such a fun experience!! the crew is amazing and the food was such a hit. We rented this boat for a work summit and everyone agreed we'd rent through the same company again. Would recommend this for any type of event! read more

We went here on a dinner cruise for work. We had to reserve what we wanted to eat for dinner. We boarded close to 645 PM. We were able to go to one room, mingle and go to the bar to obtain drinks. It was an unlimited bar, which was a scary but good thing. I had a glass of Merlot wine. Once everyone arrived, we were told to find a place to sit down for our initial course which is a salad. Then they would come out and get our drinks as we needed them. It's a nice cruise because you're moving on the water, and have the opportunity to go out and stand on the deck while moving. They brought our entrees quickly. I had the crusted salmon which was amazing. We had dessert which was How cheesecake, it was amazing. All of the food was very delicious. The wine was good as well. Towards the last 30-45 minutes, we were able to go to the top of the deck for some relaxation to music from the DJ. It allowed people to loosen up and dance and have a nice time. This was a great experience. It's only 2 hours long. This is a great venue for an event. There is a parking lot near the dock or a parking garage a few blocks down toward the east by the aquarium. I was there for a funeral event to celebrate the passing of a wonderful person. They had all the memorabilia for the deceased and, as sad as it was, it was a wonderful tribute and a great place to hold the tribute. The boat has 3 full decks for the people coming to any event. 2 of the decks were inside and the upper deck is open-air. There were plenty of tables and seating on each deck. This even had displays on the bottom 2 decks and a food presentation on the middle deck. The staff was wonderful and the boat is very nice. They did a wonderful job for this event and I am thankful for that. I am certain that this is a great place to hold that event that you want to celebrate in a unique way that people will remember forever. read more

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Captain Rick and his crew are amazing! They went above and beyond to make sure our celebration was wonderful!

Have to start this off by saying Captain Rick is fabulous the boat was glorious. First mate Terry was a hoot and I swear she's my soul sister and our fabulous bartender Keith was tiptop. I would recommend this company over and over again. We had people in from Canada, Mexico and all of the USA and they said this was the most fun they had while they were in Austin. Bravo Captain Rick and Terry and Keith, I can't wait until we see you again read more

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There are a lot of choices in ATX when it comes to party boats but this one is by far the best one. the staff is organized, personable and the boat had everything we needed. highly recommend!!! read more

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We did a 3-hour cruise as a teambuilding activity for work, and it was awesome! We got the barbecue catering option and the food was good. The crew was very friendly and helpful and we really enjoyed it! Jessica, Terri, and Captain Rick were all great to work with :) read more

Loooooove cruising this cruise with this crew. I've had the pleasure, on many different random occasions, to delight in the Austin Party Cruise experience. Since people are known to get a little "crazy" on these excursions, they do a great job of keeping safety their number one priority and making sure everyone makes it back to the dock alive. I'm sure babysitting isn't in their job description, so I am always impressed with their patience and advocacy for all attendees to have a unique and SAFE experience. Many thanks to all these fine folks. Looking forward to the next cruise! read more

Amazing time! Captain Rick and First Mate Terri are awesome! They took us on a 3 hour trip on the river for a memorial service. Very easy to do business with them. All the details were clearly laid out ahead of time and we knew exactly what to expect. From the time we boarded the boat, Terri and Rick made it easy. Despite the busy traffic in the river that day, Captain Rick found quiet spots to float while the participants were speaking. Terri was so attentive and helpful. She made it a point to speak with guests, extend condolences, and make sure they had what they needed. These two are real professionals who know their trade. Highly recommend Austin Party Cruises for your next event!! read more

Incredibly rude staff. Unethical business practices. Complete lack of respect for customers. My group booked a two hour cruise with APC as part of an end-of-the-year event for our UT student organization. We had planned this event for weeks, as it was supposed to be the last event of the school year, allowing us to wish our seniors farewell. We were all looking forward to it. Instead, what did we get? First of all, a wrong address. The barge's staff gave us the wrong marina address and didn't answer their phones until 45 minutes later, making us an hour late for our cruise. Second of all, a complete lack of respect for us and for our deposit. After seeing our group of 80+ people, they flat-out refused to let us on the boat, even after having us line up twice to board. They refused to let us on, even though we had put down a deposit of around $1000. Finally, an incredibly unethical business practices. After expressing our frustration online through bad reviews, APC threatened to not reimburse us until we took those reviews down. We paid them $1000 for a service we never received. In short, do not make the mistake of booking a cruise with APC. read more

