5 out of 5 stars and 12 reviews
5
(12)Chelsea Piers Pier 60 North, New York, NY
About this vendor
The Aqua Azul, a NYC based luxury yacht, offers wedding cruises with top-notch sophistication, impeccable service, and breathtaking views. The Aqua Azul's design, clearly distinguishable from other dinner and excursion boats, makes her an especially attractive wedding venue, comfortably accommodating 75-345 guests.
The Aqua Azul has four decks, each featuring a full bar: the Piano Deck, the Dining Deck, the Cocktail Deck, and the Sky Deck. The Piano Deck's Soho style salon holds sophisticated furnishings, a fireplace, a baby grand piano, and a large mahogany bar. Back to stern are two cozy retreats with elegant seating. The Dining Deck offers a spacious, elegant dining room with beautiful cabinetry, silk linen, a 70” flat screen TV and a bar. The Cocktail Deck features a massive dance floor and a large mahogany bar with high tops and Hampton style outdoor seating along with 2 additional 70” screens. The expansive Sky Deck is ideal for lounging while viewing NYC’s brilliant skyline. In addition, a private-access bridal cabin with amenities is located on the yacht's lower deck.
Committed to offering as smooth and stress free wedding planning process as possible, the Aqua Azul's owner and President, Dorit, is available to guide all wedding couples throughout the entire planning process, beginning to end. Dorit's attentiveness to detail and many years of experience ensure that each couple's special wedding vision is well planned and best executed. Dorit's philosophy of excellence combined with value-oriented service makes weddings aboard the Aqua Azul successful and memorable to Newlyweds and their guests alike.
Amenities + details
Ceremony Area
Covered Outdoors Space
Dressing Room
Handicap Accessible
Indoor Event Space
Liability Insurance
Outdoor Event Space
Reception Area
Wireless Internet
On-Site Accommodations
Business Attributes
- Woman-owned Business
Ceremony Types
- Civil Union
- Commitment Ceremony
- Interfaith Ceremony
- Non-Religious Ceremony
- Religious Ceremony
- Second Wedding
Settings
- Beach
- Waterfront
- Cruise
Venue Service Offerings
- Bar & Drinks
- Cakes & Desserts
- Cupcakes
- Other Desserts
- Food & Catering
- Planning
Awards and Affiliations
2022 'Best of Weddings'
Best of Weddings
The Knot independently assesses vendors for this award—it’s never self-reported. We base it on firsthand experiences from real couples and guests, and they must have a 4.5-star average across 7+ reviews in the qualifying year.
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Reviews
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5
out of 5.012 reviews
Wedding planning was a nightmare— until we found the Aqua Azul. It was the perfect venue for our June wedding and we can't recommend it enough. Many of our guests told us ours was ...
the best wedding they'd ever been to, and much of that credit goes to the experience on the Azul. Dorit, the owner, is delightful. She's accommodating, organized, and would respond to our emails within a few hours, even on weekends. We talked to a few different boat owners who offered similar experiences, but interacting with Dorit is what sealed the deal. She gave us peace of mind, and if you're on the Knot right now trying to plan a wedding, peace of mind is probably what you're hoping for. Choosing the Azul for your wedding solves many problems. First of all, it bundles the vendors together. You won't have to hire separate bartenders or caterers because Dorit has an entire crew that come with the package. She has trusted florists and bakers she's worked with for years and makes connecting with them very easy. Second of all, having both the ceremony and the reception on the boat keeps the day contained in one place and you don't have to worry about booking separate venues. This helps make it a surprisingly cost-effective option. Third: we ended up not needing to hire a day-of coordinator because Dorit was so on top of everything. Lastly: there's an intangible, magic quality to the Azul experience. As you set sail, the guests who have come from out of town are not only celebrating your love, they are getting a unique New York City memory. During the reception the boat stops at the Statue of Liberty and everyone moves to the top deck and takes photos. It's kind of unforgettable. A few quick recommendations if you do go with the Azul: Depending on your vision, you don't need to bring in that much decor. We didn't even bring in centerpieces, just used what the boat had. The venue itself has great ambience, people will be looking at the New York skyline (timed to hit sunset, dusk, and twilight) so we felt great about going with minimal decor. But for flowers, Dorit recommends working with Tim Blunk at Tiger Lily Flowers, and we recommend him as well— a seamless experience. The buffet-style food was very good, and they helped accommodate our vegan and gluten-free guests. All in all, the Azul was the perfect choice for us, and we think it would be for any other couple as well. Thank you, Dorit!
