The 15 Best Grand Harbour Cruises in Malta

1.Cruise Around Malta’s Harbours & Creeks

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 2,292 reviews · 1.5 hours · from $24Our pick

Sail from Sliema Ferries for 90 minutes around Marsamxett and Grand Harbors. You’ll pass Valletta, Fort St. Elmo, the Three Cities, shipyards, marinas, and historic forts while an English audio commentary explains what you’re seeing. Bring sunscreen, arrive 10 to 15 minutes early, and choose an open-air seat for the best views.

“Very nice trip, interesting information, although the prerecorded audio tapes are a tad outdated and should be renewed. I recommend it nonetheless.”

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2.The Best Traditional 2 Harbours Day Cruise of Malta

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 432 reviews · 1.5 hours · from $24

You’ll spend about 90 minutes aboard a traditional Maltese Luzzu, sailing from Sliema around Grand Harbour, Marsamxett Harbour, and ten creeks. An English-speaking host explains Valletta, the Three Cities, historic forts, dockyards, and Malta’s wartime past. A toilet and bar are onboard, though the boat and exact duration can vary.

“A very changeable day weather wise. But thank god stopped and sunny for trip. I was looking forward to it and not disappointed. Outside harbour a little bit choppy but it’s the sea so what do you expect. But I loved it!”

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3.Marsamxett Harbour and Grand Harbour Cruise by Night

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 282 reviews · 1.5 hours · from $24

Set out from Sliema Ferries at 20:30 for a 90-minute English-language cruise through Malta’s Grand and Marsamxett Harbours. You’ll pass ten creeks, Manoel Island, the Yacht Marina, Valletta’s fortifications, the Three Cities, and the old dockyard area. A bar, toilets, and live commentary are available on board.

“Fabulous experience seeing the harbours all lit up at night!”

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4.Valletta & Three Cities Harbour Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 239 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $23Best value

Cruise Marsamxett and Grand Harbour for about 90 minutes aboard an air-conditioned catamaran with live commentary. You’ll pass Fort Manoel, Fort Saint Elmo, Valletta, Fort St. Angelo, and the Three Cities. Depending on sea conditions, you may stop at Esplora Science Centre or continue on the next cruise or hop-on hop-off bus.

“I showed up and was told that the boat wasn’t operating that day. I wasn’t offered any resolution other than to purchase a separate ticket for the bus.”

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5.Panoramic Cruise around Malta’s Harbours and Creeks

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 218 reviews · 1h 15m · from $24

From Sliema Ferries 4, cruise aboard the Antonia, Helena G, or Sansone through Marsamxett and Grand Harbours. English commentary explains forts, shipyards, marinas, Valletta, and the Three Cities. You will pass Fort St. Elmo, Fort Ricasoli, Birgu, Senglea, Cospicua, and several narrow creeks for $24.

“Very good activity, I highly recommend this. Beautiful scenery, very interesting commentary from the tour guide and in around 75 minutes you get to know not only Valletta but other islands and other cities history. :-)”

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6.The Traditional Harbour Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 159 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $24

Board at Sliema Ferries for a 90-minute cruise past Valletta, the Three Cities, forts, battlements, ten creeks, dockyards, and marinas. English commentary explains Malta’s story from 1565 onward. Drinks, toilets, and a bar are available, but hotel transfers can be confusing, so confirm your pickup and boat carefully.

“This was a really interesting trip around all the parts of the 2 harbours. The recorded commentary was easy to hear and gave useful information about what we were seeing. The driver also added his own extra bits which were valuable too. Good value for money.”

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7.Valletta Harbour Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 129 reviews · 1 hour 15 minutes (approx.) · from $24

From Sliema, you’ll cruise Malta’s two historic harbours for about 75 minutes, passing Fort St Elmo, Valletta Waterfront, Senglea, Vittoriosa, Fort St Angelo, and Fort Ricasoli. Commentary covers the Great Sieges of 1565 and 1942. The boat returns to Sliema and carries up to 70 people.

“Straight forward, scenic boat ride and good value for money. Very choppy waters though and the plank to get on bored was narrow and buoyant, so not for the feint hearted.”

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8.1-Day Hop-On Hop-Off Bus + Harbour Cruise Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★3.0 · 108 reviews · 1 day (approx.) · from $42

Spend one day touring Malta on North and South hop-on hop-off bus routes, then view Valletta, the Grand Harbour, and the Three Cities from a luxury air-conditioned catamaran. Wi-Fi is included, but clear meeting instructions and timely ticket delivery matter. The harbour cruise runs from Sliema at 10:30, 12:30, and 2:45.

“Our booking stated we would receive our tickets via a email. We messaged the tour operator twice to get our tickets,no answer. We phoned 5 times and finally received the tickets the day after our event. We got on a bus the next day but no seats available so we stood for 3 stops until seats became available, then we hit a traffic jam that lasted for 2 hours before the next stop, so we got off.”