We had my grandpa's retirement party aboard one of Austin Party Cruises' boats, and i can't express how amazing the trip was. The crew was super friendly and accommodating, as they waited an extra 15 minutes for one of our guests who was running behind (she had a long drive in her defense!), and then offered to take us a little further down Lake Austin past our slotted time since we got a late start. The weather was perfect, the crew was amazing, and we had a perfect evening to honor my grandpa. And Captain Rick was awesome too! read more

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I've had several experiences with APC and all of them have been fantastic. Several birthday parties, corporate event, day of swimming in the cove, all have been an amazingly fun day. Jessica booked our cruise and was easy to work with and prompt with responses etc. When you're spending some good money on this type of adventure you want the staff to actually give a shit. My favorite has been the sunset cruise. I'm Austin born and bred and Lake Austin is one of my favorite parts of Austin that seems to remain as fabulous and breathtaking as it's always been, in a city that's changing dramatically by the day. It's a gorgeous ride to the 360 bridge. I've been once that it rained the entire ride there and we probably should have tried to reschedule but we got to the bridge and the rain stopped and it was an amazing sunset with tons of rainbows on the way back. Highly recommend this experience. P.S. Captain Rick is the BEST! read more

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From start to finish Rick & Terry were so helpful, and amazing! We had a wedding shower/crawfish boil of about 50 and everyone had an absolute blast. When we arrived, their team helped set everything up and made sure everything went smoothly. We are so grateful for their hard work, and a fun party!! I'm sure we will be going back for future celebrations. If you're considering a boat party, choose this company! read more

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Just wanted to give a big thanks to Austin Party Cruises. The crew was attentive and professional. We had a blast. We will definitively book another party with them. Thanks again to the exceptional crew. read more

The boat was nice, but the captain was not. Went on a booze cruise with some friends, and it was scheduled through Austin Party Cruises. We had one lady captain and she was was just really mean and rude. She was really inconsiderate when a girl fell and hit her head, going so far as to body shame her. She stood idly and yelled for people to help her instead of recognizing a potential medical emergency and acting appropriately. This captain also yelled at a girl when she accidentally spilled chips and didn't immediately pick them up, telling her that "they had another party and didn't have time to pick up after us". She was also unhelpful when one passenger lost his phone, to the point of making rude remarks like "well you should have your sh*t together" and asking for credit card payment when he asked her to make an announcement about his missing phone. I also thought it was irresponsible for them to book back to back parties without enough time to clean the boat or allow safe exiting for everyone (we booked from 12:30 to 4:30, and they informed us that they had a larger group at 4:30 to pick up "so we needed to go"). I saw said captain throw someone's styrofoam cooler off the boat and it broke because they weren't moving quick enough. I understand that captaining a boat is a lot and can be stressful, but it's unnecessary to be plain rude and boarder line aggressive to your passengers. It's not like anyone was being outrageous or disrespectful during the trip, so I felt that her attitude towards us and the group was uncalled for. Her actions weren't professional, and I would never book with Austin Party Cruises again after this experience. read more

I would like to start off giving sincere appreciation to APC staff, they were extremely helpful with the load in and load out of all our friends and family. Always pleasant and professional when we needed anything. If you are looking to enjoy yourself stress free I highly recommend you request Teri and Capt Rick!!! Thanks for the fantastic time on your boat!!! read more

Looooooove cruising this cruise with this crew. I've had the pleasure, on many different random occasions, to delight in the Austin Party Cruise experience. Since people are known to get a little "crazy" on these excursions, they do a great job of keeping safety their number one priority and making sure everyone makes it back to the dock alive. I'm sure babysitting isn't in their job description, so I am always impressed with their patience and advocacy for all attendees to have a unique and SAFE experience. Many thanks to all these fine folks. Looking forward to the next cruise! read more

