Cliffs of Moher Boat Tour and Aillwee Cave from Dublin
This Cliffs of Moher boat tour and Aillwee Cave from Dublin is the only day trip compared here that takes you onto the water below the cliffs before you walk the clifftop. It runs April to October only, leaves the Molly Malone Statue at 6:50 AM and returns to the same spot about 7:30 PM. One price of $148 per person covers all three entries: the boat cruise, the guided Aillwee Cave visit and the Cliffs of Moher admission. This page sets out the full shape of the day, what the price includes and excludes, and the honest catches: a 13 hour 30 minute day on a shared coach, a 1-hour lunch stop at your own cost, and a sailing that weather can cancel. Compare it with the other Dublin to Cliffs of Moher day trips before you commit.
About This Tour
This day trip sees the Cliffs of Moher twice. A boat cruise runs below the 214 metre (702 ft) cliff face, then you get time on the clifftop paths themselves. In between there is a guided visit to Aillwee Cave in the Burren, with rock formations, underground waterfalls and old bear hibernation chambers. It is a 13 hour 30 minute day from Dublin on a shared coach with a driver-guide.
The trade-offs are real. The coach covers a long road day with about 2 hours between stops, lunch is a 1-hour stop in County Clare at your own cost, and the operator swaps in a bird of prey display if weather cancels the sailing. The tour is not suitable for people prone to seasickness or with mobility impairments.
$148 per person on the listing platform. All three entries are covered: the boat cruise, Aillwee Cave and cliff admission.
13 hours 30 minutes door to door, 6:50 AM to about 7:30 PM.
6:50 AM at the Molly Malone Statue, Suffolk Street, Dublin 2. Arrive at least 10 minutes early.
A boat cruise below the cliffs, then about 1 hour on the clifftop (the listing gives 45 minutes for each).
Round trip coach, driver-guide, and entrance fees for the boat tour, the caves and the cliffs. Lunch, drinks and hotel pickup are not included.
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure for a full refund. Reserve now and pay later is offered.
Check Dates and Availability
This tour runs April to October only and needs a minimum of 8 passengers to go ahead. Enter your date to see live availability and secure a spot with free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure.
Quick answer Boat cruise and cave day trip facts
The Cliffs of Moher boat tour and Aillwee Cave from Dublin costs $148 per person, runs 13 hours 30 minutes and leaves the Molly Malone Statue at 6:50 AM, returning about 7:30 PM. It is the only Dublin day trip compared here that includes a cruise under the cliffs, and it also bundles in a guided Aillwee Cave visit plus cliff admission. It runs April to October with a minimum of 8 passengers.
Key takeaways
- See how it compares with every other coach and rail option on the Dublin to Cliffs of Moher homepage.
- Want the same operator without the cave? The pub lunch day tour costs $80 and gives 1 hour 30 minutes on the clifftop.
- Prefer more time at the cliffs themselves? The Finn McCools Galway tour allows a minimum of 2 hours on top for $82.
- Only want the cruise on its own? Read the guide to the standalone Doolin boat tour, which costs EUR 30 ($34.21) for an adult.
What the Price Covers
The $148 is an all-entries price, which is unusual among the day trips compared here. The figures below come from the listing on the booking platform and the operator's own page.
What Is Included
The listing confirms round trip coach transport, a driver-guide and entrance fees for the boat tour, the caves and the cliffs. That means you walk off the coach at Aillwee and at the Cliffs of Moher without buying anything on the day. For comparison, admission bought on your own costs EUR 15.00 ($17.10) at the gate or from EUR 8.00 ($9.12) online, and a standalone cruise from Doolin costs EUR 30 ($34.21) for an adult.
Reserve now and pay later is available, and cancellation is free up to 24 hours before departure for a full refund.
What Is Not Included
Lunch is not included. The day has a 1-hour lunch stop in County Clare where you buy your own food, and drinks are not included either. There is no hotel pickup: you make your own way to the Molly Malone Statue on Suffolk Street for 6:50 AM.
If the sailing is cancelled for weather, the operator swaps in a bird of prey display rather than refunding the cruise element, so the water part of the day is never guaranteed.
Where the Money Goes
The table below breaks the inclusions and exclusions down line by line, using the listing, the operator's own page and the official visitor site for the on-the-door admission figure.
| Item | In the price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Boat cruise below the cliffs | Yes | Listing gives 45 minutes, the operator's page says about 1 hour |
| Aillwee Cave guided visit | Yes | 45-minute guided tour, 850 metres underground, arrival around 10:10 AM |
| Cliffs of Moher admission | Yes | EUR 15.00 ($17.10) at the gate if you travel independently |
| Lunch | No | 1-hour stop in County Clare at your own cost |
| Hotel pickup | No | Meet at the Molly Malone Statue, Suffolk Street, Dublin 2 |
Branaunmore sea stack from water level. Photo: Jerzy Strzelecki, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
How the Day Runs
This is a full 13 hour 30 minute day with about 2 hours of coach time between stops. The times below come from the operator's own page, with the listing's stop lengths noted where they differ.
