10 Best Cruises in Milford Sound

Want to know which are the best cruises in Milford Sound? I’ve got you covered!

Milford Sound is often touted as the unofficial 8th Wonder of the World and it’s easy to see why. With its towering peaks, hundreds of waterfalls, lush rainforests and majestic fiords Milford Sound tops the list of must-see places in New Zealand. 

A boat cruise through the fiord is one of the most popular things to do in Milford Sound and not to be missed. With so many different cruise options it can be overwhelming knowing which one to choose, especially if it’s your first time visiting or a once-in-a-lifetime visit. You want to get it right! 

So how do you pick the right one? Well, I’ve got the 10 best Milford Sound cruises featured right here to help you out. This is based on my local knowledge and personal experience from many visits to Milford Sound over the years.

I’ve pretty much done them all – in different seasons, with friends, family and as a couple. Sometimes we add on kayaking or a hike and other times we opt for a cozy and relaxing experience.

Whether you’re short on time, looking for something adventurous or a more boutique experience, there’s a cruise to suit a range of preferences and travel styles. And I’ve got all the details below.

In this blog, I’m breaking down the 10 best cruises in Milford Sound to help you pick the best one for you.

Fun facts: New Zealand uses the spelling fiord, rather than fjord, and all the maritime fiords use sound in their name. So, despite its name, Milford Sound is actually a fiord (fjord).

About Milford Sound Cruises

As one of the top attractions in New Zealand, a cruise is the best way to experience Milford Sound because it’s the only way to get up close and personal with the towering cliff faces and thunderous waterfalls, showcasing its true scale and magnificence. 

There are several different types of cruises and operators to choose from which we’ll cover in more detail below. Regardless of which one you choose, you’ll get to experience the whole length of the 16km (9.9 mile) Milford Sound and all its beauty and wildlife. 

Cruises depart throughout the day and the duration depends on which option you choose. A basic scenic nature cruise will take around 2 hours, with an option to include breakfast or lunch for certain departure times. But there are several other inclusions to consider that will extend the experience.

All cruises depart from this Milford Sound visitors terminal, also referred to as Freshwater Basin. It’s well sign posted and easy to find if you’re driving yourself to Milford Sound.

However, I’ve also provided options that include transport from Queenstown or Te Anau, the two nearest towns to Milford Sound, where most visitors stay.

Note: Prices are per person, in New Zealand dollars and intended to be used as a guide, as they may fluctuate depending on time of day, season and demand. 

Also, the summer months from December to February are the most popular times to visit Milford Sound. If you are visiting during peak season I highly recommend booking your cruise as early as possible because they fill up fast.

Best Cruises in Milford Sound

1. Scenic Nature Cruise

Duration: 1 hour 45 minutes

Cost: Starting from $145 NZD

This Scenic Nature Cruise is a great option for both time and budget, with an emphasis on Milford Sound’s wildlife. Cruises depart throughout the day all year round offering the most flexibility to fit in with your itinerary.

The early afternoon cruises tend to be the busiest as coaches arrive around this time. If you can take an early morning or late afternoon cruise, they tend to be less busy and sometimes more affordable. The earlier cruises will give you the best chances of seeing wildlife. You can also select to include lunch for an additional cost, or bring your own.

Complimentary tea and coffee are provided plus full commentary. You’ll cruise past all the highlights including Mitre Peak, Bowen and Stirling Falls and Seal Point. Plus your skipper will keep an eye out for wildlife and let passengers know if any are spotted.

We saw fur seals and a pod of dolphins during our morning cruise. The information provided by the skipper and onboard naturalist was insightful and interesting.

Regardless of the time of year you’re visiting, bring a warm waterproof jacket. It’s gets chilly out there, especially if you want to be outside the whole time, scouting for wildlife and taking a zillion photos like me!

This basic nature cruise is a budget-friendly option, ideal for nature lovers who want to experience the unique wildlife and see all the highlights of the fiord in a couple of hours. 

↳ Book Milford Sound Scenic Nature Cruise

Scenic Nature Cruise with transport from Queenstown or Te Anau

You can also book this nature cruise as a day tour from Queenstown (starting from $265 NZD) or Te Anau (starting from $229 NZD) which includes transport on comfortable glass-roof coaches, stopping at the best scenic spots to stretch your legs and take photos, plus a nature cruise with lunch in Milford Sound.

↳ Book Milford Sound Scenic Nature Cruise with Transport from Queenstown

↳ Book Milford Sound Scenic Nature Cruise with Transport from Te Anau

2. Best Boutique Cruise

Duration: 1 hour 45 minutes

Cost: from $169 NZD

Cruise Milford offers a ‘boutique’ cruise experience with smaller boats and fewer passengers. With over 2,000 five-star reviews and a Viator Experience Award winner for 2024, the Cruise Milford Small Boutique Cruise is a top-rated Milford Sound cruise experience and my personal favorite.

