Don't call the phone number listed for "more information" the woman who answered the phone on April 28 2021 was not customer service oriented. (877-346-4000). I asked for information about public transportation options (which I had researched before calling but wanted to clarify a few things) to their location and she said "I don't know; Google it" Really? trying to figure out options on how to get there should be part if her job. She also rushed me off the phone also. I think this woman is in the wrong job. read more

Re: Fleet Week Air Show Event Cruise First, I want to make it clear that this is not about the onboard servers, boat or food ... they were all GREAT. If was just on the cruise alone, then 5 starts. However, if you're a plane enthusiast and want to "see" the Blue Angels at close range and not be heading back to Alameda while the show is still going, Commodore is not the cruise to take. We got a fantastic view of the mid program F-22 Raptor and the Patriots jet team, but when it turned 3pm, time for the Blue Angels, we headed away from the main staging area and went behind Alcatraz (east bay side). Other passengers were also perplexed .. why are we leaving? Isn't this the entire point of coming out? During the Blue Angels I counted at least other 7 stationary cruise ships and we were the furthest away. Yes - you get a zoomed out view of the aerial maneuvers but the planes are small, the thrill is diminished and you'll get better views for less $$s by getting premium seats provided by Fleetweek. Adding to that: we completely missed the cool low passes by the 747. That's what happens when you leave before the show is over at 4pm. My recommendation to Commodore is to change the Alameda departure time to 1:30 so that the ship doesn't have to leave while the airshow is still on. I'll happily delete this review if they change the times or let buyers know the ship won't stay for the whole show. And for god sakes, LOL ... STAY CLOSE to the central performance area! : ) read more

We booked the Fume Blanc for our class holiday party. To say the evening was spectacular would truly be an understatement. Jewell and her team were phenomenal to work with and went above and beyond to accommodate our needs and last minute changes. The night went off without a hitch all thanks to a staff that worked like a well oiled machine! Very friendly, professional, and on top of every detail. The food was delightful. Peking duck spring rolls, stuffed mushrooms, Chicken Carciofi, Bistro Filet, seasonal veggies and fennel rice. To die for. Someone even said, "this food isn't just delicious *for a buffet event. It's simply delicious without a qualifier". The boat was decked out with holiday decorations and a christmas tree. We had two bartenders and two casino tables which were perfect to accompany a hoppin dance floor. Please share my warmest thanks and appreciation for hosting us and creating such a memorable evening. 10/10! read more

The party was wonderful. The whole concept was great the views were fantastic. Although, food running out should never happen on an event like this. Just a little advice for the coordinator Amber and server on board Ashley...it's not hard to be a little bit more polite and professional. It is also not hard to have a smile and say, "hello, welcome to the event, I understand and I'm sorry it's cold out and drizzling a little but I promise to get you in as soon as possible". Is that so hard, Amber???!!! It is not necessary to speak to the guests as if we were grade schoolers. Amber: "I need for you guys to stay up there and wait!!!" Us: But it's cold out here and it's drizzling a little Amber: You need to wait for the cruise director, we'll start boarding you at ....XX:15 Us: But it's XX:17!? Hellooooo.... Amber: (rolls eyes and walks away) Us: to Ashley the server - how come there are other people on board already. Ashley: OH, because only OLD people are allowed to go in! INAPPROPRIATE!!! Us: Wow!!!! just wow!!!! I know you don't care for the stars, and class cannot be bought but professionalism is expected! Especially, If your job depended on it. Do you know how many people you angered in the morning? A lot! Luckily, the party went well and everyone had a great time. read more

It's was a wonderful time with a great turn out and everyone was dressed in the theme I was really happy but there are sum recommendations I have that would make someone else's experience a lot more full filling .let me start with the music downstairs elevator music was the only thing that was played unless we had an old iPhone or auxiliary cord this was one of my biggest things music while dinning it bugged everyone speaking of music the DJ sucked can't stress how important this is a juke box would ve been better I mean he didn't have any music anybody requested he looked bothered by request he just didn't keep it flowing for me ... That's the reason I was stressing to you about who was going to be the DJ ....I really wanted him to understand who is and what he plays. The cake was amazing just wish something more personable like the letter V or my name etc was on it .....oh and biggest thing is that I yours truly fell down the flight of stairs going down the back of the boat You must put some kind of rubberized slip protection on each step or done use that stair case Everyone heard me fall, I played it off like it was nothing but my elbow has sum sharp pains when it touches something am sure I'll be fine don't worry .LAst but not lease I know this isn't your department but the decoration sucked , I mean I should've of stuck With my sister and cousin doing them because they look very cheap like from party city they didn't match and it was bare minimal for me paying 4,000 the colors was all wrong I mean who would put red and black feathers with a purple charger not me and ambient lighting should have shades of mauve and purple I specifically asked for black and gold with a touch of purple I mean now I know why balloons are so important at party's because they fulfill and make the venue festive ...The food was good except the appetizers just looked sad and then it being upstairs seemed odd the shrimp wasn't warm enough ...I also think that who ever am assigned to be my event coordinator should have a meet and greet prior to event to make sure all these special details can be met and done to the customers vision satisfaction considering how much this event cost$$$ But all in all the experience was memorable and wanted to say Thankyou PS I am a lil upset about the additional 5 people that I New weren't going to show that is why I put a pause on that right after I added them I said; "don't do anything until I speak to you around 2pm "but they were added anyways I wasted 1200..,. The Bartender was nice and patient and I was happy that my quest left tips in his jar overall I had the time of my life and I would recommend commodore cruises to anyone that wants to have an event.., Thank you Victor Arroyo read more

