The water taxi serves an underutilized niche. Despite being at the confluence of rivers, DC doesn't have a lot of public boats, unlike many cities that have ferries as part of their public transit. There are some problems with doing this in DC; notably that the area on the water is scenic but ill-suited for docks and commuters; there aren't a lot of places where you can access businesses or other transit options near the water. The arrival of the Wharf and the new stadiums has changed that to some extent. But then, there also aren't a lot of great companies running boats. The Georgetown-Alexandria trip I took partially because the Metro is under repair and partially because I wanted the view. However, the boat was pretty unimpressive, with an unsheltered upper deck, and an indoor lower deck filled with folding chairs. Loading and unloading the boat was not particularly time-efficient. You do get some nice views, but there's no stopping to dwell on anything. There is an annoying PA system making various comments as you ride. The thing doesn't seem to know whether it's for tourists or commuters, but I struggle to see it as being great for either. If the price had been half what it was, I might have let them off with three stars, but the water taxi is way expensive, more so than comparable boat rides I've taken elsewhere. It's unfortunate this is the best there is, because our beautiful landscape and waterways demand to be used by people who don't own yachts. read more

DC Cruises - Tours Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Alright so we went to this Fondue Dessert cruise thing courtesy (not really courtesy, we still had to pay and everything) of Groupon. We tried to go into it with low expectations just in case they had a meager amount of chocolate with limited dipping material... ...and we ended up having a good time! There was a chocolate fondue fountain on both levels, and a pot of specialty chocolate to dip in (forgot what it was, but it had alcohol). And there were strawberries, pretzels, chips, pineapple, cream puffs (I ate like 20 of these), nutter butters, cakes, cookies, wafers... Needless to say... they definitely deserve to call themselves a legit 'dessert buffet'. The chocolate was good, and they refilled quite often to my delight.... and we got to have a conversation with the captain, and enjoy the breeze and the views during the ride. It was a grand experience. Definitely got my fill of chocolate =D read more

DC Cruises - Just a sampling of a plate from the Fondue Dessert Cruise - Tours Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Really enjoyed my cruise with DC cruises! Came with low expectations based on the other reviews. When we first arrived, there was no sign for DC cruises so it was a little hard to find. The boat came a little late, but they still gave us our full hour and a half. Negatives: I felt like they could have renovated the top level of the ship a bit, it was slightly run down. The music also randomly turned off and came back on. On to the positives - considering we were on a boat, I felt like the drink prices were pretty reasonable. They had a drink special for $5, and did beer specials on our way back. Boarding the ship was fast, and we had no problems finding seats. Going down the Potomac was beautiful. This wasn't the nicest cruise I've ever taken, but we had a great time, and would go again! read more

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Took a cruise in mid-July with three other friends - we opted for a sunset booze cruise. Having lived in D.C. before and never experienced one of the Potomac cruises, I was excited to give this a try during a summer visit. I can see how this may have been a somewhat miserable experience, given how over-crowded the top deck of the boat was - seriously standing room only and walking would have been a real challenge (and who wants to sit on the inside). However, we were extremely fortunate in that we scoped out and landed seats on the very front of the boat, lower level - the "bow" of the ship I believe (?). I suspect other riders did not know this part could be accessed since the doors to it were closed, but we saw that there were seats and one small table situated there, so we went on out. Having these seats pretty much to ourselves until close to the end of the cruise made for a really excellent experience. We bought a bucket of beer and enjoyed each other's company and gorgeous views of the Georgetown waterfront, and some of the monuments on the last leg of the tour. If our experience was indicative of the experience of all cruise-goers, this would have been a four- or five-star rating, but it was abundantly clear that had we not lucked out, we would have been trapped amongst a lot of sweaty, underwhelmed tourists with barely any room to move around. Lines for both bars were also extremely long, and the general organization from staff seemed lacking. Pro tip: get in line early, and hightail it to the front of the boat! Otherwise, maybe look into a different tour! read more

