Safaris
1–2 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
from
£38
per adult
Cork Harbour Boat Hire
Cork Harbour Boat Hire
5
Adrenaline & Extreme ToursBoat ToursWater SportsBoat HireSpeed Boats Tours
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About
Cork Harbour Boat Hire allows you to explore the vast depths of Cork Harbour on a fantastic boating adventure. This is an ideal day out in Cork for groups of all ages and sizes, with the easy to drive boats making it very easy to navigate the waters with Cork Harbour Boat Hire. There is so much to explore in Cork Harbour, and this fantastic boat trip is an ideal way to take in the fresh sea air and see another side of Cork. The waters of Cork Harbour are full of fascinating history and captivating sights. With a vast array of wildlife known to inhabit the region, you will have great fun trying to spot all the different birds and sea creatures. Take a trip around Spike Island, the old monastic settlement and prison which resides in the middle of Cork Harbour. Cork Harbour Boat Hire makes this wonderful adventure on the open seas straightforward and accessible for everyone. These easy to drive boats make it possible for anyone to enjoy a brisk sail around Cork Harbour. With tours ranging from one hour to three and four hour adventure tours, there is something to suit groups of all ages. You will receive full training before setting out on the water, ensuring everyone can enjoy their trip around Cork Harbour safely. Cork Harbour Boat Hire are now open in Cork City and are based at The Port of Cork Marina. Take a trip under some of the historic bridges of Cork right up to the Franciscan Well or take a trip to Blackrock Castle and maybe spot a seal or two on your way! No matter which route you take, you are guaranteed an enjoyable boat trip. Our tours are led by a fully qualified safety boat guide, who allows you to independently explore and discover Cork Harbour while showcasing the Harbours natural beauty. From the water visit the Irish Naval base, cruise past Spike Island, spot the sights; St.Colman’s Cathedral, Cobh’s seaside Promenade, view the historic White Star line ticket office and original pier where the last Titanic passengers disembarked on its fatal voyage and more all while skippering your very own boat.
Cork, County Cork, Ireland
Awards
Travellers' Choice
2024
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Ports of Call Tours
1 hour
Free cancellation
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from
£68
per group
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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5.0
540 reviews
Excellent
518
Very good
17
Average
3
Poor
2
Terrible
0
Fiona B
1 contribution
Aug 2020 • Friends
I did this the last two weekends once when it was sunny and the second time when it was a bit foggy and both times were absolutely amazing. I would highly recommend giving this a try if you visit cobh I know I’ll definitely be doing it again. The staff are so friendly and helpful. The life jackets are sanitised between use and the boats are very well maintained. Great experience for all ages.
Written 16 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
crashburns_raffo
Dublin, Ireland29 contributions
Sept 2022 • Family
Highly recommended…Family of seven inc young children and teens/young adults..
Had to hire 2 boats to accommodate but experience was fantastic and everyone really enjoyed.
Boats are extremely easy to use,very safe and guide following in his boat was very attentive and informative..
Wonderful activity and I recommend anybody to try it out
Had to hire 2 boats to accommodate but experience was fantastic and everyone really enjoyed.
Boats are extremely easy to use,very safe and guide following in his boat was very attentive and informative..
Wonderful activity and I recommend anybody to try it out
Written 18 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Róisín
5 contributions
Aug 2022 • Friends
A great addition to Cobh! Myself and my three friends booked the 6.30pm slot for the self driving boats. In total there was about four or five boats out with us with the instructors in front. A great trip out on the water, went all the way out around Spike Island. Would recommend to anyone, especially an evening slot as the setting sunlight reflecting on the water was stunning!!
Written 30 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Gary S
2 contributions
Aug 2021 • Family
I have done the self drive boats for the last number of years with the family and always enjoyed it but this year was different, it seemed like they didn't want you to have fun.
Normally there are a few points that the 'tour' will hit - the Spit Lighthouse, the back of Haulbowlin, the Maritime College in the hope of spotting seals. They'll give you a rally point where the group is headed and ask you not to go any further. Once all the group is there they give a little talk (1 or 2 minutes) about points of interest and then it's off to the next rally point. If you were one of the first boats to the rally point you could drive around a bit until everyone had caught up.
This time though there was no talk(s) - understandable as all we did was go in a straight line parallel to the shore. Any time our boat got level with the leader's boat we were told to slow down, which we did thinking we must be about the change direction but no, on we went in the straight line, we just weren't allowed to pass. These boats have limited speed (understandably as anyone can drive them- complete novices or even children and this is what makes the fun) and normally you would spend most of your trip at full throttle. However, this time around, that was not the case as we plodded along.
Normally I give this a 5 star rating but after the increase in the cost and the under whelming experience, 3 is all it deserves this time around. Don't get me wrong, there is still some enjoyment to be had and the kids will get a kick out of being able to drive, but it used to be so much better.
