Robert Arrigo Harbour Cruise: 90 Minutes Around Two Harbours From Sliema

Robert Arrigo & Sons Limited (MTS Globe Malta)

Cruise Around Malta's Harbours & Creeks

★ 4.6 (3,074) · from $22

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Prices and timetables checked 17 October 2026. This page contains affiliate links: I earn a commission on bookings at no extra cost to you.

The Robert Arrigo harbour cruise is a 90-minute boat loop that leaves Sliema Ferries, enters the Marsamxett creeks, passes Valletta's bastions and then crosses into the Grand Harbour and the Three Cities. It is run by Robert Arrigo & Sons Limited, which trades as MTS Globe Malta, and costs from $22 per person.

The detail that most changes the decision is where you stand at the start. Reviewers and the marketplace's own review summary say the boarding spot is easy to miss, so I treat finding the boat as part of the plan.

For a Valletta-only view with a small boat, compare the 75-minute Water Taxi panoramic cruise, and see the Malta boat tours hub for every option. The harbouradvisor.com home page lists other cities.

What is the Robert Arrigo harbour cruise and what do you see?

The Robert Arrigo harbour cruise is a sightseeing boat loop through Malta's two natural harbours, passing the forts and creeks that are hard to see from land, with recorded commentary on the history.

The boat first threads Marsamxett Harbour past Manoel Island and the Lazzaretto, then runs under Valletta's bastions. It then crosses to the Grand Harbour, with Floriana, the Marsa creeks and the Palumbo shipyard, before the Three Cities and Fort Ricasoli. In total the listing names 20-plus passing points.

• Marsamxett side: Sliema promenade, Manoel Island, Gzira, on Google Maps, Ta' Xbiex and Msida Yacht Marina.
• Valletta: St Andrew's and Vendome bastions and Fort St Elmo, Valletta, on Google Maps.
• Grand Harbour: Senglea, Cospicua and Birgu, with Fort St Angelo, Birgu, on Google Maps.
• Outer forts: Fort Ricasoli, Kalkara, on Google Maps and Rinella Bay.

Where does the cruise start, and how do you find the right boat?

The cruise starts at Sliema Ferries on Triq Ix-Xatt, beside the Ferries 4 bus stop on the seafront side, and you look for the boat named Helena G or Antonia.

The listing warns against asking other boat operators for help, since other firms sell trips from the same quay. One reviewer recommends meeting by bus stop 3 rather than 4, opposite a shop, because the boat is easier to spot there, and the marketplace summary asks for clearer directions. Use the pin, then confirm on the day.

1. Arrive 10 to 15 minutes early, as the listing advises.
2. Use the pin: Sliema Ferries boarding point on Google Maps.
3. Look for the boat name Helena G or Antonia, not the nearest tout.
4. Message the operator through the GetYourGuide app if you cannot find it.

What is the route, stop by stop?

The route has four phases and the listing gives no timings for them, so treat the 90 minutes as a rough split of Marsamxett, Valletta, the Grand Harbour and the return.

The boat does not land at Valletta. For a land-based follow-up, the Three Fortified Cities tour with a boat trip from the same operator walks Birgu and Senglea.

What is included, and what are the traps in the listing?

The $22 fare covers the sightseeing cruise and English audio commentary; the listing's lines about hotel pick-up, a tour guide and food and drinks do not fit a boat that leaves from a public quay.

I trust the structured data over the include list: the meeting point, the audio guide field and the description all show a self-guided audio cruise from Sliema Ferries. Pets, oversize luggage and large bags are not allowed.

Which sights are better from the water than on foot?

The creeks and fortified tips are the real reason to take a boat, because most of them have no public walkway at the waterline.

1. Valletta's bastions - the long curtain walls rise straight from the sea, a view the streets above cannot give.
2. Senglea and Birgu creeks - the narrow arms between the Three Cities are lined with yachts and old boathouses.
3. Fort St Angelo - the tip of Birgu, seen as the Order of St John's headquarters were meant to be seen, from the harbour.
4. Marsa creeks and the shipyard - working docks that tourists on land rarely reach.

None of these involve landing, so pair the cruise with a separate walk through Valletta on the same day.

How does the Robert Arrigo harbour cruise compare with other Malta harbour boats?

The Robert Arrigo harbour cruise is 15 minutes longer than the Water Taxi panoramic cruise at the same $22, so the per-hour price is lower, while both leave from Ferries 4.

The Water Taxi listing names Luzzu Cruises boats and a few more Valletta sights such as the Barrakka gardens (Upper Barrakka Gardens on Google Maps); that cruise is the closest rival.

Is the Robert Arrigo harbour cruise worth it against other Malta harbour boats?

Yes, for a first-day orientation: it is the cheapest way in my data to see Valletta, the Three Cities and the forts in one loop, at $14.7 an hour.

My pick for a first visit is to book the late slot, as one reviewer did, and see the city lit by the setting sun. If you want to step onto a fort, you will need a separate visit. Fort St Angelo charges adults €10 per Heritage Malta, with a two-hour visit suggested.

4,022,310 inbound tourists visited Malta in 2025, spending a recorded €3,904.4 million in total.

Malta's visitor count means the harbours are busy, but a boat gives you the bastions without crowds on the pavement.

When is the best time to go?

The best time is mid-morning in summer or the last slot before sunset in spring and autumn, and the sunset table below shows how early the light goes in winter.

Sunset on the 15th falls at 6:28 PM in October, 4:56 PM in November and 4:50 PM in December. Rain days run from 0.3 in July to 10.9 in November. The listing says a cancelled cruise can be rescheduled, and gives no winter timetable, so ask the operator for current sailings.

The next public holidays are 8, 13 and 25 December (Nager.Date); the listing does not say whether sailings change.

What do passengers say?

Passengers say the commentary is informative and the cruise is good value, and the recurring complaint is finding the boat. In my sample of 10 reviews, all 5 stars (a positive-only sample), these patterns appear.

• Informative commentary: mentioned in 6 of 10.
• Not rushed, many inlets seen: noted in 2 of 10.
• Meeting point confusion: raised by 1 of 10 and in the marketplace's summary.
• Sunset slot: praised by 1 of 10.

Who should skip this cruise?

Skip it if you need a live guide, a food stop or a landing, or if you expect hotel pick-up. Look at the hub for swim trips, or the Hornblower Blue Lagoon cruise if you want the sea.

• Visitors wanting Comino or Gozo: this stays within the two harbours.
• Anyone who needs spoken questions answered: commentary is audio only.
• Wheelchair users: the listing gives no accessibility details, so ask the operator.

How do you book the Robert Arrigo harbour cruise?

Robert Arrigo harbour cruise FAQ

Sources: GetYourGuide listing 431469 (checked 17 October 2026); NSO Malta, Inbound Tourism December 2025; Heritage Malta, Fort St Angelo; Open-Meteo and Frankfurter APIs; Nager.Date; sunrise-sunset.org.