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I was really looking forward to having my going away party through DC Cruises and to say I'm dissatisfied would be an understatement. I had a party of 20 or more people and I clicked on the send more info button. I inquired about our options with such a large group 3 weeks in advance and asked what the number of open seats was for the date I had requested. They responded with no helpful information at all and quite frankly where very rude and not willing to work with me at all... Here is the rest of our conversation after the initial general information email where they didn't address my question about the number of seats that were available: Jessica: Hey DC Cruises, I had a question about the number of seats available on the cruises. I purchased the deal through living social and when I click on the link on the voucher it took me to this site : http://dcc.aplustechsolutions.com/Default.aspx?ename=60 Here it showed me how many seats are available for each cruise. I was looking on July 25th for the 10:30 cruise. Is this number the total number of seats left on the boat for that time or is that the total amount of living social vouchers allowed for that day? It says there are only 20 seats left and I need at least 25. If you had a contact phone number where I can reach someone instead of email that would be greatly appreciated. Thank you! DC Cruises : hi, We start with 50 seats in our voucher area and 50 in our own site's area. And then re-balance them once a week. So you're not seeing total number available. Jessica : Would it be possible to know the number of total seats available so that we can see if this is something the a group our size can do? And will everyone that buys the LivingSocial be able to use it for the boat or only some people? Is there a phone number where you can be reached? It would be much easier to discuss on the phone rather than going back and fourth over emails. DC Cruises : it's too tight already. i see 19 in voucher area and 26 on our site. Response from me : Okay so I have approximately 25 people. Could we do 19 through the living social and the remainder through your site or can you adjust the living social voucher number? DC Cruises : Sorry, i've got to run to get my kid. registration and tix must be purchased online anyway. good luck! So looks like that was the end of our conversation... guess it's safe to say that I won't be having my going away party on a DC Cruises boat... Extremely disappointed read more

Fun cruise line, we got the one that lasts about an hour. They take you to see the monuments from a distance. The boat itself was nice and was well kept. The best part besides the beautiful views was the rotating 80s smooth jazz and the 90s r&b. It was the best of booth worlds? Great price for a fun hour, I had a lot of fun on this quick cruise and would return again. read more

I still got mixed up trying to write this review! There's an entry under "DC Harbor Cruises" and "DC Cruises" on Yelp. I am pretty sure this is the one I was on...I think ughhh! Anyway, this one meets at the Georgetown Waterfront. Thank goodness I didn't book directly through DC Cruises based on their reviews here. I got a great deal via http://GoldStar.com for a Cherry Blossom Harbor Cruise. I thought it would be perfect to take my mom who was visiting from California. Unfortunately, by the time April rolled around, the cherry blossoms in Washington, D.C. all but disappeared thanks to global warming :) But despite that, we had a wonderful time at a very cheap cost thanks to GoldStar. The confusion comes in when you're trying to find the right boat to go on. DC Cruises doesn't actually have a booth or office set up by the harbor so you're on your own trying to figure out the right one. It seems they contract out with different boat captains to conduct the cruises and there are other competing companies set up there so beware and make sure you ask the guys steering the boat if you're on the right cruise. That's what I had to do otherwise, it's not clear which boat is the right boat to go on. We had a 3:40 p.m. Saturday afternoon cruise. The cruise itself was great. We left on time and the tour captain was very good and comprehensive. You still get to see a lot of the famous sights of D.C. even if you didn't get to see the cherry blossoms. On a nice day, it's quite a beautiful way to spend the afternoon for an hour or so. I got some decent shots of the Jefferson Memorial (from the back) and the important thing was that my mom enjoyed it. So I can't complain. read more

DC Cruises - Tours Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Sorry to disagree with the other yelpers on this one, but their reviews were definitely very helpful for a great experience. So I did get the groupon, and the groupon was really clear- You have to reserve using the special link ahead of time to get a spot. When we arrived, it was really easy to spot where the ships were departing from, since there was a sign in front of the nearby restaurants. We also saw the long line of people. We arrived about 30 minutes before departure and were a little disheartened thinking we couldn't get a good spot. So as the skipper looked at our tickets and let us onboard, we just asked if we could walk on the upper deck, and he said sure! So, even though it was partially full, we just asked people if they could move some of the chairs that were blocking the benches and we got great seats! The other guests were also really nice. I think the white benches on the upper deck had the best view, because all you had to do was turn around for an unspoiled view. So, the moonlight cruise wasn't as bromatic as advertised, because they mostly played Usher (whispers "ushaaaa"), but it was still a great experience to see the monuments and chill for an hour. The staff were super friendly, sold drinks in the main cabin, and had to clean up for people before and on our voyage, so i don't envy their dedication. I would definitely do it again! read more

