Great cruise. Plenty of offerings for drink and food to keep you satisfied. Also a nice informative and relaxing cruise across lake Tahoe. All the decks, gift shop and bars were great. Totally worth the cost, read more

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Didn't do the dinner cruise, just the 2:30 afternoon cruise. I definitely recommend getting there early as the seats with decent views are in high demand (and you don't want to be like the obnoxious woman standing behind us who showed up 5 minutes before the boat took off and spent the next 45 minutes whining that she didn't get a good seat.) You do see some really lovely views of Emerald Bay, and if the other passengers are quiet enough for you to hear the narration you'll learn some fun facts about the area. I recommend wearing sunscreen and not sitting in one of the totally airless and outdated cabin areas for the best experience. read more

Great value! We took the dinner sunset cruise to Emerald Bay. It worked to our advantage to have the second dinner seating as it was a beautiful evening and we could enjoy 360 views from the upper deck. The drinks were good, the food was high quality. I recommend the salmon. Music was easy listening and not too loud. Service was great with friendly staff. Only thing to watch out for was that they did not announce the second seating so if you weren't paying attention, you could miss the dinner. read more

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

I reserved and paid for a 2:30pm boat cruise for me and my family on June 7, 2021. I received my electronic receipt and ticket in my email but when I went to pick up our boarding pass they said I don't have a reservation but everything is in my email and I showed it to them. They won't be able to let us board because they are full and at that moment there's 3 buses full of tourist that arrived and boarded the boat. That probably explains why our tickets were cancelled to accommodate those groups. They didn't even notified us that they cancelled our reservation so we can make some other plans for that day. We have to wait until 2:30pm to board the boat but it didn't happen so we lost a day of our precious vacation. Beware booking on line with MS Dixie II in Lake Tahoe because you might sacrifice your vacation just like what happened to me and my family. We drove all the way from LA to have fun in Lake Tahoe but that took everything away. read more

Although my girlfriends and I were a little bummed because the fourth of july dinner cruises were all booked, we still had a wonderful time on the day cruise. I was quite impressed with many things on the cruise. First off, the windows were pretty clean and so were the bathrooms, which were also plentiful. We were lucky enough to score seats near their mini cafe - where we ordered a clam chowder bread bowl, fish and chips, and a brownie. All were very yummy. We also ordered a couple of alcoholic beverages and although the cups were a bit small, the drinks were impressively strong. Our seats weren't near a window so towards the second half of the cruise we went on the top deck to the enjoy the stunning views of Emerald Bay - perfect for a photo op! Would I do it again? Most definitely! read more

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They canceled our cruise that we have had reserved for months. Not recommended. After reading other recent reviews I regret even trying to take this cruise. I will not be attempting this one again. read more

We loved the experience, however there were some things that prevented us from having the perfect evening. We arrived 30 minutes early. As explained on the website, parking is $8. The price seems absurd given that we've already shelled out the price of the cruise, however given that parking is limited and a free shuttle is offered, I can live with paying $8. The line to get on the boat was definitely slowed down with the guests being asked to stop to take a commemorative picture. (The photographers later track you down on the boat, to sell you the picture for $25+) Anyway, we get on the boat and were immediately greeted by some smiling faces and some glasses of champagne. (Awesome and super classy!) The smiling faces then stopped to ask if we were with a party that must've been aboard. We weren't and our cold glasses of champagne were then revoked. (insert sad Charlie Brown music) We were shown to our table, and happened to sit with some really great people. The food was great. Our server was attentive, and gave us the heads up that bread was running out and if we wanted more he'd run to go grab it. A bottle of wine was definitely the way to go, and seemed the most cost effective. (I believe we paid $22 for the bottle, and I think the bottle normally goes for $12 retail, which isn't a horrible markup) Having never been on a boat on Lake Tahoe, the views were breathtaking. Emerald Bay was beautiful. The water was perfect. The weather was just warm enough to be comfortable, and we saw an incredible sunset and an amazing moonrise! It was unfortunate that while my wife and I were having a magical time, it was interrupted with "SHE'S A BRICK... HOUSE!!!" We heard the music coming from a lower deck, and we mistook it for karaoke. We later went down to see where the music was coming from, and found that it was a guitarist and a drummer playing along with what sounded like a old-school casio keyboard. ( it was that type of digital music that was off-key enough that they didn't have to pay royalties, and something that you would've heard as a Nokia ringtone back in the early 2000's) We saw 4 or 5 people dancing to the music, so I feel safe assuming that the majority of the passengers were either indifferent or annoyed. We couldn't escape the music, and frankly it severely detracted from the experience. Imagine a world class view with a romantic vibe, and.... DOO DUH DI DIT DA DOO DOO... TEQUILLA!!! DOO DUH DI DIT DA DOO DOO. DOO DUH DI DIT DA DOO DOO. {breathtaking moonrise} DOO DUH DI DIT DA DOO DOO. I think a thoughtfully selected pandora station playing over some speakers would've created a more enjoyable experience for more of the passengers. We loved the experience and we may just be back for another cruise. Hopefully the management will make some adjustments and create something really special. read more

