Halifax Harbour Tours
Information about Halifax Harbour Tours
Opening hours
- Monday: 10:00 AM – 6:30 PM
- Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 6:30 PM
- Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 6:30 PM
- Thursday: 10:00 AM – 6:30 PM
- Friday: 10:00 AM – 6:30 PM
- Saturday: 10:00 AM – 6:30 PM
- Sunday: 10:00 AM – 6:30 PM
Comfortable, all-electric (quiet!), affordable, and classy 60-minute guided boat tours of Halifax Harbour.
We’ve partnered with our friends at The Lord Nelson Hotel and Suites to bring together a enjoyable stay at one of Halifax’s premier historic hotels with Halifax’s beautiful, historic harbour! A room and a cruise all in one easy experience. Check them out today!
The Violet Mac is our all-electric, environmentally-friendly 1930s-style harbour launch. With a maximum passenger load of eight people, we provide a truly personable experience.
Our harbour cruises are all about you. Your certified Captain will plan your excursion based on weather, marine traffic, special events, and expert local knowledge. You could be exploring the waters under the bridges or near George’s and McNab’s Islands. No matter, you’re guaranteed to experience the water views of the Halifax skyline. Marine wildlife love our whisper-quiet electric motors, so you are sure to see some of the many birds, mammals, and other aquatic life in our harbour during your tour.
Your Halifax Harbour Tour is unique every single time! Your captain will chart a course for your tour based on factors such as weather, marine traffic, and special events, with one goal in mind: to give you the most enjoyable relaxed tour of our beautiful harbour!
Some parts of the harbour you might see on a tour include Dartmouth and Halifax Waterfronts , George’s and McNab’s Islands, and of course, the Halifax Harbour marine wildlife. They love our ultra-quiet electric motor, so you are sure to see some of the many birds, mammals, and other aquatic animals in our harbour during your tour.
Our crew do not expect guests to leave them tips. That said, our captain and tour guides are allowed to accept tips if offered to them, so if you feel that someone on your tour deserves a tip and you wish to give them one, you are more than welcome to do so — and we thank you for your generosity!
If you wish to leave a tip for your Guide and/or Captain but do not have any cash on hand, ask them about their “digital tip jar” that allows you to send them a tip using your credit card.
We will always do our best to make sure you are comfortable. The cabin is not fully enclosed, so on cooler, drizzling days, please come prepared for the day’s weather. While there is no heater on board, we have blankets for your use should you need them.
Generally speaking, dress appropriately for the weather, and keep in mind it tends to be a little cooler and breezier on the water and can be quite cool in spring and fall.
Harbour Tours are suitable for everyone, of all ages. There is no substantial physical effort required to enjoy our tours, but please note that there is a ramp between the wharf and the dock, and a small step up is necessary from the dock into the boat. Of course, we can offer a helping hand. Most able-bodied Guests have no problem with this. Kids LOVE our tours, and so does the rest of the family. We promise!
When you arrive at the dock, please present your guide with the booking confirmation that you received by email when you booked your seats. You can show it to us on your phone, or you can bring along a printed copy.
Halifax Harbour Tours: Reviews
Fantastic experience: What a fantastic experience with a very entertaining crew!
Fantastic experience: The tour was excellent! Captain Glen and Guide Kiara were very knowledgeable and provided a great experience.
Finley thanks so much for the great review! It has been a pleasure meeting so many great guests like yourself this year.
Fantastic experience: What an enjoyable time! A pleasant morning boat trip around the Halifax Harbour, guided by a friendly and experienced captain, with insightful narration provided by his personable and knowledgeable first mate. The charming electric powered boat has a unique history all its own, and the small group experience allowed time for many questions to be asked and answered. Highly recommended!
Kim thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and pictures! I will be sure to let Glenn and Kira know!
Fantastic experience: The tour was fantastic and provided great insight into the region…Joyce and the captain were personable, informative and they have a fantastic voice!!!!
Thanks Mary Ann. We feel blessed to have them on our team. They certainly add something special to a tour! I will be sure to let them know.
Fantastic experience: Had a wonderful day with lots of fact about halifax shore.This is the first time in Halifax and hope to get back again so much history there
Hi Deby, So glad you had a wonderful time. We are proud to show off our city. Thanks for letting us know you like it too!
Fantastic experience: Very informative and the song at the end of the tour was a fantastic way to end a great tour!
Thanks Dean! They have a great way to finish a tour for sure! It is always nice to hear that someone enjoyed their tour.
Fantastic experience: What fun! An hour on a totally quiet boat with a great skipper and a great tour guide. Learned just enough about the city of Halifax to want to come back again!
