City Cruises (citycruises.com) has a 3.8 out of 5 rating on OK.one, based on 104 user reviews collected here. It is listed under Travel & Vacation and its reputation is mixed. 22% of reviews are 1 star, a relatively high share; The business has replied to 88% of negative reviews. Last updated 2026-08-10.
What people say
Z
Zizi D · 5 reviews · Experienced 2026-07-11 ·
★★★★★
Poor service and zero communication
Having booked our tickets online we had to wait over 1 1/2 hours in 30C heat and no shade. No communication, nothing. Penned in like cattle, waiting, some people were getting ill because of the heat and the 2pm boat finally turned up at 2.30. The commentator had the audacity to shake his bucket after for tips. Plenty other cruise companies to choose from. Certainly won’t be using this one again.
I’ve contacted them but no response.
Reply from City Cruises2026-08-07
Thank you for taking the time to write about your experience. We’re disappointed to hear you were not satisfied with your recent visit and to understand the situation better, we’d like to have a team member personally connect with you. At your convenience, please email us directly at [email protected] with the contents of this review. Thank you again for your time.
The cruise was disorganised, when we got to the meeting point there was no one there to meet us, the boat was half an hour late appearing and then docked further along the pier, so people who had got there early and queued were now having to go to a different point and ended up at the back of the queue. There was no apology for being late (we had been waiting in over 100degree heat for over an hour!). The embarkment was a shambles, people all scrambling to get on and the staff seemed to think it was funny. We are from England and had to show our passports which they then took a photo of (why?). Once on board we were served a warm glass of champagne. The waitresses were brilliant, I felt sorry for them having to take the brunt of all the complaints, they did a marvellous job and were rushed off their feet. The food was good and the views more than made up for the chaos, it was absolutely stunning!
Reply from City Cruises2026-08-07
Thank you for taking the time to write about your experience. We’re disappointed to hear you were not satisfied with your recent visit and to understand the situation better, we’d like to have a team member personally connect with you. At your convenience, please email us directly at [email protected] with the contents of this review. Thank you again for your time.
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V. · 1 review · Verified · Experienced 2026-06-27 ·
★★★★★
We was last to get our food so we got…
We was last to get our food so we got scapes or what was left. More may have been put up but after we sat down already. It took long to get drinks. My graduation celebration wasnt announced just people birthdays and anniversaries.
Reply from City Cruises2026-08-07
Thank you for taking the time to write about your experience. We’re disappointed to hear you were not satisfied with your recent visit and to understand the situation better, we’d like to have a team member personally connect with you. At your convenience, please email us directly at [email protected] with the contents of this review. Thank you again for your time.
We are demanding a full refund. Our reservation is under Amy Carlini and Tom Carlini. Were not seated in the section promised, the appetizer never came out, they said they ran out. We were promised to see fireworks and we were parked beside another ship and they were hard to see. The staff was less than helpful. There were not enough chairs for people to sit upstairs. Please refund our credit card.
Reply from City Cruises2026-08-07
Thank you for taking the time to write about your experience. We’re disappointed to hear you were not satisfied with your recent visit and to understand the situation better, we’d like to have a team member personally connect with you. At your convenience, please email us directly at [email protected] with the contents of this review. Thank you again for your time.
It was an excellent experience and a good time for our resource/foster parents celebrations event.
Thank you and your staff
D
David B · 1 review · Experienced 2026-07-11 ·
★★★★★
A group of 6 of us did the “Tall ships…
A group of 6 of us did the “Tall ships Signature Fireworks Dinner Cruise “. The food was good except for the beef carving station ran out and told us 15 minutes. By then our plates would have been cold. So we skipped that. I bartender on deck 1 was not enough (at 1 point was 14 people deep. Staff was very pleasant considering how short staffed they were. We did have a nice window view and the view of the fireworks over the harbor and the Tall Ships was spectacular. But overall value wise we gave it a 5 out of 10.
Reply from City Cruises2026-08-07
Thank you for taking the time to write about your experience. We’re disappointed to hear you were not satisfied with your recent visit and to understand the situation better, we’d like to have a team member personally connect with you. At your convenience, please email us directly at [email protected] with the contents of this review. Thank you again for your time.
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Carey Bowen · 1 review · Experienced 2026-07-04 ·
★★★★★
We felt completely misled by this company
We felt completely misled by this experience. The advertising led us to expect a first-class dinner cruise, but the reality was far from it.
The boat itself was very old and did not match the expectations that had been set. I do want to recognize that the staff worked hard and did the best they could with what they had available.
Unfortunately, there were several issues throughout the evening. The DJ played music that did not fit the crowd and kept the volume excessively loud. I was served a drink in a glass that had a chipped rim, which I did not notice until after I had started using it. The men's restroom also had exposed electrical wiring hanging from the ceiling, which was both surprising and concerning.
The food was good, but it was served buffet-style rather than the dining experience we anticipated. We also paid extra for window seating, but the seats were positioned so low that it was difficult to see out the windows, making the upgrade feel like a waste of money.
