City Cruises

My friend had her small, but wonderful wedding onboard the dinner cruise last night. The staff was amazing and made the evening very special. After the ceremony performed by the captain, we were joined by the other guests for the regular dinner cruise. The music was fun and the views from the ship at night were spectacular. The food was okay, but not that great. Parking was not easy. Your best bet is to take a taxi or ride share service (and schedule both trip in advance).

We really enjoyed the Best of the Bay tour, and we are locals! My only tip is to look at the confirmation email carefully for the meeting place. Google maps led us to their empty office. We had to walk a half mile, but fortunately it was well signposted.

I cannot give more kudos and shout outs to this company for making my wedding in April so fantastic. While there was some communication issues early on, eventually all was resolved and everyone went above and beyond to make our day so incredibly special. We reserved the Emerald Hornblower and my only regret is not paying for the extra hour (so to brides looking in to this option, more time is worth the money) Nicole was always prompt at answering questions and Jasmine, our on-board day-of coordinator who I met literally 30 min prior to everyone arriving- and was an absolute LEGEND-swooping in to handle all the little details like a boss queen. The food was delicious - we opted for the fish (so tender) and steak (so juicy) and split our appetizers for cocktail hour and for dancing. For the most part, any little deviations I wanted were easily accommodated. Their cake recommendation was incredible as well and I'll be writing a separate review! Thomas and Kristina who were aboard with us also went above and beyond, honing in on the all the guests needs and making sure I was never without a drink or nibble. It was the day every bride hopes for and well worth every penny! THANK YOU

We’ve been to Hornblower brunch cruise multiple times, even before Covid. Prior the pandemic, I remember they served really good food with plenty of choices and high quality desserts. This was the reason why we kept coming back. But our experience today was very disappointing. There were a lot less food choices and the dessert was below average. Our server forgot to refill our coffee. We were already done with food when he returned and reminded him we’re still waiting for our refill. I don’t think I’ll return or bring guests again. It is no longer worth the money. We will give the rival company a chance the next time we go for a brunch cruise.

We took the 2 hour tour (North Harbor and South Harbor), and it was an amazing experience!! Our guide was amazing and we learn so much! We also saw so much!! Including the Navy's Pacific Fleet and lots of sea lions! The ride was smooth and the skyline was also an amazing sight. Definitely worth doing if you're in San Diego!

Very nice boat it had recently gone over a huge makeover I believe we were on the second night after the remodel. It was a very nice Cruise all of the staff members were very nice and helpful. They had a couple of snacks what's the new equipment but well worth it. The DJ was really good

Didn’t come here for the cruise but a great place to see the planes land. Love the views of downtown, the port of San Diego and the airport.

The cruise would have been better if they didn’t hire first time bar tenders, was in line 1 hour and some change due to the bar tender not knowing how to do anything behind the bar. Because of that and that they didn’t bring enough food to sell for all the attendees, i wasted more than an hour in line for basically no reason… View of the city is great though.

My group and I had a phenomenal experience with a private post wedding party event with this company. The dinner cruise we booked was superb all around. Excellent and friendly service, tasty food, and great ambiance. The views in the harbor at night are beautiful and it's the perfect backdrop for any occassion. We all loved this experience so much we are talking about chipping in as a family and booking these kind of events annually :)

Our family has been their customer since 1998. We have always enjoyed their cruises. We have taken Valentine's, Mother's Day, Sunset Cocktail, etc. Service is always exceptional and friendly. We have noticed the quality of the food has declined terribly and the vessels have not been updated since we took our first cruise with them. The interior was a bit depressing. They need to revamp their menu, especially their brunch. It is NOT restaurant quality. A little more effort needs to go into it. Presentation as well. The 2 cruises we have taken this year have been quite empty, I wonder if it has to do with the food. They also don't have alive entertainer like they used to. I do have to say the service today was above and beyond. Our server was Salvador, he made up for the stiff croissant and bagel and the dry Salmon and chicken with his friendly and attentive service. We might wait until you improve the quality of your "experience" before considering doing it again. Thank you.