Our wedding ceremony and reception was a wonderful experience because of The Aqua Azul and the vendors that Dorit recommended.
My fiancé and I looked at SEVERAL yachts before deci...
ding on this one. I could tell right off the bat Dorit was was professional, caring, and top notch. I think our DJ company Gould Entertainment, who Dorit recommended, said it best when they said walking on the Aqua Azul is like walking into Dorit’s living room. The level of care she puts into this boat is so apparent. Gould Entertainment also said it best when they said “The Aqua Azul is also one of the only wedding yachts in NYC THAT DOESN'T SMELL!” And we noticed that after looking at other yachts trust me--Dorit cleans this boat!!! Dorit was with us every step of the way. Super organized and knowledgeable. Definitely Trust Dorit! She KNOWS what she is doing!!!
This is not your typical “booze cruise”. This is a classy, elegant, party experience that is guaranteed to blow away your expectations and leave your guests wanting more. Definitely turn up the volume and play some upbeat music because being on a boat in NYC is super fun. If you play fun music you’ll match the vibe of the experience. Just my opinion!
My fiancé and I did extensive research to make sure we got a good experience. This is the second boat wedding we have been to and we have been on other boats on the Hudson for other random parties. That being said, if you decide to go with with The Aqua Azul, here are some tips we have learned:
-Trust her vendor recommendations. AlexZ Photography, Gould Entertainment, Tiger Flowers. We also chose TM weddings which was a separate company but they fit in!
-Consider lighting upgrades through your DJ package to give the boat a little more flare. We got uplighting on the reception floor that changed colors and mood of the boat, we got spotlights to enhance the dance floor which made for better photos/videos, and we also got some LED tables for the roof. We also bought some LED flickering candles for some extra mood. Lighting is important especially on a yacht where sometimes natural light is limited.
-Add one extra hour to your contract. Time flies by FAST and you’ll be thankful you added that extra insurance policy to keep the fun going. I personally read many reviews of people saying they wish they had one more hour. They are 100% right.
-Designate some folks on your wedding party to pass out your party favors and unload your belongings downstairs when the boat finishes. People didn’t want to leave! It’s a little bit of a walk to the parking lot so if everyone agrees to carry one thing, you’ll get out of there smoothly.
-Make sure your videographer has a Lav mic if you intend on recording you vows and tell all of your speech givers to SPEAK UP on the hand held mics. Unfortunately this is NYC and there are helicopters. Nothing much you can do about sound that so just give everyone who needs to know a heads up to be louder :-)
Thank you Dorit and the rest of the staff and vendor partners of the Aqua Azul! I hope I am able to recommend you to my clients for their parties!!! Would love to come back!
-Nick and Kayla
My daughter’s wedding on the Aqua Azul yacht was a magical experience. The entire event was very professional from the beginning, 6 months ahead, to the final moments of the weddi...
ng evening. Dorit was very helpful in the planning process which I did from out-of-state. Her input in decisions was always in the bride’s and groom’s best interest. The contract and the plan for the evening were very clear and exact, and she delivered on all promises. The additional requests I made were willingly met. Dorit managed the entire affair with grace. She was the foundation for a truly memorable experience.
The Aqua Azul was well appointed, exceptionally clean and updated. Dorit provided all the furnishings, from tables and chairs to linens, dishes, glassware and decor. The yacht was spacious, with bathrooms and a bar on each of the four levels. The ramp and elevator were essential for guests with limited mobility.
The formality of the dinner was greatly appreciated. From the passed appetizers to the buffet and the wedding cake, the food was elegantly presented and delicious. The spacious dining room was comfortable for all. The indoor and outdoor dining options were appreciated.
I highly recommend a wedding and reception on the Aqua Azul because an event on the the Aqua Azul is truly an adventure for all.
