10 Lake Cruises in Lucerne Worth Booking

1.Mount Pilatus Summit from Lucerne With Lake Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,260 reviews · 5 hours 15 minutes (approx.) · from $223Our pick

Travel from central Lucerne to Mount Pilatus with an English-speaking guide, ascending by panoramic gondola and Dragon Ride, then descending by cogwheel train. From May through October, finish with a one-hour Lake Lucerne cruise. Allow about 5 hours 15 minutes, with free time for lunch and short walks at the summit.

“Enjoyed the cable car and gondola up the mountain and the cogwheel down the mountain. Sites on top were amazing!!”

Check availability →Read our full review

2.Lucerne Walking & Boat Tour: The Best Swiss Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 417 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $118

Explore Lucerne with a local guide such as Luis, Isabella, or Laszlo on a two-hour walk through the Old Town, Chapel Bridge, riverfront, and medieval fortifications. Add a one-hour Lake Lucerne cruise or choose a package with Swiss cheese and wine tasting. Groups are capped at eight, but boat tickets and timing need careful checking.

“We paid €95 EACH for 2 hours walking tour and 1 hour boat cruise. Our ticket said ' no boat' even though we got a confirmation that we HAD a boat cruise. The Russian guide was no help and so our 2 days in Lucerne was spoiled. BE CAREFUL who you book with.”

Check availability →Read our full review

3.Lake Lucerne Panoramic Sightseeing Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 363 reviews · from $39

Cruise Lake Lucerne for about an hour aboard a 161-foot yacht from Pier 7 in Lucerne. Enjoy mountain and city views from the open rear terrace or upper deck, use the multilingual audio guide through your phone or onboard headphones, and buy drinks and snacks at the bar. Morning, afternoon, and evening departures are available.

“We loved this hour long tour. Beautiful scenery and views from the water that you just can’t get from land. We didn’t download the audio guide but you definitely could to hear interesting info of the area.”

Check availability →Read our full review

4.Mt Pilatus Peak and Lake Lucerne Cruise Small Group from Lucerne

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 189 reviews · from $260

You’ll combine two Lucerne classics in about 5½ hours: a cable-car ascent of Mt. Pilatus, summit time and a cogwheel descent, followed by a Lake Lucerne cruise. Guides such as Rose, Santiago Rooney, Jonas, and Leighton have led this outing. The advertised group limit is 15, though one departure was larger.

“Tour guide was excellent- she answered our questions and kept the tour flowing in an orderly fashion. Mt Pilatus was beautiful as advertised. The boat tour was an out and back tour - lasting about an hour. Got to see a lot of the riverside scenery-and typical Swiss lodging . Good tour overall.”

Check availability →Read our full review

5.Lake Lucerne 1-Hour Catamaran Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 98 reviews · 1 hour (approx.) · from $36Best value

Take a one-hour round trip from Lucerne to Kehrsiten-Bürgenstock on Lake Lucerne. The ride offers wide mountain views, indoor and outdoor seating, Wi-Fi, toilets, and sometimes onboard snacks and drinks. It is a public ferry-style service, not a narrated sightseeing tour, and the vessel may not always be a catamaran.

“The cruise is lovely but it definitely wasn’t a catamaran and was just the standard ferry that travels back and forward across the lake. Feel the advertising was quite misleading.”

Check availability →Read our full review

6.Independent Rigi Tour from Lucerne With Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 86 reviews · 4 to 8 hours (approx.) · from $173

Take a self-guided day trip from Lucerne to Mount Rigi using a lake cruise, cogwheel train, and cable car. Your barcode covers the included transport, while you choose the schedule, hiking stops, meals, and time at Rigi Kulm. The route suits independent visitors who want Swiss mountain views without staying with a guide or group.

“Loved that all the tickets were bundled and we could explore Mt Rigi at our own pace. Would have saved a little anxiety if Viator had let us know that the bar code is the "ticket" - all you need for the boat, cogwheel train and aerial cable car. The Viator info said it covered all the tickets and provided a complete timetable - NOT TRUE; also, wasn't sure if a Viator rep would meet us and give us physical tickets. As it turned out, it was super easy - just show the bar code; the only thing they really looked at was the number of adults it covered. (Just…”

Check availability →Read our full review

7.Mt. Rigi Self-Guided Tour: Lake Lucerne Cruise and Mountain Spa

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 83 reviews · 7 to 10 hours (approx.) · from $211

Build your own Swiss mountain day from Lucerne with a second-class Lake Lucerne cruise, unlimited Mt. Rigi trains and cable cars, and admission to Rigi Kaltbad Mineral Baths & Spa. You set the pace, but you must watch the transport timetable and bring swimwear. The spa provides tea and spring water.

“This was an outstanding day. Everything was easy to figure out, plenty of time for each portion of the tour and a great mix of activities. The walk to the spa took a full hour but the snow was deep and we took our time. Beautiful scenery!!!”

Check availability →Read our full review

8.Lucerne Half-Day Small Group Walking Tour incl. Lake Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 15 reviews · 3 to 4 hours (approx.) · from $177

Walk Lucerne with a local English-speaking guide such as Ueli, Abraham, or Rudy, seeing Chapel Bridge, the old town, St. Leodegar, and the Lion Monument before a one-hour Lake Lucerne boat trip. Groups are limited to 15, with a friendly, conversational style rather than headphones and a flag.

“took another tour with the same company and it was really great to have a local with us. good mix between history and actual issues in this touristic city. to get an overview of Lucern, can recommend this company”

Check availability →Read our full review

9.Mt. Pilatus with Lake of Lucerne Cruise Private Tour from Lucerne

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 12 reviews · from $694

This private six-hour tour pairs Mt. Pilatus with a Lake Lucerne cruise. Your guide meets you at your hotel, handles the cable car, cogwheel train, and boat tickets, and explains local history, legends, and views. From mid-May to mid-October, the Golden Route uses the mountain railway and includes the option to cruise between Lucerne and Alpnachstad.

“Santiago was a great guide. Even though our Mt. Pilatus portion was shrouded in snow and mist, hearing about the culture and history was a wonderful experience. The cruise on Lake Lucerne was smooth and beautiful. Thanks for a great day!”

Check availability →Read our full review

10.Panoramic E-Bike Tour with a Lake Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 10 reviews · 7 hours (approx.) · from $729Top rated

Join a private guide at Lucerne station at 8:30 am for a seven-hour e-bike journey through Swiss Knife Valley. Ride with ease to Hohle Gasse, visit the Swiss Army Knife center in Brunnen, and return by a two-hour Lake Lucerne cruise. Dave and Eve have guided this route, with flexibility for your interests and pace.

“Dave’s local knowledge was so helpful and welcomed! He showed us everything and was the perfect balance of explaining the Swiss culture without over explaining it :)”

Check availability →Read our full review