Anniversaries, birthdays and groups
Celebrating on the water
How to plan an anniversary, birthday or group evening on the Charleston dinner cruise: tables, drinks, photos, what the operator allows and what to ask first.
Reserve a table on the dinner cruise ↗Why people book it for occasions
The dinner cruise is a seated, four-course dinner with live music, on a boat that sails past Fort Sumter, the Battery and the Ravenel Bridge. That makes it a natural choice for an anniversary or a birthday, and guests describe it that way. One reviewer wrote that their waiter learned it was an anniversary and brought a dessert. That is a kindness, not a promise: nothing about the booking guarantees a special arrangement for an occasion.
Tables for two, four or six
Tables seat four to six people. For a couple, that means sharing: the operator seats a party of two with another party of two unless a private table has been bought in advance. One guest seated with two strangers called the conversation lively, but it is not the quiet table for two that some people picture. If privacy matters, ask the operator whether a private table can be arranged before you book, and book only when you have the answer.
Groups of ten, fifteen or more
With tables of four to six, a party of eight or ten fills two tables, so decide among yourselves who sits where. For parties of 15 or more, the operator takes group rates through its own sales office, which is a different route from the booking link on this page. Ask there about group seating and cancellation terms before you commit, since a group of that size is best arranged directly with the operator.
Drinks, toasts and what you can bring
Drinks are sold at the bar and are not part of the fare. Outside alcohol is not allowed and will be taken from you at the dock, so a bottle for a toast has to be bought on board. Outside music and speakers are not allowed either, and drones are banned. The bar does not serve shots. If you want to mark the occasion with a drink, order it at the bar, and plan for the cost as part of the evening.
Photographs
Guests mention a photographer on board who takes pictures during the evening, with a package to buy during the cruise or collect at the end. You are free to take your own photographs on the upper deck, where the bridge and the skyline are in view. For a milestone evening, take the photographs you care about while the light lasts, since a sailing between mid-March and early October has sunset during it, and the rest are after dark.
Timing the evening
Boarding begins at 6:30 pm, the boat sails at 7:00 pm and the cruise returns at about 9:30 pm. If you want to dress for the occasion, resort casual is the code, with flat or low-heeled shoes for the boat. Plan the rest of the day around a fixed 6:30 pm arrival, and allow time to park and find the ticket window, which some guests say is not easy to spot. A late arrival is the one thing that can spoil an occasion that was otherwise planned well.
A gift instead of a booking
If the cruise is a present, the operator sells gift certificates, which leave the date open for the person receiving it. Booking a date for them through the link on this page fixes the evening instead, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before. Choose a certificate if the recipient's plans are unknown, and a booking if the date is set. Either way, tell them about parking and the dress code, since both matter on the night.
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