Morning: Dublin to the Burren
You meet at the Molly Malone Statue on Suffolk Street by 6:40 AM for a 6:50 AM departure. The coach then covers roughly 3 hours of road before the first stop. Arrival at Aillwee Cave is around 10:10 AM for a 45-minute guided tour that runs 850 metres underground, past rock formations, cascading waterfalls and the chambers once used by hibernating brown bears.
The listing frames the cave visit as about 1 hour 30 minutes on site. Afterward there is a 1-hour lunch stop in County Clare, at Fanore on the operator's page, where you buy your own food.
Afternoon: The Cliffs, from Below and Above
The boat cruise leaves around 1:00 PM. The listing gives it at 45 minutes, while the operator's own page says about 1 hour on the water, so plan for somewhere between the two. From sea level you see the full 214 metre (702 ft) face of the cliffs and the seabirds on the ledges, a view you cannot get from the top.
After the cruise you go up to the clifftop. The listing gives 45 minutes there, the operator's page says approximately 1 hour from around 2:40 PM, and the time at the cliffs as sold is a cruise below the cliffs plus about 1 hour on the clifftop.
Evening: Back to Dublin
The coach leaves County Clare mid to late afternoon for the run back east. Expect about 2 hours between stops on the return leg. You arrive back at the Molly Malone Statue at about 7:30 PM, though the operator notes the return time can vary with traffic.
That makes it a long day for young children and anyone who struggles to sit still on a coach.
The Visitor Centre and the Cruise
The clifftop and the cruise below it, filmed by the ferry operator. Third-party video by Doolin Ferry Co. We did not shoot it and have no relationship with the creator.
Who Should Pick Another Day Trip
The operator is explicit about who this day does not suit. If any line below is you, the linked alternatives are better fits.
Anyone Prone to Seasickness
The listing says the tour is not suitable for people with motion sickness, and the combination of a winding Burren road and a 45-minute to 1-hour boat ride makes that easy to understand. If you want the cliffs without the water, the Cliffs of Moher, Burren and Galway tour with a pub lunch stop stays on dry land for $80 and still includes cliff admission.
Travellers With Limited Mobility
The listing states the tour is not suitable for people with mobility impairments. The cave involves walking underground and the boat adds boarding and gangway steps. For a gentler day with paved paths and no cave or boat, consider the private chauffeur day tour, which picks up anywhere in Dublin and sets its own pace, though note it excludes cliff admission.
Anyone Who Needs More Clifftop Time
About 1 hour on top (the listing gives 45 minutes) is the shortest clifftop window among the day trips compared here. If the cliffs are your main goal, the Wild Rover Galway day tour gives 2 hours at the cliffs with fast-track entry for $87, arriving just before 11 AM.
Foggy-Day Sceptics
Fog can hide the cliffs completely, and on this tour the day still runs if the boat is cancelled, with a bird of prey display swapped in. There is no guarantee of the view from any tour. The official visitor site recommends checking www.met.ie before visiting.
Limestone pavement in the Burren. Photo: Limnoporus, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Before You Book
A few practical checks will save you a bad day. Read the cancellation terms, dress for Atlantic weather and know exactly where the coach leaves from.
Cancellation and Minimum Numbers
On the listing platform you can cancel free up to 24 hours before departure for a full refund, and reserve now and pay later is offered. The operator's own terms add that cancellations or changes within 24 hours receive a transferable voucher or credit note, late arrivals are charged in full, and if the tour itself is cancelled for not meeting the minimum of 8 passengers you get a full refund. The minimum is confirmed by 3:00 PM the day before, so do not book flights or hotels around this day without a backup plan.
What to Confirm With the Seller
Ask whether your date has met the 8-passenger minimum, especially early and late in the April to October season. Confirm the sailing is running, since the bird of prey display that replaces a cancelled cruise is a different day out. Note the tour is listed as likely to sell out, and check whether there are child rates for your group, since the listing platform sells it as one per-person price.
What to Bring
Dress for Irish weather: a waterproof layer and sturdy shoes, because the clifftop is exposed even in summer. Bring money or a card for lunch, since the 1-hour stop is at your own cost. If you are at all sensitive on winding roads, take motion-sickness tablets before the Burren section, and again before the cruise if you are unsure.
Getting to the 6:50 AM Departure
The meeting point is the Molly Malone Statue at the corner of Suffolk Street, Dublin 2, and you must arrive at least 10 minutes early. The statue is a short walk from most south city centre hotels and from the Luas Green Line stop at Suffolk Street. Plan a city-centre night before, because a 6:40 AM arrival from the suburbs or the airport is tight.