I'll humbly admit that taking the dinner cruise on the MS Dixie was MY idea, but the minute I stepped aboard my instincts told me to eat the $55 per person charge and get off the boat... Well, I ignored my instincts and proceeded to spend three hours in abject self loathing misery! The ship was decorated like a victorian trailer house, seriously it was like a cheap looking double-wide trailer, and that wasn't the worst of it... 99% of the people on the boat seemed to actually come from the local trailer park, from the 50 something year old lady wearing her hideously drab gray satin prom dress (yes it was full-length formal dress), to a skanky old woman in a glittering cocktail dress looking like a showgirl/street walker! But wait, it gets better! The onboard musical "entertainment" ended up being two men who, bless their hearts, tried to liven up the atmosphere. Unfortunately, neither of them could hold, much less carry a tune, and they sang throughout the entire evening!!! The whole experience was so utterly horrible that I kept trying to laugh it off as one of those "trainwreck" experiences that was going to be so funny to tell everyone about... I even tried having a few drinks, but I think being trapped in hell just doesn't have a funny side... I honestly and truly found myself wondering if I could swim back to shore, but then my good friend Bill talked me down from the ledge. The food was actually the high-point, I had the sirloin steak with peppercorn sauce and it was very good, and the service wasn't bad at all. If you are under 70, and you're not an alchoholic do NOT take the dinner cruise. Play it safe and take a nice DAY time ride around the lake, or find something better to do with your time, like yanking your fingernails out with pliers. read more

We had travelzoo vouchers for more than half off. What a great deal! Boarding was smooth, and the service was efficient. We opted not to get the expensive photo especially since I didn't look at great. But we did eat our lunch there. I ordered the tuna caprese salad that came out fast. We also had tomato soup that was very tasty and fresh. The salad was a pretty big portion, which surprised me. For sat, it wasn't too crowded. We boarded the 11 am boat and no issues with availability. The water was absolutely gorgeous blue with the color change to greenish hue when we went to the emerald bay. I have always wanted to look at the little island whenever we drove through emerald bay. This gave us a great route to viewing this island close up. The mansion on the shore also looked beautiful. The history lesson on the lake and the mansion was very nice. I would recommend this tour to anyone who is going to stop by the lake on a clear day. read more

I'm nearly an hour into this god forsaken cruise. Thinking about jumping off and swimming back to shore. Maybe the dinner cruise is nice, but the day cruise is crap. There seems to be one waitress for the entire main level, so it's impossible to order any food. She just keeps running past. So ya I'm hungry as hell. Luckily a couple of crying babies echoing their screams around the deck are a distraction from the hunger. Muffled deep below the child screams and all the crowd noise, a recorded tour voice is mumbling some sort of information about the lake through the old speaker system, but damned if I know what it's saying. ...I have managed to flee my station on the main deck in search of sustenance on other levels now. Crowded everywhere. Seemingly abandoned children (stowaway street urchins?) underfoot at every turn. Like Peter Pan's Lost Boys. Apparently parents let their kids roam free on this floating prison since they know there's no escape. No escape for me either. I did find the gift shop with food and drink options too, but turns out their card reader is broken, so it's cash only. Sadly i spent all my cash for the required $8 parking, which was also cash only. As if the cost of the cruise wasn't high enough. ...We're currently close to shore so if I'm gonna jump, now would be a good time. We've made it to Emerald Bay now and I think I've come to the conclusion that this is a psychological torture test. Basically you pay a bunch of money to ride in a hot floating box, and they make a bee-line straight to the other end of the lake to show you people having free fun and enjoying their personal space and freedom on the beach. ...Sooo close you can almost feel the sand under your toes. And of course you're on a paddle boat so you go past niiice and slow, prolonging your envy and torture. Then they haul you straight back to port where you deboard in much the same manner you boarded in: like cattle. The only thing saving this from a one star review is the fact that we haven't sunk or capsized (yet). There are too many other options for things to do in Tahoe to waste your money or time on this. Pick something else. read more

