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Australia Day Showboat Lunch Cruise

Australia Day is an amazing day to experience down at Sydney Harbour, even more so when you enjoy it from the wrap-around verandas of an authentic paddlewheeler! Experience the thrill of the 2018 Ferrython race, the RAAF flyover, Navy search and rescue and other events throughout the cruise. The Showboat Australia Day package includes a 3-hour lunch cruise with a deluxe buffet.

Sydney Showboats are large paddlewheelers with wrap-around verandas on each level and a large top deck for viewing the Australia Day celebrations. This unique, purpose-built vessel is pillarless and has large cathedral windows to enjoy the festivities while you enjoy the deluxe buffet lunch in the air-conditioned dining saloon.

Do appreciate that Australia Day is one of the busiest days on the harbour and we will make every endeavour to be in a good location for you to enjoy some of the spectacular events of the day.

HARBOUR EVENTS ON AUSTRALIA DAY

10:45am: FERRYTHON
See Sydney's beloved first fleet green and gold ferries (dressed and decorated) race from Shark Island to the finish line under the Harbour Bridge (We don't chase the ferries)
11:30am: SALUTE TO AUSTRALIA
21-Gun Salute to pay tribute to Australia
11:50am: RAAF FLYOVER
Red Berets and Russian Roolettes Flyover
12:05pm: TUG AND YACHT BALLET
A display of a fleet of 10 yachts and 10 powerful tug boats moving in unison to a musical score
12:45pm: AUSTRALIA DAY HARBOUR PARADE
Watch the parade of brightly decorated ships & vessels and pick your personal favourite
1:00pm: TALL SHIPS PARADE
See Sydney's Tall Ships as they race to the finish under the Harbour Bridge
1:30pm: AUSTRALIA DAY REGATTA
Enjoy one of the oldest regattas as over 100 boats race to the finish line
2:00pm: IN THE SKY: RED BERETS AND RUSSIAN ROOLETTES
Another chance to catch the Red Berets and Russian Roolettes in action

*Events based on the Australia Day 2017 harbour events

*Odd number bookings (e.g.1, 3, 5, 7 guests) may be subject to shared tables

King Street Wharf

Boarding

10:15

Departure

10:45

Return

14:00

Cruise Inclusions

Buffet lunch, freshly prepared on board
Lunch cruise on a fully air-conditioned vessel
Beverages available for purchase from the fully licensed bar on board
Reserved tables & restaurant style seating (shared seating for odd number bookings)
Great views of the Australia Day harbour events

Cruise Highlights & Points of Interest

A truly memorable Australia Day celebration on Sydney Harbour
Amazing views of the Sydney icons – Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House
Take in the views of Sydney Harbour from the outer decks
See the Ferrython, the RAAF Flyover, Navy Search and Rescue

Cruise Additional Information

Arrive at the wharf 15 minutes prior to boarding time
Suggested dress code: Australia Day colours of green and gold
Guests are welcome to the wheelhouse (please seek Captain’s permission)
Odd number bookings (e.g.1, 3, 5, 7 guests) may be subject to shared tables
For more information on the vessel, please contact the Captain on board
We recommend comfortable shoes (no high heels)
Please check the weather conditions prior to travel as jackets may be required
Cruise program and schedule is subject to change
There are no baby-changing facilities on board
Beverage service for the duration of the cruise: Service begins from boarding (a selection of beer, wine & soft drinks) and stops 15 minutes prior to the end of cruise
We strictly adhere to NSW Responsible Service of Alcohol Guidelines
Our captain will make every endeavour to position the vessel to see the Australia Day events, however, we are unable to guarantee the location which may be affected by various factors beyond our control (harbour traffic, weather, wind, etc.
We offer a buffet menu on this cruise. We do not offer special dietary menus. The buffet menu is designed to cater for the majority of guest expectations. Please refer to our menus online before you make your booking
As all the dishes are prepared in our on board galley, we cannot give 100% guarantee that certain ingredients will not be in our dishes e.g. nuts etc.
For serious food allergies, we request our customers to make their own decision on selecting dishes from the buffet. Our staff comments are only to assist you in choosing your dishes, however, the final decision must rest with you. The company explicitly accepts no liability
Please note that whilst we are delighted to welcome well-behaved children on board our vessels/cruising restaurants, we do not provide high chairs due to safety reasons. If you have infants, like an airline, you must book and pay the relevant price and declare at time of booking, as they must be included in the manifest. If infants are booked, we will facilitate extra space for stroller or pram on request.
All of our special event cruises are usually in high demand and fully booked prior to cruise date. The seating arrangements on board various cruises are planned by our Cruise Directors well in advance. If you have any special requests to be seated next to a particular group/friends booked on the same cruise, please advise us 7 days prior to cruise date.

