Helford River Cruises
Helford River Cruises
5
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Full view
About
One and half cruise along the Helford River and creeks including Daphne du Maurier's inspiration Frenchman's Creek.Launching from the Budock Vean Hotel foreshore, after a lovely stroll through award winning gardens. Comfy seats, the Hannah Molly seats up to 12 people. Private Charters are available. Cruises daily, times will vary due to tides. Please contact us for cruise times. The Koru Cafe is open 11am-4pm Monday to Friday at the foreshore serving up Lavazza coffee, Roskillys ice cream, pastries, croissants, pastries, hot and cold drinks and snacks. Pre order a pasty (meat or vegan) or Koru Picnic by 5pm the day before.
Mawnan Smith, Cornwall, England
Awards
Travelers' Choice
2023
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listingSimilar Experiences
Helford River Cruises
Booking unavailable on Tripadvisor
Want other options you can book now?
Show optionsTravelers talk about
(34 reviews)
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
332 reviews
Excellent
312
Very good
17
Average
3
Poor
0
Terrible
0
susanwC8764TK
Cornwall, UK16 contributions
Sep 2020 • Couples
Highly recommend this trip.
Firstly, our guide Hetti was lovely! Usually dogs are not allowed onboard, but our assistance dog in training was warmly welcomed. I was with my adult daughter who is autistic and Hetti did everything in her power to make her comfortable. We boarded first and my daughter was encouraged to sit wherever she felt most comfortable. Hetti also spoke directly to her instead of speaking to me. This was very much appreciated by my daughter as she is an intelligent adult and it’s very patronising when people speak to me on her behalf, so thank you for that Hetti!
We had a lovely time on the water and Hetti gave us lots of interesting information about the landmarks and sights as we came across them. She also pointed out local wildlife which we would of probably missed had she not shown us.
A very enjoyable trip that I would recommend to everyone and that was down to Hetti
Firstly, our guide Hetti was lovely! Usually dogs are not allowed onboard, but our assistance dog in training was warmly welcomed. I was with my adult daughter who is autistic and Hetti did everything in her power to make her comfortable. We boarded first and my daughter was encouraged to sit wherever she felt most comfortable. Hetti also spoke directly to her instead of speaking to me. This was very much appreciated by my daughter as she is an intelligent adult and it’s very patronising when people speak to me on her behalf, so thank you for that Hetti!
We had a lovely time on the water and Hetti gave us lots of interesting information about the landmarks and sights as we came across them. She also pointed out local wildlife which we would of probably missed had she not shown us.
A very enjoyable trip that I would recommend to everyone and that was down to Hetti
Written September 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ang K
Gloucester, UK8 contributions
Sep 2020 • Friends
A great 90 minute tour by skipper Roger around the creeks of the Helford River, which launched from Budock Vean Hotel Quay at Mawnan Smith. Roger was informative as well as fun and told us numerous stories and history of the houses along the different creeks. The weather was kind to us and it was a pleasant way to spend the time on a boat leisurely sailing the river. We finished our tour with afternoon tea at the Budock Vean Hotel which again was extremely nice. We thoroughly enjoyed this tour and can recommend to anyone.
Written September 12, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Clive Vanstone
1 contribution
Oct 2020
My husband arranged this trip for my Birthday. We were both delighted with the experience. 'Roger' our 'Captain of the ship' was so pleasant and informative about all the flora and fauna. We were really lucky with the weather and were 'blessed' with a rainbow appearing in the sky for a large part of the entire trip. We would thoroughly recommend this beautiful river experience.
Written October 19, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ruth P
Helston, UK8 contributions
Sep 2020
A very enjoyable and informative boat trip on the Helford River which lasted 90+ minutes for a very reasonable price. There were only 6 of us in the boat so it felt like a VIP cruise. Beautiful scenery and it was lovely and quiet when the engine was switched off to enjoy. Tom, our guide, was full of interesting facts about the area and very knowledgeable about the wildlife. We saw plenty of birds including an Osprey, and some lovely houses and villages. Would thoroughly recommend this trip.
Written September 10, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
EricaGale22
Minehead, UK24 contributions
Sep 2020
What a relaxed, enjoyable and informative time we had on the water with Roger as our boatman and guide. I loved how, several times, he lined up the boat to a particular background and then showed us an old photograph of the exact same view while telling us a story behind it. He is so knowledgeable about the whole area and what's going on, and clearly loves sharing his anecdotes and facts about geology, history and more.
Written September 30, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sb50
Exmouth, UK165 contributions
Apr 2021 • Family
There were 8 of us for an evening cruise to celebrate a birthday. It was flat calm and we cruised from the pick up point at Budock Vean hotel to Helford Passage then upto Frenchman’s Creek and finally Port Navas. Roger was the perfect skipper taking his time to tell us about the Helford River and many of the interesting houses and sights along the way. We took our own refreshments and had the most enjoyable 1.5 hours. There was plenty of room for 8 of us. I would highly recommend this trip if you are in the area. It is dependent upon the state of the tides so you may need to plan your day accordingly.