Thanks Bettina- please do come back- happy to see you anytime!
Fantastic experience: Great hour on the water
Kevin, Thanks for sharing the pictures and the kind review. That is just what we hope people find- a great hour on the water!
Fantastic experience: It is a small boat which allows for more personal experience. The guide was the quiet type that engages with us and casually gave us all the "touristy" information. The Captain is a nice gentleman proud of his ship that he basically built himself from a salvage one
Hi Christophe Lovely pictures! Thanks for sharing your thoughts- it means a lot to know the boat and tour hit a good note for you!
Fantastic experience: Very entertaining, The staff was sweet and good at there jobs.
Valerie, Happy to hear you had a good experience- thanks for letting us know!!
Negative experience: Based off of our experience and seeing some other reviews, your enjoyment of this boat tour will greatly depend on the tour guide. The tour route was very short and we could have walked along the boardwalk faster and left with the same knowledge of the Halifax Harbour.
Noella I am sorry you were disappointed in your tour. As you mentioned the tours do vary as they are not scripted but should be informative. At times the route may be shorter than usual if weather conditions dictate but our usual route is between Pier 21 and the naval dockyard at a leisurely cruise. Again I am sorry the cruise did not meet your expectations. I do appreciate you sharing your experience. Occasionally a guide does have an off tour and unfortunately it seems to have been yours.
Fantastic experience: We had a great relaxing time cruising along the Halifax harbor. Both our captain and cruise guide provided lots of interesting facts and information about the history of the harbor. Well worth the excursion. Thank you.
Thank you Jane! Lovely to hear you enjoyed your cruise.
Fantastic experience: Loved the tour. With being such a small group it seemed personal and very informative.
Jackie thanks for letting us know you like the way we do things!!
Fantastic experience: This was a fabulous cruise around Halifax Harbour—very quiet and intimate with only 8 passengers in total. Our guide and our captain were so friendly and personable. They had lots of interesting information and stories. It was nice interacting with the other passengers as well. At the end of our trip the captain snagged a starfish for us to hold and examine before returning to the sea. 5 stars —we highly recommend.
Brad and Kathy, Thank you so much for the great review!! We love to hear from everyone but it is great to get a recommendation like yours!
Positive experience: Visited here a couple days ago. The Captain and guide were pleasant and knowledgeable. However the boat really doesn't go very far. It putts putts around the harbour at very slow speed so you really don't see anything you couldn't from the land. It is reasonably priced so it you need to check off that you did a boat tour in Halifax great, but otherwise meh. Probably the best part was it docked near the HMCS Sackville which we hadn't noticed before and ended up doing that tour.
Clyde, Thanks for the review. Our cruise is slow and leisurely for sure and the view is the waterfront- from a different angle than walking it. Glad you found the Sackville- it is an interesting ship with a history. Thanks for sharing your perspective as it helps others be informed about what our tour does.
Fantastic experience: Our boat tour experience was excellent. The captain and mate provided very descriptive information regarding the history of the Halifax waterfront as well as many tidbits of information which regarding the city of Halifax. We enthusiastically recommend taking the tour.
Debbie thanks so much for kind words and great recommendation!! Wonderful to hear you had a excellent time.
Fantastic experience: The tour was easy going and leisurely. Our tour good, Leah was very friendly and personable. And a great story teller too!
One Leah to another!! I will let her know how much you enjoyed her tour. Thanks for the 5 stars!
Positive experience: The boat with the electric engine was very nice, captain Glen was excellent. I would have liked to see more of the harbour, including circling Georges Island and getting to the Dartmouth side. I thought the tour guide was a little weak, she seemed to get caught up in talking with passengers more than providing a narrative of Halifax history. Overall i enjoyed it but expected a little more.
Steve, Thanks for sharing your thoughts and the 3 star review. It is challenging to cover a lot of territory in an hour and the captains have full discretion about where they go dependant on weather. Sometimes the wind speed or direction makes going around the island challenging. While I wasn't on the boat that day in all fairness to the guide we do encourage conversation more so over a narrative script. We do expect them to talk about things seen on route and answer questions that people have but it is not meant to be an information heavy tour. My apologies that we did not provide the level of information expected.
Positive experience: We find out we only have 2 tickets when we arrive at the designated time to board the boat. My parents asked for 3 ️ for the boat ⛵ tour. A very bad experience. They also do not want to refund the money and threaten me to call the police. Left me a very bad experience to Halifax,Canada. Edit: My parents had a good time on the ⛵ tour.