The Full Day, Stop by Stop
Clock times below are the ones the operator's own page publishes. The listing's stop lengths are noted where they differ.
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6:50 AM
Depart the Molly Malone Statue
Meet by 6:40 AM at Suffolk Street, Dublin 2. The shared coach leaves at 6:50 AM with a driver-guide. No hotel pickup.
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10:10 AM
Aillwee Cave
A 45-minute guided tour, 850 metres underground, through rock formations, waterfalls and brown bear hibernation chambers. The listing allows about 1 hour 30 minutes on site. Entry is included.
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Lunch stop in County Clare
A 1-hour stop, self-arranged at a village pub in Fanore on the operator's page. Food and drinks are at your own cost.
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1:00 PM
Boat cruise below the cliffs
The cruise departs around 1:00 PM. The listing gives 45 minutes on the water, the operator's page about 1 hour. From sea level the cliffs rise 214 metres (702 ft) above the Atlantic.
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2:40 PM
Clifftop walk
After the cruise you go up top for approximately 1 hour from around 2:40 PM. The listing gives 45 minutes. Paved paths run to the viewing areas and O'Brien's Tower access is included in admission.
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about 7:30 PM
Return to Dublin
Back at the Molly Malone Statue at about 7:30 PM. The operator warns the return time may vary with traffic.
Pros and Cons
An honest read of the only boat-based Dublin day trip, drawn from the listing and the operator's own page.
What we genuinely like
- The only day trip compared here that includes a cruise under the cliffs, a view you cannot get from the top
- All three entries are in the $148 price: boat cruise, Aillwee Cave and cliff admission
- A guided 45-minute cave visit 850 metres underground adds a wet-weather-proof stop
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure, with reserve now and pay later
The honest downsides
- It is a 13 hour 30 minute day with about 2 hours of coach time between stops, so expect long stretches on a big shared coach
- Time on the clifftop is about 1 hour, the shortest among the day trips compared here, and just 45 minutes on the listing
- Lunch is not included and the 1-hour stop is at your own cost
- Weather can cancel the sailing, replaced by a bird of prey display rather than a refund
- The tour needs a minimum of 8 passengers and runs April to October only
- If you bought the cruise alone from Doolin it would cost EUR 30 ($34.21) for an adult, so the value depends on wanting the cave too
Who it's NOT for: Not for anyone prone to seasickness, anyone with a mobility impairment, or travellers who want more than an hour on the clifftop.
Questions About This Boat and Cave Day Trip
How long is the boat cruise on this Cliffs of Moher boat tour and Aillwee Cave from Dublin?
The listing gives 45 minutes on the water, while the operator's own page says about 1 hour, so plan for somewhere between the two. For a cruise-only option, see the standalone Doolin boat guide.
Is lunch included in the $148 price?
No. Lunch and drinks are not included, and the day has a 1-hour stop in County Clare at your own cost. If a built-in food stop matters, the pub lunch day tour stops 45 minutes at a Fanore pub, though food is still at your own cost there.
What happens if the sea is too rough for the boat?
If the sailing is cancelled for weather, the operator swaps in a bird of prey display instead. Fog can also hide the cliffs from any tour, so check www.met.ie before you go and read the weather notes on the Dublin to Cliffs of Moher homepage.
How much time do I get at the Cliffs of Moher?
A boat cruise below the cliffs, then about 1 hour on the clifftop, with the listing giving 45 minutes for each. If you want a longer stay, the Finn McCools tour allows a minimum of 2 hours at the cliffs for $82.
Does this tour run all year?
No. It runs April to October only and needs a minimum of 8 passengers, confirmed by 3:00 PM the day before. Off-season, the rail tour from Heuston is one of the year-round options at $188.
Is this day suitable for children or older relatives?
There is no minimum age stated, but the listing says it is not suitable for people with motion sickness or mobility impairments, and the cave and boat add boarding and walking. For all ages with infant seats available, look at the private chauffeur day instead.
Can I cancel or change my booking?
Yes. On the listing platform you cancel free up to 24 hours before departure for a full refund, and reserve now and pay later is offered. Within 24 hours the operator issues a transferable voucher or credit note, and a full refund applies if the tour is cancelled for missing the 8-passenger minimum. Compare the terms across all Dublin to Cliffs of Moher tours before booking.
What Travellers Said
David was amazing! Would definitely recommend…Don’t skip the boat portion of the cliffs of Moher! We enjoyed that portion of the tour the most…enjoy!
It was an amazing trip. The driver was very nice (and funny) and explained a lot. They really do their best for you!
We loved it! Everything was great from start to finish, and the tour guide was very friendly and chatty.
Prices, availability and terms are set by the operator and confirmed at checkout.
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