Finally, it was never clearly explained why the boat returned to port before the fireworks display, especially since the fireworks had not been launched due to the weather. The lack of communication left many passengers confused and disappointed.
Overall, this cruise fell well short of our expectations. Based on conversations with other guests, we were not alone—many people expressed disappointment with their experience. Unfortunately, we cannot recommend this cruise based on what we encountered.
Reply from City Cruises2026-08-07
Thank you for taking the time to write about your experience. We’re disappointed to hear you were not satisfied with your recent visit and to understand the situation better, we’d like to have a team member personally connect with you. At your convenience, please email us directly at [email protected] with the contents of this review. Thank you again for your time.
You advertised 2hours of travelling around London. But the experience we had was about 30- 45min not even 1 hour. It was short for the amount of money we paid. The captain and the rest of the team were amazing, I really loved it.
Reply from City Cruises2026-08-07
Thank you for taking the time to write about your experience. We’re disappointed to hear you were not satisfied with your recent visit and to understand the situation better, we’d like to have a team member personally connect with you. At your convenience, please email us directly at [email protected] with the contents of this review. Thank you again for your time.
Our NEW YORK CITY dinner cruise was awesome…. Excellent service, live music, great dinner, and the View/cruise to see Ststute of Liberty, city skyline lights… was PERFECT for our Anniversary celebration!! Do not pass this up…
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Christopher Bond · 4 reviews · Verified · Experienced 2026-02-19 ·
★★★★★
Great Boatride for low dollars ..
Great Boatride for low dollars ... one of the very funnest things I did on the trip.
Everyone had a great time! Our elderly parents were comfortable and happy. The folks tending the bar were efficient, friendly and responsive. The captain and fellow shipmates were hospitable and the upstairs dance floor was hopping!
So much fun! A very memorable brunch for my wife and I to enjoy the start of the day. Easy signup process, professional crew, excellent food, and the slow cruise around the harbor was so relaxing. We will always remember this as a great couple outing.
The boat was quite comfortable and the water spray that doused some of us on the outbound trip to Alcatraz was fun. And the sunset over SF Bay on the return trip to the city was spectacular!
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Recep · 2 reviews · Experienced 2026-05-08 ·
★★★★★
We used City Cruises on a recent trip…
We used City Cruises on a recent trip to Niagara. Very well organized, and the commentary near the falls was very informative and made the trip even more interesting. I would recommend and use City Cruises again
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Amy P. · 1 review · Experienced 2026-07-04 ·
★★★★★
Service was awful
The fireworks were great, the food was decent, and the boat itself was perfectly fine. Unfortunately, the poor service completely overshadowed what could have been a great experience.
We paid a premium price for this dinner cruise, yet the service was some of the worst I've ever experienced. After we were seated, we rarely saw our server. It took nearly an hour and a half to receive our first alcoholic drink, and with only one bartender serving roughly 100 guests, getting another drink was nearly impossible. We also never received a refill on our water despite temperatures over 100 degrees.
To make matters worse, everyone was required to purchase drink coupons, even though two of our guests were under 21, leaving my husband and me with far more coupons than we could realistically use because service was so slow.
As someone who owns and operates a sports bar, I know staffing can make or break a guest experience. The biggest issue wasn't the boat or the food, it was a disengaged, inattentive staff that left guests feeling ignored. With better hiring, training, and adequate staffing, this cruise could have been an excellent experience. Instead, the service was a major disappointment. Location: Norfolk, Va
Reply from City Cruises2026-08-07
Thank you for taking the time to write about your experience. We’re disappointed to hear you were not satisfied with your recent visit and to understand the situation better, we’d like to have a team member personally connect with you. At your convenience, please email us directly at [email protected] with the contents of this review. Thank you again for your time.
False adverting. The cruise was advertised as: New Jersey July 3rd Parade of Historic Ships Signature Afternoon Lunch. "...this one is sure to be spectacular as historic ships and military vessels from around the world triumphantly stream into New York Harbor. Join us aboard our New Jersey Signature Afternoon Lunch Cruise and witness this unmatched spectacle up-close for this once-in-a-generation celebration."
NO HISTORIC SHIPS!!! The boat simply circled Battery Park. Did not go to Intrepid, did not go up East River. Just Battery Park for 1 1/2 hours. No notice in advance or on the ship of the change. Premium price for the special event with NO Special Event!!
The organization allows full refund if canceled within 2 hours of the event. If I was told the route changed and no historic ships I would have canceled. I didn't realize we were not going to East River until the waitress brought our check and said we are disembarking soon. I feel duped and swindled. I was misled of false advertising. I have been on several spirit of NJ events. NEVER AGAIN. Don't be duped by this organizations false promises.
Reply from City Cruises2026-08-07
Thank you for taking the time to write about your experience. We’re disappointed to hear you were not satisfied with your recent visit and to understand the situation better, we’d like to have a team member personally connect with you. At your convenience, please email us directly at [email protected] with the contents of this review. Thank you again for your time.
