Do you love to sail? Do you also love food? Then why not book a dinner cruise! A dinner cruise is a great alternative for those who may be short on time and cannot take a full-length cruise or if the budget just won’t allow it right now. While dinner cruises are by no means cheap, they are a great way to enjoy world-class cuisine from a different vantage point – at sea. Popular with couples, groups of friends, and families alike, dinner cruises come in all styles and price ranges. They can be found in cities with lakes, rivers, bays, and shorelines, and nine times out of ten, the scenery is spectacular.
The different types of dinner cruises include: buffet, chartered, served dinner, and themed. Alternatives to dinner cruises include brunch or lunch cruises, and cocktail cruises. Buffet dinner cruises are a hit with families and kids as they are less formal and the foods are typically fun for kids. Prices are typically easy on the wallet as well. Chartered cruises are for private parties, special occasions, and business functions, while themed cruises typically feature any number of activities as the cruise highlight such as: jazz cruise, murder mystery cruise, couples cruise, and karaoke cruise, to name a few.
The served dinner cruise is probably one of the most popular types of dinner cruises – especially for couples. Similar in function to expensive restaurants on land, these dinner cruises are typically formal, and the cuisine is generally five star. These cruises also feature entertainment, usually in the form of a live musician or a band. For early dinner cruises, guests may also be treated to a tour or incredible views of the sunset.
It should come as no surprise that cities with excellent year around temperatures would be the top locations for cruises, but in places where the weather is up and down, you can also find dinner cruises where you can dine inside – heated. Some of the most popular places for dinner cruises include: Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Miami, Tampa FL., Jacksonville FL., Hawaii, Chicago, throughout the state of Michigan, Vancouver, and New York City, to name a few.
Prices for dinner cruises vary greatly depending on region, season, duration, type of dinner cruise, size of the vessel, theme, and party size. Depending on some or all of these factors, prices may range from $20 per person, up to $100 or more per person. Families and groups will, of course, enjoy discounts on most dinner cruises.
To find a dinner cruise in your area or an area you plan to visit, simply visit the local Convention & Tourism Bureau or Convention & Travel Bureau (online). Theses sites will usually list most cruise companies in the area. You can also Google the type of dinner cruise you’re looking for along with the area. The good thing about searching online is many sites offer virtual tours, menus, important information about cruising, and more. If you prefer, you can always contact a cruise travel agent as well. Enjoy!