Showboat History

Cruising Sydney Harbour since 1987, Sydney Showboats slowly revolutionised the concept of waterfront dining with its exceptional Sydney Harbour dinner cruise experience that has catapulted the brand into a league of its own in the cruising industry. Currently operating under the Australian Cruise Group banner (formerly Blue Line Cruises), Sydney Showboats was originally conceptualised in 1986 and introduced to Sydney Harbour in November 1987, just in time for the Australian bicentenary in January 1988.

Brian Gray was the visionary who took a giant leap into the future by rekindling the romance of the 1800s when paddlewheelers were the backbone of commerce and nation building in Australia! In collaboration with a naval architect, he decided to build a glamorous paddlewheeler that exuded old-world grace and charm… little did he know that this stand-out cruising entertainment venue would change the face of Sydney Harbour cruising forever.

The Sydney Showboat was purpose-built with a theatre-style layout and all the trappings of stage, light and sound requirements to host live cabaret shows, luxury dinner cruises and provide a unique viewing gallery to take in all the gorgeous sights Sydney Harbour has to offer.

The Showboat started off with dinner cruises and small entertainment acts, dances, songs, magic and burlesque acts, which over time, evolved into an extravagant cabaret show that lent a whole new perspective to cruising and dining on Sydney Harbour!

Since 1987, the Sydney Showboat dinner cruise experience has delighted over 5 million guests and counting… and there’s been no looking back! In a nutshell, that’s how Sydney Showboats came to be!