City Cruises — Local services in New York

Definitely not worth the money. My mother and I were among the first on board and showed our tickets to the Spirit of New York's host on the 3rd deck and told that we could sit anywhere we'd like. We sat down at a table next to the window. A waiter came and turned our water glasses over and left. A few minutes later he came back and told us that we couldn't sit there because our tickets only allowed us to sit at the first 3 tables or away from the windows. We explained that the gentleman at the host desk looked at our tickets and told us we could sit anywhere. He argumentatively stated that it didn't matter that we had to move and he was just doing his job and abiding by policies and procedures. We finally got up and most tables were full already so we sat at a table with a couple of other guests. About 10 minutes later the waiter came to us again and told the four of us that we couldn't sit at that table because our tickets didn't cover it. We were very frustrated and told him we wouldn't move again and that the people who took the seats we previously sat at had the exact same tickets we had. He rudely said that it was fine, that nobody was following the procedures and everything was ok. I told him it wasn't ok because he made my mother and I leave seats that we had specifically chosen and those seats were now occupied by people with the same tickets as ours. He was unapologetic, arrogant and rude. I told him I'd like to speak to the manager and he said he'd be happy to ask his manager to come speak to us and that he would when he had a free moment. I looked at my mother and said that in essence we wouldn't ever see or get to talk to the manager. The waiter said he was very offended by my comment insinuating that he was lying. To which we responded that he had been the one to insinuate we were lying when we had initially told him that his coworkers told us we could sit at the table we had previously sat at. Finally he said he was going to put an end to everything and get his manager right then. The manager came with just as big of an ego and attitude as the waiter and kept interrupting me as I tried to explain the situation. He didn't care how we had been treated or how his wait staff behaved. He said we should be thankful to be sitting near a window at all that those were $200 tickets and we didn't pay that. In actuality those tickets are not $200 and are $70. I wouldn't pay even $70 for the terrible service, average buffet that wasn't kept fully stocked, and the dirty windows that our view was through. Save your money and frustration and skip...

The company offers a three-hour dinner cruise on the Hudson, Upper New York Bay, and East River. The two rooms, separated by the dance floor and a small orchestra stand, comfortably sit 300 guests. There are four rows of tables; some guests (about a quarter) have to sit with their backs to the windows, so reserving a window table is a must. The tables are arranged comfortably with plenty of space between them; large windows and spacious deck (accessible at any time) offer gorgeous views. The crew is there when you need them.

A competent band (already playing when one boards the ship) starts with instrumental standards, gradually moving on to vocal numbers. The program is well balanced, inoffensive, and aims to please anyone aged 60 and over. Disco dominates, but there are some contemporary numbers as well. Sound levels are reasonable - earplugs not needed; one can even have a conversation.

The weakest part of the cruise is, unfortunately, the dinner. The food - as far as I can tell, it is not being prepared on premises; hot dishes are reheated. Though food looks nice on the plate, it is vastly overdone, and lacks any texture or taste. Booze might help - there is a full (cash) bar on the ship. Servers are cheery, courteous, and speak passable English.

There is a dress code, but I’ve yet to see anyone wearing a formal evening dress (I’ve been on a cruise a few times entertaining out of town guests); one would blend in wearing collared shirt (with or without a tie), trousers, and dress shoes. Jacket is not required, but strongly recommended for a different reason – A/C is set to Arctic temperatures and is blowing at a gale force.

The ship departs on the dot, one must be prompt! If you booked your cruise online (and who didn’t?), please allow extra time (2 to 20 minutes) to exchange reservations for the actual paper tickets at the ticket booth at Pier 61 parking garage. Proper ID required.

The cruise is not a sightseeing tour – the landmarks are not announced (except for the Statue of Liberty), so take a guidebook or a knowledgeable native...

City Cruises' evening cruises are an enjoyable night out for couple and small groups. The company goes out of its way to ensure you get good value for your buck.

Pros: The maitre d', Alex, works hard to put a good deal of thought into seat assignment, coverage, guest requests and more. He works equally as hard at fixing problems when they arise. Food is buffet style, all-you-can-eat, with fish, chicken and beef selections for everyone. Cocktails may or may not be included depending on your ticket purchase, but were all well made. On my most recent dinner & dance cruise, I split a large margarita glass 'fishbowl' that my wife wanted. Even though it seemed like a lot of ice, and we nursed the drink for over an hour, it didn't really taste watered down until the very end. Others on my tab commented their drinks were done well also. A nice mix of people. Tickets are just pricey enough that people will take it serious and not just show up in jeans and shorts (for the most part, there will always be those who just don't get it). The route was scenic (went up to 125th, then down around to Mnhttn bridge, then around the bay near Statue of Liberty and back). Weather permitting you will have a great night on the water. Even with heat lately, it was still very cool when boat is moving.

Cons: music is a little dated sometimes. Buffet is arranged weird (plates are in middle instead of at the beginning resulting in disorder). Only 1 person to replenish buffet so it is constantly out of 1 menu item. System for ordering drinks can delay getting drinks for up to 20 min. Never enough chairs on deck, and getting more chairs seems to require multiple layers of approval. It can get a little crowded in some areas whenever the boat is near photo opportunity (top deck overwhelmed when near Stat of Liberty, Freedom tower, Brooklyn Bridge).

I recommend this as a romantic activity for couples or...