Had a great time & learned some interesting things about Emerald Bay. The bartender was friendly & personable. I liked the amount of restrooms provided on board. The food & service was great! If you haven't taken the scenic tour on the MS Dixie ll l highly recommend it next time your in Tahoe read more

The sunset cruise on the M.S. Dixie is a great way to see Lake Tahoe. Parking at Zephyr Cove is complimentary if you're riding on the paddlesteamer. There is adequate seating inside and outside on the ship though the temperature can drop quickly as it gets darker. Sailing time is adjusted so that you can still get a view of Emerald Bay on the opposite side of the lake once you've sailed across Lake Tahoe to enter it. The setting sun makes for some amazing pictures and views. When I did the sunset cruise, we had a 3 course sit down dinner, which impressively included steak, which was cooked to each guest's individual request. The latest information on their website says that it's now a buffet style meal. However, the food was of good quality. There's a live band and dance floor and it's great to be able to dance the night away before coming back to land at Zephyr Cove. There's the obligatory photographer who takes pictures of everyone but he did such a good job that most people purchased their pictures. Great way to view the lake. Ever better if you have someone to share it with. read more

I planned this trip for my boyfriend's birthday. Our tickets said to go to the Hard Rock Casino Valet to get picked up. We paid $35 to park and there were no signs or directions on where to go meet at valet. We go inside the casino and no one was at the bell desk, we stopped security and asked them if they knew anything about this. They said a brown bus will pull up here and pick us up and to just wait outside. My boyfriend and I waited and waited. No one showed up. We didn't want to miss our cruise so we decided to drive to the pier ourselves. The traffic was held because President Biden was passing through. We finally get to the pier and no one was at the parking booth to purchase a parking ticket so we risked getting our truck towed to not miss this! As we were running down the dock the crew members were raising the stairs and left us. This ruined my entire night. I have been trying to contact this company to get a refund considering how unorganized this event was. I've been trying to contact them since the 19th. I've called and left messages, I have emailed and I have submitted an online request with ZERO response. I will never recommend this cruise to family or friends. Horrible experience. As of today still no response about this situation. read more

I got a good deal for the sunset dinner cruise from living social. I believe it was $80 for a couple. It was in October when it started getting really cold so we dressed warm. We were only outside for a couple minutes to see the sunset since it was so cold. They have a bar where you can order drinks at and there is live music. Some people got up and danced to the music. For dinner they had the option of chicken, salmon, or steak. We got the steak dinner and it was cooked perfectly. Flavorful and juicy. We definitely thought it was worth the price. We also met a cool couple form Texas and sat with them so that made our cruise more enjoyable. I would recommend this cruise if you want to see a nice sunset in Tahoe while enjoying some food. read more

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

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I have mixed emotions about our experience. First off it was our honeymoon so we made the best if it regardless of the bad. First thing the dress code, we called and were told casual meaning, slacks and sport coats , when we arrived there were ratty looking people there. I mean dirty people if I'm paying $200 for a dinner cruise I expect to be around people who care. The dress code was not enforced at all, made me kinda mad I could have worn something a bit more comfortable but like I said I was on my honeymoon. The food....... I was sad to see the salad was looking sad with only one choose of dressing balsamic. The main course we got was stake and salmon. Stake way over cooked and salmon way over cooked. For the price of dinner no drinks came with it except the "free" Champaign while getting on the boat that I could not have because I'm pregnant. So drink all cost extra and the food was meh. Dancing was non existent the band didn't play the correct kind of music. So over all for the price .... it was not worth it the only thing that made it worth being there was my husband and the nice couples we sat near. My advice save the 200 bucks and go somewhere else and have a better meal. M.S. dixie offers boat rides take that if u really must get on that boat. read more