My office booked one of these cruises for the going-away party of a lawyer who had worked for the firm for many years. It was lovely. Great way to gawk at the insanely beautiful homes up and down Lake Austin (including that one with the private helipad - WHOA!). It was also kind of nice that the socializing was concentrated into a two-hour block; nobody could come or leave for the entire time we were cruising, so while you were committed to two hours, you weren't obligated to any more than that, either. Austin Party Cruises offers their own catering, but we used our favorite, Emily's (see my review for her separately), who did a great job of keeping us well-fed and greased our social machinery with plenty of tasty adult beverages. My one complaint: they advertise that the interior is air-conditioned. OK, technically there is an air conditioning unit in it, but it doesn't seem to work very well. It was blazing hot inside during the hours that it was blazing hot outside. Don't count on it being cool...dress for the weather as if you'll be outside...because other than the fact that the sun won't actually be beating down on your head, it will more or less feel like you're outside. Other than that, thumbs up for the experience. Could we have done the same thing at a private home or in a restaurant for less? Probably. But having our party on a boat was fun for a change of pace and also gave us ample opportunity for lots of water/boating party themes. I enjoyed it! read more

Captain Rick is the man! Great time and great boat. I'm typically nervous on the water but felt that my safely was of the upmost importance and I was able to relax and enjoy my time knowing I was in good hands. read more

An awesome company and an awesome experience!! I have been on several cruises with this great group of folks. These are top notch professionals. If you are looking for a company who will let a bunch of rich entitled extremely drunk kids on a boat, then look elsewhere. I know Capt. Rick and Jessica and safety is the number ONE priority. Every year, intoxicated individuals lose their lives to this lake. This company will refuse you if you are visibly drunk as they should. As a mother of a college kid, I would expect nothing less, and anyone who has a problem with this should go elsewhere or buy their own boat. read more

We rented out their largest boat the "Celebration" for an employee appreciation event. From the start Jessica was really great with replying to emails and calls quickly. I asked her a million questions and she never seemed bothered :) We got to the boat the day of the party and Rick was there to help us load up supplies we had purchased. The boat has two levels, the bottom one is enclosed with AC (as another reviewer mentioned it's tough to keep it cool, because people open the doors all the time to come in), and the top level is open and a great place for mingling, looking at the amazing homes, or dancing. We had our party in the evening so the heat wasn't a big issue. We also hired the caterer associated with the boat, Courtney's Catering. We choose the fajita bar and the food was really good! I have to give a big shout out to the bartender, Terri I believe, who was awesome! She went above and beyond serving all of our guests, and served the alcohol just as we suggested. She helped clean up constantly on the boat, and was super friendly. Overall our team really enjoyed the party, and we would definitely use Austin Party Cruises again if we have the need! read more

Austin Party Cruises - Boating Near Me - Austin, Texas

Austin Party Cruises is in itself a mockery on the name. The only truth about this company is the fact that it resides in Austin. If you're looking to either "Party" or "Cruise", this company can unceremoniously take your money and give you neither of these things. As a group of around 100, we were waiting to board the boat but got rejected due to one person's belief that we were not suitable for the trip. When asked to speak to the manager, the boat drove off, taking both the "Party" and the "Cruise" essence out of its name. If you're looking for an avenue to invest your money in, I suggest you save up and buy your own party cruise because at least with that, you have a higher chance of actually getting on a boat and having fun. read more

Completely unprofessional and just an overall horrendous experience. First of all,they gave my group the wrong location and then wouldn't pick up their phones for over half an hour when we tried to call them to see where they were. So already our two-hour party was cut in half because they don't know how to communicate. Then once my group got there, they refused to let us on the boat or refund our $1000 deposit. So I'm short, we did not get to party, or go on a boat, so this company should really think about renaming. Something along the lines of "gives us a thousand dollars we we can waste two hours of your life". read more

Great barge for food and swimming. The team is organized, communicative, and eager to make the event fun! Would highly recommend.

This past Saturday Captain Rick and his amazing crew made my wedding dream come true. We set sail at 9:30a and spent two marvelous hours on Lake Austin. The cruise took us from the public boat dock on Lake Austin boulevard just past Mozart's/Hula Hut to the Pennybacker Bridge (360 bridge). They handled to insanity of a picky bride and 50+ of her family and friends with flying colors. A number of my guests remarked how calm the crew was and managed to keep me sane (even when I wanted to get dressed on the boat while crossing the lake). Captain Rick served as our officiant as well! He did an amazing job! It was a magical morning and I could not have wished for a more professional, fun, and laid-back wedding team. I would recommend Austin Party Cruises not only for just a fun time but for their ability to support a once in a lifetime event like your wedding! read more

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This company bailed on our contract and refused to serve us. We drove 45 minutes and they left without us while we watched them from the docks. Never again. read more

The worst customer service. If I could give 0 stars I would. Completely refused a professional party of over 50 guests after deposit was paid. Operates with zero respect and integrity. Spend your money elsewhere if you want to actually get on a boat and have a good time. read more