Dodged a bullet by not booking my wedding here! Ladies, trust your instinct when it comes to depending on Linda or Commodore Cruises for the most important day of your life. We were very interested in on particular boat (out of 5). We had agreed on a price and were working out additional details for the wedding. I decided to read the Yelp reviews on this company. After reading, I was grew concerned with some issues such as food quality and availability, logistics of being on a boat, sound systems, etc. Like any vigilant bride about to spend $15k+ to one vendor, I wanted to do my due diligence and walk though my concerns with Linda and allow her to make me feel comfortable that previous issues wouldn't be a problem at my wedding. As we rolled through some of my concerns, she was completely defensive and rather than helpful. By the end of the call she was arguing and short. I now loathed having to deal with such a rude person and dreaded having to call her. Since we really wanted the boat, my fiancé and I decided to meet with Linda for the second time and try to make it work. Every time I tried to talk, she rudely cut me off. Everything was an up-sell. She was abrasive, rude, and unprofessional and by the middle of the meeting I refused to even speak to her for fear of her making me feel worse. Still wanting to make it work, my fiancé called again the next week and requested a different event planner. We had the boat, the price, and the menu, ALL we needed was a polite, helpful person that we could actually tolerate to try to figure out the last details with. Linda agreed that it was "not a personality match" and said we could have a different planner (there are 3) and that the new lady would call by end of business that day. We received no call. The next day, we called Linda again, who explained that the planner was out of town and would call us next Tuesday. We said that would be fine. That Thursday, Linda sent us an email demanding we pay the deposit ($4k+) by Friday or she would be giving away our boat. We explained that it was impractical to assume we would give her $4k after what we had been through with her service so far. We said we would happily pay the deposit after speaking with our new planner. The next day, Linda responded to our email at noon Friday explaining that she was out of the office for the rest of the day and threatened that she needed $4k by 5PM or our boat was gone. She didn't even give us the courtesy of a phone call before she gave us a 4 hour window to somehow get her $4k. BEWARE! -HORRIBLE customer service -Rude unprofessional staff -Up-sell on everything. you want both bars available to guests? that's extra! you want crab cakes instead of shrimp? that's extra! you want linens? that's extra! -Old, smelly boats that are not maintained -plus everything else you read on Yelp about the food, service, speaker system, coordination, bathrooms.....gross.... read more

I just had my wedding on the Merlot yacht, and I had a good experience. Pros: -The day-of, onboard cruise director Jennifer was AWESOME. She was so on top of everything, I didn't have to worry about any of the details the day of the wedding. Amazing. -The food. We chose filet and lobster ravioli and it was delicious. So so so yummy. Better than the food served at Meet the Fleet night. -My final coordinator, Nikki. She was extremely organized and helpful. A really great person to work with! -Captain Jay. He was fun and a cool captain to have. He took us out to the Golden Gate and had good judgment as to the water conditions and when to turn around. Cons: -High employee turnover. I had a total of THREE Commodore coordinators over the year that I was engaged. The first two left the company, which I realize Commodore can't help, but it still made me uneasy. Also, a couple of the fine details slipped through the cracks when new coordinators took over. This was, however, easily corrected by just reminding them of a couple requests I had. -Captain requests. I requested a specific captain a year in advance and did not get him. I think *maybe* this had to do with the coordinators leaving the company and my request not transferring over to the next coordinator. Kind of a bummer, but the captain I ended up getting was great. -The cake. I met with Commodore's cake coordinator and was really disappointed with the selection. They were so outdated looking and the coordinator did not seem to understand what I was looking for (a modern, sleek, fondant accented cake). She was a really nice person but was trying to sell me on a big bow on top of my cake. I ended up using a third-party baker (True Confections in Berkeley) who understood my vision immediately and had a really fair price. -The bartenders. I only heard about this after the wedding, but we were paying a lot of money for an open bar, and when my friends asked for a round of shots, the bartenders refused. I still don't know why. We were PAYING for the alcohol. The bartenders also made a remark to my friends about not tipping. I find that really tacky. -The marquees. Commodore uses these cheap plastic blue and red lettered marquees to label your boat the day of the wedding. My dad made us a lovely wooden sign to use in its place. If you are using Commodore's marquee, be sure to see it before the day of your wedding to make sure you like it. -Limo service. I didn't know I had to book the Commodore limo way in advance. I called the day before the wedding to make sure it would be picking me up at my hotel (located half a mile away). The receptionist told me it was unavailable b/c they were so busy. When I arrived at my wedding the next day, there was the limo. Sitting. With no one in it. Not cool! THE BOTTOM LINE: The high coordinator turnover rate and crappy attitude of the bartenders makes me wonder if Commodore is treating its employees fairly. The individual people I dealt with, however, were great- particularly our onboard cruise director- which is SO important :) read more

NYE sail into 2011 on The Fume Blanc, an event promoted as "A Midnight Affair," cocktail attire requested. Terribly disorganized and poorly mismanaged. The boarding was scheduled to begin at 8:00 pm, with 9:30 departure. We arrived on Pier 40 at 9:10, only to discover over 400 dressed up people waiting in line. The yacht had just docked there and the boarding was yet to begin. Light rain and gusty wind added no festivity mood. The boarding process was painfully slow with no efficient system to manage the tickets "will call" - no tickets were available to print out or be mailed prior to the event. Some people waited in line for almost two hours before they actually got on board. Imagine the picture: cocktail dresses, suits, periodic light rain, SF wind, and not that many umbrellas. By the time we got on board all promised H'orderves & Appetizers were gone. Seriously, empty trays only, good thing that we just got dinner. The open bars were OK, some premium alcohol, the longest wait was no more than ten minutes and you could get two rounds at a time. The crowd was fun, mostly in their 20s and 30s, drinking and dancing the night away. After freezing their butts off on the pier everyone started drinking heavily and the energy was very vibrant. The views were stunning, of course. After the yacht docked, another disaster: the coat check people managed to pile up all the coats in one big mountain and could not find anything in there. After about 40 minutes of heated arguments they just brought everything on the main deck and let the guests sort it out. The staff was actually throwing (!) some of the smaller items like bags and umbrellas through the door right on the floor. The bottom line: would really like to watch the fireworks from the water again, with the same crowd, but never on this yacht. For $120.00 (early bird price) per ticket I honestly expected more professionalism. read more