A Fantastic Experience on City Cruises San Diego. My time aboard City Cruises San Diego was absolutely lovely the atmosphere was vibrant, and the service was exceptional. A special shout-out to Ms. Christina, whose outstanding hospitality made the experience even more memorable. If you're looking for a unique way to dine and cruise, I highly recommend it. It's perfect for celebrating with your significant other or spouse, and an incredible choice for anniversaries, engagements, and birthday celebrations. A must-try! Until next time

It was amazing. Had all you can eat buffet with the unlimited Mimosas. Everything was perfect. And the view from the boat in the middle of the bay is something you can only dream of. I wish this on everyone to give it a try. It is worth every penny. The customer service there was amazing as well. They never let my glass hit the bottom. They had our champagne and our juice always available.

I joined in on a Brunch retirement for my old boss and wow what an experience. Bottomless mimosa brunch on a city cruise was so much fun. The food was very tasty and as soon as you step foot in the yacht you were welcomed with a glass of champagne. Once seated at your table there is juice ready to mix into your champagne if you choose to (pineapple, orange and cranberry available). The staff were very friendly and it was nice to go to the upper deck and enjoy the view. There is plenty of loungers and games to play so it's perfect if you have to bring kids. I highly recommend this experience, it won't disappoint:)

We went whale watching on Valentine's Day. The whole process from ordering tickets, to checking in and getting aboard was smooth. The ticket booth staff were helpful. The photographer at the top of the landing was funny and personable. San Diego always shows up, even if the whales don't. I appreciated the Captains honesty when we boarded that, we may have to return early due to weather. We got out of the bay, and it was gorgeous!! There were some waves, and the staff was very safety minded. They reminded everyone to now bow-jump, keep at least one hand on the boat. We ordered some snacks, which was very easy with the QR code. They know their customers well. We got a pretzel and a hot cocoa, cuz it was sunny but cold. They were both ad expected very good. The narration was perfect. A mix of history and current events and tin bits about San Diego and its wildlife. We saw dolphins, sea lions and a slew of different birds, and some cool military installations. No whales this cruise, but that's ok, if you don't see a whale, you get a whale-check. The seas were a bit rough (I guess) the day we went out. Some pro tips, look at the horizon and not the water. Also later up, the wind can be fierce, use sunscreen and stay hydrated. We have a fabulous time and can't wait to sail again!!!

The perfect cruise and a fantastic moderator. Captain Luis was fantastic!! Great drinks brought straight to your table. So much information!!

I went on one of these a few weeks ago with my tiki lady group. It's a nice narrated tour of the harbor, Point Loma and 32nd street shipyard Navy boats. I worked in the Navy for 17 years and I was excited to see some of my old boats there. They serve cocktails, cheese plates, pretzels and cheese. Very simple. The cruise is only 90 minutes so you don't need much. The tickets are reasonably priced.

This year for Valentines Day I had the joy to experience my very first themed dinner cruise. Thank you to my wonderful boyfriend and City Cruises for making this experience one to remember! Upon arriving at the dock we were promptly checked in and provided complimentary hot chocolate on this chilly San Diego night. The valentines day decorations were super adorable and set the tone for the rest of the evening. From entering the boarding gate until getting seated at our table, we were greeted with a smile by every single employee we passed. We were then offered complimentary Champagne upon entering the dining room. The cruise started at 7 PM and didn't end until 9:30-10 PM. Giving us plenty of time to eat, chat, and explore the boat and take in the beautiful night skyline of downtown San Diego. Although it was freezing it was still nice to wander. The meal itself was a 3 course meal. We each got to choose from a selection of appetizers, main course meals, and desserts. The food itself was ok. The presentation was great but it wasn't anything spectacular. I was worried if the 3 course meal would be enough to fill me up but I'm glad to say it was the perfect amount. We were pretty full halfway through our dessert. They also had an additional menu provided at the table in case you wanted to order more side dishes or drinks. I want to note that even though this was a pre-paid package the servers kindly let us know at the beginning of the service that Gratuity was not included in the package so if we would like to leave it they would greatly appreciate it. My boyfriend didn't know so we kind of wished we brought cash beforehand but thankfully we ordered drinks so he was able to add a tip on his card at the end. Overall, it such a thoughtful and cute date idea. The food isn't amazing by any means but you're really paying for the experience. I loved the little touches they added such as the rose on the table, DJ playing love songs, rose petals on the ground, and valentines day ballon decoration photo station. City Cruises seems to offer a variety of cruise packages, so whether you're celebrating a birthday, holiday, or anniversary for a loved one it'll definitely be an experience to remember.

