Kingston Dinner Cruises: The Best 1000 Islands Dinner & Sunset Cruise Options

Does it go to Boldt Castle?

No.

Boldt Castle is much farther east, near Alexandria Bay. Kingston cruises explore the western 1000 Islands and remain in Canadian waters throughout.

If Boldt Castle is your priority, choose Gananoque, Ivy Lea or Rockport instead: Gananoque: 1000 Islands Cruise & Optional Boldt Castle Entry (4.5★, 5,683 reviews, from $30) is the only one that actually docks at the castle, while From Ivy Lea: 1000 Islands Boldt Castle Scenic Cruise (4.6★, 1,477 reviews, from $30) and Rockport, ON: 1000 Islands / Boldt Castle Sightseeing Cruises (4.7★, 100 reviews, from $30) pass it from the water. Our Boldt Castle cruise guide compares every route that reaches it. None of the three runs a dinner cruise, so this is a different evening, not a cheaper version of the same one.

What is included?

The ticket includes:

• approximately three hours cruising
• a three-course dinner
• live entertainment
• live narration
• indoor dining
• outdoor deck access

Alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks are purchased separately. Gratuities are not included.

What food is served?

The dinner is structured as three courses:

1. appetizer or salad
2. choice of entrée
3. dessert

Exact menu options change through the season.

If you have:

• allergies
• vegetarian requirements
• other dietary restrictions

check the current menu before booking rather than on the night.

How much does it cost for two?

Two adult base tickets:

2 × C$124 = C$248

After 13% HST, approximately C$280.24.

Then add:

• fuel surcharge
• drinks
• gratuity
• optional premium seating

A couple can comfortably spend C$300+. Our prices and tickets guide runs the same maths across every cruise in the region if you want to see where this sits.

Is it expensive?

Compared with a sightseeing cruise: yes, by a wide margin. It is roughly double the three-hour Kingston sightseeing fare and about four times a one-hour ticket.

But the fairer comparison is against the sum of:

• a three-hour cruise
• a restaurant dinner
• live entertainment
• an evening activity

If you would have bought those separately anyway, the value proposition improves considerably.

Is it worth it?

Yes if:

• you’re celebrating an anniversary
• it’s a birthday
• you want a romantic evening
• you only have one evening in Kingston
• you enjoy scenic dining

No if:

• budget is the main concern
• you only care about photography
• you want Boldt Castle
• you prefer choosing your own restaurant

Premium window table

Selected dinner cruises offer a paid Premium Table upgrade.

It can include:

• a guaranteed window table
• a specialty appetizer

This makes sense for a special occasion. Skip it if you plan to spend much of the cruise on the open deck — you will be paying for a seat you are not sitting in.

Island Star vs Island Queen

Island Star

Best for dinner because of:

• the panoramic glass canopy
• a purpose-built dining environment
• an enclosed cabin
• open upper deck

Island Queen

Best for:

• traditional riverboat atmosphere
• the classic multi-deck experience
• the feel of a larger traditional vessel

For dinner specifically, the Island Star is the stronger boat — and since it sails Wednesday through Sunday, you get it by booking any night but Monday or Tuesday. The full vessel comparison covers views, weather, families and accessibility in detail.

What time does it leave?

Departure times change through the season as sunset gets earlier.

Typical 2026 pattern:

• spring and early summer: around 6:30 PM
• late August and fall: around 5:30 PM

Always check your exact confirmation — a 5:30 PM departure changes what “sunset dinner” means for your evening plans.

Where does it depart?

Crawford Wharf 1 Brock Street Kingston, Ontario

Ticket pickup is nearby in downtown Kingston. Arrive at least 30 minutes before departure.

Parking

There is no large dedicated parking lot at the dock. Use nearby downtown Kingston parking, and budget for it.

The central location is a real advantage for visitors staying in the city — for most Kingston hotels this is a walk, not a drive.

Passport

No passport is required. Kingston routes stay in Canadian waters throughout, unlike the Gananoque Boldt Castle stopover — the passport requirements guide covers which routes need documents.

What should you wear?

Smart casual works well.

Bring:

• comfortable shoes
• a light jacket or sweater
• something warmer for the open deck after sunset
• photo ID if you plan to buy alcohol

The open deck after dark is colder than the forecast suggests, particularly in September and October.

Is it romantic?

Yes. This is the strongest Kingston cruise for:

• anniversaries
• date nights
• birthdays
• romantic weekends

The combination of dinner, evening light, small islands and open-deck views makes it far more date-oriented than a standard sightseeing cruise.

Is it good for children?

Children can attend, but the current child fare for ages 2–15 is the same as the adult fare. That makes it expensive for families — a party of four is looking at roughly C$560 before tax and extras.

A lunch cruise or a standard sightseeing cruise usually offers much better value for a family.

Dinner vs lunch

Dinner

• higher price
• evening
• sunset
• more romantic

Lunch

• lower price
• same general three-hour route
• daylight
• often better value

The Kingston: Lunch Cruise of Thousand Islands (4.5★, 333 reviews, from $78) covers the same Admiralty Islands route with the same three-course structure, in daylight, for meaningfully less. A brunch cruise has run on the same route in past seasons but is not currently listed for booking — our lunch and brunch cruises guide covers both daytime dining options in full.