All I can say is WOW!!! We had our wedding on the Cabernet Sauvignon at the end of September, and Brenda and Commodore Cruises made this such an event to remember! Our family and friends are still talking about the wedding, many are saying it is the best wedding they have ever been to, and this is in large part due to Brenda and the staff at Commodore. I picked Commodore Cruises after interviewing with every yacht service in the bay, including smaller charter services. There was no question in the end that Commodore was the "Goldilocks" of the cruise options, not too big like Hornblower, we were able to reserve the entire boat for our 120 person wedding. And not too small like some of the other yacht services, they had all of the extras that we could purchase like catering and casino and décor contracting. They also had the most beautiful fleet, all of their boats are gorgeous, and the Cabbie was definitely the Grand Dame. I couldn't believe how amazing the layout of the Cabbie is with its 4 levels, as others have said, it's perfect to let your guests spread out and not be on top of each other. We were able to really turn it into a glam event with the already beautiful boat and multiple levels which allowed a separate area for the ceremony, dinner, dancing, photobooth, etc. I also was extremely impressed with the services for the bride, like a private elevator, a rooftop deck with wedding arch, and a bridal suite under the boat complete with its own bathroom. I felt like a queen! But what made Commodore truly unique from the other options was the flexibility they offer. I am not your average bride, and I had a lot of unique things that I wanted to do on the boat, and I almost never was told no, it was always how can we make this work! The biggest flexibility was the fact that they allowed us to supplement their food with our own dishes that we brought in from a soul food caterer, which was really important to me since I grew up on soul food. They incorporated the soul food dishes we brought in with their own dishes and it made for an incredible smorgasbord! The Commodore chef can already cook and made some of the most delicious dishes as it was, and with our soul food add-ons, it was so impressive and everyone couldn't stop talking about the food! Commodore was also flexible on the décor, the fact that I wanted a band (something most of the boats couldn't or wouldn't accommodate), the table-set up and order of events, etc. We also paid extra to have our wedding "underway" out on the water underneath the bay bridge, which was absolutely breathtaking! Everyone said what a phenomenal job the captain did steering us near all the stunning San Francisco sites, and we got gorgeous photos to prove it! The customer service at Commodore was out of control, everyone at Commodore was so helpful from the minute folks stepped onto the boat until we left. A special shout out to the young man who escorted me on the elevator right before the ceremony, I was definitely nervous and he was so calming and nice, it was such a special touch having him bring me from the dressing room to my Dad to walk down the aisle. But the Belle of the Ball (other than the bride and my Mom, of course), was our Event Planner Brenda... I am tough to please, and boy was Brenda on the ball! I couldn't believe how organized and responsive Brenda was, we emailed back and forth and held meetings for the better part of a year, and Brenda was phenomenal every step of the way!!! Don't let Brenda's baby face and soft spoken nature fool ya, Brenda is knowledgeable and organized and she's got it all together! Out of all of the vendors that I worked with for our wedding, and there were many, my favorite vendor was Commodore Cruises. Commodore was the center of everything that we did and it all came across beautifully on the night of because of Commodore. My groom and I felt like a King and Queen and we pulled off one of the most unique, special and beautiful weddings ever thanks to Commodore. read more

Cabernet Sauvignon Experience. Pros: The staff was really courteous. The Yacht is beautiful. The food was excellent. The ride smooth and the view great (would have been amazing if not for the overcast). DJ was on point. Cons: It seemed rather unorganized. There was a point that they ran out of plates at the buffet table and people had to wait a short period for re-stock. Not a huge deal BUT...same thing happened with Coffee, Hot water for tea and creamer. It was up to the guests to locate someone who can restock the items. By 8:00 pm there were no more Champagne bottles for purchase. The Bartenders were a bit overwhelmed but smiled through it all. The "Bar" on main dining desk wasn't a full bar (rather a table with register and some bottles on it) but there was a full bar on the upper deck. Also, there was no safety or in case of emergency announcement. I didn't note any security or supervisors on board. I can swim so OK but there were some people who were well into their cups (I guess they got Champagne) and there were children running all over boat. Note: There is indeed an ATM on the lower level - which is really nicely decorated (the lower level not the ATM). The ATM did look like it was in working order although I did not use it. Play safe and take some cash anyway (Cash Bar only). Gets really cold so take more than a sweater if you plan on sitting outside - some people had throw blankets (good idea). We did have a nice time. I don't know that it was worth the $140 per person. Also, considering it was 4th of July a Military Discount for our Servicemen and Women would have been a nice touch. read more

We recently had our wedding reception on the Carbernet Sauvignon and all I can say is that it was such a great event that I will never forget. It was great working with the staff in planning our reception. Kathleen was especially very helpful. She made the planning process very easy for us as she went over every detail of the event. Even up until the week of the wedding she was very accomadating as she would answer all my emails with a quick reply during the stressful moment of last minute planning. Kathleen worked really well with my wedding planner and made the yacht look very beautiful. The staff that were on board that day were awesome!!! They made every guest at the reception feel very welcomed and comfortable. They were so helpful and made the night easier for everyone- even for those who were getting a little sea sick. My family and friends enjoyed being on board the Carbernet Sauvignon and I've heard nothing but great feedback about it. I will never forget it! :) read more