In response to Captain J's snide comments: - I was new to the city. I was trusting this boat ride with DC "Cruises" to give me - a tourist - the info of where to see the cherry blossoms if it wasn't right in front of me. I've now looked at the map, googling the location Captain J said, and it is NOT in the tidal basin; it is at the Potomac River. I wonder now if the intent is that the customers are supposed to walk over to the tidal basin? If so, then it's not really a taxi ride to the tidal basin, as advertised. And if so, the customers should be advised as such (we were not). - "walk a little bit next time"??? REALLY? My 10 year old - with disabilities - was so frightened of the choppy boat ride (since the captain had just told us about 2 boats sinking in the last however amount of time), so my son (after crying for the entire time he was on board) insisted on getting off at the halfway stop ("the cherry blossoms"), and have the rest of our family return with the boat, get the car, and pick is up... which is what we did. He and I walked up and down Ohio Dr SW for over an hour while waiting for the others in our party to drive and pick us up. We had no idea where we were (obviously), so all we could assume was to walk along the length of the shoreline where the boat deposited us. Captain J, there is no need for the snide comments. I tried to keep my emotions out of my review as much as possible. The Cherry Blossom Water Taxi was not as advertised nor as expected. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I bought tickets for my family to ride the so-called "Cherry Blossom Water Taxi", through CertifiKid (somewhat like Groupon or Living Social). We arrived at the address stated (in Georgetown), and it was a dock. There was a sign, with a line waiting at it, so that was helpful. Apparently the Cherry Blossom Water Taxi is operated by DC Water Taxi, which is operated by DC Cruises. So here I am, to share my experience. They were on time - great! The spot was labeled for where we were to line up - great! Despite the high winds, the boat gave a very comfortable ride - great! The captain and his mate were friendly and gave a good narration of what we were seeing - great! BUT two things really bothered me: - This was advertised as a Cherry Blossom Water Taxi. The route that it takes did not go over to THE cherry blossoms. Yes, we saw SOME cherry blossoms along the Potomac River, but we did not see the mega collection of cherry blossoms at the Tidal Basin. My family and I are all new to the area, so we were excited to see THE cherry blossoms. It was only after the taxi boat ride that we were driving through DC when we drove past the Cherry Blossom Festival at the Tidal Basin, and we realized "Ah. THAT is what we thought we'd be seeing on that taxi boat ride!" If we had known that this boat ride wasn't taking us to the Tidal Basin to see THE cherry trees, then I would not have purchased the tickets. Of course, since we're not from this area, I didn't realize that, and just assumed that a "Cherry Blossom Water Taxi" was going to give us the show. - Due to the high winds (so I realize this was out of the control of the captain and the taxi service, for our own safety - so I get it), we were told upon boarding that they couldn't guarantee they'd be able to come back and pick us up if we chose to disembark at the halfway point (where some cherry blossoms were). That was a major bummer since the entire point of us taking this ride was to "go see the cherry blossoms" and get all the awesome pics, in this once in a lifetime experience (truly, since our family is new to this area). I had heard from DC friends that it's fun to wander around the park with the cherry trees, hang out at the Cherry Blossom Festival, and ride pedal boats around "the basin". So that was my plan - get on at the Georgetown location (since DC Water Taxi says that has better parking), get off at "the cherry blossoms", poke around there and get a ton of awesome pictures and maybe ride some pedal boats, and then get back on the water taxi (when the next one came around) to ride it back to Georgetown. Instead, we spent almost an hour trying to navigate around Georgetown, trying to find the location (darn GPS!), and then trying to find parking. Then we boarded the taxi and were told if we got off at the cherry blossoms, there was no guarantee they'd be back to get us due to the severe winds (which I understand... but if I would've known that, I would've picked a different day to go). And then we didn't even go to THE cherry blossoms. So overall, while the water taxi ride was great, the captain and mate were great, and we enjoyed ourselves... it was quite a bummer as this was supposed to be our cherry blossom experience, and we didn't even get to see THE cherry blossoms. None of that would have been a problem if this hadn't been advertised as Cherry Blossom Water Taxi. read more

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This is by FAR the Jankiest Stupidest Cruise Line EVER. Not only do they NOT offer Shelter for their Guest waiting to Doc. They also have the shittiest Bar Tender in DC. The drinks were watered down. The DJ sucked ass. We got rained on for about 45 minutes because the stupid ass captain LEFT US. We were to dock at 10pm he left at 9:15. Worst Yacht Experience EVERY. They couldn't even give us a refund remind you we invited over 60 guest for a Party. The DJ even turned the music off for about 30 minutes to Move Locations to the Top. When nobody asked him to do that so we sat in Complete Silence whole he set BACK UP.!!!!! Do NOT use this DcCruise Boat. It was rocky and not smooth at all and they have a nerve to charge $35 I will NEVER use them again. Nor will my guest. And the captain had a shitty attitude and so did the manager. Rude and not pleasant by far. Disgusted & Disappointed read more