The overall boat experience from getting to the dock and on the boat through the cruise was great. The ship itself is in excellent condition, has a beautiful air-conditioned downstairs, and awesome deck on top. As far as execution Captain Ron and crew were excellent from start to finish. For the most part, we had a great time. Jessica also was great while planning this; she was helpful, kind, and responsive. That said, we had initially paid for 65 people up front not knowing exactly how many people would make the boat cruise for our pre-wedding get together. We ended up with 83 wedding goers on the boat; however, we got a bill for $1400 afterward, which, said we had 95 guests. The last seven people on that list were not known, wedding attendees. In fairness to Austin Party Cruises, they did not have a list of our wedding attendees nor was it their job to know who was on the boat, on the other hand, I along with all other attendees never saw any of the folk's list nor anyone who was not recognized. Furthermore, there were several lines which I tried to work with Captain Rick and Gene, the owner, on to decipher what I believed were unsigned lines. When I initially spoke with both of these gentlemen, I intended to figure out if there was a mistake because I did not think that we had 95 people, both came across VERY defensive, which, I tried to understand. I am in sales myself and know that the customer is not always right and that you do need to stand by the service you are providing. Captain Rick said he had 21 years of experience and Gene mentioned he had 26 years of experience, as a human and businessman, you know there is nothing more insulting than when someone begins to defend themselves with years of experience, it is their way of saying you are wrong, and they are right. I still proceeded to ask questions and clarify to understand why this additional ~$220 out of ~$2400 was charged, the reason I mention those prices is to demonstrate I did not mind paying for the services I felt were rendered. In fact, I gave the crew a $375 gratuity at the end of the trip, but, in business and life I am a firm believer you pay for what you get, and you charge for nothing additional. In working with Captain Rick, it was clear we were going to get nowhere, and he was going to defend his crew (which was not being attacked). Next, I spoke with Gene, the owner. Gene and I started the same way, immediate insinuating that I was questioning their crew rather than trying to figure out if the lines were signed and if there was a possible mistake on the final seven lines which were written names rather than signatures. Gene went on to describe his past experiences and years doing this, along with how professional he and his crew were. Not once in the initial portion of his conversation did he explain their process of sign-ins or how they went about getting a final headcount. As we progressed, he became more hostile up to the point where he said, "My guys are not retarded." At this point, I also began to lose my cool. As a member of the best buddies community and a long time donor to the cause, I found this offensive and felt it took away any credibility Gene had as a "professional." Gene immediately apologized for the statement and was apologetic after that. He did go on to apologize for the way it was handled and mentioned that with the feedback I had given, we would improve on specific problems we faced here. It is worth noting; he asked if it was a financial problem then he would be willing to work with me the next day, but, this was not about a financial problem this was a principal problem for me. I didn't feel as those 12 additional guests were on the boat; therefore, I shouldn't be paying for them. Lastly, if you are paying credit card with this company, there is a fee associated with it, and that is stated clearly in the contract. It was my wedding weekend, and I tried to ask if I could send a check, but instead of understanding and waiting a few days for me to reply, they went ahead and charged my credit card fee, even with the outstanding questions that I had. Overall, my goal is to inform the clientele that you should make sure you have your ducks in a row and are thorough in communicating with this group should you choose to work with them. read more

I went on a cruise with 59 of my closest friends and it was awesome We boarded the boat by Abel's on the Lake/Hula Hut and never looked back. We drove around Lake Austin for about an hour and then parked in the cove. We swam, danced and had a blastity blast! I was sad when it was time to go because I was having sooo much fun in the water and on the boat! read more

They waited for 5 minutes for my group of 100 to get quiet and in a line. When 100 people wouldn't get quiet they got frustrated and left us. And took our money. Do not book here read more

