The 12 Best Grand Harbour Cruises in Malta

1.Marsamxett Harbour and Grand Harbour Cruise by Night

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

Board at Sliema Ferries at 20:30 for an English-commentated night cruise around Marsamxett Harbour and Grand Harbour. You will pass ten creeks, Manoel Island, the Yacht Marina, Valletta’s walls, the Three Cities, and the old dockyard area before returning at 22:00. A bar and toilets are on board.

“Evening Malta is marvelous and worth seeing from water. This journey really added positive impression to the whole trip to Malta. The hosting itself though wasn't as good. You definitely should come earlier to get the best seats at the ship and I quiet heard the voice guidance.”

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2.Valletta & Three Cities Harbour Cruise

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

Cruise Malta’s Grand Harbour and Marsamxett Harbour for about 90 minutes aboard an air-conditioned catamaran with live commentary. You’ll view Valletta, Fort St. Elmo, Fort Manoel, Fort St. Angelo, and the Three Cities from the water, with a possible Esplora stop when sea conditions allow.

“Good value cruise. Does what it says on the tin. Great way yo see the harbour. Would happily recommend”

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3.The Traditional Harbour Cruise

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

Cruise Valletta and the Three Cities for about 90 minutes, passing forts, battlements, creeks, dockyards, and marinas. You get English commentary, open-water views, a bar, toilets, and several departure times. Hotel pickup is offered, but meeting-point instructions can be unclear.

“We waited over an hour outside for the bus with no sign of it. I contacted customer service (the lady on the phone was lovely) but she told me that the bus had already came, we had attempted to get on a bus but the driver told us it was not the right bus. She told us there would be another bus in 40 minutes but we would miss our booked boat trip and she could not guarantee that we would get on another. She told me that the driver told us that it was the wrong bus because Viator had recently changed the name of the tour and that…”

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4.Valletta Harbour Cruise

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

Board Luzzu Cruises at Sliema Ferry 4 for an approximately 75-minute harbor cruise past Valletta, Senglea, Vittoriosa, and historic forts. Expect English commentary, open water views, a maximum of 70 people, and a calm introduction to Malta’s harbor history.

“We have nearly missed your trip because one of your staff sent us away from the boat we needed to get on.”

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

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

Spend a day exploring Malta on North and South hop-on hop-off routes, then cruise the Grand Harbour, Valletta, and Three Cities by air-conditioned catamaran. Wi-Fi is available on the buses, but route changes, meeting points, and cruise times need careful checking before you set out.

“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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6.2-Day Hop-On Hop-Off Bus + Harbour Cruise Pass

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

Use unlimited North and South route buses for 48 hours, then take the included harbour cruise within three days of activation. You can also stop at Esplora Science Museum, though admission costs extra. Start at Sliema at 10:00 am.

“The ticket we had wasn't 'registered' with the tour company so they had no record of us having paid. Called VIATOUR and the person on the phone said they would get in touch with the tour company to help us get the situation sorted. I am still waiting for a reply from them, 6 weeks later. I would not recommend buying a ticket through this website and buy it from a seller at your holiday location.”

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

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

Join Keith for a private 35-minute boat ride around Malta’s Grand Harbour. From the Valletta meeting point, you’ll see Fort St Elmo, Fort Ricasoli, Fort St Angelo, Senglea, and the Three Cities while hearing clear stories of knights, war, and harbour life.

“My daughter and I have visited Malta a few times but never done this tour. So glad we finally did! Keith was so pleasant and knowledgeable. Beautiful time! 10/10 recommend!!”

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8.Special Night Harbour Cruise

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

Cruise from Sliema Ferries at 6:00 PM through Marsamxett and Grand Harbour, passing Valletta, the Three Cities, and ten historic creeks. An English audio commentary covers Maltese history and culture. Bring your own food and drinks for a relaxed evening 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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9.Grand Harbour Cruise

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

See Valletta, Marsamxett Harbour, the Grand Harbour, Fort Saint Elmo, Fort Saint Angelo, and the Three Cities from Captain Morgan’s modern catamaran. Choose indoor or outdoor seating, hear live commentary in English and German, and optionally hop off at Esplora in Kalkara.

“It was a pleasant trip. It covered all areas that is hard to get to by foot. Nice views. All members of our crew were friendly. Thank you”

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

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 12 reviews · from $57

Use an English-guided hop-on hop-off pass on Malta’s North and South routes for two non-consecutive days, with stops including Mdina, Three Cities, and Valletta. Add a Harbour Cruise within five days of activation for a useful land-and-water view of the island.

“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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11.1-Day Hop-On Hop-Off Bus + Harbour Cruise (CMO)

★★★★★★★★★★3.1 · 7 reviews · from $40

Use one pass for Malta’s North and South bus routes, with stops near Mosta, the Three Cities, Blue Grotto, and Għar Dalam. Add a 90-minute Grand Harbour cruise with commentary in English, German, French, or Spanish, redeemable within three days of activation.

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12.Private Harbor Cruise – Marsamxett & Grand Harbor Valletta

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · 2 to 3 hours (approx.)

Set out from Sliema with your private group aboard a 26-foot day cruiser. Captain Ricardo may guide you past Manoel Island, Fort St. Elmo, Fort St. Angelo, and other harbor landmarks. Choose the two-hour sightseeing cruise or the three-hour option with a one-hour swim stop.

“The boat is a 26ft day cruiserin very good condition with a bimini top. Our captain Ricardo was a great guy to be around, very nice guy with some great stories. Due to the extreme heat we actually went straight to swin at the south of the island in a really nice bay that appeared popular with locals and far from the usual tourist areas, all in all we had a wonderful day on the sea! (you can get this tour at a way better price if you book directly, just look up the tour companies on google maps, I realized that I paid 50% more)”

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