My girlfriends and I just arrived back home from a Monuments Moonlight tour with DC Cruises. This was a very disappointing cruise overall! I think the only positive comment about this cruise was the view of the monuments all lit up. Below are the reasons why this cruise was less than satisfactory: (1) we arrived 15 minutes early to the dock and the boat did not arrive until at least 15 minutes after our cruise was scheduled to begin; (2) the "bar" wasn't really a bar, but rather a small table set-up with a couple of coolers; (3) the cost of everything seemed high - first we each paid $27 for the cruise ticket, then a cocktail on the cruise ranges from $8 - $10 - this is a rip-off to say the least; (4) the boat wasn't very large and due to the chill in the air most everyone remained in the enclosed cabin which was overcrowded; (5) the music - both selection and volume - there were a lot of couples who I'm sure just wanted a romantic cruise under the stars not to feel like they were in a night club; (6) the boat was not very clean - I realize that they just finished a tour immediately before us, but the bathrooms and tables were disgusting. I am hoping to go on a Potomac cruise with my husband this spring/summer and I will definitely not be using DC Cruises nor recommending them to my friends or colleagues. What a waste of a Saturday night in Georgetown with my girlfriends. read more

I had such high hopes for this cruise, but was sadly disappointed. Thanks to a Groupon offer back in May, I bought two for my husband and I... thinking it would be a fun night out on the water. We got there 30 minutes early (recommendation is 20 minutes) and waited our turn in line. We didn't start boarding until 5 til and the boat was packed. Turns out they overbooked and didn't have enough room. So 15 min after we're supposed to be leaving my husband grabs me and tells me we're moving to a "bigger" boat. They didn't announce this move (that I could hear) and as such we had horrible seats on the inside of a covered boat. So much for needing my camera. We ended up leaving about 30 min late and didn't really get to see much because we were in a bigger boat and couldn't get to certain places. Thankfully we were able to go out to the bow and get *some* pictures, but it was still a disappointment. I was upset spending $19 on one ticket, so I definitely won't be recommending this cruise for twice that. read more

WOW SO BAD!!! Beware!!! Got there for my birthday 6:30 trip. Thomas the guy that works there said I used my pass. I let him know there must be a mistake, but he was not having it. He said down didn't try to do anything to help was barely able to give me his managers number as a matter fact he did not give me his managers number. His coworker did. Call the Manager Manny he too was not helpful! Said he would call me back never did. My birthday cruise was ruined. Please note that I was able to go on the cruise after the city go pass customer service sent me A new pass ticket via email NO help at all from this company by the way! That being said the cruise was just, since the speakers were very difficult to hear the narration on the monuments and all you can see is 2 monuments and a Ferris wheel. So as far as the monuments cruise I would not recommend it. As far as a tour even less! read more

We did the Monuments by Moonlight cruise. The idea sounded great, unfortunately it was poorly executed. Negatives: Like the other reviews, we departed late. We arrived 30 min early as instructed and ended up leaving 30 min after our scheduled departure time. This is a problem since it was a week day and we didn't get off the boat until 10:30pm. They provided drinks and food. By provided I mean you had to pay for them and the food included 3 store-bought cakes, that's it. Once on board, the captain never said a word (except for sit down when we approach a bridge). No narrative, nothing. Positive: I enjoyed relaxing with my date on a boat since our power at the house was out. We liked looking at the monuments all lit up and the airplanes landing at DCA. Overall: I'm so glad I got a coupon for this otherwise I would have thrown myself off the boat. Once again, great idea...poorly executed. read more

My friend decided to do a birthday boat cruise with DC Cruises. I'll say overall it was an OK thing to do, but not worth our money. Let me start with the positives. The views of the monuments were nice. If you are looking for something different to do in DC, this is a good option. The crew was friendly, but the policies and procedures are what we had some issues with. We arrived at Nick's Riverside with our entire party well before the call time of 10:15, which is when we were suppose to board. The crew seemed to want to wait even when our host/birthday girl insisted that everyone was there and we could leave. We wanted to get as much time at the open bar as possible. They do not allow themselves enough turn-around time in between cruises. Once we were on, we found that the selection from the bar was very limited and we were not allowed to be given shots. The host only requested that one drink be available and they did not have it. Our friendly bartender did the best she could but watered down drinks just kinda ruin your night. It seemed as though they were rationing the alcohol and only 35 of our 50 person party showed up anyway. Once we got back to dock, the crew manager (I assume) rushed us off the boat by telling us we needed to help the host gather her things(which we were already doing). And as I finished my last watered down drink he tapped me on my shoulder and told me I could wait out on the dock for her. It just didn't make you feel like you ended your night on a high note. Overall I would not recommend this to a friend unless you have a deal. read more

Look, I'm an old fart, so I'm suspect of all social media, which is really a form of mind control and data collection by Government/private sector partnerships. That said, Yelp is a good service, but clearly the vast majority of people who have good experiences with goods and services don't write about them. Anyway, I've taken three tours with DC Cruises with family and friends over the last four years, and I have had nothing but pleasant experiences. One tour we took aboard the wooden "Finished Business" was quite memorable not only because of the majestic yacht, but also due to the professional staff and stupendous hospitality: the friendly captain is quite a host, knowledgeable of local history -- even a seasoned and uptight Washingtonian will learn something new -- and he's really good with kids. Finally, I've noticed folks that go through Group-On seem to be huge complainers. So I take those reviews with a grain of salt. read more