Written May 31, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Massimo P
Berkhamsted, UK61 contributions
Jul 2022
My wife and I just had a break in St Ives. We hadn't planned a river cruise but some guests at our hotel recommended Helford River Cruises so we took a punt. Looking at the boat from a distance was slightly offputting but later we discovered that it did an excellent job. And we were very pleased with our choice, all thanks to Roger who was extremely generous with information and even treated with a glass of Prosecco to celebrate two Italian guests on the boat. A very enjoyable 90 minutes, thoroughly recommended!
Written August 1, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Katherine J
9 contributions
Apr 2022
The Helford River cruise was a revelation. Limited to a maximum of 10 people on a very small river boat, it is both personal, friendly and very informative. We were met at the jetty by Roger, and made very welcome. There is so much to see, and his explanations and historical knowledge of the river's history were fascinating. He is really well informed and very entertaining! We had a great 90 minutes, including cruising to Frenchman's Creek, and would highly recommend this excursion. We had lunch at the Budock Vean Hotel first and enjoyed the walk both ways through their beautiful grounds. A word of warning - it is quite steep in places for anyone with mobility issues, so check out the approach from the hotel.
Otherwise a wonderful excursion.
Otherwise a wonderful excursion.
Written April 26, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
mumssecret
Borobudur, Indonesia15 contributions
Sep 2022 • Family
It was a great trip in a beautiful part of the country. All three generations in our party enjoyed it and our host Roger was, as always, knowledgeable, sociable and entertaining. This trip is becoming an annual event for us with whichever visitors we have staying, and everyone always enjoys it.
Written September 3, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mary
Dorking, UK19 contributions
Sep 2020 • Couples
We had a fantastic tour around the creeks with Tom, who provided lots of interesting info about the history of the area. We saw some interesting wildlife, including herons and an osprey, and generally just had a lovely time. Afterwards we had lunch at the Shipwrights in Helford as recommended by Tom, which was a great shout. I would thoroughly recommend this tour - and they also do kayak tours, which look fun.
Written September 9, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Do the cruises run in December?
Hetty
St Agnes, UK94 contributions
Hello, sorry now we take the boat out of the water at the beginning of November. We can offer Koru Kayak Adventures through if of interest?
Marcus
Leicester, UK6 contributions
Hi I'm due to go on this cruise next week it says in confirmation email to bring swim wear an towel why is this?? Thanks
Hetty
St Agnes, UK94 contributions
Hello! Sorry about that it sounds like you may have booked in to one of our kayak adventures instead of a boat trip! Can you give us a call on 01872 552255 and we can double check your booking.
Many thanks
Hetty
trishymama
London, UK3 contributions
Are dogs allowed? Two tiny ones.
Hetty
St Agnes, UK94 contributions
Hi we do allow dogs on Helford River Cruises on our Private Charters, not on the normal boat trips as it is a small boat and we would struggle to accommodate several dogs. The Budock Vean Hotel is dog friendly though and so if you were comfortable leaving the dogs in the car under a shady tree for 90 minutes you would then be able to walk the dogs in the lovely grounds and enjoy a light lunch, cream tea or evening meal depending on the time of you cruise. When are you planning on coming?
440BernB
Charlotte, NC2 contributions
What is trip duration? Cost? Times/days in October 2016?
Hetty
St Agnes, UK94 contributions
Hello your question was answered above by one our happy customers. Our prices are still the same in 2019 £20pp or £200 private charter for an hour and a half cruise so hope to see you again soon!
Carol W
Cornwall, UK4 contributions
Is this cruise available all year round, weather dependant ?
Hetty
St Agnes, UK94 contributions
Hello We operate from March until mid December. It is an open top boat and so if there is light rain we can wear rain coats. Do you have a date in mind? You can contact us 0794 102 7732
Look forward to hearing from you soon!
Hetty
Helford River Cruises
I am considering this trip as a 90th birthday present for my father. Please would you let me know the cost including a lunch or a cream tea. Also, I read that the walk to the Budock Vean hotel ( for cream tea) is a little steep, so would it be possible for a buggy to meet and take my parents from/ to the boat? How long are the trips? One reviewer mentioned 1.5 hours, but I can't imagine that that would include a stop for food.
Many thanks
Elizabeth Agar
Tel: 01263 833151
Hetty
St Agnes, UK94 contributions
Hi Elizabeth Thank you for your message. Our trips are 1.5 hours and you can either book individual spaces (upto 10 spaces) £20pp or a private charter (upto 12 spaces) £200. Yes you can book a golf buggy back up to the hotel to enjoy afternoon tea or a light lunch. Prices for lunch and afternoon tea vary and are all listed on the Budock Vean Hotel website. We can send you a link but a rough guide is £8 for cream tea and £14 for 2 and £31 for 2 full afternoon teas. Lunches vary depending on what you order.
When are you thinking of coming and we can check the cruise times for you? We can also call you or you can contact us on 0794 102 7732.
Many thanks
Hetty
Helford River Cruises