Much more than brunch! I wanted to treat my parents to brunch and I found this truly unique venue where you can dine on a yacht on the CT River and dance/listen to music! It is the 2-hour fall foliage brunch cruise on the Lady Katharine yacht called the Mystique. You arrive by 10:30am at Eagle Landing State Park in Haddam, and everyone (I'd estimate about 150 people, tops) begins the boarding process. You have pre-assigned tables and can request to sit together with family/friends ahead of time. The buffet brunch is hot and ready as soon as you board which is great because there are literally no lines - it's a gradual process. Also, the food is out and replenished for a long time, so you don't have to worry about not getting any, e.g. if you decide to partake in the music and view on the top deck first, you can eat when you are ready. The buffet consisted of salad, rolls, salmon, stuffed chicken with a delicious cranberry stuffing, tortellini, tender beef tips with gravy, carved ham with a delicious sauce, Belgian waffles with fruit and cream toppings, eggs, bacon, sausage, potatoes, raw salmon w/capers and several desserts... I'm probably forgetting something. There is a cash bar but coffee, juice and tea are free ($3 for a fountain beverage which I thought was strange). The staff members were all incredibly friendly and attentive. There was a 3-piece band playing a variety of music on the top deck and people were having fun dancing. The views were amazing, especially seeing Gillette's Castle from the water. For only $50-ish dollars per person, this was an awesome alternative to your usual brunch buffet! read more

First I would like to say Donna the promoter for the ALL WHITE Cruise intentions were good!!!! Who goes on a $5k+ boat ride and the boat cannot sail. Absolutely, unacceptable LK. You charge a lot of money for?? Boat didn't move IJS... The Lady Katherine staff were so nice and pleasant to the guests EXCEPT the contact, She was unapologetic & awful. So back to the boat the venue. I was so disappointed there was no silverware just paper plates, plastic forks and rolls of paper towels on the tables. The bar was limited not sure if the promoter had an opinion. Anyone who rents from them please read the fine print and have insurance... their boats needs repair... this was not a cruise more like a tugboat PARTY read more

Lady Katharine Cruises - Flyer for Boat Ride aboard the Lady Katherine - Boat Charters Near Me - Old Saybrook, Connecticut

Recently did a Murder Mystery cruise and left at the end of the night extremely frustrated. The boat itself has three decks, and guests were split between the first and second deck. The actors proceeded to carry out their murder mystery scenes, alternating between each deck. The end result was that 100% of the people only knew what happened in 50% of the show. Even though the actors were mic'd up and speakers are throughout the ship, there were some scenes where there was no speaking; only actions. The plot of the show was also nonsensical, but that is the Murder Mystery company's fault; not the venue. On our deck there was also only one bartender and a whole lot of guests, resulting in very, very long lines. I ordered a draft beer and it was completely flat when poured. I need suds in my beer. The food was buffet-style and was good. The servers kept the tables clean. Overall, poor venue for a Murder Mystery dinner or any other kind of show that involves acting or audience engagement. The best part of the night was when I got back on dry land. read more

We recently went on a murder mystery cruise and were disappointed with the experience, and it wasn't worth the money. The concept of the cruise was that there were a number of actors, that set up a scenario, and they tried to involve some of the guests in the solving of a mystery. The idea was OK, but it was poorly executed; and the explanation of how the play would be played out, was quickly and poorly described . Also, between the boat noise, the loud conversation of the guests (who were also moving around the boat), the bustling of the wait staff, boat crew, and the narrative of the actors via speaker, it was very difficult to follow the plot, or what was going on. It felt like a three ring circus with all the commotion. The only reason I didn't give 1 star is that the food was good, as was some of the off-color comedy. There were other forms of entertainment besides the mystery. There was dancing, a DJ, cruise giveaways for wacky competitions, and a scavenger hunt. But again, the chaos of the mystery, and the atmosphere in general, really degraded from the experience. One final thing I do want to mention is that the boat crew itself was very good. Very professional. read more