Hello Gordon, I am sorry your parents experience was not what they expected. Our booth attendant is very skilled and competent. Your parents were alone when they bought the tickets at 1122 and it was no made clear through language or fingers how many tickets they wanted and though they may have thought they bought 3 the receipt clearly stated 2. In fact when the attendant tried to text the receipt initially to your fathers phone,it was a challenge because the phone was on airplane mode until your mother suggested that might be the issue. With over 2 hours between the purchase and the 2pm tour there was time to review the receipt and see it was for 2 people. The cost is clearly posted at $40 per person plus tax and they paid $92. She did not threaten to call the police- she was going to call security as your party was becoming loud and rude and shouting to other guests that we were scammers. She was going to offer a refund but was having a difficult time getting a word in and then your parents decided to take the tour. It was unfortunate what happened and had your party not been so upset you could have had a refund or booked on another tour. You were not scammed out of money. It was a simple mistake that could have been rectified if your group had been calmer. Our staff is not expected to be yelled at by customers. Gordon thanks you for updating the review. I am glad your parents enjoyed the tour.
Fantastic experience: Great little boat tour at a great price point. It was very slow and leisurely. The captain and guide were friendly and knowledgeable. The boat is covered, which made me feel more comfortable taking my one year old aboard. The waves put him to sleep. They kindly stowed our stroller while we were on the boat. I love that it’s electric and quiet which is better for the sea life.
Ciara thanks for the kind review. We are not always able but we do try to do the little things that help! I am happy your little guy was so comfortable and you all enjoyed the experience.
Fantastic experience: My brother and I had an amazing time on this boat tour. Lee Anne and Kara were incredible! Being a small boat, there was a small group, so we had the opportunity to ask questions and move around to take photos. The boat is so quiet it makes for a peaceful ride, and it was really easy to hear the crew. Our guide, Kara was so knowledgeable about the area, and about Nova Scotian history, that we were absolutely blown away! We didn't have one question that she couldn't answer, it was obvious that she was very passionate and wanted to share her love of her home with us. Lee Anne was so kind and helped us get on and off the ship with a smile and a warm greeting, and she even took some photos for us to commemorate our trip. She sailed so smoothly and carefully and told us about the ship, and about the other ships we passed by in the harbour. We felt safe and in good hands the whole time! I do want to mention to any future travellers reading this, that there is one misleading review mentioning whales. The crew explained when we got on that there are no whales in this region, and they have not been able to get that review taken down. (We did however see a seal pop its head up! But I think we got lucky) They directed us to Brier island off of the Bay of Fundy where we later went on a whale watching tour. If not for their kindness and knowledge we would have missed out on the whales, which is what we had come to NS for. This was an amazing experience, and I would absolutely recommend if you are travelling here to book a spot on this tour!
Jessie, Sounds like you had a great experience! Thanks for sharing with us and the recommendation. Kara and Lee Anne make a great team. We are lucky to have them. I was happy to hear you did see some whales too!
Fantastic experience: Loved the “electric” nature of this harbor tour. Relaxed, informal, personal. No diesel fumes.
Thanks so much for the 5 stars. We appreciate knowing you enjoyed it!
Fantastic experience: Lovely quiet ride, captain knowledgeable and happy to converse and explain things I was interested in. Great to be in a small group and to feel special!
Stephen, Happy to hear you had the vibe we strive for. Every tour is a bit different depending on the guests and staff. What doesn't change is our quiet ride that lets people talk if they want instead of just listen!
Fantastic experience: very enjoyable! personalized to the passengers interest. highly recommend!
JoAnn Very happy to hear you had great time. Thanks for the recommendation!
Fantastic experience: It was fun sailing with you guys! We totally enjoyed ourselves.
Thanks Henry! Looks like you guys had a great time. Love the pictures. Colin had fun with your kids!
Fantastic experience: Great boat ride and no diesel aroma woo hoo! Our family would highly recommend it!
It never gets old to hear that people love our cruise!! Thanks for the 5 stars!
Fantastic experience: We had a wonderful hour aboard the charming Violet Mac with Captain Glen and guide, Kara! Both were fun and knowledgeable and gave us a great tour of the harbour. It was so nice to not have the smell or roar of a diesel engine and was nice to know we were being a little gentler on the environment! Highly recommend this tour!
Carolyn we are delighted you had such wonderful time and so appreciate you sharing your recommendation!!
Fantastic experience: The evening cruise with Dan Mckinnon on guitar was the perfect way to spend our last night in Halifax.
Thank you for letting us know we made your time here special! Dan is a wonderful musician. We are lucky to have him.