From the Father of the Bride - Wedding Date: 9/10/2016 I'll be honest, when my daughter came to me and said that they were getting married on a boat, I was very skeptical. Sea sickness, weather, rocking boat to name a few concerns. Come rehearsal day, the boat turns out to be a very nice yacht (comes in many sizes, small-medium-large and all very clean). I'm not easily impressed but this was, well, impressive. The wedding was amazing and beautiful, weather was perfect, seas were calm and the view of San Francisco at night with all those lights was awesome. I haven't had this much fun or happiness in a long time. Commodore Cruises & Events did an amazing job and I am no longer a skeptic! You would be remiss if you don't check out and/or plan your wedding or next event with Commodore Cruises & Events. read more

DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT PLAN A PARTY WITH THEM!! To add to my previous review, the Commodore Cruise & Events continues to provide unexceptional service (that is an understatement). We have attempted to follow up regarding my daughter's USB with memorable photos. Staff mentions that they mailed it to a "billing address" that they had on file - an address that had no connection to the bride. Why would they send it to an address that is a "billing address"? We have contacted the office for the past two weeks and today they finally tell my daughter that they mailed it a month ago. Seems to me like they are beating around the bush. We are left with a missing USB with my daughter's family and engagement photos. I know that there are plenty of good reviews here but reading some of the not so good reviews and experiencing it myself...is probably not a gamble a bride wants to have for her wedding day. read more

Do not use this company unless you want to lose your money. My daughter's high school booked a grad night cruise with Commodore Cruises. The event had to cancelled due to the pandemic and they are refusing to refund our money. They are unable to provide the service we paid for but somehow think it's ok to keep thousands of dollars we paid them. Absolutely terrible business practice. read more

We celebrated my daughter's Quinceanera (15) on the Cabernet Sauvignon in July. I just want to say how amazing it was! Victoria was our coordinator and she was terrific to work with from start to finish. We purchased an extra 2 hours dockside to have our ceremony. During those 2 hours we had a mariachi group play for the guests. Victoria made sure they had disembarked and were paid before we pushed back from the dock. When we did push back during dinner everyone got very excited!! Guests were enjoying every floor of the Cabbie. What was great about it was that even though we had 150 guests it never felt too crowded & it also felt like there was something for everyone to enjoy. It was windy on the upper & outer decks but lots of people enjoyed being outside taking pictures & enjoying the amazing views. Some of the older people preferred to be down in the lounge area where it was pretty quiet. All the wait staff were really polite and friendly to all the guests. Walter & Raul were great at ensuring everyone had food and drinks. For almost 2 years I had been sending Victoria emails about questions I had. She was always friendly and tried her best to accommodate me. My experience with Commodore was fantastic because of Victoria. I would highly recommend having an event on the Cabbie. No one was bored- everyone had a memorable evening. Thank you Commodore!! read more

I called in advance to confirm they would be able to accommodate a gluten free meal. I was given a plate with Caesar salad with croutons. For my family that can can consume gluten, the buffet ran out of dinner rolls before their first trip to the buffet. This is not a "brunch" buffet. Bad deal. read more

Commodore Cruises & Events - Boat Charters Near Me - Alameda, California

My Husband and I just got married in June 2011 on the Zinfandel Yacht. There is not enough words to describe how happy we were with everything our wedding coordinator, Linda, did for our special day. No doubt she put in 110% for our wedding. On every occasion when I asked Linda if we could meet to go over the wedding details, she made room on her busy schedule to acommodate us. We felt stress-free and knew we were in good hands. Hours before our wedding, I went onto the yacht to check on the decorations. I was completely amazed how beautiful it was and the added decor on the outside deck for the ceremony was a wonderful surprise. When I arrived at the yacht in the Commodore Events limo, Linda filled me in on everything that went on which was so wonderful. She went back and forth from the limo to the yacht to check on the schedule and made sure everything was in place. I truly felt the special day was mine and all the attention was on me. Bottom line, we couldn't have asked for a better wedding than with Commodore Events. Our family and friends enjoyed the food and actually said it was the best wedding out of all the weddings they have attended; and believe me, they have attended quite a few weddings. Our compliments to Chef Mike. Not only did he cooked us a great meal, he was also our wonderful limo driver. I had two flower girls and their moms in the limo. Chef Mike entertained us with a bit of magic of his own and truly entertained the little ones. He made our day extra special. One word, awesome!! Our heart-felt thanks to Linda, Chef Mike, Jamie and the wonderful Commodore Events staff that truly made our day magical. By the way, don't forget to check out our photos (if I uploaded correctly). Also, don't miss-out on the Fourth of July dinner cruise. It's the best!! read more

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We did our company holiday event last weekend on the Merlot. It was fantastic!!! I have used Commador Cruises for several events in the past but this was by far the best. Well organized, nicely decorated for holidays and the food was wonderful! My heath felt thanks to Victoria in marketing and sales, Danielle in charge of our cruise and all the very efficient staff! Thanks again see you next year! read more

