Brixham Pirate Festival

Ahoy, Me Hearties: Our Brixham Pirate Festival Cruise

Set sail from Exmouth for a swashbuckling day out at the world-famous Brixham Pirate Festival. Leaving the car behind, you will enjoy a scenic, voyage from Exmouth to Lyme Bay and into Torbay, arriving in true seafaring style right into the heart of Brixham’s bustling harbor. Packed with live music, street theater, pirate re-enactments, and incredible costumes, this annual excursion is an unforgettable, high-seas adventure for scallywags and families of all ages.

🕒 Cruise Duration7hours 30mins (2.5 hours ashore)

📍 Departure PointExmouth Marina

Adult Price£16.00

Child (to 15)£13.00

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Trip Description FAQs Recent Reviews Group Bookings

Trip Description

Arrive in True Maritime Style

There is no better way to attend one of the UK’s grandest pirate gatherings than by stepping off a ship right into the action. Setting sail from Exmouth Marina, our vessel takes you on a grand coastal voyage across Lyme Bay, passing the dramatic red cliffs of East Devon before rounding into Torbay. As we approach Brixham, you will be greeted by the breathtaking sight of hundreds of costumed pirates, the historic tall ship Golden Hind, and a harbour brimming with festival energy. You will disembark right on the quayside, putting you steps away from the music, sea shanties, and merriment.

Beat the Festival Traffic & Parking Chaos

The Brixham Pirate Festival draws thousands of visitors from across the country every May Bank Holiday weekend, making local roads congested and parking nearly impossible to find. Our pirate cruise offers the ultimate stress-free, value-for-money solution. You can relax from the moment you step on board, swapping gridlocked lanes and crowded carparks for a smooth, panoramic sea cruise. With generous time granted ashore to soak up the atmosphere, explore the market stalls, and enjoy the festival entertainment, you can experience the best of Brixham at your own relaxed pace.

Onboard Hospitality & High-Seas Fun

Your festival adventure begins the moment we leave the marina. Onboard our flagship vessel, you can soak up the sea air from our spacious open-top upper decks or relax inside our comfortable lower saloon with its large panoramic windows. Our close-knit crew brings our signature warm, friendly hospitality to every voyage, and our fully licensed bar will be open throughout the journey. You can celebrate the occasion with a hot drink, a cold refreshment, or a local tipple - including award-winning ales from Bays Brewery and crisp Sandford Orchards cider - as we cruise across the bay.

Why Choose Our Pirate Festival Cruise?

The Ultimate Arrival: Steer clear of traffic and land directly in Brixham harbour aboard a passenger vessel.
A Scenic Coastal Voyage: Enjoy a grand, panoramic cruise across Lyme Bay and Torbay with live commentary from our Skipper.
Hours to Explore Ashore: Plenty of time to enjoy the sea shanties, re-enactments, market stalls, and family entertainment.
All-Weather Comfort: Spacious open decks for photo ops, heated indoor saloons, clean modern toilets, and a fully licensed bar.
Friendly Family Atmosphere: Fancy dress is warmly encouraged for pirates young and old!

The Brixham Pirate Festival Cruise is an annual highlight that sails only once a year during the May Bank Holiday weekend. Because spaces on board are strictly limited for this incredibly popular event, we strongly advise booking online in advance to secure your place on deck.

FAQs

The Pirate Experience

Question: What is the Brixham Pirate Festival cruise? Answer: This is a special themed day trip that takes you across the bay from Exmouth to the heart of the Brixham Pirate Festival. It is a fantastic way to arrive at the event, enjoying the coastal views before joining thousands of fellow pirates for the festivities.

Question: Should I dress up as a pirate for the cruise? Answer: Absolutely! We highly encourage all our passengers to don their best pirate attire. It adds to the fantastic atmosphere on board and gets everyone in the spirit before we dock in Brixham.

Question: How long do we get to spend at the festival? Answer: You will typically have several hours of shore time in Brixham to explore the markets, watch the live skirmishes, and enjoy the themed entertainment before the boat departs for the return journey to Exmouth.

Booking & Suitability

Question: Is this a child-friendly event? Answer: Yes! The Brixham Pirate Festival is a brilliant day out for families. Children love the boat trip and the incredible sights of hundreds of pirates in the historic harbour of Brixham.

Question: Do I need to book my tickets in advance? Answer: Yes. This is one of our most popular special event cruises of the year and it almost always sells out well in advance. We strongly recommend booking your tickets as soon as they are released to ensure you don't miss out.

Question: Are dogs allowed on the Pirate Festival cruise? Answer: No, we do not advise to bring your dog due to the firing of canons and the large crowds at Brixham.

Comfort & Facilities

Question: How long is the boat journey to Brixham? Answer: The sailing across the bay takes approximately 2.5 hours each way, depending on sea conditions. It’s a wonderful opportunity to see the South Devon coastline from a unique vantage point.

Question: Is there food and drink available on the boat? Answer: Yes. Our fully licensed bar is open throughout the journey serving hot and cold drinks, local ales, and light snacks. While food is not provided as part of the ticket, Brixham itself is famous for its incredible seafood and local eateries.

Question: Can I pay by card on the boat? Answer: Yes, we accept card payments. However, as mobile signals can be intermittent while crossing the bay, we strongly recommend bringing some cash as a backup to ensure you can be served at the bar without delay.