My review is much different I had purchased a radio deal for four people I started to call and try to make reservations since the spring and they never answered there phone so I left numerous messages they never had the courtesy to call back! And wasn't able to book online because it being a radio deal, so I had to lie and left a massage saying I wanted to book for an event, they called me back within 3 hours. Side bar she also said she tried to leave massages but my mailbox was full(it has never been full in my whole life) She left me a massage TODAY stating my deal has expired "great costumer service" read more

Had a great time ,food was good , drinks great and the staff pleasant the foliage cruise was nice. read more

Lady Katharine Cruises - Fun and beutiful time. Great experince.kind staff. - Boat Charters Near Me - Old Saybrook, Connecticut

My husband and I received a gift card for the cruise. The experience was kind and quick. The brunch was delicious. They had plenty of food so you definitely didn't need to worry about that. The view was beautiful. It was a pleasant ride. The only downside was that it was supposed to be jazz themed and there was no jazz music. They had someone singing to a piano, but it's not at all what I expected for music. Apart from that, it was a great experience. Meet some nice people at our table. read more

I took my wife on a Sunday morning brunch cruise, departing from Middletown. The ship's staff are very friendly and make you feel so welcome. Everything was explained regarding where to sit, food, and when the cruise would be leaving and returning. The staff was A+. The brunch was excellent. There were traditional breakfast foods, a waffle bar, a carving station, and pastries. There were also lunch foods available. Both breakfast and lunch choices were delicious, and the dessert bar was amazing. The view of the river was awesome. There was plenty of seating at the top of the ship and there wasn't a bad view on the boat. It is a cash/credit bar, but the prices are very fair and they don't overprice their drinks. I highly recommend Lady Kate cruises and I will for sure be back. read more

Went to a "murder mystery" cruise, supposedly a Halloween special. I expected exactly that. A murder mystery. Instead it was like a bad wedding with bad music, horrible costumes and bad acting. It was a joke. Literally, a play on a mafia high school reunion which stole lines from Grease and Blues Brothers. The costumes must have been whatever was on clearance at Walmart. CHEESY. The DJ was wearing a Mr Incredible costume. How does that even fit in? The food was tasty, but apps were literally just some cheese cubes and crackers. Cash bar, but couldn't the cost of the tickets include soda at least? Nope. Had to pay. So, good food, excellent ship's crew and catering staff, but TERRIBLE entertainment. Seriously, it was uncomfortable to watch. And the worst part was, you can't leave!! You're on the river! Save your money. read more

I purchased a Lady Katherine Cruise for my husband for father's day. It was a relaxing way to spend a Sunday morning. The cruise lasted two and a half hours. The interior of the ship looked like it could use a facelift but it was very clean. There was a small bar and most people ordered mimosas. The menu included a carving station, hot entrees, salad, pastries and hot breakfast selections. It was a small spread but the food was satisfactory. On the upper deck there was a live band and that was the only entertainment during the cruise. I was surprised at how small the space was and that we would have to share a table with strangers. My husband appreciated the experience but I was a bit disappointed. read more

I booked two tickets for the fall foliage cruise out of Middletown, as a surprise for my husband to celebrate our anniversary. I planned over a month ahead, so as the day came and the weather was perfect for a day on the water I was very excited. The problem started as we got to the exit (25 minutes before departure) and the directions were incomplete, as to how to get to the designated parking lot. Using my GPS I was able to reroute and figure it out. Unfortunately, as we arrived in the parking lot, there were no further instructions where to go and there were 5 lanes of traffic separating us from the water. Were we supposed to catch a shuttle bus to get us over to the water? Being a weekend, the parking lot was quiet and there was no one to ask. I called the 800 number on the website, but only got an answering machine. We only had 8 minutes at this point until the boat was to pull away from the dock... We drove around the parking lot looking feverishly for signs on all the businesses as well as parking markers; but nothing. With tears, my husband took me for lunch in the area instead to celebrate our anniversary. The next morning, Dawn called, leaving me a message that there were no refunds for missed cruises. I called back and left a message that I'd like to speak with her further. 3 hours later when she called back, she was cordial and listened to what happened. I explained that the first problem was the lack of directions to just get to the parking lot, then to make it worse no signs directing passengers how to get to the boat from the parking lot. She said the town of Middletown dictates what signs are allowed and that they are not allowed to posts signs. I stated the obvious, that it is even more imperative in that case to instruct passengers via the website that they need to go to the pavilion at the front of the parking lot and walk through the under pass tunnel that travels under the 5 major lanes of traffic and comes out by the harbor, in order to board the boat. She repeatedly stated that she was sorry, but there was no way she could refund or rebook us for another cruise. Clearly unhappy with the incomplete directions and instruction within the website, and even more with the poor customer service provided. Very unfortunate. I will never consider this company again, nor would I recommend anyone I know. read more

