Cardiff Boat Tours, Ltd
BEST FOR
Ages 3+
ENTRY
from £4
WHERE
Cardiff
What it’s like
A boat trip round Cardiff Bay and the city centre, either a one-way hop or a full hour staying on board.
You board at one point and either get off at the other end, or stay put for the full hour and come back to where you started. Either way it's the same view doing the work: Cardiff Bay opening out, then the city centre from the water, which is a different angle on the place than you get from a pushchair on the pavement.
Kids from three go free-ish in the sense that under-threes aren't charged at all, and from three to sixteen it's £4 one way or £8 for the hour. A family ticket (two adults, up to three kids) works out at £21 one way or £42 for the round trip, which is fair enough for an hour's entertainment that doesn't involve you saying "five more minutes" every five minutes. There's no booking link online, you pay on board as you get on, though you can ring or email ahead if you'd rather sort it in advance.
The one thing that'll catch some families out: wheelchairs aren't carried, and full-size pushchairs are a no-go too. Only small, folded lightweight buggies get a look-in, and even then it's down to how much space the boat master's got that trip. If you're travelling with a bulky pram, you're better off carrying a toddler on the day and leaving the wheels in the car.
For a three or four-year-old, the hour round trip is probably the better call over the one-way, since staying on board means no faffing about with a second boarding point and you get double the boat time for not much more money.
Need to know
- Best for
- 3 to 16, though under-3s are free to bring along too
- Booking
- Pay on board. Advance bookings by email or phone
- Pushchairs
- Lightweight buggies only, must be folded and carried on board
- Wheelchairs
- Cannot be carried on board
- Worth knowing
- Children 3 years and under go free
- Pay on board only, no online payments accepted
- Under-3s travel free
- Wheelchairs and large pushchairs can't be carried, only small folded buggies at the boat master's discretion
- Ring or email ahead if you'd rather book before turning up
Plan your visit
How much are tickets?
£8 for an adult one way, £4 for a child aged 3 to 16. The one hour round trip is £16 for an adult and £8 for a child, and a family ticket (2 adults, up to 3 kids) is £21 one way or £42 for the round trip.
Do we need to book ahead?
There's no online booking. You pay on board as you get on, though you can ring or email in advance if you want to sort it before the day.
Can we bring a pushchair?
Only small, lightweight buggies that fold down, and it's down to the boat master on the day how many they can fit in. Full-size pushchairs and wheelchairs can't go on board at all.
Is it OK for a toddler?
Children aged 3 and under travel free, so it's an easy one to take a small one along to. Just bear in mind the buggy situation if yours isn't a lightweight fold-up.
Can we buy a one way ticket and come back later?
No, you buy your ticket as you board each trip, either a single one way or a round trip where you stay on board for the hour.
How long does the trip take?
The round trip is an hour and you stay on board throughout. The one way option is quicker but you'll need a plan for getting back.
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