Truly a mesmerizing spectacular dinner cruise. We came on a girls trip (mother / daughter / aunt and cousin) and my mother surprised us with tickets. I liked my chicken with the chimichurri sauce, and the mushroom ragout was good. My cousin said the steak was too fatty. Each plate had the broccolini but it was not cooked properly. Very chewy and just ended up eating the florets. The salad only had the balsamic vinegar dressing offered and it was quite a bit that was drizzled on, perhaps may want to ask to put on the side. One dessert of cheesecake with strawberry drizzle was offered. Typically I'm not a cheesecake fan, but I thought it was pretty good. Staff were wonderful, shout out to Ozzie! They have everyone eat when board, and the 2nd & 3rd floor was blocked off but open about an hour later after most finished dinner. That way the staff was able to clean up the 1st floor while most were on the other decks. Initially the Zephyr cove was cloudy, but halfway through, the sky opened up. A brief history explanation comes thru the speakers on emerald bay once enter the bay. You don't see the water colors till get quite close, and the best view is on the top deck. It's stunning. After leaving the bay, a 2 person band came on and played some great songs that many sweet couples got up to dance to. Coupled with the spectacular sunset, this dinner cruise was an unforgettable experience and I want to come back with my husband. read more

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I drove 10 hours round-trip from San Jose to celebrate my girlfriend's birthday on this cruise. I paid premium prices for window seats, a proper dinner, and a complimentary drink. I got absolutely none of it. At boarding, the dock was chaotic with zero organization -- they were prioritizing a large corporate group while the rest of us were left confused and waiting. We were sent upstairs where there was no seating, forcing us to stand in the cold for nearly two hours while spending $100 out of pocket on drinks to hold us over for the dinner that was almost 2 hours late! Then we were literally packed into a cramped stairwell for 30 minutes -- a fire hazard their own service manager admitted to -- while the corporate group enjoyed the upper deck. When we were finally seated, I had to remind the manager I'd paid for window seats because she tried to put us in the middle of the room. By then it was pitch dark outside. Zero views. Zero complimentary drink. Ever. The food was a disaster. My medium rare steak came out overcooked and tough, the salmon was cold, and we were rushed off the boat before we even finished dessert. To make it worse -- I've called multiple times and been put on hold and hung up on repeatedly. I've sent emails with zero response. A manager on the boat promised a refund and never followed through. The customer service is as bad as the experience itself. Save your money and your special occasions for somewhere that actually values its guests. read more

We had a wonderful time on the scenic day tour. During the boat ride there are moments of learning about the lake and its history, which was very interesting. The food was also very good, with a lot of options, even for vegetarians. There aren't enough seats inside the boat for everyone, so arrive early (our tour was at noon and we started lining up at around 1115 am) in order to secure a seat. Otherwise, you're stuck at the top deck, exposed to the elements. It was very smooth sailing and super relaxing. Would highly recommend it! read more

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An amazing cruise. I took the daytime cruise, which was 2 1/2 hours long, and goes from Zephyr Cove just a couple of miles from the state line, to Emerald Bay and back. They offer day daytime cruises, dinner, cruises, and charters. The boat is a paddle-wheeler, which is fun. The daytime Cruise is narrated, with stories about Lake Tahoe, as well as about its history. The boat is big, with plenty of places inside and outside to sit. The views are stunning! I would say that the best time to tour would be either winter or spring, because the snow on the mountains is so beautiful. The highlight of the trip is a view of Vikingsholm, a 38 room mansion in Emerald Bay State Park at Lake Tahoe, renowned as a prime example of Scandinavian architecture in North America, built in 1929 as a summer home for Lora Josephine Knight. Inspired by Nordic castles, it features intricate woodwork, stone, and sod roofs, they offer seasonal tours, but to get to the castle is a steep 1 mile hike. Seeing it from the lake is the next best thing. The boat has several bars, that offer alcoholic and nonalcoholic, drinks, some food, and dessert items. The rock slide fudge brownie sounded interesting. OMG, it was warm, ooey and gooey. The price for that and a soda were very reasonable. Besides the bars, of course there's a gift shop. It's not cheap. The cost of the daytime cruise was $99. I don't know what the cost would be for children. It is steep, but it was worth every penny to enjoy a beautiful day out on the lake. Thank you! read more