Fantastic experience: Wonderful evening cruise with our own private concert. Dan McKinnon was fantastic. And such a quiet ride. we would definitely recommend it!
Carol thank you for the recommendation. The music cruise is still new so we are happy to get feedback! Glad you enjoyed it
Fantastic experience: My first time in Halifax and we wanted an unforgettable experience on the harbour front. Absolutely fantastic. Chill, peaceful, informative and just a delightful tour. I’ll be recommending this to anyone who comes through the city. Thanks team!
Thank you so much for the lovely review! We have had a few people say it was a highlight of their trip!
Fantastic experience: We took the music tour on a mid August evening. It was a wonderful! The lights of the Halifax waterfront as viewed from the quiet boat, and while listening to smooth guitar music by Dan McKinnon. Highly recommended!
Thanks Ross for the great review! We think we are on to something with Dan and the Music Tours. He is a wonderful musician!
Fantastic experience: What a sweet little boat - I love repurposed wood. Nice little harbor cruise, very chill. Only eight people, great views and eco-friendly it was perfect
So glad you made it aboard. Thanks for the pictures and lovely remarks!!
Fantastic experience: The boat itself has a great history. Our captain, Glenn, was informative and entertaining. Don’t miss this hidden gem tour!
Julie thank you for revealing the hidden gem! A great recommendation we are most grateful for!
Fantastic experience: A very intimate and fun way to see the harbour. The electric boat is so quiet and peaceful. With such a small passenger compliment, it is a very personal and relaxed tour, and our guide really tailored it for us. Highly recommend.
Eric thanks for the kind review. It is the little things that make a difference in the whole experience. So glad you enjoyed it.
Fantastic experience: A beautiful evening cruise, with space to see and move around. Prices are very reasonable and the crew friendly and well prepared.
Neil your review is much appreciated! We like to think we have quality experience and it is nice to hear that others think so as well!!
Fantastic experience: This was an excellent tour of Halifax Harbor. The captain and tour guide were well-versed with local history. Riding in an electric boat was an excellent way to hear all the sounds around you, with no loud diesel engines or fuel smell. We really enjoyed the cruise!
Thanks so much for the great review Greg. So glad the tour hit a high note.
Fantastic experience: Nice, quaint harbour tour. The driver is very humble and is an interesting guy. It was fascinating to hear about how he repurposed the boat into an electric motor and added all sorts of personal touches to it. The guide was great too, fun and bubbly with lots to share. The two combined made it a cozy and illuminating experience. In addition, they were nice enough to let us leave our luggage at the booth while we toured. Highly recommend!
Cameron thanks for the great review! So glad you enjoyed your time with us! Have a safe trip home.
Fantastic experience: Cruise was wonderful. Small group allowed for more personal feeling. We learned so much history of the harbour as well as the environmentally friendly electric boat.
Sonia it was lovely having your son and yourself onboard! Thanks for being accommodating with the schedule changes due to weather.
Fantastic experience: Great evening on the harbour. Wonderful super quiet boat, no problem having a conversation with everyone on board. Sydney the tour guide did a wonderful job of informing everyone on Halifax and it's long and interesting history. A tour that shouldn't be missed when visiting Halifax.
Thanks Dave for he 5 stars and kind words. Recommendations are very helpful.
Fantastic experience: We saw your vessel on the news and just so happened to have our cousin visiting from Colorado. We booked this tour and we were so glad we did. Captain Colin is amazing so good with kids that we’re also on board, a lovely couple and girls from Montreal. Great tour on an electric boat, so quiet to take in the beautiful Halifax Harbour, I think we all enjoyed it. We are locals so we will certainly be back. Our tour guide, so sorry I can’t remember if her name was Juliet /Jilian a university student, she was such a sweet young woman. Only posting our pic as we don’t have permission from others. See you again D&T
Hi Debbie, That was a great review! thanks so much. We love having visitors on board but it feels especially nice when locals bring friends along. Nice picture! Look forward to seeing you again!
Fantastic experience: Very peaceful, great staff and overall fun for everyone.
Anthony thanks for the 5 stars and for taking the time to leave lovely review!
Fantastic experience: Very beautiful and we enjoy the festival. I think that was Spanish festival, but we enjoy the time there.
Halifax is a great city! Thanks for letting us know you had a good time here!
Fantastic experience: My family really enjoyed the tour. The tour guide (Anna)was fantastic! She was very informative and interesting when explaing various sites along the harbor. The boat is extremely quiet. I think it was a great way to see the harbor from the water. Very peaceful and fun!
