City Cruises - New York

sional, most accommodating and very responsive. Captain Aaron and the entire crew made it a most memorable event. I highly recommend this venue for a wedding or any other special occasion.

ly cared that we had an event we would love. He was super responsive to email inquiries and was great about giving us advice/guidance without forcing us in a direction we didn't like. He made us feel like we could have anything we wanted but also wasn't afraid to point out potential pitfalls for ideas we hadn't quite thought through. The ship itself was gorgeous, with floor to ceiling windows that let in a ton of natural light and priceless views of the NYC skyline. You won't need much in the way of decorations to have a beautiful looking wedding (we just had some small floor centerpieces and photos of us). We had the ceremony outside on a sheltered deck so light rain - which we had on our wedding day - won't derail your plans or soak your guests. The main deck is entirely enclosed so once the reception started it could have started pouring and it wouldn't have mattered. A big positive for us is that catering and the cake are included in the price so that took a couple of big decisions off the plate. We did the brunch buffet and it was absolutely delicious, with lots of different options for many palettes (the chicken and waffles are legit). The cake is from Magnolia Bakery with a good selection of options to choose from and the ability to upgrade to fancier decorative options. There was plenty of food and all of our guests commented on how delicious everything was. Also, the open bar that comes standard with all of their packages has a huge selection so no need to upgrade unless Top Shelf liquor is a major priority for you. You don't really get a rehearsal on the ship because it is used for nightly cruises, but Hornblower provides you with a day of coordinator to keep everything on schedule. Ours was Gabriel and he was a blast, really adding to the festive atmosphere (multiple guests commented on how fun he was); we agreed on a timeline beforehand and he was great at keeping us on track without being intrusive or pushy so we could focus on enjoying our wedding and socializing with our guests. Not only were we thrilled with everything, but our guests all raved about the food and the atmosphere. A lot of them said they never would have thought to get married on a boat and absolutely loved the vibe and the views (you will get a great view of the skyline and landmarks like the Brooklyn Bridge and Statue of Liberty). Several of our married friends joked that they wanted to do a vow renewal ceremony just so they could do the same brunch cruise setup we did. Overall we cannot recommend Hornblower enough. We weren't sure we'd be able to afford the kind of wedding we wanted in notoriously pricy NYC, but we were able to get a private charter for our 70-ish person wedding with everything we wanted for well under the $33k national average, to say nothing of the much higher NYC average. Going with Hornblower gave us a fun and different reception that we will remember for the rest of our lives. Highly recommended!

e boat looked amazing and all of our guests loved the experience. Highly recommend the Hornblower!

kept it moving perfectly! For the reception our server Donette went above and beyond for all our guests. If you want a beautiful wedding that doesn't break the bank, this is your one stop shop. I would absolutely recommend Hornblower Cruises.

ght. Our coordinator was Bryan, and his attention to detail was stellar and he was a pleasure to work with from start to finish. He answered emails and texts within minutes, no matter the day or time, and never made us feel like we were bothering him. I would highly recommend this to anyone looking for a different type of wedding venue.

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friendly and helped make our event memorable. Overall we didn't have any complaints, which is a lot to say when so many things can go wrong. The city lights were just stunning, and my family and friends will be talking about this for years to come.

re were no surprise. I also liked that the wedding cake was part of the package, one less thing to think about. And finally, the guests loved the venue! Great views, great memories. We had our ceremony elsewhere, and we had to purchase an extra hour of sail for a total of 4hours on the boat or it would have been way to short for a reception.

n better. We struck upon the idea of having a wedding aboard a cruise vessel early on. Because we had a very small party we’d been turned down by another company because we didn’t have the minimum number. Hornblower, in contrast, worked with our budget and guest list and handled all the logistics for what we envisioned. It was a well-organized and straightforward process that John walked us through step-by-step at the various points in the planning process. He asked about and presented details and options that we might not have thought to consider. Our wedding and reception took place on a Saturday in June in the daytime. The captain married us in a private dockside ceremony and we had the brunch reception and a scenic cruise around Manhattan. It was so nice to have people be able to walk around and see the view instead of just sitting the whole time. The children who attended especially enjoyed the cruise. There was a live band as well as a DJ (who handled the music for our traditional first dance). The food was excellent and the staff were very attentive and things happened like clockwork. Thank you again to John and the Hornblower staff!

n we had to postpone the start of the festivities for some very important people, they understood and made sure that everything still went as smooth as possible under the circumstances and time constraints. If I could do it all again, I would definitely pay for a lot more time. Its true what they say the bride and groom never get a moment to breath. Bryan was my coordinator and he was magnificent. We were on the Atlantica and got to sail around New York on a beautiful day. It was 100% worth every penny.