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Tahoe Queen vs. the M.S. Dixie? The competition isn't as hot as it used to be when the boats were under separate ownership, but that's a non-issue for you if your only concern is enjoying a boat cruise on Lake Tahoe. There are some smaller differences as noted by a previous reviewer, but I'll admit that those details eluded me on previous trips with visiting family members. Having never been a fan of the rubber chicken that is so often catered on dinner cruises, I was pleasantly surprised on a recent dinner cruise on the Queen. Aramark has changed its menu, and is now focusing on what they term as 'sustainable' cuisine. Whether it's marketing or genuine, it works. Our buffet consisted of 'grass fed' prime rib and 'free range' turkey among other dishes, and it was all surprisingly tasty. And the bar, unlike previous evening cruises, had a decent selection of wines and beers, not just your standard merlot, chardonnay and white zin. I may be a cynical local, but I must admit that enjoying the summer sunset on the Tahoe Queen in the middle of Lake Tahoe with a glass of wine in hand as I hold my sweetie's hand is a very nice thing. I highly recommend it. The four star rating is primarily because there are still some rough edges here...cheesy piped in soft rock/smoove jazz kind of detracts from the majestic natural beauty, and I hear that the live musician (who was not on our boat) is even cheesier. read more

I definitely recommend this cruise if you're in the area and want something fun to do. We scheduled this cruise beforehand and loved it! The sights are absolutely breathtaking and we LOVED having a recording come over the loud speaker from time to time giving very interesting information about Lake Tahoe and Emerald Bay. They have food and drink service too which is perfect since the cruise is 2 hours long. We didn't try the food but ordered drinks and they were at a very reasonable price. The bathrooms were nice and there were plenty to go around which was nice having no wait time. The only downside was the cost. $45 per ticket is A LOT! read more

Fun time on a old boat...that pretty much sums up my experience on the MS Dixie II. My girlfriend and I wanted to get out on the Tahoe waters and the MS Dixie worked well for us. The price of $35 each (with coupon or AAA) was fair. Probably wouldn't have paid more for it, but that price point was good. They take you across the lake and back from Zephyr Cove to Emerald Bay. Nice slow ride that you can take in the sites from. We had a good time on the MS Dixie II. read more

This is a 2 hour boat tour from South Lake Tahoe to Emerald Bay. The trip is ok with the mountains in the background but the novelty wears off quite quickly. The swing around Emerald Bay is pretty but that is about it. $50 per person plus $8 for parking is a bit excessive. read more

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

Had a great dinner cruise on our most recent Tahoe trip. We booked online and booked a free shuttle pick up/drop off so we didn't have to pay the $8 parking charge. It'd be helpful if the website had a map of their shuttle stop locations, though it wasn't too hard to map them out myself to find the one nearest our hotel. The driver was great and gave us a brief history of the areas we drove through, and was nice enough to drop us off at a different location from our pickup (we wanted to play a bit at the casinos before heading back). We were greeted on board with a flute of champagne each, and got in plenty of pictures all around the top deck. Dinner was as to be expected on a boat - we both ordered medium rare steaks, both of which came out closer to medium well. I asked for extra veggies instead of potatoes, which came out great. The dessert wasn't anything to write home about (I saw one party asked for just a plate of raspberries instead of cake; I wish I'd done the same). At the end of the meal, each party was delivered a bill, simply stamped "gratuity not included." It seemed extremely tacky - just up the cost and include gratuity. If you're expecting a good meal, take the afternoon cruise and use the extra $30/person for a much better meal elsewhere. At the tail end of dinner we got a nice little history of Fannette Island and Vikingsholm, then a sax & drum duet started up in the lounge. It made for a great romantic cruise back to the dock in the dark (the sun had set around the time dessert was served). I don't think we'll do it again, but I definitely recommend tourists to do it once. read more

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

We went out for daytime cruise and had a pleasant experience. It was an easy checkin. Luckily, Parking was free. 2hr ride is really nice and food in the main cabin is decent. We've enjoyed the ride into the mountains and its very windy near the island read more

Booked this cruise for our anniversary because this time of year there is not a whole lot to do. The cruise it self was great. I would of given 5 stars if it wasn't for the rude young lady in the gift shop. I believe she is also one of the people who snap your photo at the beginning. Went to purchase a bottle of water and went up to the counter to pay for it. She says "it's not the counter but that counter" as she points her finger in that direction. No hello or smile. Went to other counter and no one was there. Had to ask for someone. When I saw here later trying to sell the photos she was not very friendly or approachable. If I ever come to Tahoe again I'll make sure to book a different cruise ahead of time. read more