Thank you Jim for taking the time to let us know how much you liked the tour. It is always nice to hear from guests and know they appreciate the unique features of our boat and tour!
Fantastic experience: The tour guide and captain created a very comfortable atmosphere and made sure e had a great time even though there was rain during our tour!
Robyn, So sorry you were on the boat when we had some rain. Weather can ruin a tour so it is great to hear our staff made a difference! Thanks!!
Fantastic experience: Me & my friend loved this relaxing tour and felt totally safe on it. The tour guide was wonderful as well. I will continue to bring friends on this sweet boat...that's also environmentally friendly to boot.
Ruby thank you for introducing friends to us and the great recommendation. Look forward to seeing you again!
Fantastic experience: We had the best time on our cruise! Captain Leanne (I hope I got that right!!) kept things nice and relaxed and Jillian was knowledgeable and kept things interesting! Both were super friendly, professional and fun! 10/10 and I would 100% recommend this experience to anyone looking to see Halifax from this unique vantage point, on an eco-friendly vessel.
Thanks for the lovely words! I shared this with Lee Anne and Jillian. Welcome back any time!
Fantastic experience: We had a wonderful tour of the beautiful Halifax habour and waterfront. Our captain and tour guide were very welcoming and friendly. The vessel itself is beautiful and so unique. It was such a quiet ride on this fully electric boat.
Tara thank you for such a nice review. We love it when we find out the tour was a hit with guests and appreciate the time taken to send a review!
Fantastic experience: Had a lovely experience on this tour, would recommend. Interesting that’s it’s an all electric boat! The captain and tour guide were lovely.
Thanks Karen for the stars and recommendation! Will make sure crew know!
Fantastic experience: Amazing experience overall! Kara was a fantastic tour guide.
Kyla, Lovely to have you on board. Will be sure to share your feedback with Kara!
Fantastic experience: Great views of the harbour - friendly and knowledgable staff
Stephen thanks for the recommendation. I am sure potential guests are motivated to book from the kind words.
Fantastic experience: We had a great time aboard yesterday. Don’t know if we will be back to Halifax, but if we do we will definitely take your boat tour again. Thanks Urie and Kay from NYC
So glad you enjoyed it! Would have you back anytime!! Thanks for letting us know
Fantastic experience: Crew was wonderful. Tour was beautiful and peaceful.
Angela we really appreciate hearing from our guests that what we think is best about our tours are what they like too!! Thanks
Fantastic experience: Amazing City… enjoyed our stay here. ( the weather is always chilly. In June it was around 15c)
Glad you enjoyed your time in Halifax! Really appreciate the review. Luckily it warmed up a lot in July!!
Fantastic experience: Wonderful experience, felt very at home and safe the whole time!
Maria thank you for the 5 star review! Wonderful to have you onboard.
Negative experience: I was refused on by the captain Carl or Karl that I was intoxicated, I waited and was excited to take this tour and was rejected on the basis of that after having spraining my ankle multiple times prior to my visit to Halifax , I may have used profanity to express my displeasure but this had a impact on the enjoyment of my trip, They did refund my money but I’m a very disappointed as it was a blatant accusation of intoxication due to a personal injury and my social disability’s
I am sorry to say you have the wrong company. We do not have a captain by that name I would ask you to remove this from our site please.
Fantastic experience: We arrived the destination late as we had a problem to find the parking. Nevertheless, the people who work were quite accommodating, understanding and they postponed us to later slot. It was a wonderful experience.
Lisa thanks for the 5 stars and taking the time to share your recommendation
Fantastic experience: Such a perfect outing with a cool breeze on a smoking hot day for someone (me) with frayed nerves who needed a gentle ride and sweet crew to interact with. Anna our tour guide and Collin our captain went out of their way to make the tour so great for the toddler on the tour with his mom and my own 12yo son. Thank you guys!
Sounds like we hit it out of the park for you! Nothing like a cool breeze and some time off your feet! The crew enjoyed the tour as much as you!
Fantastic experience: We had the best time on this tour of the harbour. Kara was a phenomenal tour guide, very funny and also incredibly informative. The boat is so quiet and only having 8 seats means it’s just chill vibes. We would absolutely do this tour again when we come back to Halifax.
Jesse, Thanks for the great recommendation! So happy you appreciated what we offer.
Fantastic experience: Very knowledgeable guides. The Captain will regale you with stories. Gives you a different perspective of the Halifax waterfront
Karen your recommendation is much appreciated. So glad you took the time to say you enjoyed the time on the Violet Mac!
Fantastic experience: We had a great time on our hour cruise. Colin and Gillian were so nice and welcoming. Would do it again.