Cruise Menu

ENTRÉE PLATTER (Served to the table)

Smoked salmon I Selection of cold meats I Samosas
Salad of asparagus, mozzarella and grape tomatoes | Veg Samosas (Vegetarian – on request)

BUFFET (Cruise Director invites guests to the buffet)

Medium king prawns served on ice
Sirloin with mushroom jus
Honey-glazed ham platter
Breast of chicken drizzled with butter chicken sauce
Spanish-style mussels and calamari
Panko-crusted barramundi
Oven honey-roasted vegetables
Classic potato au gratin
Orecchiette with pesto and pine nuts
Hokkien vegetable noodles

SALADS

Kale and quinoa salad
Beetroot and goat cheese salad
Traditional potato salad
Chinese cabbage and crisp noodle salad

Basmati rice and bread rolls

DESSERTS (Served alternately to the table)

Vanilla bean panna cotta and chocolate cake
Seasonal fruit platter
Cheese platter, crackers, dried fruits and quince paste
Lamington platter

* Indicative menu only. Items may be subject to change without notice
* Requests for dietary (gluten-free, nut-free, dairy-free), substitutions and modifications of menus on board our cruises will be politely declined, as we have an on board kitchen and our kitchen team is required to serve the menus within a required time period, of the respective cruises. All our cruises have at least one vegetarian menu option for seated & served menus and buffets also offer vegetarian choice. We cannot guarantee that certain products or ingredients (halal, nuts, gluten, dairy, etc.) will not be in our food, and we explicitly accept no liability in this regard. For serious food allergies you must make your own decisions on selecting meals. Our staff’s comments are only to assist you in making an informed decision.

Website Terms & Conditions

These Terms and Conditions set out the terms on which you (on behalf of yourself and any person on whose behalf you are booking, together "you" or "your") book through Australian Cruise Group Pty Ltd ABN 89 152 554 302 (referred to as, we, us and our, in these Terms and Conditions) for all bookings, reservations, products and cruises operated by us including Sydney Showboats, Magistic Cruises, Cruising Restaurants of Sydney, Magistic Events, and any other cruises, websites, operations or entities operated by us. These Terms and Conditions constitute the agreement between you and us.
At the time of booking a cruise, you must pay for it in full. Once booked and paid for, all cruise tickets may be transferred at our discretion. Any requests to transfer a booking to another date or time must be made 72 hours prior to the cruise time, are subject to availability in the class and any promotional price of your booking and will incur a $10 transfer fee for each time a request is made. If in our discretion we agree to any transfers to a different class or promotional price, you must pay the difference between the original booked price and the price of any transferred booking. No agreement will arise between you and us until we have received payment at the time of booking in accordance with this clause. All group bookings and private charters require a 25% deposit in order to confirm the booking and full payment and confirmation is required 7 days prior to the cruise date.
Please note that whilst we are delighted to welcome well-behaved children on board our vessels/cruising restaurants (excluding Clearview boats), we do not provide high chairs due to safety reasons. If you have infants, like an airline, you must book and pay the relevant price and declare at time of booking, as they must be included in the manifest. If infants are booked, we will facilitate extra space for stroller or pram on request.
All cruise fares are quoted in Australian Dollars and include Australian Goods and Services Tax (GST).
We reserve the right, if we consider necessary (for example, due to mechanical breakdown, for safety reasons or weather conditions), to substitute vessels without notice (including any vessels of a third party), deviate from a vessels advertised route, change any menu, service, schedule, program, performance or cruise fare. We will endeavour to provide a similar quality vessel, route, menu, service, schedule, program, performance or cruise fare (as the case may be) in these circumstances. In such circumstances, we will not be liable for your direct or indirect loss, or to refund any fares or portions of fares, nor will we be liable for any other damage, loss, expense, loss of time, disappointment, inconvenience, or any other consequential loss suffered by you.
Most of our menus are prepared in our galleys on board the vessels. Due to the high volume of demand on the catering team it will not always be possible to change a particular menu item to suit your requirements. Where possible, we will try and accommodate your special requests to vary certain ingredients in the menu item. However, we cannot guarantee that certain products or ingredients will not be in our food, and we explicitly accept no liability in this regard. For serious food allergies you must make your own decisions on selecting meals. Our staff’s comments are only to assist you in making an informed decision. In exceptional circumstances, with our prior written consent you (or one of your guests) may bring your own meal.
Our cruises operate on busy waterways and are subject to the risks and perils of cruising on such waterways including loss, damage and injury arising out of or in connection with changing tidal and weather conditions and the navigation of other craft. To the extent permissible by law, we will not be responsible in tort, contract or otherwise for any loss or damage arising out of injury or death sustained by you or any other passenger, howsoever arising and whether or not arising as a result of our negligence or failure to render due care and skill. You enter into this agreement and book and travel on our cruises at your own risk. If however any guarantees, terms, conditions or warranties are implied into this agreement by any law of the Commonwealth or New South Wales, the exclusion of which would contravene that law or cause part or all of this clause to be void, then to the extent permissible by law:

(a) We exclude all other guarantees, terms, conditions and warranties; and
(b) Our liability for breach of such guarantee, term, condition or warranty is limited to the supply of the relevant cruise again or the cost of re-supplying the cruise.
We exclude all liability for any loss or damage to clothing or personal items/belongings howsoever arising and whether or not our liability arises in tort, contract or otherwise.
Some of the tours, products and cruises we operate may be considered dangerous and you should be aware of the risks involved before participating, which may include injury or death. Where the tours, products and cruises include activities that could be considered dangerous, you assume all of the inherent risks which are applicable to those activities. Certain medical conditions and medications may preclude you from participating in activities and you are responsible for confirming your ability to participate. You must use caution when participating in activities and inform us of any medical or other conditions.
It is a condition of this agreement that any claim for loss or damage must be notified to us in writing within seven (7) days from the day the cruise finishes, and any court action, suit or proceeding must be brought no later than one (1) year from the same day. If you fail to comply with either of these conditions, we will be forever discharged from all claims, suits, actions and/or proceedings relating to or arising out of or in any way connected with the cruise and we will be discharged from all liability whatsoever, including any liability for negligence.
We may contract or arrange for third parties to provide the whole or part of the cruise and any related services to you. You must not bring any claims or actions against such third parties. If you bring such a claim or action in breach of this agreement, you agree to indemnify us and the person against whom the claim or action is made against the consequences of that claim or action. You agree that in entering into this agreement, we are acting as the agent of and trustee for each of our employees, officers, agents and subcontractors, and each of these persons is deemed to be a party to the contract for the purpose of entitling each of them to enforce, have the benefit of and rely upon these Terms and Conditions.
You must not bring any alcohol or illegal substances onto the vessel. We reserve the right to refuse you entry to the vessel, or to require you to disembark from the vessel, including due to your intoxication or for the safety of other passengers or the vessel.
This agreement is to be governed by and is to be construed in accordance with the laws in force in New South Wales. Any action, claim, suit or proceeding arising out of or connected in any way with this agreement or the cruise will only be brought in the Courts of New South Wales.
If any of these provisions are unenforceable, this shall not affect the enforceability of any other part of the provision or any other provision. In the event of inconsistency between these Terms and Conditions and any other terms, these Terms and Conditions will prevail to the extent of the inconsistency. No waiver or variation of this agreement will have binding effect unless such waiver or agreement is in writing and signed by us.

Guest Reviews

We had a perfectly enjoyable day and the window seating was just lovely. Enjoyed every moment. Of course, the weather was good when we expected rain, which added to the day. While there is no entertainment for a lunch cruise, the entertainment from the Australia Day RAAF Flyover, tall ships, ferry boat race etc. more than compensated throughout the day. We would be happy to consider repeating the experience next year.
Anonymous
26/01/2016
Perfection 👌
Anonymous
26/01/2018
It was fantastic to be there. Amazing boat and loved seeing the p&o pacific explorer up close too. Everyone was so friendly and very helpful. You have great staff and the food is delicious. Very value for money. Thank you for a wonderful day and I will be there again next year.😁👍
Becca
26/01/2018
Far exceeded our expectations. Lovely friendly and helpful staff. Generous portions of food and drink. Lots of outside room to watch events on the harbour. We all had a fabulous day and look forward to taking another Sydney Showboat cruise in the future. Thank you for making our Australia Day so special.
Anonymous
26/01/2018
I was very impressed my mum and friend also loved it would do it again one more hour would be great.
Helen
26/01/2016

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Day

Adult

$155

Child
Age 5 - 14

$70

Infant
With Seat < 5 Years

$30

Family
2 adults + 2 children

$325

Total Price $155

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