Tobermory Boat Cruises: A 2025 Guide

Heading to Tobermory this summer, and want to take one of the famous boat cruises? You’re in the right place.

Tobermory is one of the most charming and unique small towns in Ontario, and is surrounded by some of the most scenic beauty. The boat cruises are one of the best ways to explore the rock formations of the Niagara Escarpment and the crystal-clear blue water.

Having been to Tobermory multiple times, I can break down the different cruise options for you, as there are so many of them.

The main thing you need to know is that there are two main cruise companies in Tobermory: Bruce Anchor, and Blue Heron. They have both been around for a long time, are tried and true and you’re unlikely to be disappointed with either.

Both of these cruise companies offer glass-bottom cruises, which Tobermory is famous for.

Whether you choose Bruce Anchor or Blue Heron depends on a few key differences and your personal preferences. I’ll share all the details so that you can make the best decision – and go over a few other cruise options as well.

By the end of this article, my hope is that you’ll have a pretty good idea of which cruise you want to book in Tobermory.

So, let’s dive in – a guide of Tobermory boat cruises!

Glass Bottom Boat Cruises

Here’s everything you need to know about the stops that will be made on the glass-bottom boat cruises

These glass-bottom boat cruises are offered by two different companies: Bruce Anchor, and Blue Heron. They both offer a ‘stay on’ cruise option, and a ‘drop off’ option.

The glass bottom cruises (whether you sail with Bruce Anchor or Blue Heron) generally make two different stops:

• Stop 1: Big Tub Harbour, which is a small cove. In the cove, you’ll see a Big Tub Lighthouse, and the 1880s Sweepstakes Shipwreck (pictured above) which is only 5 ft below the water and very well intact.
• Stop 2: Flowerpot Island, famous for its beautiful ‘flowerpot’ shaped rock formations.

You can either get off at Flowerpot Island and spend 1-3 hours, or you can stay on the cruise and simply admire the view from the boat.

The Stay-On Options (at Bruce Anchor and Blue Heron)

The stay-on option means that you stay on the boat for the round trip. You will go from Tobermory to the Big Tub, and then Flowerpot Island, and straight back again. The entire trip will take just over an hour.

If you choose the ‘drop off’ option, then you will get off the boat at Flowerpot Island, and you are picked up later.

Let’s go through what you need to know about each of these options.

The Stay-on Option

Tobermory is famous for its glass-bottom boat cruises. The water is crystal clear and the glass-bottoms allow you to see down to the floor of the lake.

The stay-on glass bottom boat cruises are perfect for anyone who doesn’t particularly want to hike Flowerpot Island, for whatever reason.

If you just want just the cruise without the hike, then this is the perfect option.

TIP: If you choose to sail with Bruce Anchor, they have two different ships. The Explorer and The Fusion. They both cost the same, and look fairly similar.

The Drop-Off Option

Both Bruce Anchor and Blue Heron offer the option for you to get off at Flowerpot Island and explore. Here’s a breakdown on how those work.

Bruce Anchor and Blue Heron both offer cruises that allow you to get off at Flowerpot Island, and stay there for a few hours before hopping on a cruise that takes you back to the mainland.

Both cruises:

• depart several times throughout the day
• their number of departures and prices decrease during peak times.

Pro Tip: You can expect to spend anywhere from $60-$70 per boat ticket on either of the cruises, depending on shoulder season or peak time, or adult or child ticket. Seniors get a discount.

Bruce Anchor vs Blue Heron

Both of these boat cruise companies are tried and true, and have been in town for a long time.

One is not necessarily ‘better’ than the other. They have similar pricing, similar hours, and similar rules and schedules.

The best one depends on what you prefer between the differences that set them apart. Here are a few key differences between the Bruce Anchor and Blue Heron experience.

Personally, I’ve always sailed with Bruce Achor. I initially booked with them because I was staying at their motel, which is just a stone’s throw from their boarding area.

I had a great experience cruising with my toddler that time, so I returned this past summer and sailed with them again; this time with my 3-year-old and pre-teen. Both kids loved it, and couldn’t stop talking about the cruise after.

I believe the key thing that sets the cruises apart is where you want to board from. Bruce Achor has a much more scenic boarding area (pictured above) plus its slightly closer to the destinations.

Blue Heron’s boarding area is right in Little Tub Harbour, so most people stumble upon it naturally and book on the spot. (It also means their cruises are more likely to be full – although both are very popular and both tend to fill up.)

A few things to note (about both cruise options)

• Book in advance. Both Bruce Anchor and Blue Heron are very popular and fill up fast
• “Peak times” on both of their websites refer to any time in the summer months – June, July and August.
• While 0-3 children are free of charge, they still require their own ticket, so don’t forget to include them in your booking

Compare schedules and book tickets in advance for Bruce Anchor and Blue Heron on their websites.