Having our reception on the Aqua Azul was the best decision we made. We got married on 10/5/19 and guests still tell me it was the best wedding they every attended and by far the m...
ost memorable! The staff was amazing and paid attention to every detail we requested. I would recommend Dorit and her crew for any event that you want to be memorable and absolutely amazing!
Dorit and her team were very professional and provided top notch service. The all- inclusive package made lives easy for us and it’s well worth the price tag. Our guests loved the ...
whole experience and we couldn’t be happier with our decision to have our reception on the Aqua Azul.
Dorit is an amazing organizer. She is also a patient, kind, and full of joy-and-life kind of person. She's the person you want when organizing a wedding on this scale. The Yacht is...
spacious, sturdy, and carries a great team of professional and friendly crew members. Our wedding guests were very impressed, but more importantly, appreciative because of the great service they received. You can not go wrong with this venue.
Truly the best and only place to get married. Why settle for the same old backdrop as every other venue, when you can have an always changing background, especially depending on t...
he time of day and year.
Food- Our guests really loved the food. Cynthia and I personally loved the appetizers. The skewers were amazing!! Everything after was just as good. I especially loved the steak.
...
Staff- The staff was great at being attentive to our guests when it came to refilling water and the like. They were very prompt with bringing out all the meals as well. I think the real highlight was the bartenders. They made phenomenal drinks, maybe too good if you looked at some of my family at the end of the night haha.
Overall, the wedding was amazing. All the guests really enjoyed themselves, whether they were on the dance floor or on the top deck taking in the sights. It truly was a magical night.
We couldn't have had a better September 2019 "boat wedding"! My husband and I wanted more of a party rather than traditional wedding and Dorit worked with us seamlessly to create a...
n easy going, perfect day.
The wedding package made all the decision making so simple but we really enjoyed picking out our delicious menu. The food was outstanding.
The Aqua Azul is a beautiful, well laid out yacht. Our 170 guests were easily directed between decks for our ceremony, cocktail hour, dinner and dancing. We lucked out with weather and had a warm and sunny late September cruise out of Jersey City. We left Liberty Landing Marina and went up the Hudson near the GWB and ended the cruise with a spectacular Statue of Liberty toast. Even our NYC guests were so impressed by the beautiful skyline and Statue of Liberty cruise and our out of town guests were blown away.
Our evening flew by and our only regret was not booking more time aboard! Dorit and her crew/team were such professionals with obvious experience. We loved the wedding and our guests had a blast. Such a unique and memorable wedding experience! Over a year later I'm smiling remembering the beautiful day. Thank you, Dorit!!
The Aqua Azul was our venue for our wedding and it was incredible! We were told that it was one of the best wedding receptions that our guests had attended. Dorit and her team were...
so helpful with planning and made our special day stress free. The yacht is spacious and impressive. We highly recommend The Aqua Azul.
First of all, the Aqua Azul Yacht is such a unique experience. Our guests had the best time. The staff is extremely professional and everything went incredibly smooth. There were n...
o hiccups. My husband and I were able to relax the whole night with our guests without having to worry about a thing. Our wedding will always be memorable night thanks to them.
Getting married on Aqua Azul was the most amazing experience!! We wanted something different for our wedding and we found it. Our family and friends have been raving about our wedd...
ing for over a month! The views are incredible!! We went around the Statue of Liberty and the New York skyline was breathtaking.
We got married 10/3/2020. Yes during the pandemic. Our first date was 5/24 then 7/25 then 9/4 and finally 10/3. Without the help of Dorit and her team our wedding would not have been possible. We had expressed that we we wanted to get married this year and she was beyond flexible and knowledgeable about all precautions we had to take.
Dorit and her team ensured that everyone was safe and proper procedures were in place. As a bride I didn’t want my wedding to have a COVID “feel”. I wanted a “normal” wedding. Dorit went above and beyond to make this happen.
I couldn’t be happier with our choice. Aqua Azul is an amazing yacht. So many people told us this was the best wedding they had ever been to. I can assure you I will be booking this venue again for other celebrations.
Contact
Chelsea Piers Pier 60 North, New York, NY
Aqua Azul Yacht