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Came for a dinner cruise with our NACTE summer conference attendees. It was packed. If you're in the back of the boarding line you are not able to sit with family or friends for the first dinner call. The dining room is really small and you're packed in. The service was nice and friendly and sitting by strangers could be awkward. I was able to hold great conversation with my table mates. The salad was good and fresh. The steak was a lower value cut and very chewy. The potatoes were seasoned great. The cheesecake was to die for. After dinner you're able to head to the upper decks to take in the view or down to the bar where there is a cozy little shop and a bar. The band was playing some great 80's hits. For the price we definitely won't be coming very often. read more

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Experience was amazing! We love the food, staff were super nice. The view was so Lovely and the experience is one in a lifetime. I would Definitely do it again with my family. Also, staff were super nice with my 2 1/2 by providing chicken tenders and Frieda not expecting. She love it very much and we dance at the end. Thank you for everything read more

We had a fantastic time! The entire experience was easy. Arrive a little early so you can get the best seats that YOU want. The views were exquisite! I highly recommend you take this cruise instead of going to the point above Emerald Bay if you want to see Emerald Bay. We got the best views here instead of going to the entrance of Vikingsholm at Emerald Bay. We could not find a parking spot there and couldn't stay. We were happy that we did this cruise prior. We skipped the food on this cruise because we had seen prior reviews on how bad the food was. We are so happy we did. We ate a late breakfast, prior the cruise, and it worked out perfect! We packed a couple of snacks for during the cruise. This is good money spent taking this cruise, but definitely skip the food on-board. read more

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Guess we lucked out! We took the dinner cruise. That night a storm hit with thunder and lightning. So it ended up being perfect for us because over half the boat didn't show. So our dinner was buffet style. So we basically tried it all. The steak was good, the salmon was good. My gf enjoyed the salad. I had the Brussels sprouts good. Hubby had the mash potatoes. No complaints on dinner or dessert. Now the drinks are way too expensive especially when I see what we spent for 3 people. The staff were friendly. They took our picture in the beginning but never showed us it. They even accommodated my service animal with no hassle. They had live music which was entertaining. They were good. We definitely plan on doing g it again but a day time one next time. read more

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This was a tough one to review. The experience was 5-stars but the meal service was 2-stars. If you book, knowing those expectations, perhaps you won't feel disappointed. Like I said, getting to go out on a paddle boat across Lake Tahoe, and into Emerald Cove was a wonderful experience. With it being summertime, our cruise was perfectly timed that the sun was setting right as we entered Emerald Cove, and had completely set by the time we made our way back to the dock. Be mindful when you are booking of what time sunset happens in Lake Tahoe, as I think some people who have booked earlier in the spring or later in the fall did not realize the time change. The food service, for the price, was extremely disappointing. The appetizer salad was haphazardly thrown together with a couple cherry tomatoes and a couple cubes of mozzarella. The dinner rolls were quite hard and cold, definitely not something freshly made but more so store-bought. I ordered the salmon while my dad ordered the steak. The salmon was OK, but my dad's steak was definitely tough and overcooked. Like I said, weighing the experience against the poor meal, I probably would not do this again, but I am glad I got to take a trip across Lake Tahoe at sunset. read more

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Second time on the MS Dixie II, we enjoyed our cruise! Check-in was smooth. We booked it online (if you're guest at Zephyr Cove cabins, you get 20% off). Another plus is, kids ride FREE! We were greeted upon boarding & all the staff were very friendly. The cruise itself was very nice, smooth and we had perfect weather. The cocktails were perfect, not weak. The gift shop is nice too! A perfect way to see Lake Tahoe read more

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I made a reservation online for 3 people. From the reviews I decided to park at Zephyr Cove Beach instead of getting picked up at a local hotel. We arrived 3 hours early and there was a bit of confusion as to where we could park. After getting that settled, we walked around the beach until it was time to board. The boat ride was very slow which was fine. It was nice to take in the views. Every 20 minutes or so a prerecorded announcement came over the speakers to give information about the history of the lake and the surrounding area. I spent most of the time on the top level which has no shade. I did browse the store which has snacks and merchandise. There was a small bar serving drinks and there were a few items on the menu being served. The cruise went to Emerald Bay and back to Zephyr Cove Beach in a little over 2 hours. I would recommend bringing a hat, sunscreen, and some of your own water and snacks. read more

MS Dixie II - Merchandise - Boating Near Me - Zephyr Cove, Nevada

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Nice and relaxing. It starts at Zephyr Cove, then sails to the other side of the lake to Emerald Cove and back. The captain gives brief history about certain parts of the lake as you go. They serve food, beer, wine and. No hard liquor for obvious reasons. The clear blue lake is breathtaking! I highly recommend this cruise. read more

A very peaceful, 2 hour cruise ride that goes through South Lake Tahoe. There is a food and beverage service on board. It is a bit slower during the winter months with the service station being on the second floor only. Our bartender let us know that it picks up during the spring/summer months and all floors are open for food and beverage service. But I would highly recommend visiting during the slower months. My party and I were able to explore the cruise ship with ease as there weren't many passengers on board. Immaculate views of South Lake Tahoe. There isn't a bad seat anywhere on the cruise. We departed from the docking bay on Zephyr Cove. It's of good walking distance if you're camping across the road at the Zephyr campsites. I also believe there are shuttles to and from! I would also recommend calling ahead of time to see if there are promotions going on for in-person purchases! My party and I had booked tickets online, upon check in, our host told us of an in-person promotion if we bought through the box-office. Definitely a good way to save some $$$. read more

MS Dixie II - Boarding the MS Dixie II - Boating Near Me - Zephyr Cove, Nevada

We really enjoyed our Tuesday morning cruise. The lake is absolutely stunning. They also have a giftshop, bar and food. We got a few souvenirs and enjoyed their rum runner drink and micheladas. Beautiful relaxing setting. Our bartender on the 2nd floor was great! read more

MS Dixie II - Dock - Boating Near Me - Zephyr Cove, Nevada

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Great experience! For $150 per person I was expecting the alcohol to be included but pleasantly surprised by the taste of the food. There is plenty of space to sit and enjoy the views outdoor or dance to the live music inside. There are 2 bars, one outside the other inside and even a gift shop. read more

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I went with my in-laws last week. I have never been before! Inside they had a educational video playing . One of the times I learned something new . Got a fresh baked cookie Those were really good! However they ran out pretty fast. Over all it was a good experience. read more

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This wasn't what I expected. To be honest, this is not a cheap cruise, undertandably. My friend and I booked the dinner cruise for July 26, 2026. We reserved window seats. Everything was fine for awhile; we got our salads, drinks, and bread. After that, the service dropped off. Not only did we never get asked whether we wanted more water or drinks, etc., we never recieved our entrees. We were seated with two other wonderful and interesting people, so of course the conversation and company was great. However, once we noticed desserts were going out, yet we had not received our entrees, we were nonplussed. It was impossible to get the attention of the attendants. I had to finally stand up and make a fool of myself, waving my arms and loudly asking for service, to make it known that only our table had never been served. Strangely enough, the waiter understood my non-verbal communication. Seriously, only our table. It boggles my mind that everyone was serviced well, except our table. I watched the waiters dote on others, refilling waters and reserving drinks. Not us, though. After my idiotic display, then ensued a plethora of apologies, and 'I don't know what happened,' blah blah blah. It was curious that we were the only table with three people of color and one fat white woman. On top of that, after they made their apologies and made our order, the steaks came out ten minutes before the salmon, so I had to wait to eat with my companion, which meant my entree was cold. We were told, 'oh my, anything you want to drink, let me know!' Well, it would have been nice to hear that half an hour to an hour before. Then, to add insult to injury, we were asked to clean up our table because it was getting late! Like that was our fault. We were not able to partake in the live band or the open air for long before everyone else. My friend and I made this reservation as the highlight of our trip to Lake Tahoe, and we feel robbed of the experience. And, to have the staff act as if we were a burden on them is beyond the pale. I regret tipping as much as we did, but we understand wait staff depends on tips. I will never consider going on this cruise again. Edit: OK, so my first email to them went unanswered. I emailed them again. Dixie II, the Confederacy lives on! read more

It was one of the worst experiences of discrimination I have ever faced! I boarded the boat for the sunset dinner cruise with my friend. We were seated next to a very nice Hispanic couple. When it came time to have dinner, nearly everyone in the dining area received their food and they were having dessert. We waited over an hour and have yet to receive our food. After notifying staff we waited another 20 minutes for our food. They apologized, but did not explain the reason for the delay. By far it was the most disappointing experience I have ever had at Lake Tahoe! I would not recommend the experience to any person of color or any minorities, unless you want to purposefully be disappointed and be overcharged for a horrible experience!!! read more

I liked our experience on the boat over Labor Day weekend. The boat trip takes a bit over two hours and will take you across the lake to Emerald Bay and back. The crew were all really friendly, we had beautiful weather, and the ship allows you to move around and take in the different views. They serve alcohol and food for purchase, which is mediocre and what you'd expect. My review would be much higher if it wasn't for the parking situation. They do offer shuttles from hotels, but we drove in from incline Village. The parking lot at Zephyr Cove is insane. on a busy beach day, it takes forever to get in and then you're endlessly driving around trying to find a spot. They only let us go into the parking lot and pay for parking with tickets for the boat. Once we were in, I dropped my family off and spent 30 minutes trying to find a parking spot. I was fully prepared to miss the boat, but got a spot and had to sprint to make the boat. Honestly, for a more calm experience, I would get there at least 45 minutes before boat departure to find a parking spot. read more

MS Dixie II - Boating Near Me - Zephyr Cove, Nevada

My husband and I went on Easter Brunch Cruise. It was very good! Ate way too much...lol. The Buffet was delicious. They had scrambled eggs, Bacon, Sausage, Country potatoes (they were delicious), fresh fruit and French toast all you could eat. We had breakfast then went back for lunch. Which consisted of Ham, Pork, Green Beans, Mashed potatoes and gravy! We didn't eat in the main salon. We ate upstairs much quieter and far less people since it was just the two of us. All in all it went very well. The weather was perfect and the Lake was like glass. They narrated the sites around the Lake and added a lot of interesting facts about Lake Tahoe. It was our first time taking the Cruise and we really enjoyed it!! read more

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Great seating, beautiful scenery, and informative staff and tour. Clean and roomy quarters. The staff was very polite and answered all my questions. read more

Okay so... My review would be much higher but the service was just not meeting my standard, considering the price we paid. We were seated away from the window even though there were plenty of areas to be near it. It was the reason we booked 2nd seating so that we could experience the views first. Never mind that, the lead server also explained it was for larger parties- and then I look back and he preceded to seat a two party group near the windows. So that wasn't really the case. It was unfair that we arrived early but didn't get to sit near the windows yet another party did. The food was subpar. It was valued at $65, but truthfully it was not better than something we can reheat from Walmart. I know they're trying their best though. Our table server was actually nice and accommodating and even the lead server asked us if everything was okay. I'm terms of the quality of the food: it was okay. The salmon was okay. The vegan entree option was also okay. My tip: If you don't want to get crowded, try to book during a weekday. We went on a Tuesday for their dinner cruise and there were not as many people. Though we booked 2nd seating, we were placed in 1st seating due to not having enough passengers. Also, if you are staying in the surrounding hotels- they may have a shuttle pick up for you. That was pretty convenient if you didn't want to pay for parking. I know this isn't the best review, so I'll leave my final feedback. It should be explained somewhere on the site what 1st seating and 2nd seating means. I also feel like they are understaffed. It wasn't noticeable because we did not have a full boat of passengers. I also think they should offer an add on price if passengers wanted to dine near the windows. Or they should seat people on a first come, first-serve basis. In terms of the views and the boat ride, it was actually very nice. The live band on the boat was a nice touch for those who like classic entertainment. The ride back on the sunset was also serene. I know my review was low, but I would still recommend this to a person who has never been to Lake Tahoe. The MS Dixie was truly a sight to behold and a very unique paddle boat experience (they just have much to improve on for food/seating). read more

MS Dixie II - Boating Near Me - Zephyr Cove, Nevada

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20% off if you walked up. We prepaid five of us on line. NO Discount!!!!! 100 buck!!! Not even a sorry or kiss my a$$. Terrible read more

MS Dixie II - Boating Near Me - Zephyr Cove, Nevada

Rode Ms Dixie II to emerald bay. The chicken dish was tasty but the steak wasn't the best. The sunset on the way back was Absolutely stunning! I would say it was a little pricy but worth it for a special occasion. read more

MS Dixie II - Sunset on Lake Tahoe - Boating Near Me - Zephyr Cove, Nevada

What a waste of $300.00 (a couple). If I could give ZERO stars I would. Dinner was only SO-SO!! Two barking dogs on board, neither with any kind of service vest. Drinks were watered down. The handrails going up the stairs to the 2nd deck were so grimy and sticky you needed to wash your hands. The bathrooms on the 1st deck were NASTY!! read more

This experience on the boat itself was okay but getting there and back was absolutely horrible. When we got our tickets it says a shuttle will pick us up but they never came. So we had to get a taxi to the dock. After we got off the boat there again was no shuttle there to take us back. We spent well over $150 in transportation since there was 8 of us. The managers then proceeded to call us liars. They said we went on a walk and that's why we missed our shuttle. We did not go on a walk, we walked straight off the dock and waited for a shuttle. I told them to review cameras and they said they would not do so. The customer service was basically non existent, it was absolutely ridiculous. Never again will I be doing something like this. read more

I would estimate there were 190 passengers for the 6pm dinner cruise. The BIGGEST complaint is they only have 1 bar with 1 bar tender. The bartender is working his ass off with a great attitude. The dinner itself was pretty good. Very nice waitstaff. My wife and I both had steak with broccoli and mashed potatoes. My favorite was the broccoli, it was cooked very nice, still crunchy, not mushy. The steak was decent. The cruise was very nice and informative. read more

MS Dixie II - Line for the bar. Approx 50 deep - Boating Near Me - Zephyr Cove, Nevada

We had so much fun on the MS Dixie! The weather was beautiful and it made for a relaxing time on the water. read more

MS Dixie II - Boating Near Me - Zephyr Cove, Nevada

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Had a fantastic Father's Day cruise. Food was delicious and prepared correctly (steak). Had silver ware, not plastic cutlery. Wait staff was great, remember to tip (not included in ticket purchase) them for their amazing service. Sodas and water are free with your dinner. Alcoholic drinks cost more remember to pay before you leave your table. The loudspeaker didn't repeat old information. They told you about Fanette island and her home there. The band was fun and entertaining. There's dancing and drinks on the second floor. The third floor was top deck. You can smoke up there respectfully. Bring a light jacket a cool breeze comes in later. Would 100% do again. Had a fantastic time. read more