Should You Get Off at Flowerpot Island?

Flowerpot Island is a unique piece of natural landscape and is famous for its ‘flowerpot’ shaped rock formations, which can’t be found anywhere else. Here’s everything you need to know about exploring Flowerpot Island.

Generally speaking – of course you should! Flowerpot Island is a beautiful piece of natural landscape that is completely unique to this region and can’t be found anywhere else.

You can go swimming, hiking, have a picnic, or simply relax on benches and the rocks, taking in the views.

There are caves to explore, and of course, you’ll want to get photos of the gorgeous one-of-a-kind rock formations against the turquoise water.

Its an experience that doesn’t do justice until you can see it in real life.

Of course, there are a few things to keep in mind about visiting Flowerpot Island. Most people can visit it easily, but it may not be for everyone.

Things to Keep in Mind about Flowerpot Island:

• It’s not stroller-friendly, or wheelchair accessible
• There are no amenities: no food, no electricity or garbage cans. Bring full water bottles, and a bag to bring your trash back in
• There are compost washrooms only
• The terrain is quite uneven and it’s not the easiest hike. Be sure to wear good walking shoes!
• Flowerpot Island is a sensitive piece of nature that they are working hard to preserve, so please leave it better than you found it. Take all your garbage back with you.

How long to spend on Flowerpot Island

When you book your drop-off cruise, you’ll be able to choose how long to spend on Flowerpot Island.

We spent 1 hour, because I thought that it would be challenging to do more than that with our 3 year old.

We ended up wishing we had done 2 hours, because 1 hour on the island isn’t a lot of time to see the cave, or to just spend time relaxing or taking it in.

One hour only really gives you enough time to get to where the famous ‘flowerpot’ stacks are, take photos at a few different lookouts, and run back to the boarding area for your departure time.

So, unless you only want the bare minimum on the island, then I recommend choosing the 2 or 3 hour time frame.

Things to Bring to Flowerpot Island

Add these to your Flowerpot Island or Tobermory boat cruise packing list.

• Hiking boots, or decent walking shoes
• Reusable water bottle
• Hat with good sun protection
• Swimsuit and towel, in case you want to swim
• Snacks, ideally waste-free, such as apples, bananas, etc.
• A bag to bring back any garbage (if you have any) since you can’t throw it out there
• Bug spray, or mosquito repellent stickers
• Sunscreen

Other Boat Cruise Options in Tobermory

The glass-bottom boat cruises are the most popular and well-known option, but there are others to consider as well.One of the most popular activities in Tobermory are sunset cruises.

Sunset Cruises

Sunset Cruises in Tobermory are offered through Blue Heron. They will take you to see the Grotto and the Indian Head Cove.

Departure times vary to leave it well-timed with the sunset, so the timing changes slightly throughout the summer months.

In spring, the sunset cruises leave on Saturday nights only. In the summer, they leave every night. All of these cruises are weather-dependent.

Tobermory Wave

Another boat cruising company in Tobermory is Tobermory Wave. Like Blue Heron, Tobermory Wave leaves from Little Tub Harbour. They don’t have glass bottoms – these boats are smaller, and more similar to a motorboat. Unlike with Blue Heron and Bruce Anchor daytime cruises, you get to see the grotto with Tobermory Wave.

So if you want to see the grotto in addition to  Flowerpot Island, and the Sweepstakes shipwreck from a boat in one tour – then Tobermory Wave might be what you’re looking for.

With Tobermory Wave, an adult ticket is $70 and children’s are $62. The tour is 2h 20 mins. They do have a 3-day cancellation policy, so keep this in mind when you book.

Tobermory Cruises: Where to Stay Nearby

There are a few accommodation options in Tobermory, but it’s always nice to be close to the harbour and the cruise boarding areas, to minimize the stress of commuting to the town and looking for parking.

If you’re sailing with Bruce Anchor, there’s nowhere more convenient to stay than their hotel, which is located just a stone’s throw from their dock. This is what I chose to do. It was convenient being so close by. The nice thing about The Bruce Anchor Hotel is that its also only a 5-minute walk to the Tobermory Harbour and restaurants. So the location was great all around.

If you’re planning to sail with Blue Heron, the Bruce Anchor motel is still close – about a 10 minute walk from the Little Tub Harbour where you’ll board.

Heading to Tobermory with kids? Click here to read about family-friendly accommodations in town.

Tobermory Cruises: Final Thoughts

We hope this covered the information you need to select the best Tobermory cruise for your stay. I sincerely hope that this was helpful to you. The cruises are a must, whether you’re in Tobermory with kids, or a group of adults.

Make the most of your trip to Tobermory by being well-informed, and knowing where and how to make the best cruise choice for you or your party.