New York City Dinner Cruise On Luxury Yacht With Live Music

This was so fun! The food was excellent! The staff was awesome! We celebrated a birthday and enjoyed spectacular views of NYC! We will do this again! Rusa was amazing!

Excellent evening fantastic food and service from Gully and Rusa

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Amazing experience!!! The cruise was beautiful the staff was friendly and professional and everything was well organized

Loved it, great experience! Love Rusa, Sanjar, Julian and Melek! Thank you!

I won’t be using NYC Water Cruises again. I originally booked a dinner cruise on Eternity, a beautiful, elegant vessel that appears to offer a high‑end experience. The day before the cruise, I received a call informing me that the boat had been changed to Louisa of the Seas. The difference between these two boats is considerable. The switch felt like going from a luxury experience to something much more basic. While the company cited a maintenance issue, the change seemed more likely due to low ticket sales. Eternity can accommodate up to 300 passengers, while Louisa of the Seas tops out at around 140, which makes that explanation feel more plausible. Another issue was the significant movement of the boat. Based on the conditions that evening, Louisa of the Seas did not appear to have stabilizers, which made the ride noticeably less comfortable. NYC Water Cruises encourages guests to “arrive early,” but Pier 36 offers no shade and very limited seating. We arrived an hour before boarding and were fortunate to find one of the few benches against the building, but many guests had no choice but to wait in direct sun for an extended period. Compounding this, it appears the company does not have a dedicated slip for boarding. Another boat began loading at 6:30 p.m., preventing Louisa of the Seas from docking. Boarding did not begin until after 7:00 p.m., and a number of guests were clearly frustrated with the delay. Once on board, the experience improved somewhat. The food was generally good, though the steak option was surprisingly fatty and grainy. The band was excellent and the music was a bright spot in the evening. For context, we’ve taken many Manhattan dinner cruises over the years, and this was the first one that truly fell short. It’s not an experience I would repeat. In summary: • If tickets are sold for a high‑end vessel, guests should be confident they’ll actually cruise on that vessel. Last‑minute substitutions are disappointing and feel like a classic bait‑and‑switch. • Boarding logistics need attention. Ensuring a dedicated slip and an on‑time start would make a substantial difference. • Providing shaded, comfortable waiting areas is essential. Asking guests to arrive early without offering a reasonable place to wait is not acceptable. Overall, the experience did not match the cost of the tickets. For anyone considering a Manhattan dinner cruise, I recommend choosing one of the companies that depart from the opposite side of Manhattan—those piers are better organized, and the cruise lines consistently provide a much higher‑quality experience.

It was very unorganized when boarding the boat. The streak was horrible and I sent back to get cooked right and was still wrong. Was happy to see the statue of liberty. 3 out of 5 for me

Julian & sally took such great care of me!!! Will definitely be back, they were so great. Good view, great food, & amazing drinks!

Food and service were really good!

Gully and Dora is very procecional and kind with me and my family. Thank you

Great experience Very Professional all The Staff

The dinner and boat ride were terrific. Service during dinner was exceptional. Food was excellent. Only issues we had were with boarding and debarking the boat. At boarding it is absolute chaos at the dock as there are hundreds of people trying to get on different boats with no signs or anyone giving any directions where to go. There was also an issue with finding a place to dock at the end which is understandable. However, there was absolutely zero communication from any of the staff as to the trouble or cause for the delay. Once on the boat, this was a wonderful experience!!

Sally and Rusa very Professional thank you very Much

The cruise itself was lovely! The wait staff were attentive; atmosphere was nice; food was good. Views were spectacular... We did the VIP experience, which was worth it if you can do it. The only negative was the boarding process. We got to the pier early and there was no signage and no one providing information. If you tried to ask the pier staff what to do you were treated rudely. We were shuffled three different times on the pier as to where to line up, and we had two different tours booked on our ship which added to the confusion. Once on board, however, we had a lovely time...