We had our wedding and reception on the Pinot Noir in January. The ship is beautiful and made for a really memorable wedding. We were going to use the cheaper Zinfandel but decided to upgrade to the Pinot Noir after thinking about it for a while. I wanted our wedding to be a special experience for my wife and her relatives. Our wedding planner Kathleen was very accommodating answering all of our questions as we scrambled to finalize all the details. I personally would not have been able to organize all the details of a wedding myself. They have a process and it made things much easier. I thought it was funny that the marriage officiant they had marry us was named Captain Morgan. He was very well spoken and did have a good sense of humor. Before we sailed I was worried about some of our guest getting sea sick but the ship remained smooth throughout the trip and nobody had any problems at all. We were really lucky that it was a calm sunny warm day given that it was in January. The vendors that they recommended were all top notch. Susan Bell nailed the florals that we wanted after we described what we like. We requested small floral setting of Yellow Chrysanthemums and she set it up so that the flowers could be given as gifts to our guests at the end of the night. When I had been searching the prices of videographers before our wedding I was concerned because the prices were high. Luckily we found Enchanted Lamp Studios and the final product was amazing for an affordable price. Simeon was great filming the wedding and Maggie did an amazing job editing the video. Benjamin Winter was our photographer and the photos we ended up with were remarkable. He took some amazing photos of us with the sunset and golden gate bridge in the background. He had a really easy manner about him that made everyone comfortable when they were getting their photos done. At the end of the night I had some of our guests tell me that they wanted to have a wedding like that in the future which is a good sign. One recommendation is I would announce that the bar is free to your guests. Some of our guest did not know and I should have announced something at the beginning. The only other negatives were that our second batch of potatoes came out burnt and they forgot to give us all of our wedding decorations back at the end of the night. It just made for an extra trip to pick up the rest the following Saturday which is no big deal. read more

Thank you Commodore Cruise and especially my event coordinator, Victoria, for a job well done for my birthday party on 12-1-18. We had 150 guests and everyone told me how much they enjoyed the party and the scenery (see photo). The boat was very steady while we were sailing around the bay in the cool evening (thank you Capt Morgan). The dining room was nicely decorated (see photo). All the servers on the boat were very friendly and hard working. The food was excellent and we selected the prime rib for one of our main entrees and it was so tender and juicy (see photo). I had booked this date more than a year ago and Victoria was very helpful to us on suggestions, planning and finalize our logistics. I truly had a very memorable evening for my 70th birthday celebration aboard the Cabernet Sauvignon! read more

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So let me start with this, Kaitlin is amazing and she sold me on this event 100%. I was working with this lady over at Horn Blower Events, and I felt like I was paying her to talk to me and obviously not paying enough because she did NOT want to work with me. Anyway! It was my husband's 30th birthday and I wanted to blow him away and i achieved just that. We had about 50 guests who were going to cruise the Bay with us with a live DJ, drinks and finger foods. They were truly amazing with making sure I was happy. My husband got to 'Party like a Rock Star' and I got to watch him have the time of his life! read more

MOST BEAUTIFUL YACHT in the bay area!!! 5 STARS service. We've visited the yachts, I won't mention the names, in San Francisco and the ones in Lake Tahoe, nothing compare to Commodore Events! If you want a MEMORABLE WEDDING and impressed all your guests this is the place to go! We had our wedding on the Cabernet since its dance floor is slightly bigger than the Merlot. SUSAN, the owner, took care of us personally. BTW she speaks french :) so we got along great! We planned 6 MONTHS ahead so we didn't have to rush. We look for a date when there's likely not too much wind. We used WEDDING CHANNEL to post our website for our guests (time, directions, Dramamine for sea sick, etc) The prices are great for what we had. We paid $160/person.We had an afternoon cruise for our guests to see the sunset. On the day of the wedding -The wedding planner gave us a schedule of events( departure, toasts, first dance, etc) We didn't have to remember a thing, she took care of everything. She was extremely careful of everything detail, was very professional. She was like my second maid of honor! She reminded us of which event came next. FULL BAR(excellent bartender, very friendly and funny) White GLOVE hors d'oeuvres trays BUFFET We had our own cake delivered(the Cakery in Burlingame) Our guests were able to visit the Captain and stir the yacht, well sort of. Watch the sunset during the diner, then go upstairs for a night of dancing. IT'S ALL ABOUT PLANNING! You can't expect to get an almost perfect wedding with a couple of months of planning! So do it in advance! We went to the Wednesday diner with meet the fleet. Try out the hors d'oeuvres we wanted to have at the wedding. The Chef made some special ones for us to try. We met with Susan a few times to make sure I had everything right. I took pictures of the dance floor, the dining area, the bar so I know how I wanted my florist to arrange our flowers. Yes I am a very detailed person! You can also change the color of the chairs, table cloth, etc. IT'S NOT A ONE LOOK FIT ALL yacht. You get to decorate and choose what will be there on your wedding day. None of our guests got sick. They all had a great time and still talked about it. Oh just one last thing, make sure you get a PHOTOGRAPHER who is familiar with Yacht wedding. I wish we got Maurice! In all of our pictures, we had no clue we were on a yacht. Lucky for us we had a great Video guy from San Jose. Can't wait to plan our anniversary, birthday and every event with Commodore Events! read more

We booked the Chardonnay for our Son's 1st Birthday Celebration cruise. I was very new to the whole process, but I'm glad to say our coordinator Lisa was a huge help and guided me through the process. Whenever I had a question she answered it quickly and efficiently. With her assistance we ended up having the best day of our lives! -The Cruise Director Walter and Staff were very friendly and helpful. Walter made sure everything went as per the plan -The boat was spotless and very beautiful. It was setup exactly how we wanted and we were able to add our own touches to the tables the day before the event. -The food was amazing! We had the champagne chicken and Vegetable Lasagna -Open Bar - Cake was the best I had ever had All our friends and Family had a great time .THANK YOU read more