So, my (mostly positive) review might not mean much to people since I just showed up for this cruise & didn't know anything about it going into it. A friend of mine bought tickets (either through Groupon or Living Social...don't know which one) awhile back and decided to use them when I was in town for a visit. As far as I know she didn't have any trouble booking the cruise & there wasn't an issue getting on the boat (and we were almost the last ones to do so since we were waiting for our third person). To be honest, it was just kind of nice to be out on a boat with a few cocktails (I don't know "what" exactly our cruise classified as, but from glancing over other reviews I guess we were on the "Happy Hour" one), and there's probably a number of different companies that do this sort of thing out of this area and for all I know some might be better (and some might be worst). I will say it probably would have been nice if the boat was a little less crowded (they really pack you in), but even though we were the last ones on we still got seats up top (with a little maneuvering & some nice people who didn't mind moving around a bit), which was nice. They big issue with this cruise was getting drinks. Obviously everyone wants one (or three), and there's only one bar downstairs (where the line doesn't move all that fast). There was a guy going through the line with beers if people were just looking to purchase those who handed them out, which did speed things up a little. Even though that didn't really seem to advertise it we noticed a couple groups getting plastic containers that were used as pitchers. Luckily they had one when we ordered, so we just went ahead and got it so we didn't have to deal with the line multiple times. Honestly, the mojitos we had weren't great, but it wasn't because of a lack of alcohol (and quite honestly...at the end of the day that's all that really mattered). Maybe if I had purchased the tickets myself, booked it, and had some expectations ahead of time going into this I might feel differently about it, but at the end of the day I found my 90 minutes on the cruise enjoyable (minus the long wait for booze). read more

Like others, I purchased the Monuments by Moonlight deal from Living Social, and am glad I didn't pay the full $38 price. However, were were pleased with our experience, and while we won't go out of our way to recommend it to others, it was a nice way to spend a few hours. We boarded and departed within 5 minutes of the scheduled departure time. The cruise was not crowded, which allowed us to all get seats and move freely around the boat. They had cheese, crackers, grapes, and a vegetable platter for food, and the bar with various liquors and soda. A lot of people on the boat brought their own foods- sandwiches and other take-out to enjoy while on board. Great idea, because if you're hungry those snacks won't cut it! The cruise is advertised at 2 hours, and while you are on the boat that long, you aren't sight seeing the whole time. The first and last 30 minutes are spent traveling to the dock in the marina off the Potomac- only about an hour is actually sight seeing along the river. The captain narrated occasionally as we approached an interesting sight. We wished he had told us more history and information while aboard, rather than just pointing out and naming various landmarks. They played music the entire cruise, but some variation would be good! Overall, we had a nice experience and got to see some pretty sights. However, I do not believe the cruise is worth the $38 price with the current offerings- beef up the food options and tell us more about what we're seeing and they'll get close. read more

My husband and I were in DC for about 2 1/2 days and decided that a monument cruise was a great way to spend our time in the city. We chose DC Cruises, whose website insisted that "all cruises [were] running on schedule!" and to check the "buy tickets" link to ensure that the cruises were actually running that day. We should've known then. Since the website also said that you MUST buy tickets online, we bought our tickets ahead of time and headed down to Georgetown. We arrived 20 minutes early, as the website says ALL passengers must arrive 20 minutes early in case the cruise has to leave early. Well weren't we the fools. First of all, there was no signage even acknowledging DC Cruise's existence, and eventually we realized that no one else was waiting for the same cruise as us. We watched several cruises come and go, and after waiting an hour (!!!), calling their phone number (which was an automated message stating that ALL CRUISES ARE RUNNING AS SCHEDULED) several times, and writing a nasty email, we were able to hop on a different cruise that was actually running. Not once did DC Cruise's boat make an appearance. I'm beginning to think the whole business was a figment of our imaginations. After my husband's email, they DID refund our money, but they did not even respond to him or apologize for wasting our already limited time on vacation. It's disgusting and despicable that this "business" is even allowed to operate, if it is in fact still operating. DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME! read more

This may be one of the biggest wastes of money ever. DC Cruises, which uses boats available from www.capitalyacht.com took me and my friends on a dirty, poorly run, and rudely staffed trip up and down the Potomac. Boarding was late and disorganized. Once aboard, I was surprised that the "bar" was actually just a couple of card tables with some coolers behind it. Only one bartender was available for the entire cruise. She was later joined by a colleague who could neither take nor complete orders (his contribution was to open beer bottles). Service was SLOW. Everything about this experience was unpleasant. There are quality river cruises out there, but this isn't one of them. read more

