By J.C. Thomas, Travel Writer
PHILADELPHIA, PA — Making the most of a family trip to Philadelphia means lots of walking, a full immersion into American history, and the excitement of exploring such a busy, vibrant and all-around awesome city. By the evening, you want to keep exploring. You want to eat some good food and sip a cool drink or two. But most of all, you want to relax and unwind. For the perfect evening plans on a day like this, book a ticket on the Philadelphia Signature Dinner Cruise from city experiences.
The cruise is a 2.5- to 3-hour scenic journey on the Spirit of Philadelphia, a large yacht that departs in the early evening from Penn’s Landing on the Delaware River. As the sun slowly sets, enjoy a sit-down buffet meal, drinks from the full cash bar, and views of the city skyline from breezy and spacious outdoor decks. After dinner, a live DJ plays crowd-pleasing hits and guests can hit the dance floor.
With a casual dress code and family-friendly atmosphere, the cruise is a fun and versatile choice for everyone. Our family group of two adults plus 8- and 10-year-old kids thoroughly enjoyed the dinner cruise during a hot and humid summer visit to Philadelphia. A brief late-afternoon thunderstorm had cooled the temperatures and lightened the air, and getting out on the water and away from the city streets was a delight. 
We shared the experience with guests of all ages, among them couples out on date nights, groups of friends, other vacationing families, and a modestly sized high school reunion party. The atmosphere was sociable and celebratory, and it was great to have the option to move between the livelier indoor dinner and dancing spaces and the serene outside decks. Here, the views continuously shift with the steady movement of the yacht, the setting sun, and illuminating skyline. You’ll return to Penn’s Landing feeling both rested and invigorated, having admired Philadelphia from the unique perspective of the river.
Embark on the Spirit of Pennsylvania
Our confirmation email explained that boarding started at 6:30 pm for our 7:00 pm dinner cruise. Penn’s Landing is easy to reach from anywhere in Philadelphia. It’s within an easy walking distance of major tourist attractions like Independence National Historical Park and the Liberty Bell, and just over a mile from Center City.
If you happen to misread the email and also sensibly add extra time in case you can’t find the right dock, and you get to Penn’s Landing with an hour or more to spare, then have no worries. You can take a leisurely stroll along the waterfront, stop to stare at some historic ships with their complicated rope arrangements, or get a drink from one of the local bars. In summer, Spruce Street Harbor Park is a fun hang-out spot with hammocks, gardens, live music and pop-up vendors. You might even plan to get to Penn’s Landing early on purpose, and be first in the queue to board the Spirit of Philadelphia.
Upon boarding, guests are shown to their assigned dining tables, which are set in the style of a high-end sit-down restaurant with black and white linens, real glassware and silverware, and a drinks menu ready for contemplation. The majority of the tables, set for four, six, or more, are along the window sides — port and starboard, in boat lingo. Additional tables, the DJ booth and dance floor are in the center of the climate-controlled indoor space. If you want to guarantee window seats, inquire when you book.
A full bar is tucked at the back (stern) of the dining/dancing room, with the buffet area toward the front (bow), beyond which is a large outside deck plus stairs to a second, smaller deck. All the decks are furnished, the barriers are high, and the voyage calm and steady, so it’s comfortable to sit, stand, and walk around at any time. The cruise runs in all weather conditions, and it’s advisable to wear layers.
You’re free to explore as soon as you’re seated, as well as throughout the cruise. Most guests stayed at their tables until we were in motion, ordering drinks and settling in for the evening. The self-serve buffet opens shortly after departure from the dock, with staggered invitations for table groups to avoid any crowding.
Sightseeing: Philadelphia’s Skyline & Bridges
The major points of interest for sightseeing during the dinner cruise are two monumental suspension bridges — the Benjamin Franklin Bridge and Walt Whitman Bridge — and the city skyline with Philadelphia City Hall as its most recognizable centerpiece. The best views are from the outside decks, where it’s especially fun to be when the yacht passes under the bridges. But sightseeing through the windows of the dining space is excellent as well.
Philadelphia City Hall isn’t necessarily the first building you spot while scanning the skyline from the decks. You’ll first take in an eclectic collection of skyscrapers, including the staggered square towers of the Comcast Technology Center, the Art Deco-inspired One Liberty Place, and its shiny sister, Two Liberty Place. Cast your eye down from the tops of these super-tall landmarks and you’ll see the unmistakable silhouette of William Penn. The city’s founder is immortalized in a 37-foot bronze statue atop Philadelphia City Hall, a National Historic Landmark. The top of Penn’s hat was the unofficial height limit for all other buildings in Philadelphia, a “gentleman’s agreement” that remained in place until the early 1980s when the city just kind of changed its mind about that.
The cruise also gives you awesome views of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge, which boasted the longest span of any suspension bridge in the world when it opened in 1926, and the Walt Whitman Bridge, which opened in 1957 and remains one of the longest bridges on the East Coast. Both connect Philadelphia with New Jersey — the Philadelphia/New Jersey state line runs down the middle of the Delaware River, right where you’re cruising.
Enjoy Dining & Dancing
Combining a river cruise with an evening of dinner and dancing is a no-brainer. When that dinner is a lavish buffet spread covering diverse cuisines, and every dish is truly delicious, the whole experience is elevated into a “must-do” in Philadelphia. While the food options are self-serve, friendly and attentive table service is provided for drinks. Options include custom cocktails, some of them in shareable sizes, plus a full list of beers and wines. Soft drinks, tea, coffee, and water are unlimited.
During our summertime cruise, the menu comprised three salads, three vegetable complements, and six main courses. The dessert table opened shortly after dinner ended. The salad choices leaned into fresh and zesty Mediterranean flavors. There was a classic Greek salad with peppery arugula and a za’atar dressing, a summer berry and farro salad, and a chickpea and tomato salad spiked with salty feta and a lemon vinaigrette. Our favorite of the vegetable complements was the sweet and salty Mexican elote-style corn, with the olive oil-roasted, rosemary-scented roasted little potatoes a close runner-up. 
If, like three out of four of my family group, you’re enthusiastic to sample all five of the main-course options, each with its own culinary accents, you have two approaches to consider. One is to take a small serving of each and squeeze them onto your dinner plate. Another is to serve your two or three top choices generously, then return for round two. Both achieve the same satisfying results.
The main dishes we devoured were a citrus-herb roasted salmon with artichokes, olives and sauteed spinach in a Chardonnay cream sauce, both rich and light at the same time; and the vegetarian option of spring garlic cream pasta with cremini mushrooms, asparagus tips and sweet peas. Offering uncommonly good global flavors were the birria-style chicken with fire roasted peppers and caramelized onions, and a Caribbean jerk-braised pork with plantains, black beans, garlic and scallions. Our fussy eater’s favorite was the tri-tip steak, which commanded its own carving station and came with caramelized onions and balsamic beef jus.
It’s a challenge, but do try to save room for dessert. A nice break between courses makes it easier to regenerate your appetite for a luxurious treat from the dessert station. Plus, the various little treats like cheesecake, layered sponges, and chocolatey confections are in cute little two-bite serving sizes, so you can try them all. Fresh seasonal fruit is part of the dessert spread, too.
Note: While menus vary, there will be vegetarian and vegan options. You can make special requests to accommodate dietary restrictions in advance.
After dessert, take your pick between the dance floor and the outdoor decks under a setting sun. Or, why not both?
Details:
Philadelphia Signature Dinner Cruise from citycruises/cityexperiences
(866) 455-3866
Disclaimer: California News Press and its contributors received goods, services and/or other professional courtesies to facilitate this review. All opinions are those of the author.
