Water-based, waterfront tourism has always played an important role in the development of the tourism sector, water has been and still is an important attraction and contributes to regional development. In Hungary, Lake Balaton is the primary destination for waterfront tourism, offering a wide range of opportunities in this sector. Water-based, waterfront tourism is mainly concentrated in the high summer season, but there is an increasing range of opportunities in both the low and high season. In our research, we investigated the development of cruise tourism in Lake Balaton in the off-season, in the months of September-October 2023, by conducting in-depth interviews and questionnaire research. Our research has confirmed that this service is also in demand outside the high season. In the autumn, cruises add a special value to the experience, they can help to reduce seasonal fluctuations in tourism by offering attractive activities and also increase income for local businesses during the off-season.