Came out for a celebratory birthday dinner while in town for a conference. They stop selling tickets for same-day cruises around noon it seems. But the customer service team was amazing. They helped us combine our tickets into a single table, and surprised us by allowing two team members buy tickets after the noon cut-off and added them to our table as well. After taxes and fees it came out to around $105 a person. On-board, wait staff were super friendly and accommodating, and 10 out of 10 all around for service. Food on board was uneventful. We had salmon options, pasta, tri-tip, and a bevy of salads. All of it tasted mass produced, but not bad, just don't expect anything gourmet or particularly high quality. The tri-tip was particularly bad though, it was way over-cooked and chewy. The dessert spread was pretty good though. Outside of that, the 2.5 hr trip seemed the perfect amount of time to enjoy dinner, drinks, and the view. The weather at night was pretty chilly, but not terrible with a light jacket. A few passengers brought blankets which was the way to go if you really want to get cozy. The only knock on the place was that it seemed a little worn/tired. The DJ wasn't particularly exciting and most of the music was the very PG stuff you play at the beginning of the wedding like "Sweet Caroline" and more classic crowd pleasures. Almost everyone on the ship was either doing a birthday or anniversary, and overall just a very quiet evening, which may appeal to some more than others. We did enjoy our time and if you come in with the right expectations so will you.

Such an amazing, narrated tour cruise of beautiful San Diego. We booked their 'Sightseeing Cruise' and paid about $92 overall total for 2 of us (they also offer brunch & dinner cruises). We got there about 1 hr early and struggled to find parking on a busy Sunday afternoon. Once we got to the meeting spot, we noticed there was a parking lot right on Hornblower Pier (which is next to the meeting spot). We walked over to ask, and their rate was $15 (cash only) to park. As we were boarding, a souvenir picture was taken and was later available for purchase. All crew members were super friendly and attentive. You can purchase snacks and alcohol beverages at the bar, which was awesome! Plenty of restrooms and very clean. Overall, we had such an amazing experience and can't wait to go back and enjoy their dinner cruise.

We went on the dinner cruise last Saturday night and had a blast! Everyone was so friendly. We even got to meet the Captain - probably because we were peppering all of the staff with so many questions on the boat and the scenery!! The food was pretty good for a large group like that who eats all at once. The lights of downtown were magical and going under the Coronado Bridge was a real treat. Special shout out to Crystal. Mary. and Justin. They were great.

Great experience with City Cruise for the first time. We booked a brunch cruise on New Year's Eve. Was a little afraid of the rain and wind the night before, but it was fine on the cruise, probably because it's the bay. We arrived about 30 minutes before boarding and were able to find a spot right out front (metered parking - 3 hours max). Upon walking up to the boat, we had our picture taken which you could purchase later (digital download or physical copy containing several sizes). Our table was right next to the buffet which made it very convenient to make a trip for seconds. The food was great considering it was all prepared on the cruise. The menu changes by season, great selection of land and sea to enjoy while cruising. Don't forget the bottomless mimosas, the server will make sure your glass is always full. Attentive service along the trip, we went out of the cabin to see the view the server still came around to top off our glasses. The cruise was also surprisingly smooth and not once did I lose my balance, nor did anyone else (even with bottomless mimosas). Awesome experience overall, definitely recommend booking for any special occasion or just to enjoy San Diego Bay. Cheers!

Groupons are often available for this! Amazing tour of the San Diego bay. I opted for the two hour tour and wasn't disappointed. Multiple times slots to choose from. For the first hour, they go to either the north or south side of the bay, then they return dock for 15 minutes and continue with the second half. Drinks are a little pricy but they hit the spot on a warm day. Crew is fantastic. Highly recommend.

The two hour harbor cruise was a delightful way to spend the morning. We walked from our hotel so no need to find parking. The wait to board was very short and there was plenty of room on the boat. They do have you stop for a boarding photo but there was really no pressure to buy the picture as you debarked. Staff was polite and helpful and the narrator was informative and interesting. He was able to adapt his talk with what was currently going on in the harbor. The only drawback was the sound system. As long as you were inside it was ok but if you were outside the speakers were insufficient.y loud enough to hear over the engine noise. If you do the two hour cruise, you go north for an half hour and then back to the pier for 15 minutes and then you go south for an half hour and then back to the pier.