Nancy nice of you to let us know! we would be happy to have you back! Thanks for the 5 stars.
Fantastic experience: From the captain who was such a nice lady to the guid who was so full of knowledge of the area. We totally enjoyed our tour
Robert thank you for sharing those kind words. We like our little electric boat but we like our great staff more-they make the tours great.
Fantastic experience: We took this harbour tour on a beautiful afternoon in July. Boat Captain Colin and tour guide James made the experience thoroughly enjoyable! It is a cute, comfortable, quiet (electric) launch with space only for a small group, which allows for great conversation, questions and answers. James has many interesting "fun facts " to share. It was a highlight of our Halifax visit.
Dana- a truly wonderful review! Thanks so much. We are glad you enjoyed our slightly different way to do a tour.. Come back anytime.
Fantastic experience: Wonderful and personalized tour and the plus is that it is a quiet electric Eco boat! I like that it is a small boat tour and the information shared was wonderful. Sadly, I could not post a video of one of the tour guides singing a wonderful song about Nova Scotia while on the boat. I highly recommend this tour. -Laurie from Western Pennsylvania.
Laurie, I really appreciate the effort you put into getting the review up. Thanks for the photos and kind words! You were fortunate to be on that tour.
Fantastic experience: Great tour, great staff. The boat is beyond interesting and Colin is more than happy to tell you all about it. I will definitely book again whenever we’re back in Halifax.
Thank you Richard! Would love to see you back!!
Fantastic experience: A relaxing cruise on a small boat. Within an hour you will visit George's Island, see the coastal area of the city and get closer to the MacDonald Bridge. A charming girl guide will tell you many interesting stories accompanied by jokes from the captain. Merci!
Thank you very much for your kind words and 5 stars. Much appreciated!
Fantastic experience: This was a great affordable harbor tour. All of the staff were friendly and very knowledgeable. Would definitely do this again the next time I'm in Halifax.
Jenn thank you for the stars and recommendation! You are welcome back anytime!!
Fantastic experience: Tour was very relaxed and friendly. Boat was comfortable and our tour guide has a lovely singing voice!
David you were so lucky to be on Joyce's tour. She adds something very special. Thanks for taking time to let us know you enjoyed it!
Fantastic experience: It was wonderful. The captain and the crew were great. Saw whales, seals, birds, and porpoises. Would highly recommend it.
Hello, That is a great review but I am not sure we are the ones who deserve it. That amount of wildlife seems a lot for the harbour where we do tours. Glad you had wonderful time though!
Positive experience: The tour was a little disappointing. I thought we would see more of George’s island and we didn’t receive very much information on the history of Halifax
Paul, Thanks for reaching out with your comments. I am sorry the tour was not what you expected. Each tour can be a bit different and we tend not to script a lot of history but guides are knowledgeable and should be able to answer questions. Captains have to chose routes based on wind and some wind directions make it more challenging to do parts of the route. I am not sure if that was the case on your tour. We do appreciate the feedback.
Fantastic experience: Great cruise! Jillian and both captains were phenomenal!
So glad you enjoyed the tour. Thanks for letting us know. We are very fortunate in our staff.
Fantastic experience: Excellent! Friendly and knowledgeable stuff, beautiful boat! I loved it and highly recommend!
Oh thanks for the great review. We are happy you enjoyed it and appreciate you taking time to say so!
Fantastic experience: Great experience, Anna and Glen were great tour guides! I highly recommend!
Hi Matthew. We agree they are great! thanks for letting us know you think so too. We have a wonderful group of guides and captains.
Fantastic experience: To see the Halifax harbour and have a personal guide on a beautiful day was the perfect addition to our trip. Glenn and James were knowledgeable and kind. The boat is beautiful and comfortable - it’s lovely for it to have no fumes as it’s electric. The pictures you can take are gorgeous.
Thank you! The day certainly turned out nicely for all of us. So happy you took the time to let us know you enjoyed the tour!
Fantastic experience: The tour was amazing. The guides were very knowledgeable about Halifax and the history of Halifax. They were also friendly and inviting. They were accommodating and handed out blankets. Would highly recommend to others who want to visit Halifax.
Thank you for the great review Erica! So happy you enjoyed your time on the Violet Mac.
Fantastic experience: Had a great time on the boat tour! We were scheduled for Tuesday, but weather called for rain, staff called us to advise and was able to reschedule us for an earlier day, which worked out even better. It was still chilly on the water, but they had blankets and scarves onboard, which is a great idea! The Captain and tour guide were super nice and full of great stories about the Halifax waterfront. 10/10 recommend!
