Tasmania: Seafood Cruise with Live Catch & Onboard Feast

Summary

Fresh Tasmanian seafood cooked onboard as you sail wild coastlines

You’ll board a Tasmanian catamaran for a seafood cruise where divers harvest abalone and sea urchin right before your eyes. Taste freshly prepared lobster, oysters, salmon, plus local cheese platters and apple cake—all while sailing past wild coastlines with dolphins nearby. Expect laughter with your guide and moments that linger long after you’re back on land.

What’s the experience like?

We stepped onto the Cuttlefish just after sunrise, and honestly, I was still half-asleep until the smell of salt hit me. The boat felt steady and bright—someone had already set out a platter with local cheeses and fruit (I grabbed a slice of apple before anyone noticed). Our guide, Dave, waved us over to the rail as we pulled away from the dock near Hobart. He pointed out the way the water changed color where it got deep—he said that’s where the best abalone hide. I tried to see them but mostly just saw my own reflection in the glassy water.

The first real surprise was watching Li, our diver, slip overboard at Bull Bay on Bruny Island. She popped up a few minutes later with sea urchins and periwinkles clutched in her hands—she actually let me hold one (slippery little things). Back on deck, she cracked open an urchin and handed me a spoonful right there. It tasted like ocean and butter at once—I didn’t expect to like it so much. Someone else tried to say “periwinkle” in Mandarin; Li laughed so hard she almost dropped her catch.

Lunch was this parade of Tasmanian seafood—oysters (natural and Kilpatrick), rock lobster, mussels, slabs of Atlantic salmon. All cooked right in front of us at this little station on deck while we watched dolphins mess around in the wake. There was beer and sparkling wine if you wanted it, or just tea if you’re like me and needed something warm after the wind picked up. I kept thinking about how quiet it got sometimes between bites—just gulls calling and the sound of waves against the hull.

I still think about that apple cake at the end—warm from the oven somehow even though we were miles from shore. It’s funny what sticks with you after a day like that. I left smelling like sea spray and buttered bread, which isn’t a bad thing at all.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Tasmanian seafood cruise and tasting

• Board luxury two-story catamaran
• Enjoy seasonal fruit and cheese platter
• Cruise along untouched waterways
• View sea cliffs, beaches, and wildlife
• Watch diver harvest periwinkles and sea urchins
• Sample live Tasmanian blacklip abalone
• Eat live Tasmanian rock lobster and oysters
• Taste whole Atlantic salmon and mussels
• Enjoy fresh baked apple cake dessert

Top questions

How fresh is the seafood on this Tasmania cruise?

The seafood is caught live by divers during your cruise and prepared immediately onboard for you to eat.

Is lunch included on this Tasmanian seafood tour?

Yes, lunch is included with oysters, abalone, rock lobster, salmon, mussels, cheeses, fruit platter and dessert.

Do they serve drinks on board?

Tasmanian beer, wine, sparkling wine as well as tea and coffee are included during your cruise.

Can children join this seafood cruise?

Yes, infants and small children can join; prams or strollers are allowed onboard.

Where does this Tasmanian seafood experience depart from?

The cruise departs near Hobart and heads towards Bruny Island’s Bull Bay.

Is there public transport nearby?

Yes, public transportation options are available close to departure point.

What kind of boat is used for this tour?

You’ll sail on a luxury two-story power catamaran called Cuttlefish.

Are service animals allowed on board?

Yes, service animals are permitted during the cruise.

What’s included

Your day includes all freshly caught Tasmanian seafood cooked onboard (like oysters both natural & Kilpatrick style, abalone straight from the ocean, rock lobster, mussels), seasonal fruit platters with local cheeses and dips to start things off right, plus fresh baked apple cake for dessert. Drinks are covered too—Tasmanian beer or sparkling wine if you fancy—or just tea or coffee while you watch dolphins alongside the boat before heading back ashore.