Savannah Riverboat Cruises - Savannah, GA
The Savannah Riverboat Cruises sail down the Savannah River, starting at historic River Street in Savannah, GA. I have had the opportunity to try the sightseeing cruise ($40) and the sunset dinner entertainment cruise ($115) on separate occasions. Also, they offer tickets in a bundle with the trolley tours and ghost tours for tourists. Each cruise, the boat opens for boarding one hour early. Additionally, the dining rooms and main seating areas are indoors, but customers are also welcome to explore the outside and top deck to enjoy the view outside.
The sightseeing cruise is in the afternoon and sails a 1.5 hour round trip loop down the river. Also, the sightseeing cruise has a bar and pub fare available, but it is not included in your ticket. In contrast, the dinner entertainment cruise takes a 2 hour round trip route and includes a buffet style dinner and live music. Alcohol is extra, but fountain drinks are included. Also, you can opt for a special occasion package that includes a small cake, wine, fresh flowers, and a balloon.
Quality of Entertainment
The Savanna Riverboat Cruise has several facets to the experience with varying quality. First, the live music on the dinner cruise was mediocre, but enjoyable. It added to the experience, but was not particularly impressive. They also offer a gospel dinner cruise for those who prefer gospel music. Next, the historic tour on the sightseeing tour was quite enjoyable. It was done live by a tour guide on the top deck and played through speakers in the indoor seating areas. The guide was very enthusiastic and well informed. Lastly, the historic ship itself and the views along the river were a key part of the experience. Particularly, the sunset cruise is quite beautiful and showcases the riverfront Savannah area, port, and natural areas along the river. Overall, I thought the sunset dinner cruise was far superior and quite lovely, but it does come with a hefty price tag.
Who Goes Here?
The sightseeing cruise is mostly attended by tourists visiting Savannah. On the other hand, the dinner entertainment cruise is attended by couples and families celebrating special occasions as well as some tourists.
Venue
The Savannah Riverboat Cruises are done on the Georgia Queen paddle boat. From the outside I think the boat is absolutely stunning. It is covered in charming molding and painted red and white. Also, it is quite a large dinner boat with four levels. However, I think it does not look as great up close and inside. The finishings are quite generic and outdated. Particularly the furniture is extremely basic and looks like something you might see in a community building. I do think the furnishings could be improved considering the price point of these cruises; however, everything was functional and well maintained.
Organization & Cleanliness
The boat is pretty clean and organized. The staff are readily available and can direct you to the different decks and restrooms. You can tell the furnishings are well used but everything is well maintained and clean. Additionally, they have a speaker system so that the captain and staff can easily communicate with the passengers throughout the cruise.
Refreshments
Savannah Riverboat Cruises are on a dinner boat so refreshments are available. The sightseeing cruise does not include refreshments. However, they do have a full bar available and a small pub fair menu. The bar menu did appear to be geared toward tourists and partiers with fish bowl cocktails and souvenir cups. However, the dinner cruises include a traditional American dinner buffet with beef, chicken, shrimp, salad, and potatoes. It reminded me of the food you get at a wedding reception. Though the souvenir cocktails are still available I think the dinner drink menu was a bit more refined with a wine list. Overall, the food was okay but not particularly wonderful. You are mostly paying for the experience and entertainment.
Venue Overall
Overall, I think the Riverboat was pleasant, but has room for improvement. The outside is absolutely gorgeous, but the inside could really use an update. Many of the historic buildings in Savannah have renovated in a way to restore or imitate the historic style of the building and I think that would work well in the dinner boat to make it a more magical experience. Additionally, the food was alright, but not impressive.
Location
The Savannah Riverboat Cruises depart from River Street in historic Savannah, GA. There is not parking readily available. However, the trolley tours and the free trolly run very close by. It is a very attractive, historic, and walkable area. Additionally, there are many shops, restaurants, and museums nearby.
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Summary
Overall, the Savannah Riverboat Cruises are a unique experience offered in Savannah, GA. It is a charming dinner boat offering sightseeing, lunch, dinner, and entertainment cruises down the Savannah River. They are geared toward tourists, but some of the dinner cruises may be a fun way to celebrate a special occasion. If you can afford it, I recommend the sunset dinner entertainment cruise. I think the best value and experience.