Dora was fantastic and so helpful constantly asking us and others if everything was okay and if we needed anything

The dinner cruise on 8/15 was literally the WORST experience of my life. Not only was the cruise delayed an hour with everyone standing on a dirty pier surrounded by drunk and otherwise intoxicated individuals literally fighting. Once the boat pulled up to the dock it had to make multiple attempts to get close enough. Once we were finally on (we had VIP tickets which were very expensive) the food had obviously been sitting out in the heat and the cheese was old and sweating, the crackers were wet, and the caviar had gone bad as well. Additionally, I immediately started sneezing because the area around our table wreaked of MOLD. It was overpowering. The bathrooms while swept etc looked as if they had never actually received a real cleaning ever. It then took over an hour and several requests for anyone to even take our drink order (and there was no one manning the bars). The food itself was not good and our second round of drinks again had to be requested multiple times- terrible service. By the end everyone wanted off the boat but again we were all stuck waiting because the gangplank was dropped into the water. DO NOT BOOK!!!

Trip started out late, but everyone enjoyed themselves.

The staff were so courteous and nice. You can’t choose your table. Good thing we were seated by the window. The New York skyline was spectacular. It’s cool that the yacht has a top deck with live music and nice spot to take pictures! As far as the food goes, the dessert was the best part! Delicious! It’s definitely perfect for couples!

Great food and service. Band was great, singer not too great. A little disorganized to begin, but was a very nice fun trip.

The first indication of mediocrity were the ads between songs playing over the PA. If you’re spending $200 per person, you should expect at least a Spotify premium playlist to avoid the songs. The service was just as poor and disappointing, with the waitress forgetting drink orders and rarely refilling water glasses. We sat at a vip table for a birthday, and only half our table would receive food at a time. For example, half our table received Caesar salads while the other half waited 30 minutes for theirs. The whole time, all of the other tables on our deck received theirs. Drink service was no better. The third floor deck for vips has its own dedicated bartender who could not keep up with the orders, leaving many unfulfilled. For my table, I took our vouchers to the second floor bar only to learn that only one bartender could serve wine and beer and another mixed drinks. The bartender serving mixed drinks almost certainly was not of age, and his inexperienced showed as he failed to mix basic drinks (gin and tonic/whiskey and coke). If you are considering this boat for a special occasion, your money would be better spent taking the water taxi to see the Brooklyn bridge and taking your guests to a steakhouse.

Excellent experience. The VIP dinner cruise on Louisa of the Seas was phenomenal. They have very limited capacity so it feels like a semi private yatch. Food is comparable to a 3.5/4-star restaurant but being able to see the city while accompanied by a five star service crew, live music, romantic atmosphere was well worth the price. Our service team was Nara, Karolina, and Julian. They were attentive, kind, and very sweet. Thank you for having us!

Nara, Karolina, and Julian provided an amazing experience. This was my first dinner cruise in NYC and the service and hospitality was amazing. Julian made amazing drinks. Nara and Karolina provided world class tableside service.

Great super fun and peaceful and good food!!!

Service was great! And the views are well worth the price.

Amazing and everything was to.detail

I have a great time with them,the service was amazing and the food was excellent. Thank you so much for the opportunity to celebrate my man birthday with you

The scenery was spectacular. Lady Liberty took my breath away. The ship was clean and the service was great. The food was ok, nothing to write home about. But the skyline was worth every penny.

We had great experience, Gul and Dora’s service was great.

Gul, was a wonderful waitress on our dinner cruise. She was very attentive, kind, courteous, and friendly.

Was excelent and the expience was unique

Lily and Austeja were incredible host! We were a large group and they were so amazing!

Loved the cruise. Great staff.

Amazing experience! The staff was friendly and professional, the cruise was well organized, and the views of New York City were absolutely beautiful. Everything was clean, the atmosphere was great, and I had a wonderful time. I would definitely recommend NYC Water Cruises to anyone looking for a fun and memorable experience!

Salad was wilted. First course was a bunch of Ritz crackers, old grapes and a few slices of cheese presented as charcuterie. The workers tried their best, but they looked like they were High School students and were clearly overwhelmed. I felt like these kids were probably exploited and underpaid , so in no way do I blame them. I never saw the performers. We were upstairs and they remained downstairs. This was in no way shape or form a luxury cruise. It was a " meh" cruise.

I attended a wedding on the eternity and we had great time!

Amazing experience! The cruise was awesome and the food and live band were just a cherry on the top! I feel like it was worth every penny spent!