I booked a cruise for my husband's birthday. I was given a contract for a certain amount, which was already uber expensive, but I wanted something really nice for us to celebrate. When loading there was a woman in raggedy clothing sitting at a table asking us to sign in. Fine... So, immediately once I saw the crew I knew it wasn't meeting my standards. Then I brought 4 $100 bottles of Champagne. I specifically told the bartender to keep those bottles in a special place for my husband's parents and the two of us to enjoy for his special occasion. I literally had 2 half pours and when I went back he and another lady said they were all gone! I immediately expressed my displeasure and the response from the lady was: "well you didn't tell me." Ummmm, first of all she was NOT the bar tender. Secondly, I told the bartender NUMEROUS times that these were very special bottles and to keep them just for the 4 of us. I honestly thought we may go through 2 and take the other 2 home. I quickly let this issue go and went upstairs to dance and join the party. At the end of the night I was talking to the bartender and he was extremely apologetic and I patted his hand and told him it was ok. Then out of nowhere a guy (the captain) came up and said: "is there a problem here." I said not at all and walked away. While I went to tell my guests goodbye I walked in and they had my husband signing all kinds of papers, which I had already previously signed. The contract was between me and them, not my husband. This stressed my husband out. The number was $1,000 or so OVER the price I negotiated prior to the party. I told my husband that I was taking care of it and to join his friends. Then the guy (turned out to be the captain) in the shorts came back and asked me again what the problem is. I explained that I was doing the math and he grabbed the paper out of my hand and wrote something and scribbled out something else. And threw it back on the bar top. At this point I was ANGRY! I added everything up and like I said it was wayyyy over the price I was quoted. I mean, we could have taken a REALLY nice vacation for the price I paid. I decided to leave off "gratuity," since they also added some kind of "convenience fee," or whatever it was. I wrote the check and walked away. The captain then yells across the room, ummm excuse me! You forgot to add gratuity. I explained that I had a couple sips of the $400 worth of champagne I brought. He said who are you anyhow? I said I'm the one who booked this and am the one writing the check! He then tried to tell me it was mandatory to add 10-20% gratuity. I quickly cited the law and told him I am not obligated to add gratuity and then he started shouting: "she stiffed me." Then the petty and homely staff started also chiming in "she stiffed us!" Then he said, don't worry, we will get her... I took that as a complete threat. I was actually scared leaving the boat. What was supposed to be a wonderful evening turned out to be terrible thanks to a crew who is unable to communicate with one another, badly dressed and not professional at all and then the RUDE harassment from the captain. My guests were embarrassed for me and it made me look bad. NEVER again will I use this company! read more

I had my sons rehearsal dinner on the Jubilee. The entire staff was amazing. From working with Jessica on last minute issues to them holding the boat for my super late guests. Nothing bothered them! It was all about us! The bartender made sure everyone was taken care of all night and was extremely nice. Captains Blake and Carl were so accommodating and super easy going. We were a little demanding and they always just said of course we can do that. They made this one of the most memorable parts of the entire event! We were treated amazing!! read more

Absolute worst experience ever. Horrible service. The workers don't care. Do not rent from Austin Party Cruises. Ruined my whole day. Use any other company EXCEPT this one. read more

I had my best friend's bachelorette party (30 girls!) on the Jubilee on 4/16, and everything was great from start to finish! Austin Party Cruises was extremely organized, responsive, and our crew was excellent! They made sure we were having a blast and if we needed anything at all, they were always available to assist. I highly recommend Austin Party Cruises for any of your future parties! read more

I just came back from Austin for a friends wedding and they had it on Austin Party Cruises. This is a great way to get married! The crew was so nice and professional and the boat was very well maintained. The food was really good, excellent music, I would definitely recommend this company when you are in Austin just visiting or live their this is a fun way to spend two hours. We had so much fun! read more

Love this crew! Excellent customer service and easy to work with. Whatever your aquatic party needs are, they are ready to accommodate. Looking forward to doing business with this company again in the near future. Thanks! read more

It was a good time until the trip got terminated 30 minutes early due to the female employee on the boat losing her temper. I did not drink on the boat and no one was doing anything out of ordinary so I have no idea what her reasoning was for yanking a girl's arm to the ground and yelling at us to "Get the hell out of here." That was just unacceptable and everyone was appalled. read more

We used Austin Party Cruises for a 2 hour baby shower and it was fantastic! The booking process, logistics, and crew were all top notch. My wife is *very* detail oriented and the staff responded to all of our questions and concerns promptly and professionally. All of our guests had a great time and we heartily recommend them to anybody looking for a fun time on the lake! read more

We recently booked the Jubilee for a small family birthday party. It was amazing! From Jessica, who helped make the booking a breeze, to Captain Blake and Kip, all of the staff were very professional, fun to work with and helpful. We booked an evening cruise and it couldn't have been more perfect. Watching the sunset over beautiful Lake Austin was breathtaking. I would highly recommend Austin Party Cruises and can't wait to cruise with them again! read more