Bad, bad, bad, awful, don't do it! The experience description of the Monuments by Moonlight was quite ambiguous. I should have known something was off. The site says to be there 15 minutes prior to the departure time. We ended up standing around for 45 minutes. After I made the reservation, the departure time was changed from 9:00pm to 9:15pm,without any notification. Making the reservations was confusing because the company kept changing the departure times & dates. When I called the company to ask a couple of questions, it always went to voicemail & never received a response. The boat was small, we really could not see anything and captain dull that was pointing out the "sights" from his vantage point, the front of the boat. We actually passed the Odyssey, which made the boat boat look like a dingy. i purchased tickets on Groupon for $20, thinking it included a drink and snacks. There was a cash bar, that had the slowest "bartender" and leftover Costco snacks that were refilled in the middle of the cruise. There was 1 restroom on what was basically a water taxi by day and this Monuments by Moonlight "cruise" at night. At least we did not pay the full price of $38. If you are thinking about doing a cruise in DC, don't do this one. The others a pricier but worth it. They include more and are much more organized. read more

I haven't even been on the cruise yet but am already feeling frustrated with this cruise line. My friend and I found out yesterday that we were both going on this cruise on different dates and decided to change our reservations to a date that we were both available. We checked the reservation policy and saw that we could change our reservation 72 hours in advance. Our cruise isn't for another two weeks so we decided to go ahead and change the dates. Next we checked on the website for a date with available seats. The 12th had two times, one with 13 seats left and one with 15. We emailed the company. Today we received an email with instructions on how to change our reservations. We both sent out emails requesting reservation changes within 10 minutes of each other. She received a response minutes later notifying her that her change was confirmed. At this point we're getting so excited about being on our cruise together. Because naturally, I'm expecting a similar email but hours later, still no email... I try calling but their number takes you to a prerecorded message with no option to speak to a customer representative. That would be fine if the email service was more responsive or at least open with its customers. Maybe they realized there were no more seats available but then they should have informed me rather than keeping their client in suspense. I finally sent a second email requesting more information and quickly got an email saying no more seats are available for that date. Well, there were seats available this morning just a few hours ago. Likely they were booked while I waited for a response email. And if they were all booked in the 9 minutes between my friends email and mine, then I should have been notified rather than held in suspense until sending a follow up email. This has all been a massive waste of my time and at this point I'm just so frustrated with this company I can't even look forward to a cruise I've been eagerly anticipating for weeks. Update: after a few emails I've been notified that if I message them the day before and it's not supposed to rain then I can be fit in. If that occurs then I will amend my rating, but as of now no other rating would accurately describe how I feel about my experience with DC Cruises. read more

This is the cruise for you if you like the idea of being squeezed in to a boat that doesn't have enough seating for all people on board. This cruise excels in the art of subpar hospitality as well. Drinks are incredibly overpriced and you'll spend most of your time on the cruise waiting in the line to pay for the overpriced drinks. They're great at churning a profit with overly expensive drinks and overbooking their capacity, but I reserve the right to give them a poor review. read more

Just got back from a visit, and had a great view of the Cherry Blossoms. Staff on the boat were fantastic. The people at the dock get mobbed by people getting there late or trying to sneak on without paying. Don't blame them, just go and enjoy the ride... it's worth it. The facilities could use some updating, and the weather can be an issue if it is raining... but it was a fun trip. I'd recommend it again, and plan to go again! read more

The Moonlight cruise was a great experience. The weather was nice the moon was full and the bartender was on point. There were only two issues. The boat arrived nearly an hour after it was supposed to come, so my friend and I were waiting. Looking to see if the DC cruise boat would come. Also, the seating upstairs is limited. We were in the front of the line and still didn't get a great seat on the top deck. All in all the cruise was nice and will come back. Maybe for the happy hour cruise read more

Due to an unfortunate scheduling circumstance I ended up on this cruise a few weeks after going on a Boomerang cruise. I have to say that DC Cruises definitely suffers in the comparison! We rolled in for a 5:15 "foliage" happy hour (there was very little actual foliage but can't blame that on the cruise). "Happy Hour' is also a little bit of a misnomer for this trip as well considering all of the kids and families hanging around. After shoving off the guide gave a brief naturalistic talk about what we were seeing including the various trees along the shoreline and species of fish in the water. This was all sort of interesting but nothing groundbreaking and I found myself getting antsy for some drinks. The drink menu was extremely limited (compared to the full bar on the boomerang boat) consisting of bud light, miller light and corona along with some mixed drinks of the vodka and OJ variety. There was some music playing at a low level (a bunch of Rihanna and other pop songs) but the overall vibe of the boot was subdued and depressing. I don't know. I think a higher level of music and maybe some better drinks and layout would get it bustling a little better. The later "moonlight" cruises probably have a more fun/exciting atmosphere so there's still hope. But all in all I'd definitely rank Boomerang over DC Cruises in every aspect. read more