Normally there are a few points that the 'tour' will hit - the Spit Lighthouse, the back of Haulbowlin, the Maritime College in the hope of spotting seals. They'll give you a rally point where the group is headed and ask you not to go any further. Once all the group is there they give a little talk (1 or 2 minutes) about points of interest and then it's off to the next rally point. If you were one of the first boats to the rally point you could drive around a bit until everyone had caught up.
This time though there was no talk(s) - understandable as all we did was go in a straight line parallel to the shore. Any time our boat got level with the leader's boat we were told to slow down, which we did thinking we must be about the change direction but no, on we went in the straight line, we just weren't allowed to pass. These boats have limited speed (understandably as anyone can drive them- complete novices or even children and this is what makes the fun) and normally you would spend most of your trip at full throttle. However, this time around, that was not the case as we plodded along.
Normally I give this a 5 star rating but after the increase in the cost and the under whelming experience, 3 is all it deserves this time around. Don't get me wrong, there is still some enjoyment to be had and the kids will get a kick out of being able to drive, but it used to be so much better.
Written 17 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Gary, thank you for your review, I would like to take time to offer an explanation of our increased price and a reason behind a difference this year in your trip
Our cost increase of €10 is due to our insurance premium quadrupling due to brexit and insurance companies pulling out of Ireland leaving only 1 company that now has a monopoly over small businesses like ours
Our extra safety precautions on your particular trip would most likely be due to the extremely low tide and only a very limited area of deep water, when this happens the safety boat keeps everyone in a line behind him as he is using a GPS to let him know the channel of deep water
We pride ourselves on a 100% safety record with no expense spared on the maintenance and upkeep of our boats
Hopefully we will see you again in the future when the tide will be higher and the safety boat can give you a little more freedom
Regards
Richard
Owner
Written 18 August 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
MKMO38
Portlaoise, Ireland3 contributions
Jul 2021 • Couples
What a great experience! We really enjoyed the hour we had driving our boat. The staff were so friendly and made sure we were completely comfortable driving the boat before we set off. We were led out by a staff member on their own boat and as your confidence grew you were encouraged to relax a little and test out your driving skills. At all times we were under the watchful eye of our leader so you felt completely safe at all times. We would definitely do this again and would recommend it anyone.
Written 30 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
BezzyO
Waterford, Ireland6 contributions
Jun 2021 • Family
Great fun. The 2 guides were very relaxed and after they showed us the ropes and made sure we had our life jackets on properly, they left us enjoy the experience.
Self drive boats are easy to use, and you get a good hour spinning out to do a loop around spike island and back again.
Enough power in the boats to even do a few donuts. Really enjoyable experience. Will definitely be back.
Self drive boats are easy to use, and you get a good hour spinning out to do a loop around spike island and back again.
Enough power in the boats to even do a few donuts. Really enjoyable experience. Will definitely be back.
Written 6 June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Regina O
Cork, Ireland11 contributions
Jul 2021 • Family
Doing donuts in the boat! We were a family of 1 adult and 4 kids, ages ranging from 16 to 7 and everyone really enjoyed the experience. The staff are friendly and welcoming. We would recommend this experience, we plan to go back another day to do the speed boat experience
Written 1 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Veronica B
Ireland63 contributions
Jun 2021 • Family
Fantastic afternoon
spent on these boats. A full hour cruising around Cobh and Spike Island. At a cost of E60 for up to 5 people it was one of the cheapest trips we have done. Lovely way to take photos of Cobh Cathedral and the back of Spike Island not seen from land.
spent on these boats. A full hour cruising around Cobh and Spike Island. At a cost of E60 for up to 5 people it was one of the cheapest trips we have done. Lovely way to take photos of Cobh Cathedral and the back of Spike Island not seen from land.
Written 1 June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sherpa39104
7 contributions
Jul 2020 • Family
Absolutely fantastic family experience on the water around Cobh. Staff were amazing, social distancing and disinfecting the equipment was well adhered to. Excellent knowledge of the local area throughout the trip and a lot of thrills were had out on the open seas! Great value for money and couldn’t recommend this enough. Thanks guys for creating memories.
Written 23 July 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ger K
Cork, Ireland7 contributions
Aug 2020
Went on the High-Speed Rib tour of Cork Harbour...fantastic experience and brilliant views. Tour went from Cobh and took a big loop around pretty much the entire harbour and out to Nohoval. The staff took good hygiene precautions, cleaning and spraying between trips etc. Would definitely recommend for families with kids and anyone looking for a different view of Cork Harbour which us non-sailing type may never see.
Written 9 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
How much is it for 2 adults and a boy age 12? Could we come today ?
Written 14 July 2018
I believe it’s €49 for an hour trip! They run Monday to Sunday. You would be better off calling them on 0860747926 to make a booking as they can book out. I would definitely recommend the tour!
Written 15 July 2018
I have a toddler , is there any place to park the buggy on the boat or seat to strap him in?
Written 26 June 2017
Sorry only came across your question today, yes you can leave the buggy in or by the booking hut, there are no straps on the boat but this is normal on all boats, he or she will be very safe on your lap or sitting beside you.
Regards Richard
Written 30 July 2017
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*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.