I was so happy you were able to get on the tour and especially to hear you enjoyed it!! We do our best to rebook if we can. Thanks for the recommendation..
Fantastic experience: Did a boat tour October that had passed & was impressed with the tour and the tourist voice lol
Thanks Brooke. Nice to hear from you.
Fantastic experience: Will and Colin were so great. Super informative but casual and fun. We loved it!! Highly recommended.
So glad you guys had a great tour. Lots of laughs with those two on board!! Appreciate the recommendation too.
Fantastic experience: Captain of the ship was great. Made you feel like you were sitting in his home. The guide was very sweet and she made the voyage great. I would highly recommend them and go on this cruise again
Thank you for taking the time to give us such a nice review! We would be happy to have you back anytime.
Fantastic experience: This is definitely the best harbour boat tour in Halifax. The boat only holds eight passengers so it’s nice and intimate. Our guide Lucille was very friendly and great to talk to. It’s a great way to see the whole waterfront and the fact that the boat is electric makes for a nice quiet ride. If you want a quiet gentle cruise around the harbour then this is THE one to do!
Thank you David for your kind words! We do feel we have a pretty neat offering that is just a bit different. Glad you liked it.
Fantastic experience: I'm a wedding photographer who was fortunate enough to have some clients of mine take me along for a boat tour of the harbour on their wedding day. It was such a wonderful experience. I highly recommend!
Hugh-thanks very much for your kind words. We have great memories of that evening and how easy you were to work with. Happy to do wedding shoot anytime!
Fantastic experience: Of the harbour tour options available, this is far superior to the other tours I have experienced. The electric boat makes the journey so quiet that you can sit and talk with your tour guide or captain in an intimate setting, rather than having a tour guide yelling into a microphone.
Kevin thank you for the great review! We love it when guests appreciate our difference approach. Welcome back anytime!
Fantastic experience: Most boat tours jam you in but this was the opposite. We had lots of space, our guide was informative and the captain did a great job navigating the harbour. If you are looking for a different perspective of Halifax harbour, I'd highly recommend this operation.
Michelle, Thanks for taking time to do a review. We appreciate your remarks and recommendation.
Fantastic experience: Wonderful captain and crew who are very knowledgeable about the history around Halifax Harbour. The boat is beautiful and so nice with the silent electric engine, and only takes 8-10 people, so much better than the larger tour boats. Would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for something fun and a little different to do in Halifax
Thank you David for you lovely review and commendation. It is nice to hear from guests how they have enjoyed the tour.
Fantastic experience: If you're looking for a calm relaxing boat ride of the harbour, this is the right tour for you. Our guide Carlo was very pleasent and had interesting unique facts and insight of Halifax (something you don't usually get from scripted tours). The boat was quiet and smooth and our captain clearly had passion for his craft and business.
Thank you for the great recommendation! We proud to say we have some of the best guides on the harbour!
Fantastic experience: Great relaxed tour of the beautiful Halifax harbour. Would definitely recommend!
Shelley-just what we love to hear! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review.
Fantastic experience: What a splendid way to spend an evening before supper! I cannot remember our tour guide’s name…I think her name was Hayley? Or holly? She was a Dalhousie student and a tour guide for the summer and she was just delightful. Asked everyone about themselves, kept the friendly chatter going, super relatable and kind and just made the tour wonderful! Captain Collin was a big highlight too! Driving the boat around so smoothly and always chiming in with bits of awesome information. Such a wonderful fellow. This is a great chance to experience passion for boating and a truly relaxed, calm way to explore Halifax by water. For only 40$ per person, I’d recommend every single visitor to try this! Top Halifax experiences for sure :) The boat was comfortable
James that was an amazing review! Thanks for taking the time to share with us how much you enjoyed your time with us. I will be sure to share the review with Caitlyn who was the guide that evening. Colin loves what he does for sure!
Fantastic experience: Really lovely, fun and informative time on the Halifax harbor. Super easy booking too. We decided last minute and got a reservation and confirmation quickly. We the only 2 who booked but they took us anyhow. Loved it!
Julie so glad to hear it was a positive experience all around. Occasionally people get lucky and get a private tour. Thanks for letting us know you enjoyed it.
Fantastic experience: We thoroughly enjoyed our hour-long cruise. We chose this tour because the vessel is electric meaning the trip was quiet allowing for easy conversation. We learned that the boat itself has an interesting history along with many other facts from the captain and guide Connor. We were fortunate to have beautiful weather with lots of activity in the harbour.
Shirley I am so glad you were able to rebook on such a lovely day! Hope to see back sometime.