Question: Is the boat undercover if it rains? Answer: Yes. Our vessels feature large, undercover heated lower decks with panoramic windows, so you can enjoy the coastal journey in total comfort regardless of the weather.

Recent Reviews

Stuart Line Cruises

4.8

Based on 581 reviews

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dee W.

4 weeks ago

We had a lovely day and time. I booked this as a relaxing day from our adult kids. The cruises was lovely and relaxing. You can get tea, coffee and beer etc on the boat and it is a good price, the staff are friendly and welcoming, if you want a day out try this. Get there early if you want the top of the boat

Sarah E.

4 weeks ago

We had a fabulous boat trip with Stuart Line cruises from Exmouth to Brixham & back with a couple of hours free time in Brixham. The views were stunning & the onboard commentary really interesting & informative. Staff were friendly & helpful. Refreshments reasonably priced. The boat was dog friendly & despite the heatwave the lower deck was cooler & very comfortable. We even had a pod of dolphins following the boat for a while which was an added bonus! Overall a fantastic day out & great value for money. We will be back for another trip!

Kim B.

1 month ago

I did the day trip from exmouth to brixham/torquay. Incredible boat trip. Amazing value for money (if anything i think they should raise their prices). Crew were really nice and captain very knowledgeable telling you facts along the coast. Lasted 7 hours in total. The boat itself has indoor and outside seating. You could choose to get off at torquay or brixham. You have about 3 hours in torquay or 2 hours in brixham. I got off at brixham and you can follow the path to the right of the harbour and 10 min walk to Fishcombe cove if you want a hidden cove for a swim. Easy access although there are about 20-30 steps. Great little trip and thoroughly recommend. Will check out more of their trips!

Ade W.

1 month ago

This was our second trip with Stuart Line Cruise's. We did the trip to Brixham as we've never been there before. We had commentary during the cruise around the coast which was very good.We were lucky enough to see dolphins just past Dawlish.The staff were pleasant and friendly. A lovely day out and a hot one as well.

Andrea H.

1 month ago

Lovely boat tour- we did the mini coastal cruise. Very well kept boat, friendly staff. Informative tour without being boring. Took us close to the kittiwake nest ground without being intrusive. Lots of space to move around, bar and toilets ( but didn't test these). Space for wheelchairs.

Stuart W.

1 month ago

Brilliant experience going out on the mini cruise, the kids (4 & 8) loved it as it was their first time on a boat and now cant wait to do it again!
The crew were really friendly, came and took orders for drinks and snacks which was nice as we could enjoy the views and commentary from the captain without leaving our seats. The boat and toilets were clean and we found it really good value for money!!

Claire B.

2 months ago

Stuart Line hosted the Exmouth Art Group’s 80th anniversary celebration cruise on Tuesday. We had a wonderful and fun evening in the glorious late sunshine & all the staff were professional, cheerful, helpful & friendly. Thank you very much from all at the Exmouth Art Group

Patricia M.

3 months ago

This is a brilliant experience. I have booked a few outings with the Stuart line in all weathers and it's always great. The staff are amazing and the coastline/river is so different when seen from the water. And when the weather isn't cooperating properly, the boats facilities are fantastic. We always have our dog with us as well, who is made just as welcome. Highly recommend

Bob H.

3 months ago

Always try to have a trip with them, have done the jurassic coast trip, river Exe trip and did the Torquay and Brixham yesterday 28/05/26. Cant fault any of these for the money charged, we paid £16 each yesterday for a trip that lasted from 11am through to 18:30 in the evening, with 2 hours on shore in Brixham, plus the bonus of seeing dolphins on the way back, hence the later than expected arrival back in Exmouth. Crew really helpfull and knowledgeable about the area. Definitely will go again as relaxing day out.

Roo

7 months ago

Such a great day! Went on the winter birds cruise today and it was brilliant. The person doing the commentary on the birds (sorry I forgot their name) was super knowledgeable and the trip was all round fantastic, the small bar is also very reasonably priced! Saw a peregrine falcon chasing a flock of avocets - absolutely majestical! Cant recommend highly enough, the work they are doing for nature and conservation of the river mouth is really awesome. Hats off.

Mark

9 months ago

Had another fabulous BirdWatching Cruise on 02/12/25 with a day of clear blue skies and a fabulous array of wonderful wildlife on the Exe. As per previous trips the crew and guide were excellent and made for 3 hours of a thoroughly enjoyable and enriching experience. The hot chocolate and pasty was most welcome and I can’t recommend these cruises enough and they offer terrific value as well.

Mel P.

9 months ago

We had a fabulous guided bird watching trip today. The weather was superb as was The Pride of Exmouth, all the staff and our bird guider for the trip. Stuart Lines really do think of everything to make sure everyone has a great experience . 5 stars from us. Thank you

Group Bookings

Stuart Line Cruises would like to extend a very warm welcome to group organisers, tour operators and couriers. Allow us to share with you some fantastic excursion ideas, which are specially designed for groups of 15 people or more with suggested itineraries at special discounted rates.

Stuart Line Cruises is an award-winning, family-run business, operating on the River Exe and along the East Coast and South Devon coastlines, from the traditional seaside town of Exmouth, in Devon.

Now running over 50 years, we passionately believe that the River Exe and nearby coastlines of the Jurassic Coast and English Riviera are unrivaled in terms of history, beauty and wildlife and cannot wait to share them with you.

If you are interested in taking this cruise as part of a group, please contact us. We look forward to welcoming you.