4. Emile hogon was excellent. She was the person who helped us book our special day. We communicated with her perfectly, she helped us select the best package. I loved my wedding planner jessica. She was so helpful and helped my vision come through the exact way that i wanted. She also accommodated my large wedding. The only thing i wished i had done differently was purchase more time. Traffic was hectic the day of my wedding causing everything to run behind schedule. My time was 4:30-10pm. Thank god they did throw us off at exactly 10pm. Lol but it was one of the best days of my life. The food was magnificent. The day of my wedding we had assigned staff to bring whatever me and my husband needed. Especially while i was getting ready. Last but but not least let me say the captain was the absolutely best. Everyone was talking about how friendly, social and down to earth he was. He was so kind many people didn't really notice that the wedding was 40 minutes behind. He was so fantastic, i loved the choice of words he used while marrying us and the way he kept the crowd engaged. Entertainment cruises also offered and have a list of outside vendors for any of yours needs. We used all of the people that they recommend. Perfect. Best decision we made.

spirit cruise, hoping to possibly get a small private area on one of their dinner cruise boats. We met with emilie hagon, and after telling her what we had in mind she suggested the manhattan elite yacht. After seeing the ship, and hearing what they could do for us we fell in love with the idea, and booked our date. We met with wedding planner bryan miranda who helped us with all the arrangements, and made the whole process very easy and enjoyable. Then the day came! Let me tell you, we thought it would be fun and a unique experience, but we were totally blown away at just how amazing it was. Our expectations were totally exceeded . The staff was amazing, helpful, and very courteous. Bryan personally oversaw the whole celebration. Our dj, provided by bonnie cameryn entertainment, dj mike was amazing. He played everything we asked for, and the mix was absolutely perfect. The party was non-stop, and the dance floor always full. Add to that, delicious food, a great bartender, the beautiful scenery of the ny skyline, and statue of liberty at night for an amazing experience. Everyone there said it was one of the best weddings they ever attended, and we totally agree. Thank you emile, bryan, bonnie, dj mike, and all the staff of the manhattan elite for the best wedding celebration we could have hoped for. We will always be grateful to you all, and we'd recommend you to anyone.”

had our ceremony on the observation deck prior to sailing. From there we moved to the lounge for cocktail hour. Finally, we moved to the lower deck for the reception. The yacht was rocking a decent amount at the beginning while in the lounge, but once we got moving, you rarely noticed it. My husband and I are not originally from this area, though we live in NJ now. About 90% of our guests traveled from out of state and most had never been to NYC before so we wanted them to have a unique and fun experience. Everybody loved it! We had so many compliments from our guests saying it was the best wedding they had ever been to. We also received so many compliments on the food and cake. I can honestly say the food and cake were both amazing! Also, the food tasting we did in June on the Bateaux was so great and such a fun date night for us during the planning process. The Atlantica is beautiful so we didn't have to spend much at all decorating. The only decorations we had were centerpieces, guest book/name card table decorations, and some flowers on a memorial table. Very little needs to be added to the Atlantica. Bryan and Emilie were both wonderful to work with. They were helpful and responsive! Bryan did a great job during the wedding handling everything and letting me enjoy the day as the bride. I would highly recommend the Atlantica and Entertainment Cruises to anybody looking to have a nontraditional wedding in NY. It was also very reasonably priced, especially since it included an open bar. Such a great day and experience overall!

d to have everything go smoothly. We definitely had the usual wedding stress from trying to organize people/decorations/invites and trying to please every guest, but after all is said and done the Hornblower 'rocked the boat'! We had a lot of out-of-town guests but even the local New Yorkers loved the views. Being a New Yorker you don't do the 'tourist' stuff, so it was nice to get people on the boat and see New York from a different angle. Spectacular pictures of the skyline and the Statue of Liberty! The bar was non-stop with endless cocktails and DJ MikeD was fantastic at getting people to dance (at the right times). The food, was a buffet setting, but everyone (even vegetarian guests) said it was delicious! We had a cake delivered but they provided other desserts as well which was also delicious. Can't say enough good things about the Hornblower!

and I were about to give up on finding a venue that was different, offered lovely views and was affordable at the same time. That's when we found the Hornblower Hybrid and it was love at first sight. The Hornblower's fleet of yachts are the only wedding venues that I know of in New York City that allow your guests to experience multiple breathtaking views of Manhattan, Brooklyn and the Statue of Liberty so there's never a dull moment. Everyone had a wonderful and memorable (although some people had so much fun that they probably don't remember the whole event) time, and it was unlike any other wedding I've ever been to. I would like to give a personal shoutout to John Barrall, who worked tirelessly to make the event a success. He personally troubleshot any issues we had and even brought me a glass of wine when I looked stressed as we were setting up for the wedding. I'd also like to thank Rosly, who assisted John and Zaria, who kept putting food aside for my fiance and I so that we could try everything. One comment I will make is that the food on the Hybrid is not of the gourmet variety. It's good but it's pretty standard. We supplemented with sushi (arranged by John at a reasonable price through a Hornblower vendor) and Boomwich submarine sandwiches (which were a big hit) to ensure that we had more than enough food. If you're really into tasty and special food, I would recommend bringing in some extra food, but otherwise, the Hornblower's menu is quite adequate. I also want to give a special thanks to Captain Enrique, who married us on the skydeck of the Hybrid. It was such a special moment right at sunset with the Statue of Liberty right behind us, and the vessel even sounded its horn as we walked down the aisle as man and wife! We can't say enough about how cool it was to be married on the Hybrid (especially because it's also an eco-friendly boat and even has bars made of recycled glass), and if we could do it all again, we wouldn't have it any other way. Thank you so much John and crew!!!

acular. Bryan and Emily were attentive to detail throughout the planning process. We would highly recommend the Atlantica. Do it!

vessels). He helped us find the best vendors to fit our budget and paid attention to detail of the minute things which made the entire experience a very smooth sailing one - pun intended! The Infinity is a wonderful vessel and I would highly recommend it to anyone either visiting NYC or planning a special event. The food was delicious and the crew members very professional. All in all we had a memorable wedding aboard the vessel.

they loved the food, scenery, and music. Hands down a wonderful experience, I am more than pleased with my service. Love it.. My husband and I are grateful.