Nice 90 min round trip to see the city on the sea. Parking is hard to find at the closer midway museum parking lot after 10am even on a weekday morning. Staff were friendly and had a very thorough introduction of what we were seeing on the sea. Was nice to enjoy a cup of hot chocolate on the deck when the wind was strong. Recommended for families, couples or groups.

The BEST dinner cruise in San Diego Took a pre graduation dinner cruise every thing was fantastic the service the food the drinks outstanding!!

This cruise was everything!! The staff was extremely professional and the food was out of this world. I'm still dreaming about the chocolate cake and I don't even like chocolate. The DJ was super nice and accommodated everyone's taste in music. When in San Diego, you must book this cruise. It was worth every penny!

City Cruises is a scam. Book with Flagship instead. City cruises say they participate in the Go City "90 minute best of the bay" but there is never any availability. They keep telling you they are booked to come back the next day...and when you come back, they tell you the same thing. SCAM! Avoid!

My boyfriend and I went on the hornblower dinner cruise to celebrate my birthday and had a wonderful time. All of the staff was wonderful and the views were great. The dinner was delicious as well! Variety of options. I enjoyed having a drink brought quickly to the table as well. We were able to walk around the whole ship and go out on the top deck to enjoy. I liked that the DJ announced when food was being served so if you were outside you were able to go back inside to have your food. Wonderful experience!

What a fantastic experience! We came here for a work event dinner cruise and had a fantastic time on the boat. The cruise itself lasted about 2.5 hours and they drive you to a marina area where the water is calmer before they serve dinner. We were seated at 3 round tables but managed to move the tables closer together in order to talk to everyone. For dinner I got the seafood chowder to start, salmon for the entree and finished with cheesecake. Food was pretty average with the chowder being the highlight as it had a good amount of clam and more of a Manhattan chowder than a super creamy New England chowder Really the views were the highlight of the cruise and we set off at 7pm which gave us a perfect time to see the sunset as well as the city nights once the sun set.

Absolutely amazing dinner cruise!! The views were breathtaking, the service was exceptional, the boat was beautiful! I loved every moment. It was such a special birthday! Highly recommended for locals, families, couples, solos, visitors!

It was a nice boat ride, not crowded at all due to it being a weekday. The boat ride went under Coronado bridge and then back around the bay. Some negatives were the old captain was unfriendly and unwelcoming, apparently only selectively greeting white people. Narration was not very informative, mostly sounded like sponsored ads of hotels and restaurants. Bathrooms were dirty and smelled like urine. I think it's overpriced.

STAY AWAY!!!!!! If I could give this company a negative star, I would. Absolutely dreadful experience. Went on this ship for a dinner bay cruise, and first disaster, they wouldn't take the ship out on the bay. They said high winds, but every other boat in the harbor went out. Personally I think they didn't sell enough tickets so they kept it doc side so they would save on gas. Here is the worst part, we couldn't get a refund of the event they canceled. $300 down the drain. The food was absolutely disgusting. Cold pasta. Food was dry, and really no selection, they even took stuff off the menu they said was on it and they expected a tip for the horrible experience I was there for my anniversary with my wife. I walked off with not giving a tip to my seever.. THEY ARE A HORRIBLE COMPANY AND I WOULD ADVISE TO STAY AWAY, VERY CROOKED COMPANY. Another thing we bought the insurance, and they didn't honor it. My wife was going to do a birthday party on there with her friends. She told them her experience, now they are not doing it there anymore

Wife and I went on the city cruise sights cocktail yacht tour. We saw seals and the aircraft carriers. They had snacks waiting for us when we walked on. The bartender sean was nice and also the manager thomas

Whale Watching Cruise Review! I've lived here for years and never said to myself "I should go on one of those cruises" but there I was, in line with my tourist mother, having bought some tickets to sightsee whale tails at 9:30 on a week day. I made sure to read the FAQ- dress in layers for warmth (though for me that meant sun protection as my Casper-looking ass burns instantly), wear sunglasses so the light bouncing off the water into my delicate little eyes wasn't blinding, and of course- Dramamine for all the motion of the ocean. After getting a souvenir pic taken of mom & me with my freshly showered hair looking unprepared, we boarded and everyone else immediately went up to the top deck. I had no clue where is the best area to sit, but I found a nice shaded table on the back deck that served me well. The thing about whales is they are, well, they're big but they go below the surface and the ocean is giant. You might see them up close, you might see them from far off, and maybe you won't see any at all. Sit where you're comfy, you're in for a long trip. To add to your comfort there are restrooms, drinks and food can be ordered from your table and delivered to you (I recommend doing that before you get too far out in the ocean and lose cell service), and there are plenty of sick bags if you mistakenly believed you "didn't need" Dramamine. In case you'd like to know a bit more about whales and their migration- look for the folks in the yellow jackets, though they may just introduce themselves to you first. Those are volunteers from the Natural History Museum who join every City Cruises boat to educate and answer any questions you have. They come equipped with pictures, charts, and info aplenty! It was a beautiful day for taking in the sights of the bay from the ships to Cabrillo, you'll see it all if you keep your head on a swivel or are comfortable walking around the deck to see both sides. Keep your eye on the little channel markers while in the bay. The sea lions LOVE them and you'll often see groups of them sleeping. Then you'll be out in the ocean, smooth or bumpy is a mystery, where you'll see...well, again, a mystery. To kind of get a rough idea of what you MIGHT see, their website has a log that tracks what they saw on which cruises. We lucked out in that we saw a whale, several times, but then we came across dolphins, a lot of dolphins actually. First we came across a big pod, hundreds of them jumping around and playing in the boat's wake, before we headed off after a report from another boat of an even bigger pod- a mega pod. Thousands of dolphins! Between the dolphins, the mostly smooth ocean, and the bag of Funyuns I had squirreled away in my bag for primo snacking- we had a great trip. I recommend the trip to anybody who is looking for something to do, like a lazy exploration to see nature and sights vs. hiking, locals and tourists alike. Concerned about the price? You should check out Groupon if you're looking for a very good discount. That's actually why I booked another cruise not even a month after my first. I was hoping to recreate the magical trip with my partner. But womp womp, very little magic and very much boat rocking didn't make for an excellent trip for him. We still saw plenty of dolphins, sea lions, and even a ocean sunfish/mola mola! Those are truly strange looking fish. Unfortunately the lone small whale sighting was like a half sighting. Given that, the captain had his team issue return vouchers to everyone as we exited. Customer satisfaction and all that. Now given that a fair few of the visitors are tourists, I think City Cruises still come out ahead and nobody was grumbling about a bad trip- people love dolphins! But for me, a local- oh I'll be using my free ticket. Even if I don't see a whale, that's cool. I still enjoy the sights, the cool salty breeze, and time being sea-chauffeured around eating my favorite crispy snack- that's right, more Funyuns. Going to be a good time!

Just took the noon boat tour of the beautiful San Diego bay. Was on the hornblower ship. Helpful crew, very clean ship, lovely bathrooms! They serve drinks that they bring to you! Great narrated tour with lots of information! We saw landmarks, seals, dolphins, war ships, airplanes Something for everyone!! Highly recommend

Pro's: Service, free champagne upon entry, being on a boat in the SD harbor Cons: Food was okay. If you're a foodie, you will be disappointed. Seems fancy, but tastes microwaved. Dessert was super rich. And if you're young, you will be disappointed with the DJ. Not that the DJ was bad, probably just catering to their main audience. Overall, we had a nice experience with our family and our nieces loved being on the dance floor. Very kid friendly boat. It was just way too expensive for what it was. And the drinks were super expensive and not included in your ticket. And the tip too... ended up being about $300 per person when all was said and done. Not worth it. Wish we found a more cost-effective way to spend time with our family while we were in town.

Brunch food is very nasty. Not coming back. Not worth to spent 100+. Very disappointed.

The food was fairly good. The music was horrible, it was most rap and some disco, I asked to play a slow song so my fiancé and I could dance and he said I already did, he played Tennessee whiskey by Chris Stapleton, I was about 1 hour before. For the money that I paid for two people to have a good view and drinks I would think the DJ would cater to all the guests not just a certain type. Because it was a dinner night cruise, I was hoping for something more romantic. It was not romantic at all, and based on that I wouldn't recommend anybody to go.

I booked a surprise dinner cruise for my daughter and her boyfriend from England and we are all impressed with the food, service and ambiance. The food was so delicious, the DJ was very entertaining and the service was awesome and made our experience memorable.

We were celebrating our 10th anniversary with our while family. The crew were friendly and accommodating and the boat route was interesting. However, at $300.00 a plate you would expect that the food would be prepared right. The Tri-Tip was ROOM TEMPERATURE ! BARELY... The "hot" dishes were not hot. The only carving station was not even warm. I expected more for that amount of money. The " chef " should be let go.

We only came on this cruise as a part of our CityPass. We took the one-hour tour of the harbor. It was nice enough, but nothing special. That said, a couple of pain points. First, the staff never came to take our order. We literally had to track down a waiter so we could order, and again, when it was time to pay. Second, I could've done without all the commercials from the tour guide. "Best place to eat on the water!" "My personal favorite is..." "If you're looking for XYZ, go here." Believability: 0%

Hate to say it, but if you're thinking of booking the sights and sips cruise think again. I enjoyed the onboarding experience, the opportunity to take a photo prior to boarding and, the staff on the vessel were welcoming, and checked in frequently to make sure my group had everything we needed. However, my dislikes greatly outweighed these positives because if I had been made aware of them prior to purchasing the experience I would not have made the purchase. First, the vessel we boarded did not resemble the photos listed on the site. Specifically, the vessel in the video highlights in the sights and sips image rotator was not what we boarded. I expected there to be ample seating that would allow guests to roam from inside to outside and that was not the case. The windows were not clean which is difficult since it obstructs the view while onboard. My other displeasure was with the food; the menu did not match the items listed on the site. Which was a major inconvenience since I picked this experience based on the number of gluten free options they offered. To then arrive and learn that the menu was not the same and my husband was only able to eat one item during an experience that was to celebrate his birthday. I made the best of a bad situation, but they have lost a customer. And I'm writing this review to make sure people have an accurate understanding of the experience before purchasing a ticket.

I'm conflicted by giving this review as the narration and quality from a strict tour and whale watching perspective was pretty good, but the atmosphere left something to be desired. The tour part and whales: the captain and crew were able locate and track a pod of dolphins and also several whales which was cool to see. The gave good geographic commentary and several facts about the naval base in town. Atmosphere: the downside their were 4ft swells outside the harbor which were especially noticeable while not moving but rather while chilling and waiting for the whales to emerge, sink, and re emerge in 4 minute cycles. I would think out of the number of people on the boat 2-3 people would get sea sick, but no. It was probably 10-15 people. My wife pointed out that nearly every person we saw ordered refreshments, we saw the refreshments a second time. It wasn't just those individuals ordering food that started getting sick in their tum tums. It started with one lady just sitting next to a trash can biting an orange, (didn't know that was a thing and failed miserably for her) The clear vomit bags initially were on every table and by the end, you nearly couldn't find one. And many people just put their heads down on the tables. Right after another, people were going down like flies. Children vomiting from the swells on the floor, not in the trash cans, adults walking around with their clear vomit bags full of second hand Bloody Mary like a souvenir cup at a theme park. The staff cleaned up some of it but not all despite a pretty good effort on their part. There were several vomit piles still on the floor at the end. Our party was ironically commenting on how many people were sick while the captain sat on top steaming around as if it was just another day on the water, when it looked like someone threw food and water off the top deck, then we realized, it was vomit repeatedly coming down and rolling down the window from above. By the end of the trip, I saw no less than 4 people run to the side and vomit over the edge. It lasted 3 1/2 hours or so which seemed way too long under the circumstances. The captain and first officer also requested tips over the PA for their knowledge and tour commentary which didn't sit right with us considering they didn't mention anything about the tips being for their staff as well who were busy downstairs cleaning up throw up. Over all...kind of a shame, but for obvious reasons the horn blower tour became more of a chunk blower tour. For everyone's sake, if the swells are unusually large, they might need to modify where they go on the tour or alternatively hire more handyman like it's Roller Coaster Tycoon or something.

City Cruises by Hornblower offers a variety of sightseeing and dining cruises around San Diego Harbor.  Public cruises leave from Broadway Pier at the foot of West Broadway.  Charter cruises are also available for groups up to 500 people or so.  We've enjoyed both public and private cruises over the years.  Crews have been friendly, professional, and helpful.  It's a doable walk from all downtown/harbor front hotels.

It is the worst cruise you can go on don't waste your money if you want a good experience with good people go to flagship

We had done the sights and sips harbour cruise three times since 2012. For those earlier trips, the food quality, quantity and selection (as well as presentation), number of bar stations open and overall crew attention to food stations was far superior to what it was on this trip This was a birthday cruise for my wifey. They asked us if there was a special event we wanted to note when we made reservations. I listed her birthday. NOTHING was mentioned or done by the crew to acknowledge the event. Same for a bridal party on the boat. OK, so why even ask if there is no intent to DO ANYTHING...even an announcement? For the $120ish rate for two, I was looking forward to the ambience, food quality and service we had been accustomed to from prior trips. To compare from 2012 and 2018 trips: Champagne provided for free upon boarding, TWO cheese serving stations to support the number of guests, not one small and unreplenished one for 2022 ( I actually saw the last people in line get only pita and hummus as the crew had to be told to restock the one cheese station and all they brought out was more chips). The prior trips had vegetables with dips in addition to better quality cheese and sliced bread. 2022 reality: No complimentary boarding Champagne or beverage, ONE cheese station with Costco cheese slices, a few grapes strewn on platters, a few types of hummus and pita chips and wedges, with one unreplenished bowl of roasted veggies (quickly consumed). Very very disappointing degradation of quality at increased prices. ONE small bar on top deck, the other two below deck closed. Long lines. Ordered two "house chardondays" and was given a 5 oz pour at $14 per glass (ridiculous). No beer on draft, only 12 oz bottles. At least the $8 for that was better. Passed appetizers were OK, but it was one pass per deck. They no longer provide the bruschetta, or coconut shrimp. Its chicken skewers, small quiches, a small single meatball slider and a small chocolate pastry at the end of the trip. Loud DJ music blasting on the outdoor speakers, and a little narrative on the Hotel Del and Coronado bridge. Crowd was typical mix of tourists and locals. Forget the "romantic" and "classy" imagery they use to market this trip on the website... this is not that type of boat in its layout or ambiance. Its a great boat to tour the bay, but the sights and sips package has definitely slipped for the cost

We did the Hornblower dinner cruise. 2.5,hour, 3 course meal. If youre looking for a chilly opportunity for a beautiful photo shoot, this is the deal. If youre looking for a good meal, this is not what you want. The entertainment is loud and the DJ tries to throw guilt trips if youre not on the dance floor. Food was absolutely awful. They pressure you to order alcohol. We stayed with a diet coke and lemonade. 8 oz or less, with no free refills. Cost me $12 for that. We enjoyed the sights, but I could have done without the food.

My sweetie and I purchased ticket's for their "Sights and Sips" Cruise around San Diego bay to celebrate my 60th. The tickets were kind of pricey, with their added fees online, they were $130.00! They advertised dried fruit, cheese, crackers, once we boarded the boat however their display was sad. I was fortunate to be one of the first in a HUGE line so I did manage to get a small plate. Unfortunately, their were a few guests that got NOTHING as they ran out and never replenished their snacks. EVERY guest should have had a chance to eat, in this case.....the early bird got the worm! Drinks were on the pricey side, $14.00 for a small pour of chardonnay but I expected this as it was kind of a touristy thing to experience. They offered trays of appetizers throughout the cruise, a TINY quiche, spicy chicken skewers, one meatball slider and a chocolate éclair for desert. I only took one tiny sampling of each as I worried their wasn't enough food for the other patrons on the boat as they ran out of appetizers when we first boarded. The food was okay, not fabulous as one would expect for a Hornblower cruise. Once we arrived back at the dock, there was a line to use the facilities which is normal, two stalls in the ladies restroom, and to top it off, they were out of toilet paper. This was unacceptable as they offer these cruises every weekend, they should have plenty of supply on demand. All in all, the scenery was breathtaking, I just think Hornblower could have done much better as the tickets were very pricey for what we received.

Fun as heck, gotta give a big shout out to city cruise Christina, Andrea, Tom and Louis the dj,I had such an awesome time with my time today at the cruise, Christina is the best ,made me a wifey feel very welcome she is very professional and pleasant and so is Andrea and they both checked on us all night, love my date night tonight even tho is was raining we had fun with dj Louis on the ones and twos Tom he's the man ,the manager heck yeah this was worth every dollar,food was yummy I got the steak bomb, the Cheese board was and the orange cake was AF too great job tonight happy human over here ,we love it

Celebrated my Mom's 70th birthday and we had an AWESOME time. The staff was really friendly and accommodating. It was nice to have a cocktail and go to the top deck to see the city pass by while we were on the water. The food and drinks were top notch. Honestly I figured we would be offered over priced White Zin or watered down cocktails. This absolutely was no the case. I was very surprised by the quality of the food and the cocktails. They did an outstanding job. It was nice to go up to the top deck between courses to enjoy the views of the city. The DJ great, recognizing everyone's celebration and getting the party started. He did play "Ice Ice Baby". Hey if that was the worse part of the evening I have no complaints. We also got the photo. It was top quality and looked great. The only word of caution is the parking the meet the boat. It is non-existent. Do not expect to arrive, Park then hop on the boat.

One of our favorite activities in San Diego had to be the dinner cruise with Hornblower Cruises. We weren't exactly sure what to expect, but this was certainly one of our favorite San Diego dates. We boarded our cruise and headed up to the top deck where each of the tables were well spaced out in the open air. It was chilly that night for us. In the cooler winter months, we'd recommend bringing some layers and a heavy jacket. But the cold weather only made us cozy up closer. We loved the complimentary glass of champagne, which also helped us forget about the arctic conditions. For the main entree, I ordered the vegetable lasagna while my partner got the braised short rib. We didn't expect much, but the food was incredible. Dinner cruises start at $89 per adult, and $54 for children (4-12). We didn't see any kids on the dinner evening cruise and feel like it is best for a special night out. It was the perfect date night. Cruises can be booked directly from the Hornblower website.

DO NOT BOOK! I had an error message while booking online for the dinner cruise. I checked my account and I had been charged 3x and I was not emailed a confirmation number. I have contacted their customer service MULTIPLE times and still waiting on refund. I am extremely disappointed with my experience and will be telling everyone I know to AVOID AVOID AVOID this company!

We decided on the noon North and South Bay 90 minute cruise. Captain Jose and his team were amazing. They were attentive and all worked together to make sure we had a great experience and left with a smile. I learned so much about San Diego and I could tell they were sincere in sharing their knowledge. The very top deck had tables, chairs, the best view and food service with drinks and snacks. I really enjoyed the stories from the narration of the Captain and his Team. Especially loved that he was Navy. Great job Hornblower!

5 stars for our dinner cruise experience.. our whole experience was nothing but amazing. Thank you to Christina Miller our concierge who made our experience extra special. She's super amazing and we felt welcomed. We can't wait to book another cruise.

Took my son for his first cruise on here for his birthday. He absolutely loved it. Very scenic! Great staff and very knowledgeable of the areas we passed by.Nice variety on menu as far and drinks and snacks. Bring a hat or glasses. Take lots of pictures!

Took the Father's Day cruise with my family this past Sunday. I was throughly disappointed. I've taken cruises with them before when they were just Hornblower, zero complaints. BUT this time? The food was disappointing, they ran out of eggs immediately and didn't make enough, I overheard staff saying someone forgot to make more. The buffet was missing food items that were listed on the menu, there was no live dj like stated on their website of the cruise description. They started the cruise late, we didn't even get the full 2 hr cruise. The worst part was the food enhancement that I added to my reservation, I added the baked brie with fruit compote and crostinis. I had to take a picture of it because I couldn't believe what they presented me with; 3 pieces of overcooked cheese drenched in honey. I will never again do any type of brunch/dinner cruise with them. I do not recommend this business.

I have coming to the cruises with buffets for so many years and it's always a pleasure coming here. I actually miss doing this for holidays :( because of the COVID19. Every time everything is so professional! The servers and everyone are so so so polite friendly and helpful. They are there right when you need something. Their service is phenomenal. I love the variety of the food they offer. From eggs to prime rib. There are always so many options to choose from. The fruit the desserts and everything. It's so tasty and delicious. And the live music is incredible. They play the best songs and you can request anything you want. Last December for moms bday they even said happy bday to her and dedicated a song to her and she even danced. It was a great experience and she was very happy. The pictures they take are amazing and the price isn't that bad. Can't wait to come back!!!