Pass through the renowned Ballard Locks and learn about the complex system on a cruise that transports you between the freshwater of Lake Union and the saltwater of Puget Sound. The one-way cruise can be used as transportation, making it ideal for travelers who want to avoid traffic and enjoy a unique journey from the Seattle waterfront to the AGC Marina on South Lake Union (or vice versa).

Take a one-way cruise through the Ballard Locks
Pass by the floating community from the movie Sleepless in Seattle
Get details about the sights through live onboard commentary
Take photos of the Seattle skyline from the water

What's Included

2 hour narrated boat tour through the Ballard Locks
Live commentary on board

Food and drinks (available for purchase on board)
Alcoholic drinks (available to purchase on board)
Gratuities

Meeting And Pickup

Meeting points

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End points

This activity ends in a different location. See details below:

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What To Expect

Lake Union (Pass By)

Lake Union Drydock Co (Pass By)

Floating Homes Association (Pass By)

Gas Works Park (Pass By)

Fremont Bridge (Pass By)

Ship Canal Trail (Pass By)

Fishermen's Terminal (Pass By)

Hiram M. Chittenden Locks (Pass By)

Discovery Park (Pass By)

Puget Sound (Pass By)

Space Needle (Pass By)

Argosy Cruises - Seattle Waterfront (Pass By)

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Wheelchair accessible
TWO DEPARTURE OPTIONS - This is a one-way tour that starts & ends at two different central Seattle marinas. Choose to depart from Pier 54 on the waterfront or from AGC Marina on Lake Union. The departure location is noted in the subtitle of the tour. If unsure - please call Argosy Cruises
Kids (3 and under) ride free but do require a boarding pass
All vessels offer both indoor & outdoor seating
All vessels have bathrooms
Stroller accessible
Near public transportation

Transportation is wheelchair accessible
Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Wheelchair accessible. PLEASE CALL in advance to secure crew/boarding support.
Check-in 30 minutes prior to tour - Boarding starting 20 minutes prior to departure
Gates close 5 minutes prior to tour departure time for boat preparation and safety checks
Most travelers can participate
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 135 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.

Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Featured review

Trisha_R

We highly recommend the locks cruise. It was educational and fun. Captain Christy and her deck hands were fantastic!

Reviews

4.5

135 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

Showing 1-10 of 135 reviews

Great tour

Trisha_R, May 2023

We highly recommend the locks cruise. It was educational and fun. Captain Christy and her deck hands were fantastic!

Excellent, sunny, great views, tranquil...

Nelson_M, May 2023

Great exploring views of Seattle. Got to see the locks, sea lions, and build a mental map of Seattle neighborhoods.

Great Locks tour

SandraG, May 2023

Delivered exactly what they said they would. Great scenery, great snacks, great narrative, great team. Thanks, ARGOSY!

Even better than we imagined it would be!

Kenneth_B, May 2023

We enjoyed our tour. Ryan was a delight and very informative. Going through the locks was an exciting experience!

Locks Tour for Pleasure

sedcarson, May 2023

This boat tour is a lovely way to see the city from a fresh perspective. From the lake to the sound, your guides will provide narration about the culture and ecology. The trip through the locks was especially cool because you get "up close and personal" with the mechanics of the locks. It is a fun way to spend part of your afternoon!

WORTH EVERY PENNY!

Francisco_U, Apr 2023

This was a last minute booking and one of our favorites. Views were spectacular. Lock system was cool to watch. Sean was great and very informative. Bartender was very friendly. We didn’t get his name but he had long blonde hair. And the weather was perfect but even if it weren’t still would have been a great experience. 💗

Great tour

Ingrid_S, Apr 2023

Excellent tour and very informative. The narration coveted all of the sites on shore. Trip through the locks was very interesting and fun.

Fun cruise of locals and visitors

Carolyn_W, Apr 2023

This is a great cruise for locals and sightseers. Our party had both kinds of people. I am a local, and I learned a few new stories about Seattle’s history. The tour guide answered questions and gave some personal commentary about the city that I appreciated. We saw cormorants, blue herons, seagulls, sea lions and seals. I also got to enjoy views of the city that I normally don’t see. Going through the locks was a fun experience! Definitely a recommended excursion for out of town visitors or a staycation.

Sean was so informed and...

David_K, Apr 2023

Sean was so informed and excited about Seattle and telling its stories on the cruise. My sister who has lived in Seattle for 32 years learned new information on the tour.

Great way to see Seattle

mary_g, Mar 2023

Loved the water views of the city. Loved hearing a bit of history and information about the piers and ships that we passed. Beautiful views of the city. The crew was especially entertaining. The Locks are interesting if you have never done them.

Great Crew!!

Kristal_M, Mar 2023

We were part of a lucky cruise that saw a couple of pods of orcas. The crew was just as excited as the passengers. It was an amazing experience and the crew adjusted for the occasion. Even without the orca sightings it was a great experience.

Awesome Tour

maxack2007, Feb 2023

Amazing Tour. Would recommend for sure. Was great to see how the Locks work. Views are stunning. Harbour Seals were the best for me. Haven’t see them in real life. So many just chillin’ in the sun.

And the waters rise

Janie_K, Nov 2022

Our 13 year old grandson loved the visual and scientific experience of going through the locks. A great trip

Seattle water cruise.

Edgar_M, Oct 2022

This was one of the best cruise ever. So, so beautiful views and very nice experience! Highly recommend!

The guide was super...

Patty_W, Oct 2022

The guide was super knowledgeable and had a very clear voice. She was awesome! Great learning how the lock system worked. You really shouldn’t require feedback if you do a survey.

Stranded Travelor

Vincent_M, Oct 2022

I take this relaxing and informative cruise every year and enjoy it immensely. However, the one-way bus transportation was apparently resumed earlier in the summer without any notice to travelers booking through Viator. I would have gladly paid extra for this much-needed service had I known about it. Instead, I struggled to find my way to Lake Union where I began this excursion. Otherwise, I would have rated this experience 5 stars. Please publicize the bus service a little better next time.

Awesome Cruise

Barrett_B, Oct 2022

Absolutely loved seeing the Seattle skyline, going through the locks was great, seeing multiple ships from the "Deadliest Catch" series in harbor was a cool bonus, and seeing the house boat from "Sleepless in Seattle" was my wife's highlight. The narration along the entire trip was both informative and entertaining.

A great boat trip for anyone visiting the city of Seattle

Shaun_L, Oct 2022

Great informative commentary and lovely scenery. The barman was fun too! Would recommend, thoroughly enjoyed the trip and would recommend.

Well worth it. The two hours flew by.

StephenCrone, Sept 2022

We enjoyed learned the history of the area. The different neighborhoods, the locks, the fishing fleet and the. Seattle itself. The crew was fantastic and informative.

Great Cruise

Jessica_D, Sept 2022

The Locks Cruise was interesting and included some beautiful sights around the city. The tour guide was very informative.

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