayside costs $26.99 per adult with Miami Skyline Cruises and $35 with Island Queen, as posted in October 2026. Thriller's 45-minute speedboat starts at $40.
How long is the Miami boat tour?
The standard Millionaire's Row sightseeing cruise lasts 90 minutes. Miami Aqua Tours' version runs 1 hour 20 minutes, and Thriller's speedboat and river tours last 45 minutes.
Is there a night boat tour in Miami?
Yes. Miami Skyline Cruises runs a 90-minute night cruise on the bay for $29.99, Thriller runs a Miami River tour after dark from $35, and Miami Aqua Tours has a 2-hour open-bar night cruise for ages 21 and up.
Where do Miami boat tours leave from?
The main sightseeing cruises board at Bayside Marketplace, 401 Biscayne Blvd in downtown Miami. Each operator has its own booth and meeting point inside Bayside.
Are Miami boat tours in Spanish?
Miami Skyline Cruises has live guides in English and Spanish on every sailing, and Island Queen's Millionaire's Row cruise is bilingual.
Altre guide
Sunset cruises in Miami: prices, departure times and the winter timing catchDowntown · Boat tours · Sunset · 6 min di letturaBayside Marketplace parking: the garage, event nights and the free ways inDowntown · Parking · Downtown · 4 min di lettura
Jet ski and boat rentals in Miami: where they leave from and what they costOn the water · Jet ski · 6 min di letturaPrices, durations and rules from islandqueencruises.com (Millionaire's Row page), miamiskylinecruises.com, miamiaquatours.com, thrillermiami.com and miamionthewater.com; checked October 2026.