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9.Cruise around Malta’s Harbours and Creeks from Sliema

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 97 reviews · 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $24

Join Robert Arrigo & Sons at Sliema Ferries for a 75 to 90 minute sightseeing cruise through Marsamxett and Grand Harbour. You’ll pass Manoel Island, Valletta’s fortifications, the Three Cities, yacht marinas, dockyards, and quiet creeks. English audio commentary explains the sights, while open-air seating gives you the best views.

“The tour guide is very friendly and the tour was very informative. On that day, it was very windy and the waters were very choppy so that was slightly scary.”

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10.2-Day Hop-On Hop-Off Bus + Harbour Cruise Pass

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 89 reviews · 2 days (approx.) · from $60

Use Malta’s North and South hop-on hop-off bus routes for 48 hours, then take the included harbour cruise within three days of activation. Start at Captain Morgan in Sliema at 10:00 am. Live commentary is included, and you can add an Esplora Science Museum stop, though admission costs extra.

“Easy to get on and off. Staff very friendly. Only downside was the bus stops were not as regular as other sightseeing buses in other cities & countries. They also stopped rather early in the afternoon. The boat cruise of Valetta was exceptional.”

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11.Private Boat Tour of the Grand Harbour on the Island of Malta

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 44 reviews · 35 minutes (approx.) · from $40Top rated

Spend about 35 minutes on a private traditional-style boat around Malta’s Grand Harbour. Keith guides your group past Valletta, Fort St Elmo, Fort Ricasoli, Fort St Angelo, Senglea, and the Three Cities, explaining the harbour’s military past and architecture. Depart from 59 Liesse in Valletta and return to the same meeting point.

“The boat tour guides provides information about the various structures that can be seen in the grand harbor between Valletta and the Three Cities. You get to decide whether you want a one way trip or road trip, which worked well for us to integrate into our overall itinerary.”

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12.Special Night Harbour Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 41 reviews · 1.5 hours · from $24

Leave Sliema Ferries at 6:00 PM for a 90-minute evening cruise around Marsamxett and the Grand Harbour. You’ll pass Gzira, Msida, Valletta, Floriana, the Three Cities, Kalkara, and Rinella, with English commentary. Bring your own food and drinks for a simple sunset outing on the water.

“The boat ride was lovely because there were only 10 of us on board as opposed to the usual 50+. The tour however was read to us however by the vost drivers phone (AI/Computer). When It was run by Supreme tours, the boat driver was the guide and much more informative. For £17 however, its a great 1.5 hours to sit, have a few drinks, take pictures and juat relax. I would recommend it, yes.”

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13.Grand Harbour Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 20 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $24

Cruise Marsamxett and Grand Harbours aboard Captain Morgan’s 20-metre eco-friendly catamaran from Sliema. You’ll see Valletta’s forts, battlements, creeks, and skyline while listening to live commentary in English and German. Sit indoors or outside, use the onboard Wi-Fi, and, weather permitting, hop off at Esplora in Kalkara for the Three Cities.

“Firstly you are told the wrong place to meet the activity to complete the tour. We were told to meet opposite the M&S store when in fact, it was opposite The Londoner Pub. The email received advertised the tour as the following: Find attached your confirmation voucher for Grand Harbour and Marsamxett Harbour catamaran boat cruise from the 'Captain Morgan Harbour Cruise' at The Strand, Sliema (Google map Plus Code: WG53+GW Sliema) opposite M&S Marks & Spencer Sliema departing at 10:30 or 12:30 or 14:45. The whole cruise was boring and what makes it worse is the fact that Malta is a lot richer in history. Would not waste £40…”

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14.2-Day Hop-On Hop-Off Bus & Harbour Cruise (CMO)

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 12 reviews · from $57

Use one pass for Malta’s North and South bus routes, with stops including Mdina, the Three Cities, and Valletta. You get two non-consecutive bus days and a harbour cruise redeemable within five days. An English live guide is available, and the buses are wheelchair accessible.

“It's easy to explore the most important sights. But you have to be careful, as there are two providers on the island, so you can't take just any bus. You also have to pay attention to the signs, as the north route buses are not necessarily blue. Unfortunately, the audio guide provided does not work on every bus. They are not the newest. We took full advantage of the offer with a two-day bus tour and a harbor tour on the third day. (Tip: sit on the right side so that the explanations match what you are seeing.)”

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15.Afternoon Harbours Cruise with Guide and Roundtrip Transfers

★★★★★★★★★★3.4 · 11 reviews · 3 hours · from $46

You’ll cruise Valletta’s Grand and Marsamxett Harbors, entering their creeks for close views of forts, walls, and Lower Barrakka Gardens. A multilingual guide provides history in English, German, French, Italian, or Spanish. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included, followed by about 1½ hours to explore Sliema.

“We were the 1st pickup in Valletta and it took an hour to get to the boat. Not the drivers fault but just the volume of traffic. Also picking up others from different hotels. The trip was quite interesting. We came back to Valletta on the ferry which took 5 minutes. Perhaps this method could be used for the visitors from Valletta?”

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