One of the benefits of the smaller boats is that they can get closer to the waterfalls and wildlife, and access parts of the fiord the bigger boats can’t. You may even get to experience a glacial shower as the bow of the boat dips under Stirling Falls.

With a maximum of 75 passengers onboard a boat that can hold up to 150 passengers, there is plenty of room to move around without feeling too crowded. In addition to cruising the whole length of the fiord and all the main sights, you’ll have access to some secret spots along the way.

This cruise operates all year round with morning and afternoon time slots to choose from. Complimentary tea, coffee and biscuits are provided, although we recommend bringing extra snacks or a packed lunch.

It’s a great option for those who prefer less crowds, want a more intimate experience and are keen to get closer to the local wildlife.

↳ Book Cruise Milford Small Boutique Cruise Experience!

Boutique Cruise with transport from Queenstown or Te Anau

If you want to experience this boutique cruise but need transport, you’re in luck! These tour options provide round trip transport from either Queenstown (from $289 NZD) or Te Anau (from $264 NZD) to Milford Sound. Both stop at all the best spots along Milford Road, like Eglinton Valley and Mirror Lakes, and include this same small boutique cruise with lunch in Milford Sound.

Queenstown is a full day, about 13 hours, and a great way to sit back and take in all the sights of this spectacular drive. Te Anau is about a 9 hour day and a great option if you’re staying in Te Anau but don’t want to drive the winding mountain roads to Milford Sound.

↳ Book Premium Milford Sound Small Group Tour & Cruise from Queenstown

↳ Book Premium Milford Sound Tour, Cruise & Lunch from Te Anau

3. Scenic Cruise on a Modern Catamaran (Best Cruise for Winter)

Duration: 1 hour 45 minutes

Cost: from $155 NZD

The Pure Milford Scenic Milford Sound Cruise will have you cruising Milford Sound on a purpose built catamaran with three levels of seating and huge windows. You won’t miss a thing, whether outside on the decks or warming up inside.

The large windows throughout ensure you won’t miss a moment of the majestic scenery no matter where you are on board. There are even HD cameras projecting live outdoor footage onto TV screens throughout the boat. 

Complimentary tea and coffee are provided and there is a cafe on board to purchase a selection of food and drinks.

This is the best Milford Sound cruise for those travelling in winter (or who feel the cold easily), but equally good in any season. You’ll have the same experience of cruising the length of the sound with all the highlights, but won’t have to worry about missing anything if it’s too cold or rainy to be outside the whole time.

↳ Book Milford Sound Scenic Cruise on a Modern Catamaran

Pure Milford Scenic Cruise with Transport from Queenstown or Te Anau

There’s no denying the drive to Milford Sound is an adventure in itself with plenty of scenic places to stop along the way. It’s also A LOT of driving when visiting Milford Sound as a day trip. 

This Milford Sound Coach & Cruise Day Trip provides round-trip transport from Queenstown (from $265 NZD) or Te Anau (from $185 NZD) to Milford Sound on a comfortable coach that has large windows so you can sit back and enjoy the views. You’ll get to stop at the all best stops along the way followed by the Pure Milford scenic cruise with lunch.

This tour is available all year round and is a great option for those who are visiting for the day and prefer a relaxed journey without the hassle of driving yourself. 

↳ Book Milford Sound Coach & Cruise Day Trip from Queenstown

↳ Book Milford Sound Coach Tour & Cruise from Te Anau

4. Full Day Guided Hike and Nature Cruise

Duration: 7 hours

Cost: from $330 NZD

We did this Milford Track Full Day Guided Hike and Nature Cruise on our most recent visit to Milford Sound and loved it! You’ll get to experience the famous Milford Track, one of the best hikes in Milford Sound, as day walk in the morning and a small-boat cruise in the afternoon.

The tour starts with a water taxi to Sandfly Point followed by a 3.5-hour guided tour of the Milford Track. You’ll walk alongside the Arthur River, make a pit stop to the serene Lake Ada and ultimately to Giant Gate Falls before returning to Sandfly Point.

The trail is relatively flat but can be uneven in sections, and you’ll be covering around 11 km (7 miles) during the walk. After a short break at the Visitors Centre, you’ll board a 2-hour cruise along Milford Sound to see all the highlights and hopefully some wildlife.

This one has an 8:30 am check in time and you’ll need to make your own way to Milford Sound. It’s best if you stay overnight in Te Anau which is what we did.