This business started off as horrible! However, the experience we had with customer service and the experience on the ship was fantastic. After allowing us to use the vouchers, after making an exception, the experience was gret. The ship took us on out for 45 minutes. The views were alright, you only got to see the Washington monument, the Lincoln, and the Jefferson, but it was still pretty. The crew on the ship were very nice and helpful. My husband and I were having a great time so we asked if we could stay for the next tour, thinking they probably wouldn't let us. However, they did! Would recommend this cruise for people looking for something different to do, or to take a nice little cruise n the Potomac. If you want to see more monuments at night as a tourist better to do a walking tour. (Obviously, you can only expect to see so much from the water) but great customer service and crew they really make the experience worth it! read more

After reading other Yelp reviews, I was torn on whether to buy the Groupon deal for the fondue dessert cruise. Add to that that I'd forgotten my boyfriend hates chocolate (also, he has no soul) and I almost returned the tickets. I finally decided to keep them to use during the Cherry Blossom Festival - a combination fondue and cherry blossom viewing. Oddly enough there was a gap in their fondue cruise schedule, the exact weekend we wanted to go. With some travel rearrangements we were able to get another weekend, but I'd gotten the tickets expecting to have at least one cruise option offered at reasonable times each weekend. We almost got there late, and I was panicking that we would miss the boat (blame the DC metro). We were also dragging a giant suitcase around, since my boyfriend needed to catch an Amtrak right after. I called DC Cruises the day before to ask if we could bring a suitcase on board & stash it somewhere. I was surprised that someone answered immediately (the number is a little hard to find) but he was very helpful and assured me that they would accommodate us. The parking lot appeared to be a nightmare, and from what others have said of the $10 parking fee, I was glad we didn't drive. The boat boarded right on time, and although we weren't first in line there was plenty of room on the boat. We chose two window seats with a table across from the bar, but explored the other levels. The upper level was a collection of round tables, and there was limited outdoor (covered with a clear tarp) seating as well. It appears they listened to other reviews, because some lounge areas were spaced through - large couches with coffeetables. The scenery was beautiful, the weather was sunny if a little crisp, and we got some sightseeing in as well - the crew announced that we were about to pass a bald eagle's nest and pointed it out as we drew near. Many of the passengers clustered around the railings to enjoy the fresh air and beautiful views. The fondue options were plentiful and delicious, the crew was smiling and energetic, and the chocolate flowed freely. Even the length, 90 minutes, was perfect. We had just stuffed ourselves full of chocolate and had inhaled all the cherry blossom scenery we could. Any longer and the cruise might have gotten tedious, any shorter and I would've felt like I'd been torn from my fountain of chocolate too early. All in all, I had a very pleasant experience with DC cruises. I don't know if I would've paid full price for the chocolate and nice views, but with Groupon and my expectations, I walked away very full and very happy. read more

We purchased two tickets for the Fondue Dessert Cruise (Groupon) and used them on New Years Day last weekend. I had high hopes but the experience left me somewhat disappointed. The day was dreary (no one's fault) and chilly so that didn't do much for us but the disappointment came in the scenery, or lack thereof, on the ride down the Potomac. We saw a bunch of nothing. The marina was not in a great location Add to that, my husband spied one of the chefs pouring melted chocolate into the fondue pot, then lick his fingers as he walked away. Gag. The chocolate was good, the choices of dipping items were good (I never would have thought of fresh pineapple) but the display was dismal at best. Bare wires hanging down, a white table cloth slung on the bench seat-type area that held the food. No decoration of any kind. Plastic tables and chairs - all mismatched. It felt like the fondue cruise idea came to them in the middle of the night and the next morning they added it to the schedule with no other preparation. We brought very little cash ($9) with us because we had no intention of taking part in the cash bar and we pretty much live a cash-less existence anyway, and were then shocked to discover as we pulled into the parking lot that we had to pay $10 to park. That wasn't listed anywhere on the Groupon. The crew was very friendly. And the coffee was free. That's the extent of my positive feedback. My advice to the owners is to spend a few dollars to make the experience a little more comfortable. Take those awful tables and chairs out and put a couple of couches with coffee tables up against the side. That would encourage people to talk and get to know each other. Consider a different route for the ride - something with at least a little scenery. read more

