Fall Foliage Oktoberfest Cruise on the Grande Mariner in New York, NY

Please, please, PLEASE AVOID this excursion at all costs! I booked the Christmas Eve Dinner cruise for my daughter and myself and completely regret it. HUGE MISTAKE! They were not ready at boarding time, the "holiday" decor was a few bows taped to existing posts, the food was completely inedible (see others reviews) and the beverage situation was absolutely unacceptable. One single bar for the entire cruise that served everything, so if you simply wanted water then get in line and bring your patience because you will have to wait your turn while 2 (over-worked) bartenders make mixed drinks for the entire boat. If they had set up grab-and-go stations for soft drinks and water it would have saved them so much time. Total common sense in the hospitality industry. Let's talk about the food a bit. Their special Christmas Eve buffet was a monstrosity. I am dead serious when I say that the food was inedible. Cold, uncooked mozzarella sticks were set out. The main course was hot dogs and slider burgers served on rock-hard buns. Spaghetti, macaroni and cheese, old pot-stickers that one could not bite through. There were mounds of plates with uneaten food littering every single table on the boat- such a waste! Dessert? HA! They served grocery store bought cookies on a tray. This Christmas Eve buffet was the most disgusting display of food that I have ever experienced and everyone on board agreed. I truly hope that everyone who reads this reconsiders this particular company when looking to book a city tour that includes food. For the amount of money we paid it truly was the definition of a rip-off. Try another charter boat company because this one simply doesn't cut it. They should be ashamed of themselves to have stolen what should have been a memorable Christmas Eve dinner experience from everyone in attendance.

We had to eat dinner in 51 degree temps (inside) due to the heather being broken. The company will not take calls or call back.

We were extremely disappointed with our recent dinner cruise on the Eternity. The indoor temperature on the third floor was unbearably cold the entire evening. The table clearing service was very poor. Plates sat on our table long after we were finished, and new courses were stacked on top of dishes from the last course. The dessert was completely frozen through. If we werent stuck on a boat, I would have walked out within minutes of being sat at our table. The customer service after the cruise has been awful, and they do not care to address their customers' concerns or complaints. For the price and expectations set, this fell completely short of expectations. I would not recommend this cruise.

My tour was "Fall Foliage Oktoberfest Cruise Autumn on the Water on the Grande Mariner" 1. Not the same boat shown in listing (not the Grand Mariner). No upper deck seating at all. Hardly any outdoor seating - just a few skinny benches. 2. Departed almost 40 minutes late. 3. Live music was a few standards by a sax & guitar duo - fine, but a lot of the music was taped, very loud, annoying Puerto Rican music. 4. "Oktoberfest" luncheon? Some tired sausages and a few onions (Potatoes? Sauerkraut? No.) but also a pasta, hard-shell tacos (?!), yellow rice, chicken wings, limp, overdressed Caesar salad, and frozen mixed vegetables, and all of it disgusting. 5. Boat cruised only as far as George Washington Bridge and turned around, so no views of the upper Hudson foliage. 6. Then, for some unfathomable reason - I suppose to make up for the late start? - a visit to the Statue of Liberty. I did not book and pay to see that. I paid to see Hudson River foliage. Complete disappointment. Operator should be ashamed.