Fantastic experience: This tour was the best part of my visit to Halifax! The proprietor is extremely knowledge about Halifax's geography and history. The boat is comfortable, beautiful, and the proprietor repurposed it many years ago. I highly recommend! It felt like the captain was an experienced seafaring captain!
Christopher, It was a pleasure to have you aboard and thank you for your kind words and 5 star review. Our Captains are pretty special!
Fantastic experience: This was definitely the nicest Harbour tour to take. Our boat driver and our tour guide Connor were excellent, knowledgeable and extremely pleasant. It was a very relaxing tour with only 7 people on our boat and it hit all the highlights we wanted to see. A definite must if you are in the area, I cannot recommend it enough. Thank you gentlemen. The ticket booth lady and gentlemen were amazing also.
Darla thank you very much for your great review. I will share your thoughts with the captain and Connor.
Fantastic experience: I can't say enough about how fantastic Halifax Harbour Tours is! Every step from booking to departure was seamless. The Captain and crew were so kind and created a welcoming and memorable experience. Kara was so friendly and knowledgable about Halifax and the harbour. She put everyone at ease and is a engaging storyteller. Glenna helped us when we had to rebook due to poor weather. The craftsmanship of the Violet Mac is absolutely stunning. I chose Halifax Harbour Tours because it is an electric, environmentally-friendly alternative to experience the harbour. No toxic fumes, just good vibes with good folks! This mom and pop operation is ahead of the curve and leading the way. True visionaries! Thank you so much for the incredible experience Colin, Glenna, Kara, and Ryan. I will definitely bring all my Halifax visitors to experience the dreamy Violet Mac ⚓
Tanya, I am not sure how to begin except to say a huge thank you for such kind and thoughtful words. You were very patient with the rebooking process- a not uncommon occurrence in our climate. I would like to say our team has embraced our vision and we are supported by a great marketing team at Boom12 who keep us in the public eye and the back end running smoothly. We look forward to future outings!
Fantastic experience: It was a nice boat, small amount of passengers. It was quiet and very quaint. The guide was knowledgeable and the captain was very pleasant. Just what we expected and we enjoyed it thoroughly. Worth the booking.
Thanks Carrie! Sounds like we achieved what we hope for with your tour and pleased you liked it.
Fantastic experience: If you are looking for a very relaxing quaint boat ride in the harbor look no further. The electric boat is so quie. The captain and his mate are very pleasant and full of knowledge. Only 8 people from around the world. Nice to meet other people. Great boat tour
Louis thanks for the 5 stars! Meeting people from other places is one of our favourite things and we were pretty sure other guests would like a chance to chat as well. That is why our guides do not talk at you for the whole tour.. More room for conversation..
Fantastic experience: A relaxing and informative tour of Halifax Harbour. A seal fishing made a guest appearance while the sun shined down. Thank you Annie - The Bike Thief restaurant really was amazing. Thank you Collin for sharing your adventures.
Anne, sounds like you had a unique experience! Thanks for the lovely review.
Fantastic experience: Great tour with some interesting commentary from Connor. Absolutely recommend!
Marina, Thanks for the kind review. We love it when guests recommend us!
Fantastic experience: Great tour for our group of 7, it was a very enjoyable experience in the harbour. We were able to enjoy hearing the stories about the area with no noisy engine, Ryan was our guide and was top notch!!
Angela we were happy to be able to accommodate your family for the tour. Thanks for the lovely review!
Fantastic experience: The hosts were a pleasure to talk to, we had a lovely time!
Thank you! The pleasure was ours to the time with you!
Fantastic experience: We had a lovely, comfortable and enlightening tour of the Harbour. Our guide was excellent- a wealth of information and fun!
Glenda, It makes us happy to know you liked the tour and found it interesting! We appreciate every star we get!
Fantastic experience: Booked a tour during a short vacation in Halifax. This was by far one of our most memorable excursions, our Captain Glen found the smoothest way through wavy waters to keep passengers safe and happy. Even going so far as to pulling up a starfish for us to hold after hearing how excited we were to see them. Our guide Ryan was extremely personable and tailored the information to what the group was m. Our party of various ages and interests all enjoyed the tour, definitely recommend!
Fantastic experience: A relaxing, enjoyable, informative harbor tour. We appreciated the electric engine. Every bit of energy conservation helps. LOVED the song Joyce & Captain Glen sung near the end of the tour!
Chris thanks for the lovely review. We are trying to do our bit. Glenn and Joyce do a special tour for sure. Each tour is unique depending on the chemistry of the crew and guests. Thanks for taking time to share your thoughts.
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