What better way to reunite with high school friends? Our 35 year class reunion with Commodore Cruises and Events was incredible. Their ships are all docked in Alameda across the bay from Scotts Seafood and above the Webster Tube next to Pasta Pelican Restaurant. Commodore's very own Captain Morgan took us on a night cruise, surrounded by the crisp beauty of our San Francisco bay. The captain made sure to introduce himself and wished us a night to remember. He was charming and friendly. The chef and staff were also friendly and welcoming. Our event planner, Jewell was fabulous. Her plans for the evening all played out so well. She kept the party going from the moment we stepped onto the ship until we pulled back into port. The party started on the 3rd deck, mingling with drinks, warm hugs and shocking encounters of familiar faces from long, long ago. Then we moved down to the 2nd deck where it looked like a palace showroom, filled with white linen table clothes, yellow ambiance lighting, and the smell of creamy chicken and bistro filet. We sat down at dinner with big windows surrounding us. The view of the water, lights, bridges, stars and moon set the tone for the evening. The buffet was beautifully laid out and the guest had their fill. We returned to the 3rd deck where there was a DJ with music, dancing and also a casino with blackjack, roulette and craps tables setup. The DJ and dealers were engaging and fun. The top deck was open so you could wonder from port side to starboard side, enjoying the city view and crisp night air. It was a beautiful night on the bay. The party is better on the bay with Commodores running the show. Prepare yourself for a night of excitement and fun. Be sure to have your cameras ready! I'd recommend this intimate cruise for any event. read more

Recently attended an evening wedding on a Commodore cruise of the Bay. Their ships dock in Alameda above the Webster Tube next to Pasta Pelican and across the parking lot from Cardinal Point. If you're attending an event on a Commodore ship, you'll probably find parking to surprisingly tough if you're expecting to park right next to the boat. Commodore does a nice job getting everyone on board. We went on the "Cabby", a four deck ship that appears to be the biggest boat in their fleet. We were escorted up to the top deck. If you can't climb stairs or are wheelchair bound, this might be a problem. The ceremony was held on the top deck, but before we left the dock. They have a nice altar built into the back of the top deck. It was all very nice, but there was some noise from the train running across the Estuary and from jet airlines overhead so that it was kind of hard to hear the ceremony. You would think they would have had a public address system installed after all these years. The party then moved to the third deck dance floor area for a reception and then later to the second deck for the sit down dinner. The groomsmen were pretty loud and in good spirits. Add the fact that since you're on a cruise, you might as well invite enough guests to fill the boat - and you get a really loud wedding. You're surrounded by windows and a low, hard ceiling and you get sound bouncing off everywhere. This had to be the loudest wedding I've ever attended. You could hardly hear the person sitting next to you during the dinner. The food was ok and served buffet style. Service was fine. We went back to the third deck for music and dancing. It was a beautiful evening on the Bay, but outside of the top deck, there really wasn't that much room on the third deck outside to watch the view go by. As the evening went by, a lot of the older guests retreated to the second deck dining area to escape the music. Ultimately, a lot of guest went down to the lounge in the first deck where the wedding party had set up a photo booth. Certainly the highlight of a cruise is the view. The downside is that if you wanted to leave earlier than the last guest to leave, you can't. read more

Okay, so $130 was the price to pay for New Years Eve on the Cabernet Sauvignon. Took a deep breath and prayed that every dollar made sense in the purchase. Come NYE and we board and I'm amazed at how grateful the yacht met my expectations. There was free coat check, bathrooms on every floor, and enough space to fit at least 20 tables for dinner. The buffet was good, but I can't expect too much from a small event cruise. The drinks were decent but a bit pricey for my taste. And the music was alright, but the DJ needs some more lessons on how to change the music. I mean the 'Macarena' played for pete's sake, some of us have blocked out the moves in our mind. Yet, with the spectacular views of the fireworks on the Bay and the smooth ride, it was certainly worth every cent. And who could turn down the free champagne after. It was definitely a wonderful way to spend NYE. read more

Great food, the crew and chef went above and beyond to accommodate certain vegetarians and vegans in our team when we went to party. insightful chef for sure read more

My sisters wedding was held on the cabernet sauvignon June 18th at 5pm. I don't even know where to start. The wait staff were helpful, professional and very attentive to my sisters needs. Example: champs were not in the bridal suit and someone came down asked if we had it and since we didn't have it, he turned around and got it very quickly. Hannah(the day of planner who was an employee of Commodore) was a Godsend, I have been to a few weddings that had day of planners and the planners were horrid, unhelpful and no where to be found. Hannah was professional, helpful, she was kind and perfectly authoritative to keep things moving. She went above and beyond, she did the officiants job of getting witness signatures before we all parted from the boat. She is a wonderful person, definitely a great asset to your company. THE FOOD! Holy moly was it delicious, and all gluten free. If the DJ was employed by the same company they did an outstanding job, music was fun and fresh and I had a blast dancing away the night. Great event and Alcohol flowed freely NO hang ups at the bar with BS lines and one tender read more