This was the highlight of our visit to NYC! Amazing food, service, entertainment and views. Perfect way to celebrate a special occasion. We will be back with our whole family next time!

It was a great pleasure to work with Benjamin Maddy. The booking process was easy, and Ben was very accommodating for my groups need. The group had a great time

Really memorable experience with unrivalled views of the Statue of Liberty. Personal attention during the meal from Maria and Monica made it very enjoyable.

This was the worst 550$ I've ever spent. The "vip package" means you sit on the top level of the boat and there is NO love music upstairs only downstairs. The food was inedible. Brown lettuce in the salads, shrimp served cold, you get an option of steak or lobster for your main and if you choose steak they will NOT ask how you'd like it cooked and they will serve you a piece of dry, maximum well done beef Jerky with mashed potatoes from a box and a singular carrot slice. When we complained about the food we were offered an open bar to make up for it... sure I guess if your guests don't eat you should pump them full of extra liquor?? I'm appaled at the lack of professionalism, quality of the food, and the price for something that I wouldn't have spent more than 50$ on realistically. 0/10. Find a better boat to ride I promise it'll be worth it.

Terrible service, ours and others food was forgotten, spoke to waitresses several times. Our main course was served as everyone else had their deserts. The menu states 5 courses but apparently that's only for VIP guests.

My wife and I went on the dinner cruise last night, and while parts of the evening were enjoyable, it definitely had its challenges. First, it was below 20 degrees outside—of course, no one’s fault—but arriving at Pier 36 was confusing. There was a lot of construction and almost no signage pointing us toward the actual dock. No staff around to guide guests, either. After finally spotting a small hidden sign, we made our way to the back where three boats were docked… with no indication which one was the dinner cruise. Thankfully, other passengers helped us figure it out. Once we reached check-in, things got more frustrating. They couldn’t find our reservation at all—not by confirmation number, last name, or phone number—even though I had all the information in hand. We had booked the VIP experience, which costs more and gives early boarding and better seating. We were second in line, but while everyone else boarded, we had to stand off to the side in the freezing cold. They eventually let us sit on the boat, but all the premium seats were already taken. Ultimately, they told us to choose from the few remaining tables and said the company would “work it out.” Once we set sail, the crew was friendly and did their best. The food wasn’t particularly fresh, but it was fine—more about the experience than the cuisine. If you're expecting perfection or a truly premium VIP experience, you may want to look elsewhere. But if you’re flexible, don’t mind a few hiccups, and appreciate staff trying to make things right, you’ll still have a decent evening. My wife was disappointed given the cost, and I can’t blame her, but I’m easier going and appreciated that they at least tried to resolve things.

Overall Amazing Experience… A delicious meal while enjoying some incredible breathtaking views of the NYC night scape 🤩🗽The views alone are worth booking this dinner experience, no lies here ✅

Absolutely fantastic dinner cruise! Definitely out this in your list of things to do - great food, lively entertainment, excellent service, and amazing views of the city from the water!

The food was tasty and the crew worked hard and were very attentive. It was fun. The only suggestion my husband and I both had is we wish there had been a loud speaker announcing what we were seeing on the skyline. This is our first time in New York and we had no idea what we were looking at.

The food was mostly surprisingly good. The steak could have fed 3 people. My husband didn't even finish his. A NY cheesecake for dessert would have been perfect. It was nice you could leave your table and go to the top/outside, where we spent half of our time. Boat seemed to go a little fast at times so if you get motion sickness you might want to take something first.

Boat was 1.5 hours late. 7pm dinner cruise left at 8:30. Food was good but reflected waiting 1.5 hours to serve. Staff was great! Music was also great!

Went on a NYC dinner cruise last week — views were amazing, food was good, and the vibe was super romantic. Totally worth it.

The dinner cruise was a fantastic way to enjoy the city from the water. The atmosphere was elegant yet relaxed, with beautiful views throughout the evening. The staff was attentive and welcoming, making sure everything ran smoothly. The food was delicious and well-presented, and the live music added a special touch to the overall vibe. It felt like the perfect mix of sightseeing and fine dining. I would highly recommend this cruise to anyone looking for a memorable night out, whether with friends, family, or as a romantic experience.

Delicious food, beautiful views, and the golden hour just blows your mind. Smiling and welcoming staff.