Manchester Boat Tour: Historic Ship Canal and River Irwell Cruise

Departing Salford Quays take a 60-minute cruise along Manchester’s historic Ship Canal and River Irwell on board a purpose build Dutch sightseeing vessel departing from central Manchester. Venture through the industrial heartland of the north of England and see historic monuments such as Stephenson’s railway bridge.

Duration: 1 hour
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Imperial War Museum North - An impressive modern building built on the banks of the canal
  • Old Trafford - Manchester United’s home stadium since 1910
What's Included
  • On-board WiFi
  • On-board restrooms
What's Not Included
  • Alcoholic drinks (available to purchase)
  • Transportation to/from attractions
Additional Information
  • Children must be accompanied by an adult
  • Minimum drinking age is 18 years
  • Departure is from Salford Quays only
  • Any buggies or prams must be foldable, we can not accept full size prams aboard.
  • City Centre stop is now closed
Location
Manchester River Cruises
The Quays
Salford Quays Option 11:30, 12:45, 14:00, 15:15, 16:30 - Please arrive at least 5 minutes before departure. The boarding point is located under the Millennium Footbridge by the Lowry Theatre
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.3
(282 Ratings)
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Pamela_h
Jul 25, 2024
Stylish regeneration - We were pleased and amazed by the amount of regeneration along that stretch of canal. A wonderful eclectic mix of old and new - a lot of it also providing great accommodation for residents.
Review provided by Viator
Geoff_s
Jul 25, 2024
Undiscovered Manchester on the water - We saw lots of interesting points on the water that we never see on road or rail. Perhaps our 6 year old granddaughter thought the trip was a bit long but overall it was a worthwhile experience.
Review provided by Viator
Foluso_o
Jul 24, 2024
Awesome experiment at the city tour - It’s my first experience on a river tour and it was a great experience In fact it is the best experience Glad we had this experience Cheers and Thank you
Review provided by Viator
Sharon_f
Jul 14, 2024
Really interesting and conversation provoking - We really enjoyed this city river tour, you can see so much more, it was a great conversation had with my 87 year old mother in law who had lots of memories and insight into how it was and all the changes from where she used to work with friends and memories from the last 60 years plus, she has spent most of her life living, working and raising her family in Salford thankyou so much 😊
Review provided by Viator
Tim_l
Jul 12, 2024
Great amenities on board - Really beautiful little boat with bathroom and bar on board. Recommend for seeing Manchester from the water
Review provided by Viator
Julie_r
Jul 11, 2024
Brilliant Experience - Always a brilliant hour long very informative trip. Trip is for any age group. Bar and toilets on board.
Review provided by Viator
Atharnadeem_a
Jul 7, 2024
A very excellent ride! - The tour was excellent and I really enjoyed it. There were some really good views of the river, nice commentary mentioning Historical landmarks and other buildings by the riverside, the staff was very professional and polite, seating was spacious and comfortable, and facilities were clean. Only one thing if it could be improved- safety for Children, by maybe having a door or barrier towards upper floor and towards exit-otherwise parents have to hold their Children all the time.
Review provided by Viator
Dana_b
Jul 26, 2024
Interesting experience. - It was good learning about a different part of the city. Boat was fine. Would have been nice to have a live commentary rather than recorded.
Review provided by Viator
Rick_s
Jul 14, 2024
Fun trip, friendly staff.... - Fun trip, friendly staff. Learned a lot about the history of Manchester and the canals. Didn’t realize Manchester was the beginning of the Industrial Revolution.
Review provided by Viator
Abdulrahman_a
Jul 21, 2024
disappointing - The road to the place was very difficult and there were no clear signboards, which caused the boat to leave and there was no guidance office
Review provided by Viator
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1 Adult
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