3 stars is really just for the view of the river. I'd give 2 for food and 1 for everything else. Let's begin with the major crampness of tables. no room to move around. At one point I sat away from the table to hold my plate because there wasn't room for me to eat at my table. 2nd thing they need to do is make it a nonsmoking ship. There are 2 decks you can smoke on and if you're a non smoker you can't enjoy sitting outside because even from the top deck you can smell the smoke. 3rd thing they should consider changing the music playlist. There was a great musician playing saxophone today but every other song was an annoying pop song- he played The Whip Nae Nae song and even Gangnam style!! Doesn't sound relaxing to me!! 4th and last is the updating that needs to take place. Old curtains, dirty looking 80s carpets- put something that looks cleaner. No lie- the bottoms of the curtains were literally in the food. and they put the food covers on the floor under the table- not very sanitary. All and all the day was nice and the scenery of the river was beautiful. Just need a major renovation, better relaxing music and get rid of smoking. Then we have a 5 star review! read more

I went on a Sunday cruise with my boyfriend yesterday and it was very beautiful. It was Sunday brunch and we had a table to ourselves - I know the other reviewer here said she had to sit with strangers but we had a whole table to ourselves and all of the other tables were full. The food was good for brunch I thought - given that it's on a boat I thought it wasn't bad. They have live entertainment upstairs which was really nice and the weather was beautiful. The staff was very friendly and helpful. it seems that everyone was having a very good time and it was very relaxing way to spend a Sunday afternoon. I agree with the other reviewer that the inside needs a little bit of updating. I have been on this same boat seven years ago for an evening cruise and it was the same decor at the time. However it has been well kept up. I would definitely recommend a trip like this as it was a lot of fun. On board there were two couples who were celebrating wedding anniversaries. One was celebrating a five year and the other was celebrating a 50 year wedding anniversary. This would be a nice gift to parents for their anniversary. read more

Lady Katharine Cruises - Boat Charters Near Me - Old Saybrook, Connecticut

I was very disappointed with the Lady Katharine Cruise I took just a few days ago for New Years Eve 2012. The tickets were $140 plus tax, came out to $150. For $150 per person, the food was horrible. The people with the hor d'oeuvres barely came by our table, and by the time they did, the other tables took all of them! When the waitstaff came back they mentioned they ran out of the other ones and kept coming back with the same ones. The prime rib was cold, the stuffed sole with crab meat smelled very fishy (not fresh) and the friend chicken breast was flavorless and salty. Dessert was a boxed cheesecake, fruit and bread pudding. The bread pudding was good. They advertised breakfast after the new year which consisted of two bread baskets on the buffet tables. Cold croissants taken out of a plastic box I'm sure and those little blueberry muffins you get out of the plastic containers. There was some chocolate looking thing which looked pretty unappetizing. The best part had to be the bar situation. You got on the cruise at 5:30PM. From 5:30 PM to 9PM it was cash bar, only after was it open bar. I cannot believe this for $150 per person. Also, the bartender down stairs was either drunk or on some drugs. When I went to try the bar upstairs, I asked if there was something wrong with the person downstairs. They informed me they must be back on the Percosets! I cannot believe this b/c she was also drinking the entire night. She didn't know how to make drinks, or count back my change. The actual cruise didn't start until after 9PM. All we did was float up and down this little part of the river. Not the cruise lines fault since the river is small but still. I just don't understand what I paid all that money for. The food? The drinks I paid for mostly myself? The four of us dished out 600 bucks! We could have done something completely different (and cheaper) and had a better time. Note to self, first and last time with this company for a cruise/New Year's Eve. read more