I recommend planning for 2.5 hours of travel time from Te Anau to Milford Sound so you aren’t rushed. Wear comfortable walking shoes and bring water, snacks, a waterproof jacket and any other gear you might need for the day.

↳ Book Milford Track Full Day Guided Hike and Nature Cruise

5. Scenic Flight and Cruise

Duration: 5 hours

Cost: from $675 NZD

If you are short on time, this Scenic Flight & Cruise is a top rated tour that includes a return flight from Queenstown, plus a nature cruise in Milford Sound. 

You’ll get to experience the dramatic landscape of Fiordland National Park from above during the 35-minute scenic flight to Milford Sound followed by a nature cruise once you arrive. The best thing? Every passenger gets a window seat on the scenic flight so you won’t miss a thing!

Lunch is provided for this one and it operates all year round. The flight is dependent on the weather so we recommend booking this one for the start of your stay. This way, you may be able to reschedule for another day if needed. 

This tour departs daily from Queenstown, and is perfect for those who have the budget but are short on time or keen to experience the beauty of Fiordland National Park from the air and the sea. 

↳ Book Milford Sound Full-Day Trip by Plane & Boat Tour

6. Coach, Fly and Cruise

Duration: 9 hours

Cost: from $719 NZD

If you don’t want to miss the epic road trip and scenic stops on the drive to Milford Sound then the Southern Discoveries Coach, Cruise & Scenic Flight tour offers the best of everything. A coach trip from Queenstown with the best stops along the way, a cruise with lunch at Milford Sound and a scenic flight back to Queenstown. 

This tour operates all year round (weather dependent) and is the ideal option if visiting Milford Sound is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and you want to see it all…from land, sea and the air!

Seeing Milford Sound from above provides a whole new perspective and an appreciation for the size and scale of this magnificent fiord. Plus, everyone is guaranteed a window seat. Get ready for lots of ooo’s and ahhh’s.

If the budget allows and you want to experience as much of Milford Sound as you can in one day, this is a great option. 

↳ Book Milford Sound Coach, Cruise & Scenic Flight From Queenstown

7. Heli Flight (with glacier landing) & Cruise

Duration: 4 hours

Cost: from $1260 NZD

Flying over Milford Sound in a helicopter and landing on a glacier or in the mountains before cruising Milford Sound is the ultimate bucket-list experience. 

This Milford Sound Half Day Helicopter Flight and Cruise includes a return flight from Queenstown over lakes, mountains, glaciers and the Fiordland rainforest with an alpine or glacier landing. Once you arrive in Milford Sound, you’ll cruise the whole length of the fiord seeing all the highlights.

During the flight, you’ll be given a headset so you can hear the pilot’s commentary about the geography and wildlife of the area. Then, once you land, it’s an exhilarating experience stepping out onto the glacier for the first time.

This tour operates daily all year round and is the top choice for the ultimate bucket-list adventure.

↳ Book Milford Sound Fiord Cruise & Helicopter Glacier Landing

8. Cruise and Underwater Observatory (currently closed due to storm damage)

Note: Sadly the Discovery Centre has been damaged in a storm. Recovery plans are underway but for now the observatory and kayaking experiences are unable to be booked. We’ll provide an update once it’s reopens, hopefully soon!

Duration: 3 hours

Cost: Starting from $165 NZD

The Southern Discoveries Discover More Cruise offers a more in-depth 3-hour cruise experience with access to the Milford Underwater Observatory. In addition to the scenic cruise, you’ll get to spend some time at New Zealand’s only floating underwater observatory. 

Here, you’ll walk 10 meters (33 feet) below the surface of the water to a viewing platform. Through the glass walls, you can see the marine life of Milford Sound including many species of fish and the rare black coral trees. It’s amazing how much life there is to see under that dark inky water.

After, you can check out the Milford Discovery Centre if you’re keen to learn about the history of Milford Sound. 

This cruise operates all year round with multiple departure times each day. It’s a great option for nature lovers who want a chance to see wildlife from above and the unique marine life from below. 

↳ Book Milford Sound Cruise and Underwater Observatory!

9. Cruise and Kayak (currently unavailable)

Duration: 5 hours

Cost: Starts from $295 NZD

The Milford Underwater Observatory is located in Harrison Cove, an isolated bay that is sheltered, calm and perfect for kayaking. 

Kayaking is one of the best things to do in Milford Sound. Being on a small kayak in this vast body of dark water with jagged mountains all around you is a feeling that is difficult to describe and something that is best experienced for yourself.

For safety reasons, you’ll need to join a tour to experience kayaking in Milford Sound. We highly recommend this cruise and kayak package so you can experience all three – a cruise, the underwater observatory and kayaking!  

You can paddle behind waterfalls and get as close as you dare. You’ll feel dwarfed by nature in the best way possible. 

It’s suitable for all fitness levels and no experience is needed. There is even a kayak lift to lower you into the water, so no wet feet. Followed by a 90-minute guided kayaking tour around Harrison Cove.

This tour departs daily all year round and includes a picnic lunch. It’s the perfect option for those looking for a little extra adventure and keen to get up close and personal with Milford Sound. 

↳ Book Milford Sound Cruise and Kayak Tour

10. Milford Sound Overnight Cruise

Duration: 17 hours

Cost: from $1298 – $2398 NZD per twin share (2 people)

Our final and 10th cruise goes to the ultimate overnight experience. A Milford Sound overnight cruise is a great option if you’re looking to spend a night in Milford Sound. Given accommodation options here are extremely limited and book out fast, the overnight cruise provides accommodation and a cruise all in one! 

You’ll have more time and fewer crowds to enjoy exploring the stunning landscapes before spending a night in the fiord. Wake up early to catch the first light over Milford Sound and keep an eye out for wildlife. It truly is a spectacular experience. 

There are a couple of overnight cruises to choose from. Both offer private cabins with ensuite bathrooms and a 3-course dinner with options to explore the shoreline by kayak or small boat.  

Both depart from Milford Sound Visitors Centre at 4pm and return around 9am the following morning.

If time and budget allow, a Milford Sound overnight cruise offers an unhurried experience where you can enjoy the beauty of the fiord long after the day trippers have gone. 

Milford Mariner Overnight Cruise

The iconic Milford Mariner is a ​​purpose-built vessel designed to replicate an old-fashioned sailing ship. It’s a larger boat carrying up to 64 passengers, with a few quad and bunk-style rooms on offer in addition to the standard private cabins. 

The Milford Mariner operates from September to May and prices vary depending on the month. They are generally lower in October and April, and highest during the peak months from January to March. Expect to pay around $799 NZD per person during the peak months, although bookings are for a minimum of two people (so $1598 NZD per twin cabin).

↳ Book Milford Mariner Overnight Cruise with Water Activities

Fiordland Jewel Overnight Cruise

Alternatively, the Fiordland Jewel is a purpose-built catamaran with smaller groups of up to 22 passengers for a luxurious boutique experience, complete with a hot tub on the top deck. 

The Fiordland Jewel operates a shorter season from December to April. Two people are required per booking which costs $2398 NZD for a twin share ($1199 NZD per person). 

↳ Book Fiordland Jewel Overnight Cruise

The Milford Mariner is around the same cost as a night in Milford Lodge on a larger boat with more people. If a luxury boutique experience with fewer people is more your speed, the Fiordland Jewel is the way to go.

Whichever you choose, you’re bound to have an incredible and unhurried experience in Milford Sound.

Tips for Cruising Milford Sound 

To help you make the most of your trip, here are a few handy tips to consider.

• If driving yourself, leave plenty of travel time before your cruise departs. The journey from Queenstown is about 3.5 to 4 hours and 2 hours from Te Anau. Leave extra time for some of the scenic stops along the way. 

• There are no shops or petrol (gas) stations between Te Anau and Milford Sound so be sure to fill up the tank and snack supply at Te Anau. 

• Cellphone coverage is limited once you leave Te Anau so best to download any maps or information you may need before setting off.

• Also, if driving yourself, you’ll need to pay for parking at Milford Sound. The cost is $10 per hour and there are machines in the car park to pay by card. Alternatively, there is limited free parking at Deepwater Basin. From here, it’s a 25-30 minute scenic walk to the Visitor Terminal.

• Be sure to book your tours as early as possible, particularly if you are travelling during the peak summer months (generally December to March can be quite busy).

• If travelling on a scenic flight we recommend wearing a black top or coat for better photos as colors can reflect off the glass and show up in your photos.

• If you are flexible with time, consider an early morning or late afternoon cruise. They tend to be less busy and better value. 

• We recommend booking your tour early in your trip so you have flexibility for weather changes and don’t miss out! 

• Bring warm layers, it can be chilly even in summer.

• Don’t forget your raincoat. Remember, you’ll be visiting one of the wettest places in the world (with lots of incredible waterfalls as the reward)!

• Bring bug spray! Sandflies are not shy in Milford Sound. A high deet insect repellent is your best bet. 

Final Thoughts

A trip to Milford Sound wouldn’t be complete without a cruise down the length of fiord with its cascading waterfalls, wildlife and dramatic mountain peaks. We hope this list of the best Milford Sound cruises helps you choose the best option for you. Whichever one you’ll choose it’ll be an experience to remember.

And, don’t forget to leave extra time to experience all the fun things to do in Te Anau while you’re here.

Pin for later!