We took a cherry blossom boat cruise with the Potomac Boat Tour company in late-March. The cruise was really fun - we saw some great views of the monuments, learned about the architectural history of the city and Dupont's designs, as well as saw views of the other side of the river, which gave us a glimpse of Arlington, Virginia. The only disappointing thing was that it was on a snowy day and the weather was really cold and cloudy! In fact, we were the only ones on the boat tour that morning. We were indeed very smart :P I think next time I'll book a tour in April, so that I can actually see the cherry blossoms from the boat... the cherry blossoms were not very happy (or in existence) on March 25, 2013, when we went on this boat tour... So if you're taking a boat tour, plan ahead and make sure you account for an unseasonably long winter! read more

Maybe it was because I had such low expectations or maybe it was because I just booked the groupon at 10am for a same day happy hour cruise- but I was pleasantly surprised by the experience. If you buy through groupon- you have to go and reserve a spot via their website. Pretty easy and they send you an email confirmation that you don't have to print out at all- just show on your phone. The boat is right across from Fiola Mare for reference - across from the movie theatre. We arrived at 5:20ish for the 5:30pm cruise and boat left around 5:45pm. We got the HH special (some kind of lime drink for $5) and bf got gin and tonic ($12 since he wanted the fancy stuff)-- it was a nice enough day (not too hot, not too cold) to sit on the top deck and enjoy the views. It's pretty tame with no narration or crazy party vibe like the cruises in Cabo or something. Our boat wasn't too full (about 40 ppl) and if it's your bday and you show ID- you get a free drink. It was a pleasant enough experience and a nice way to unwind from a crazy week. I wouldn't say you HAVE to do this but if you have some time- why not. Great way to get on the Potomac - well unless you have your own boat. read more

I was pleasantly surprised The view of the cherry blossoms from the cruise was absolutely wonderful This is a must if you're ever in Georgetown read more

We went on the happy hour sunset cruise and loved it!! The price was very reasonable ($20 for an hour and a half ride) and the drink prices were good too. We got to see a lot of the monuments and it was very relaxing. The staff were friendly and helpful and we had a wonderful time. I would definitely recommend it! read more

DC Cruises - Tours Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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We were denied boarding on another boat after buying our tickets online. My son was upset so we talked to these people. They let us board and enjoy the evening. They were all very friendly and very helpful from an almost ruined evening by another company. Music is for a younger crowd but that should be expected on a happy hour cruise. They allowed us to sit up front away from everyone and my son enjoyed it. Good people and a great business. read more

DC Cruises - Great scenery. - Tours Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I was really frustrated with this company after purchasing a cruise through Living Soclal and then not being able to actually make reservations on the site. However, the customer service is superb and Lori really goes out of her way to help, which is definitely appreciated. So, this evening I finally went on the happy hour cruise and it was very nice! There was a line, but we didn't wait long at all and we were able to find great seats up top. Maybe it's more crowded in the summer months, but for us it was great. I read that we would have to wait in line for drinks, but I waited for all of a minute, so no complaints there. Additionally, the bartender was really sweet and offered to let me try the pinot noir after I asked how it was, I just went ahead and ordered a glass without trying it and it was pretty good, I really couldn't have asked for better at just $7 a glass. I got a see breeze cocktail for my girlfriend and that was also good. The ride was smooth and we saw all of beautiful monuments. I'm so glad I finally made it out on a cruise and I would go again! read more

Bought a groupon for the moonlight monument cruise. Finding the sign was easy, but there was no clear direction for the line to run so just a large cluster of people gathered in a small area. When the boat pulled up, the woman checking off people was in a bad mood and didn't hide it, leaving everyone waiting to start to get stressed and impatient. Once on the boat itself, the experience was fun and pleasant. Capitan Steve was nice and guided us safely along the river. It was much shorter than I expected it to be, but the weather and company was great. Overall, I would recommend DC Cruises but would also warn people about some disorganization and a possible bad attitude here and there. read more

DC Cruises - Tours Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

DO NOT BOOK...they never showed up. The other boat operators said they were not reliable. Will try and get my mo way back

Hour tour on the Potomac which was ok. It was a Groupon so $4 pp maybe it was worth the cost. The microphone for the guide didnt work so you couldn't hear anything and the particular route isn't close enough to get a good view of any monument. read more

A bit too chilly for my people to hang out upstairs; BUT, the moonlight monument cruise is pretty awesome! Not the best pics from inside; BUT, I'm comfortable inside on the lower level. Ya can also purchase some alcoholic beverages if ya choose! Gonna enjoy the jazz music for the rest of the cruise and kick back. Talk to ya later! read more

You have a nice time for the fee, I would go back on a random date. For a party of 2 have at least $55 to get the pitcher ($45) and maybe two margaritas ($10) if you are a drinker. If not, enjoy the ride, not much scenery but thats because im from DC, so out if towners would really love it. read more

DC Cruises - Just before getting on, boat is really easy to find. - Tours Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia