The East Coast is hot! With the mercury teetering around the 100-degree mark, many have had to find more interesting ways to stay cool while enjoying the great outdoors. One of the best ways to beat the heat is on the water. A luxury yacht is a fabulous way to enjoy the beautiful natural scenery and air conditioning simultaneously. The Hornblower ship is a magnificent fleet that tours several port cities across the U.S. We boarded our ship at Pier 40 in New York City’s lower Manhattan. The impressive fleet offers weekend tours of the harbor, that vary in theme and price point. From Brunch to Dinner there is a cruise for every budget.
On Saturday nights throughout Summer, patrons can enjoy 3 signature cruise types. We boarded Starlight Dinner Cruise. This 3-hour tour offers a light buffet of appetizers, bar service, a plated 3-course meal, and dancing. Guests are ushered on and shown to specially assigned seats where a server for the evening is introduced. After being shown our table and enjoying a quick round of cocktails we decided to take a tour of the massive ship. The Hornblower is equipped with 3 floors and several private party rooms. The decks on each level offer different views of the surrounding skyline. Prepare to be amazed at the beauty of the urban terrain of skyscrapers and bridges. Walking around the ship helped us work up quite an appetite. After heading back inside to the coolly air-conditioned cabin, we took our seats and placed our dinner order. The seated dinner offers soup or salad as a starter followed by an entrée and a dessert.
We started with a creamy and delicious lobster bisque.
After the bisque, I got into my entree of succulent rosemary roasted chicken with potatoes and seasonal vegetables.
My companion settled on the tender and juicy filet mignon.
The entrees were followed by a medley of sweet gourmet treats.
As if on cue dinner ended just as the sun began to set and our tour was leading us past the Statue of Liberty. Illuminated by the orange horizon of the setting sun the scene was the perfect photo-op. Luckily the ship was big enough to accommodate all the armature photographers and everyone had an opportunity to snap a photo of lady liberty.
Once the sun had finally set, DJ Indigo got the party started with a medley of requests and some of today’s biggest hits. The lights of the city skyline set the backdrop to the end of a beautiful evening. The starlight dinner cruise starts at $85 and includes a private table, a delicious 3-course dinner, and much more. Guests are encouraged to add details such as cakes, roses, and champagne for an additional charge. For more information on the Hornblower Cruises please visit www.hornblower.com.