MS Dixie II - Boating Near Me - Zephyr Cove, Nevada

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We had a great time. The food was good plenty of it. Even though the water was a little choppy, the ride was smooth. For us, the most amazing part was the entertainment. It was just a two piece. A guy on the keyboard, who sang, and a drummer. They were very good, especially the drummer. He was the best drummer I have ever seen. I would like to know their names, and what their band is called. The cruise was on Thursday night 9/11/2025. I would go again just to see them. read more

Easy to book tickets on line. Easy access with hotel pick up. Staff on board friendly. Very relaxing atmosphere. Beautiful lake read more

MS Dixie II - Great Paddle Wheel - Boating Near Me - Zephyr Cove, Nevada

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Amazing crew they are so friendly, wonderful journey. Would recommend to anyone in Tahoe.

This boat is run down and the food was disappointing. Considering the price, I expected a lot more from the experience. The dining area reeked of fish and wet carpet. The steak was chewy and overcooked (ordered medium rare). The views of the lake from the top deck were great but that was the only enjoyable element of being trapped on this boat for an evening. Would not recommend. read more

Came for the sunset dinner cruise. The experience started with the shuttle bus (a school bus). Not only was there not enough seats that we had to call in another bus, but he also didn't know how to activate the lift for wheelchairs. The way back, we had people sitting on laps & about 10 people standing. Dinner service was a mess. We couldn't seat the other half of our family at the table next to us;however, no one wound up sitting there. The only kids option was chicken strips with fries. With undercooked fries. We all had steak, ordered medium, came out well done. Looked baked and terrible texture. No one came to clear plates, so we set them on the next table. Asked for a high chair & we wound up grabbing it ourselves, just to be told it couldn't be at the end of the table, but we couldn't use the other table. Oh, and only one bartender for at least 80 people. And yes, with your very expensive dinner with prepaid gratuity, you still need to pay for your own drinks. The deck was quite nice, and a cool view. The band was a good time & definitely helped the experience. Overall, would never do it again. read more

We had a wonderful time and met some great people at our table and enjoyed the live band and dancing. We would recommend this. read more

MS Dixie II - What a beautiful evening - Boating Near Me - Zephyr Cove, Nevada

We enjoyed the dinner cruise very much, the only reason I gave it 4 stars is because the instructions indicated we could get a shuttle to pick us up with at the Harrah's Casino across the street from the Caesars Republic where we were staying, and due to the construction there we could not access it. Even a gentleman that worked at Harrah's called Zephyr resorts to alert them of the issue but unfortunately, we were already running late, and just decided to drive there. We were very fortunate to find a parking there fairly easily. I did complain to the ticket booth clerk and he said he would pass on the message. Now, as far as if he did or not, who knows. The rest of the experience there was wonderful. We got a recording of a narrated tour of the lake and enjoyed the rest of the experience. We took family pictures upon entering, and bought them at the gift shop on the upper level of the river boat. I would highly recommend, except, just drive to the resort yourselves and park there. Hope this review helps! read more

Great Lake cruise, very smooth and informative. They did have snacks and drinks but we didn't partake. We didn't ride the MS Dixie we were on the Tahoe Paradise. All had fun emerald bay was the highlight. Good job! read more

We went on a sunset dinner cruise. The lake, as always, is beautiful. Sunset in Emerald Bay was beautiful. The food and service was terrible. There were not enough servers for the room. The service was slow and the entire drink and meal process was nonsensical. The salad was only a few bites. The rib-eye was covered in gravy. Serious red flag. The meat was over cooked and dry. The 'fresh' buns were warmed up to hide the stale. The live band was entertaining. I would never recommend the dinner cruise. read more

MS Dixie II - Eagle point - entrance to Emerald Bay - Boating Near Me - Zephyr Cove, Nevada

We had a great trip including dinner on board. Staff was great - from bus driver to those who served us and in the souvenir shop on board. It was great and highly recommend taking one of their trips! read more

MS Dixie II - View from cruise - Boating Near Me - Zephyr Cove, Nevada

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Nice cruise across Lake Tahoe to emerald bay. Cost of lunch was decent. Educational and relaxing.