City Cruises San Diego - San Diego, California

Michelle Tellez

We had a great time on the holiday dinner cruise! Get there early to get a parking meter spot. Look at the signs and pay for parking until 8 p.m. only on Saturday. They let my mom sit in a warm waiting room before boarding since she had a walker. Boarding was easy, the staff were friendly. The decorations were pretty. The views of the skyline and holiday lights on downtown buildings and the Midway were so beautiful and festive. The buffet food was good and filling. My daughter was not a fan of the mac n cheese but she liked the salmon and bread. It felt like Thanksgiving again with the turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, and cranberry sauce. Our server, Crystal, was kind and attentive. The DJ took requests at the beginning and people were on the dance floor until the very end! The cruise was smooth and we cruised under the Coronado bridge twice under the bright moonlight. This dinner cruise was better than I expected.

Cody Weikel

I was in San Diego for the weekend and City Cruises provided a nice afternoon of entertainment in the bay. The boat ride was very smooth and the line audio tour was full of great facts about the sites we were passing and they even made a special stop to go see the sea lions.

Andrea S

Attended my nieces wedding reception,everything was managed very well,from the service,food,music,and sailing views,l am certain that my niece will always have wonderful memories of her wedding reception.
Side note- Even though it was an open restaurant to the public,l believe that made it more memorable and different for the fact that the bride and groom were still the center of attention.
There was a group of young ladies in pijamas having their pre slumber party dinner.
That will definitely add to their wedding reception memories.

Tuan Thai

Rode on the Admiral Hornblower for a company dinner event. Had a great time on the boat. Staff did a good job and provided great service. Boat ride was smooth. Food was great, servers brought around appetizers, the dinner buffet tasted good and the servers brought dessert cake bites and cookies.

Erinn Miller

If you are hosting a corporate event or a large wedding I would be very wary of working with City Cruises. My company held our networking event on the Inspiration Hornblower and unfortunately our experience was extremely disappointing. Beginning with the planning side, our events manager was extremely unresponsive throughout most of the planning stage. Throughout this planning process there were times when we would review our event guide and not be clear about some of the items on our bill.

On the day of the event we received a call from our band who we were assured had a very close relationship with the Hornblower and they were told they wouldn't be able to begin set up at the agreed upon time for sound check unless we incurred an additional fee. When we arrived at the dock with our staff we were greeted and questioned extremely rudely by staff and it really set the tone for the rest of the evening.

Our biggest issue was regarding the food and beverage that we had spent a lot of time and money into ensuring it was a good experience for our guests. First, the food was not ready when we requested it to be ready and it caused us to have to push the cruise time back. We had no support with line/crowd control from the staff on board, as many of them were standing around watching people be confused and disoriented about where the line began. The crew also set out dinner plates would be used for an appetizer reception, which was shocking considering most of the food we ordered was hors d'oeuvres. This led to many guests not being able to get food at all. We had specifically chosen foods on our menu that would be friendly to those with dietary restrictions, and we heard comments from several guests who were gluten free that they were told no gluten free options were available. Most of the food that was set out looked extremely burnt and unappealing as you can see in the photos.

Finally, we had purchased over 1,000 drink tickets for our guests and we didn't get to use them all because the bars closed before we were told they would be and there was no last call so many of the tickets we purchased went to waste. Also, as someone who has worked in customer service and particularly behind a bar, several of the bartenders working were less than friendly, which always makes for a bad experience.

If you are a large group of 800+ people, I really recommend you do not hold your event on the Inspiration Hornblower. The entire time it felt like our group was a surprise to the entire staff, who was working the event. We really hope future groups don’t have to go through the same experience, that we did, as it really leaves a bad taste in one’s mouth.

CoCo

Unfortunately we had a bad experience. I used GoCity passes to go on the best of bay harbor cruise, and 10 minutes into the cruise the ship rolled into fog, and we couldn't see anything for the rest of the time. I don't know what they could have done about it, perhaps cancel the cruise if the weather says theres going to be fog, but I am posting the review just so that others are aware about this issue.

Nass Ed

This company offers an amazing experience discovering dolphins, whales, and other marine wonders. The welcome and check-in process were excellent, and the team was genuinely happy to have us on board. There is free parking at the port, a restaurant where you can eat before departing or take food onto the boat, and a shop where you can buy jackets, equipment, or rent binoculars.

The boats are spacious, allowing you to move around freely. The crew is incredibly friendly and helpful. There is also a small shop on board where you can purchase snacks, drinks, and biscuits.

During the trip out to sea, a team of volunteers provides explanations about the journey and the marine life. It was an extraordinary experience, and I want to thank the entire team. I’ll definitely be back!

sean scott

Hello everyone,

I wanted to take a moment to share with you my recent experience on City Cruises San Diego. It was truly an unforgettable boat ride that exceeded all expectations.

While the food may not have been the highlight of the trip, the outstanding staff more than made up for it. The service provided by our waiter was truly exceptional; it felt as though we were dining in a five-star restaurant. The attention to detail and level of care towards us as guests was remarkable.

The breathtaking views that surrounded us throughout the journey were nothing short of spectacular. As we celebrated my wife's birthday, every moment was filled with joy and wonder. The captain guided us through San Diego's historic landmarks and under the iconic bridges, offering a unique perspective of the city that we had not seen before.

I am pleased to report that City Cruises San Diego managed to impress even my wife, who is notoriously hard to please. Their dedication to providing a memorable experience did not go unnoticed, and we are already looking forward to our next visit.

I highly recommend City Cruises San Diego to anyone looking for a special and memorable outing. Thank you to the entire team for making our day truly wonderful.