Cape Fear Riverboats

Cape Fear Riverboats, Inc. began in 1987 through the passion of Captain Carl Marshburn, boat captain, businessman, and strong advocate for tourism and history. Long before Wilmington was named one of TripAdvisor's 'Top Destinations on the Rise, ' Capt. Carl envisioned the downtown Wilmington historic district as a major tourist attraction. He knew people would enjoy water views of Wilmington coupled with rich narration highlighting the area's history, legends, and charm. "I love to entertain people and this seemed like something good for Wilmington, " he said. "I saw the need for family-friendly, fun riverboat cruises departing from downtown on our popular river that would not only be a great adventure for people of all ages, but also to accurately interpret the region's nautical history, natural beauty, and the unique river ecology." With over 33 years of experience, Cape Fear Riverboats, Inc. offers a wide range of scenic Cape Fear River cruises, including narrated history and sightseeing tours, private charters, and exclusive nature tours with local ecologist Andy Wood. Our tours and charters offer downtown Wilmington visitors and locals an exciting yet relaxing option for holiday parties, anniversaries, birthdays, cocktail parties, romantic dates, and family reunions. Welcome aboard! See What People are Saying! Enjoy the Beauty of the Cape Fear River. Book Your Cruise Today.

Our Services

We offer a variety of services including Sightseeing Tours, Sunset Cruises, and Black River Nature Cruises. Our Sightseeing Tours provide a relaxing, informative, and scenic cruise up the Cape Fear River, passing by Historic Wilmington, the Battleship North Carolina, and Eagles Island. Our Sunset Cruises offer a beautiful sunset view, and sometimes a spectacular moon rise, accompanied by a full bar and open-air canopy-covered deck. For nature lovers, our Black River Nature Cruise showcases parts of North Carolina nature that are practically impossible to explore any other way, with a 4-hour trip that includes a narrated nature cruise along scenic and historic coastal rivers. We also offer Private Charters for special occasions such as birthdays, family reunions, weddings, or corporate functions, which can accommodate up to 100 passengers. Our experienced crew ensures that every event is a memorable experience.