Milford Sound cruise reviews
There are eight cruises on this site and I have written up every one of them. They are ordered below by their GetYourGuide rating, with ties broken by how many people have left one, because that is the only ranking I can defend on the numbers. The ranking is also not the decision. Work out where you are travelling from first and the shortlist writes itself — three of these boats leave from the same terminal and the rest are coach days built around one.
All eight, ranked by rating
Te Anau: coach, cruise and walks
The full day I recommend most often. 120 km of driving instead of 291, walks along the road, and lunch packed for you.
from $162Read the full review ›
Queenstown small-group tour with lunch
Hotel door to hotel door in a small vehicle, on a boutique boat. Child seats and an infant lunch make it the family pick.
from $217Read the full review ›
Queenstown: drive in, fly back
Nine hours instead of twelve, with a 40-minute flight home. Only 31 reviews so far, and the flight depends on the weather.
from $531Read the full review ›
Milford Sound: small boat scenic cruise
The smallest passenger numbers on the fiord and the biggest pile of ratings here. Cruise only — you get yourself there.
from $100Read the full review ›
Queenstown: cruise and coach day tour
The default Queenstown day trip and the one most visitors end up on. Twelve hours, two of them on the water.
from $172Read the full review ›
Milford Sound: catamaran nature cruise
The cheapest way onto the water, with the terminal car park fee in the price and HD cameras feeding the indoor screens.
from $98Read the full review ›
Milford Sound: overnight cruise
A cabin with an ensuite, a kayak, dinner and the fiord after the day boats have gone. Small sample of reviews.
from $379Read the full review ›
Queenstown: premium coach day trip
The widest pickup net in Queenstown at 69 points, and commentary in your language. It is also the longest day here.
from $163Read the full review ›The three departure points, side by side
Almost every argument about which Milford Sound cruise is best is really an argument about which town you slept in. The boats are more alike than the days around them, so this is the comparison that matters.
| Milford Sound: Nature Cruise on a Modern Catamaran | Least drivingFrom Te Anau: Milford Sound Coach, Cruise, and Walks | From Queenstown: Milford Sound Cruise and Coach Day Tour | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Departure point | Milford Sound terminal | Te Anau | Queenstown |
| Price | $98 | $162 | $172 |
| Total day | 105 minutes plus your drive | About 8 hours | 12 hours |
| Time on the water | 105 minutes | 2 hours | 2 hours |
| What is included | Car park fee | Picnic lunch, guided walks | Nature guide, photo stops, licensed bar |
| Who it suits | You already have a car | You moved base the night before | One free day, no car |
| View → | Book this → | View → |
How I rate these
The score at the top of each review is the operator’s GetYourGuide rating and review count as displayed in August 2026, not a number I made up. Everything underneath it is mine: what the day costs you in hours, what is included, who I would put on it and who I would send elsewhere. I have never been paid to move a cruise up this page, and the affiliate disclosure explains exactly how the site is funded. If you want the whole picture in one sitting, read the full guide instead of eight reviews.
Ratings are a poor guide to crowding. The 4.6-rated coach and the 4.9-rated small-group tour both put you at the terminal between about 11am and 1pm, when every Queenstown coach lands at once. The quietest boats are the first of the morning and anything from about 2pm, whatever the badge says.
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Frequently asked questions
Which Milford Sound cruise is the best one to book?
There is no single best boat, only a best boat for where you are sleeping. If you have a car, the small boat cruise at 4.8 from 3,043 reviews is the one I book most. If you are in Te Anau, the coach, cruise and walks day is the best-rated full day here. From Queenstown with no car, start with the day tours.
Are these reviews independent?
Yes. This is an independent guide, not a cruise operator and not a booking agent. I earn a commission if you book through a link here, at no extra cost to you and with no change to the price you pay — the affiliate disclosure spells it out.
Where do the ratings and review counts come from?
From the GetYourGuide activity page for each cruise, as displayed in August 2026. They come from people who booked and travelled, which is why the counts vary so much: 3,043 behind one boat and 31 behind another. I say so on every review where the sample is small.
Is the cheapest cruise the worst one?
No. The cheapest ticket here is a 105-minute catamaran cruise that includes the terminal car park fee, rated 4.7 from 1,091 reviews. What you pay extra for on the coach days is transport and a guided road, not a better boat — see what a Milford Sound cruise costs.