We paid $149 per person for 4 of us to get VIP boarding for the July 4th Fireworks cruise. The 4 of us were first in the VIP line. Only those who paid $550 per couple for a private table by the window with a bottle of champagne preceded us. We got a good table by the window where they had 8 tiny chairs suitable for someone weighing 100 pounds or less crammed with zero room between them. Prior to sailing, I had inquired via email about the brands of tequila and port. The hostess said they were only chartering the boat and the bar would be a "standard bar". I suggested that if it was their party, they could choose the brand labels. No reply. The tequila was literally undrinkable. The brand name was like a bar code as one sees to get out of a grocery store. Same with the gin. Our friend who drank it said it was like paint turpentine. No port. My boyfriend asked the bartender why we couldn't have brought our own unopened bottle of tequila on board and left it with them to pour whenever we needed more and saved whatever expense there was to pouring the swill. We could have all been better served in theory. The bartenders worked in slow motion no doubt to keep the consumption of alcohol down, so the lines were long at the 3 bars set up to serve 360 people. No kids were allowed, so they had to anticipate some action there, crummy liquor or not. We conjectured that the bartenders were told their tips would be contingent on how little liquor was served. Also checked on the music spun by a DJ for the flapper-themed event. Of course not everyone showed up in 20's garb, but you would think with a flapper theme, there would have been some honky tonk music to match the times. Or big band tunes mixed in with the stuff that never tempted us to get up even once. The young people didn't dance much, either. WIthout something decent to drink, we were hoping to dance a lot or at least some. Not a single tune called us up. A little rock and roll would not have hurt. The youngsters like it, too. The food was tasteless pizza. Not a veggie or other appetizer or dessert. In fairness, it was disclosed that there would be pizza on board, but it never occurred to us that it would be ONLY that. They positioned the vessel far enough out in the harbor to see fireworks going off in sync at Pier 39 and Christy Field area. Without the benefit of stirring music to match it on the ship and being too far from shore to hear it if there was any playing there, it was just an exercise in tolerating the ice cold wind (obviously not their fault as we were on the water). The women's toilet on the second floor had issues barely after we set sail. They did fix it, but having two bathrooms for each sex for 360 passengers ought to be illegal. For $149 per person, we should have gotten something better than bottom-of-the-barrel food, beverage, and music. They missed the boat. Buyer beware. read more

We attended a holiday party last year on one of their yachts. We had such a great time that we went on their 4th of July tour on the San Francisco Bay. It was amazing. I plan on booking another July 4th tour for fireworks, dinner and fun next year. read more

This is THEE far best place to book for that VERY special occasion you would want to remember and CHERISH forever!!! I just recently had my Family Reunion here the last week of June 2010 and til this day, THEY'RE still talking about the amazing boat cruise w/ Commodore Events. Both interior and exterior are AMAZING!! The service I've experianced with Commodore Events were Phenominal!! I even had last minute request (I mean VERY last minute) and they totally accomodated my needs!! The manager Morgan (who is also a captain) is probably the coolest person to deal with EVER (especially with changing plans every 5 mins) -lol. I worked with Jamie who was sweetest can be (did her best for me not to have a nervous breakdown with all planning-lol) and also another girl name Lyndsay who helped me tremendously with planning and coordinating everything. I met Chef Mike (Head Chef for the Boat Cruise) who speaks 4 different languages - so he can definitely understand how to make the *perfect* meal for your occasion. You can NEVER ask for a better staff!! Thank you all sooooooo much for dealing with me and my last minute changes and making my Family Reunion thee MOST memorable!! The Boat was beautiful and the ride was smooth and outstanding. Please thank the captain who navigated the boat ride this night...fortunately for us, the SF Giants was playing another team that night and we drove right near the At&t ballpark and parked for a little bit so we can ALL enjoy the beautiful view....It was amazing!! We have pictures taken on the Balcony and looked as if we were actually there!! I'm actually getting *teary* eyed right now how beautiful the turn out was. ** I only started this yelp account just for this purpose** Thank you Commodore Events once again!! This will def not be the last you guys will see me! I'm expecting to book another event...SOON! Ofa Atu Anna Basurto & Latu Family read more

I am changing this post to 4 stars for the boat only. If you were like us and researching an event on Fume Commander boat, as listed in event posted for a July 4th event. The captain of the boat asked that I change post but I feel the boat charter and the event company are tied. 1 STAR or less--These comments are about Our Night Life or Ticket Vibe. Won't use this company again because of so many reasons. It started at a point of standing on the dock waiting for the boat- which was late. One moment we are lined up along the rail only to be told 20 minutes later to move to the other side of the dock. Have they not done this before? About the trip itself- If you are into lines this is the place for you. Line 1 One bar per floor and people were in line for about 20 minutes for a drink. Line 2 Then there is the line for disappearing pizza, at least 15 minutes and only one slice of pizza unless I wanted to wait for another batch to be cooked- surprise you sold the trip to a few hundred people so do the food/cooking math. Line 3 women bathroom, they need to convert one of the mens bathroom into a women's bathroom- there is only one toilet per bathroom. NOW to top it all off, be prepared to stand. There were limited chairs and table- you could reserve but those were sold out. Since we were near the front of the boarding line we were able to get an unreserved table and chairs. However part way through the night the host informed us someone had bought our table (at that moment) and we had to leave it. What the heck? So if you want a lousy time with a company that just wants your money but offers no reasonable features or food or beverages then this is the cruise for you. read more

Working with Commodore Cruises and Events was as easy as it gets! We were very happy with Hannah, our wedding coordinator. Since we're not local to the area, we did most of our correspondence by email. She was a pleasure to work with, and made sure that everything we wanted was delivered! The dockside wedding was a dream, and the boat crew made our guests feel so welcome. The bartender and hostess even made sure to take care of a guest who had just a bit too much to drink that night. The bay conditions weren't ideal, but the captain did an impressive job of navigating the boat. While your route may vary, he was able to bring our boat, the Merlot, incredibly close to Alcatraz. Everyone stopped eating and started snapping photos once we realized we were riding right past it. The views were awesome. The food was stupendous! We went with the Prime Rib and Mahi Mahi. Their recommended vendors, Benjamin Photography and Doug Daley (DJ), were a pleasure to work with. Highly highly recommend Commodore and their team. You won't regret it! read more

I booked the Chardonnay for our Wedding day ceremony and reception cruise. I was very new to the whole process, but I'm glad to say our coordinator Jewell was a huge help and guided me through the process. Whenever I had a question she answered it quickly and efficiently. With her assistance we ended up having the best day of our lives! Pros: -The Cruise Director and Staff were very friendly and helpful. We were lucky that there was a fireworks show that evening and the Captain made sure we were at the right place to watch the entire thing. -The boat was spotless and very beautiful. It was setup exactly how we wanted and we were able to add our own touches to the tables the day before the event. -The food was amazing! We had the wine chicken and tortellini -Open Bar Cons: I wish we could have used our own DJ. We got DJ Dan and I was disappointed with his work. With a playlist full of suggested songs, we hoped the dj would get a feel for the genre of music we liked, but he seemed only comfortable with playing the exact songs on the list and mixing in requested music that didn't match at all. If we had known this, we would have given him a full playlist. read more

My Wife and got married on the Merlot Commodore and it was spectacular. They have great prices for what you get: 1) The food is excellent 2) Open bar with unlimited drinks! 3) Ceremony performed by Captain (we had our own Officiant since we wanted it in Spanish) 4) Music can be as loud as you want (we hired Madrigal Musical,I believe they have a myspace, and they were awesome especially if you like all kinds of Spanish music. 5) Cake included. 6) Excellent bartender and service all around. 7) You cruise the San Francisco Bay! It was a surprise for our family who only knew the address of where we were getting married, but did not even imagine it would be on a yacht. It was a first for many people on a boat, let alone a nice yacht. I had plenty of Dramamine to give around before they got on. Nobody got sea sick. I highly recommend this place for a unique wedding that everyone will love. read more

Luxury service!! Amazing attention to detail! I planned a surprise birthday for my fiance on the Merlot yacht and my event coordinator, Victoria, made things run seamlessly before and throughout the party. We had a Casino Royale theme and Commodore Cruises has so many great relationships with local vendors that they helped coordinate everything from the cake to the card dealers...less stressful for me! Even when I found the photobooth vendor she took over all communication to ensure everyone was on the same page. The service on board was over and beyond fantastic, everyone had the time of their lives! Definitely recommend if you want a fabulous and memorable event! read more

I had my wedding reception with Commodore Events last weekend and it was nothing short of amazing. We sailed on the Pinot Noir yacht which felt like the perfect size for our ~60 guests. I have been receiving compliment after compliment all week about our decision to have the reception on a boat - everyone had so much FUN. MANY of our guests have changed their profile photos on Facebook to pictures of themselves dancing or in front of the skyline/bride at our reception. It really was that great of an experience!! I had incredibly high expectations for what I wanted in my wedding (I was a wedding Pinterest addict) and my wedding planner Jewell and our cruise director Quynh executed the reception BEAUTIFULLY. I worked with Jewell over the course of a year, with most of our interactions and planning in the two months before the wedding. She did a fabulous job customizing the reception to our vision. The standard linens on our yacht were all white and we wanted a gold/black theme; Commodore was able to rent gold chiavari chairs and black linens for us.We used a poster print photo of us as a non-traditional guestbook, and they were able to loan us an easel. I purchased tons of decor pieces off of Etsy and trusted Jewell to arrange them the way I wanted. She decorated exactly as I directed from the photos. I met Quynh the day of the wedding - she could not have done a better job of organizing the reception as it unfolded. I had many interactions with the rest of the staff as I called in and visited for meetings and they were always warm and interested to hear how the planning was going. Once again, I am a person with VERY high expectations and Commodore exceeded every one of them. If you are considering a yacht event, I urge you to go visit Commodore's yachts and fall in love with them like I did. My new husband and I cannot wait to sail with them again!! read more

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My dad and his beautiful bride were recently married on the Commodore's Chardonnay. The yacht was beautifully decorated, the food was great and the staff were professional and friendly. The sights were breathtaking as we sailed along the bay, passed Alcatraz, the Golden Gate and the Embarcadero. Thank you Commodore events for making this important day so special for our family and friends. read more

I had my 130- person wedding on the Cabernet Sauvignon and had a great experience! Victoria, the venue coordinator was amazing- she went above and beyond to make the planning process so easy and the actual day feel effortless. She was there every step of the way... it was like having a built-in wedding planner so happy with how everything turned out! Thanks Victoria read more

A vendor for my wife's company invited a few of us to a customer appreciation event this weekend aboard the Commodore Merlot, a $6MM luxury yacht, cruising the San Francisco Bay. It was fleet week, and the cruise was scheduled to dine, drink and watch the air show. This particular cruise left from Pier 40. For those of you who may be less familiar with the San Francisco pier layout, Pier 40 is not next to Pier 39. The odd numbered piers are to the west of the ferry building and the even numbered piers are to the east. Pier 40 is right next to AT&T Park, where the Giants play. The boat was incredible -- a two decker with a dance floor on the rear second deck. The bartenders were quick and friendly. This was a hosted bar, so the options were limited (but still we still got buzzed). The gourmet buffet was outstanding. They served a chicken with grape sauce that was really great, and a juicy crusted prime rib that was another highlight. The boat left at 1PM and returned at 5 o'clock. We left pier 40, going under the bay bridge, traveling near Alcatraz, where we stopped to watch the air show. Then we headed under the Golden Gate before turning back for a slow cruise to the pier. The Blue Angels canceled their performance due to fog. Because of the cruise it really wasn't a big deal. We would have been bummed if we were on shore watching the show, but the yacht experience made it an insignificant detail. We would absolutely book this company for an event. We are definitely considering their NYE cruise this year. Bottom line: Highly recommended! read more