V&A Harbour & Seal Cruise

Spot seals, learn about the Waterfront harbour and see Cape Town from a fresh angle.

Seal viewing likely
Main Image
Duration 30 minute
Available in English

Overview

Life in and around the Victoria and Alfred basins is busy. On the Waterfront boat rides you'll come across resident seals to international ships visiting our shores. Hop on our Waterfront Harbour Cruise to see the city in a new light and learn more about Cape Town's proud nautical history.

Included

Included
Come and see the Cape Fur seals
Included
Hear about Cape Town's nautical history
Included
Listen to the legends and stories of the V&A
Included
Close up views of seals and ships
Included
Regular Departures
Included
Comfort and safety in the open-air

Important information

Starts

V&A Waterfront, just below the Two Oceans Aquarium, at Bus Stop 1

Operates

09h00 - 17h00 (Later in summer)
This tour is weather dependent. Call 021 511 6000 on the day of your tour, to enquire if the boat tours are operating.

Duration

Cruise lasts about 25 minutes

Frequency

Every 30 minutes

Know before you go

Have your camera ready for the Cape Fur seal
Best way to explore the V&A Waterfront harbour, the oldest working harbour in South Africa!
View the SAS Somerset boom defence vessel, the Bascule Bridge and other intriguing attractions of the harbour
Fun and family-friendly cruise
This tour is weather dependent. Call 021 511 6000 on the day of your tour, to enquire if the boat tours are operating.

Special Price

Please consider the family ticket (2 Adults + 2 Children aged 4-17) for only R245

Highlights

More information

Departing from the jetty outside the Two Oceans Aquarium at the V&A Waterfront, the Waterfront Harbour Cruise puts Cape Town’s bustling harbour in the spotlight. Expect to see key attractions including icons of maritime history as well as epic views of the city’s natural landscape. Highlights include the SAS Somerset, the only remaining boom defence vessel in the world, and the southern hemisphere’s largest synchro-lift and only drawbridge, the Bascule Bridge. The cruise also includes views of Table Mountain, the Nelson Mandela Gateway, Chavonnes Battery Museum and the well-known Clock Tower. Of course, experiencing the bustling waterways of Cape Town from a boat is a highlight itself, and this cruise offers a perspective of the city that no other tour can offer.

History

Built in 1941, the SAS Somerset was previously known as Ship No 280. It originally sailed to South Africa to provide services at the vibrant fishing area of Saldanha Bay. Today, the SAS Somerset remains harboured at the V&A Waterfront as a museum ship for public viewing. Also at the V&A is the Bascule Bridge, a pedestrian swing bridge that crosses the water to the Clock Tower. Before it was built, dockworkers and sailors used the Penny Ferry – a small rowing boat that crossed this section of water. The historic Clock Tower, built in 1882, was the original Port Captain’s Office and has been maintained to resemble its original design.

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