Choose dinner for atmosphere. Choose lunch for value.

Dinner vs sunset cocktail cruise

Dinner cruise

• 3 hours
• Admiralty Islands
• meal included
• all ages
• premium price

Cocktail cruise

• 2 hours
• Kingston harbour
• no meal
• 19+
• much cheaper

The Kingston: Waterfront Sunset Cocktail Cruise sails the harbour aboard the Island Belle rather than the islands, so it is a genuinely different trip rather than a cheaper version of the same one. It is no longer listed on GetYourGuide — the operator sells it direct at C$49.50 + HST — and our Kingston sunset cruise guide compares the two evening options in full.

Choose dinner if you want the islands. Choose the cocktail cruise if you mainly want drinks and sunset.

Dinner vs Heart of the Islands sightseeing

The regular sightseeing cruise gives you the scenery without the meal — Kingston: Heart of the Thousand Islands Riverboat Cruise (4.3★, 1,057 reviews, from $51), aboard the Island Queen.

It is better for:

• photographers
• budget travellers
• visitors who already have restaurant plans

Dinner is better when the evening itself is the attraction rather than the scenery.

Wine tasting and themed departures

Selected summer dates may add special programming such as:

• wine tasting
• themed music
• special entertainment

Check the current schedule if this matters to you; these are not on every sailing.

Alcohol

A licensed bar operates onboard. Drinks are generally not included in the standard dinner price, and for a couple ordering a bottle of wine this is where the bill moves.

Rain

Cruises normally run rain or shine unless conditions are unsafe.

Indoor accommodation means poor weather does not automatically ruin the experience — and on the Island Star’s Wednesday-to-Sunday sailings the glass canopy means you keep the view as well as staying dry.

Cancellation

Dining-cruise tickets can carry more restrictive cancellation conditions than plain sightseeing tickets.

Because the product is expensive, check:

• the refund policy
• ticket assurance
• change rules

before booking. Most GetYourGuide listings on this site carry free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure, but confirm it on your own booking.

Accessibility

Accessibility varies by vessel, and the published detail is uneven — so read this section before assuming.

For the Island Queen, the operator publishes specifics: wheelchairs are welcome on the first deck, boarding via a gangway 35 in / 88 cm wide; the first-deck washroom is not fully accessible and its stalls may be too narrow for some wheelchairs; and dining seating on the second deck requires climbing 10 stairs. That last point matters a great deal on a dinner cruise.

For the Island Star, no vessel-specific accessibility detail is published in the listing — the dinner cruise simply states that it is wheelchair accessible and asks you to advise at the time of booking if assistance is required.

So if you need step-free dining seating or an accessible washroom, do not book on the strength of a general “wheelchair accessible” label. Confirm with the operator, for your exact sailing date, the:

• vessel assigned
• washroom access
• mobility-device dimensions
• boarding arrangements
• whether dining seating is reachable without stairs

Best month

June

Long daylight and pleasant temperatures.

July

Warm weather and the broadest schedule.

August

Excellent, with earlier departures later in the month.

September

Atmospheric, cooler and quieter.

October

Potentially beautiful with autumn colour, but dress warmly. Our best time to cruise guide breaks the whole season down month by month.

Frequently asked questions

How much is the Kingston dinner cruise?

About C$124 + HST per adult in operator list pricing, plus a fuel surcharge and extras — or from $103 as a GetYourGuide booking.

How long is the Kingston dinner cruise?

Approximately three hours.

What is included in the Kingston dinner cruise?

A three-course dinner, the three-hour cruise, live entertainment, live narration and open-deck access.

Are drinks included on the dinner cruise?

Generally no. A licensed bar operates onboard and drinks are purchased separately.

Does the Kingston dinner cruise go to Boldt Castle?

No. It runs the Admiralty Islands route and stays in Canadian waters.

Do you need a passport for the Kingston dinner cruise?

No.

Is the dinner cruise good for couples?

Yes — it is the best Kingston cruise choice for couples, anniversaries and date nights.

Can children go on the dinner cruise?

Yes, but the child fare for ages 2–15 matches the adult fare, so it is an expensive choice for families.

Is there a window-table upgrade on the dinner cruise?

Yes, on selected dining departures, for an additional fee.

Where does the Kingston dinner cruise leave from?

Crawford Wharf, 1 Brock Street, in downtown Kingston.

Final verdict

If you want the cheapest way to see the 1000 Islands, choose a standard sightseeing cruise — this is not it.

If you want a cruise, dinner, entertainment, sunset and a special evening in one booking, the Kingston Sunset Dinner Cruise is the strongest all-in-one option in the region.

Best for couples: Sunset Dinner

Best for anniversaries: Sunset Dinner plus a Premium Table

Best dining value: the lunch cruise

Best budget evening: Sunset Cocktail

Best pure sightseeing: Heart of the Islands

For the right traveller a Kingston dinner cruise isn’t simply a meal on a boat. It is a complete 1000 Islands evening without leaving downtown — and for the wrong traveller it is a C$300 evening that a C$110 lunch cruise would have covered.

Ready to book?

Check live dates and pricing for the Sunset Dinner Cruise and every other Kingston departure, or compare the two dining boats first in our Island Queen vs Island Star guide.