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

For $37.00 you can see some of the most beautiful views of Lake Tahoe. Not only is this better than driving around the lake;( traffic, road construction, and bad views of the lake, saving gas money!), but you can relax the entire time and soak in all the views. The cruise departs from Zepher Cove and travels across the lake to Emerald Bay. ( yes the water is Emerald colored there). Along the ride there id a cometary about history of the lake and surrounding areas. ( A little too much for me hence the 4 starts not 5) There are many seats on the boat, but I suggest getting there a little early if you want the best views. You can also walk around during the cruise. We went last Monday June 25th, the day couldn't have been better. A light breeze and sunshine the whole day. Tahoe is perfect this time of year, take it from someone who grew up there. My BF and I took his mother and grandmother whom both love anything to do with being on the water. They loved it, And were amazed by the views. If you have never been to Tahoe this is the way to see it all. There is also a more expensive dinner cruise you can go on at 5:30. I opt not to do that and go on the 2:30 cruise, all last 2 1/2 hours. Bring your camera for some great pics!! They also sell drinks if you are interested. read more

Food and service was very good. The Dinner sunset cruise starts at 530pm and the sunset is over. The views are at night in winter. If you're looking for views of the lake I recommend going for the lunch cruise. The band the bar and the music was all a lot of fun and worth it for a nice dinner out on the lake. read more

This cruise was very enjoyable. It was a slow, easy ride. The tour guide had mentioned that we could bring food from the nearby restaurants onboard to eat instead of eating at the restaurant onboard. When we went on board with the food, the entry person wanted to know whether we had purchased it at the local restaurant or not before he would let us take it with us. If I come around here again, I think I will try out the onboard restaurant instead of taking along food. It was so relaxing to just look at the green trees, the different shades of the water, and enjoy the breeze. I could easily feel like I was far away from civilization and just taking a lazy boat ride down the Mississippi. We went around July 4th, so the panoramic view was amazing. I ran up and down all the levels of the boat and just thoroughly enjoyed myself. We bought some juice and soda at the bartender and I would say he was rather cheap with the drinks. He filled the cups with ice and didn't even fill the juice to the top. read more

If you want to splurge then I'd recommend this dinner cruise! It has a lovely 3 course dinner with non alcoholic drinks included. There is a bar on each deck (total of 3). There is a first dinner on the way to emerald bay and a second dinner on the way back- we took the second dinner which was far less crowded and enjoyed the sunset while eating our delicious dinner, drinking good wine, and enjoying the company we sat down with. Each table fits about 6 so they double or triple you up with others depending on how big your party is. We went to emerald bay and got to view the Vikingsholm castle from fairly close. There is a narrator at certain points that tell you about what you're seeing. The bit about the castle was exactly what we read on the internet but the bits about how deep the lake is were interesting. I can't believe how close this big boat could get to the shorelines! The water is clear and the beautiful July weather made for a comfortable trip. Not cold, (actually a bit hot) but expect a breeze. All in all, we are glad we splurged. Other than the screaming kids, it was quite a romantic cruise if you cuddle up and enjoy the views! Definitely recommend it! read more

MS Dixie II - The back of the paddleboat (while docked) - Boating Near Me - Zephyr Cove, Nevada

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This is a bucket list must-do when in South Lake Tahoe! Do not miss it! The views are spectacular. The cruise, not so much, it is average. But is well worth the views! read more

I'M ENGAGED! I'M ENGAGED! My boyfriend surprised me with the dinner cruise on Friday night. I got all dressed up, not knowing what to expect. I was really excited. The bus picked us up from Harveys hotel and casino. Once we got the the boat, Don paid for our tickets, we took photos with the little decoration life preserver thing on the slip. The walk down to the boat was a little nerve wracking because its a wood planked slip. I was too busy looking down to not get a heel stuck in a crack, that I missed the view walking to the boat. We were greeted by the ship captain on the way on and then the ticket collector guy when we boarded the ship. We walked up the stairs to the second floor and got seats on the bow of the ship as we set off. Lots of cuddles and kisses as it was really cold. We went inside to enjoy a few drinks and the really great band on the second deck. It was great! Dinner was nice, we had a lovely bottle of wine. Don got the steak and I got the spinach ravioli. At the end of the night, Don had made arrangements with the band guy and he played Unchained Melody as Don proposed to me. After, we slow danced and a ton of the people in the dancing hall room/bar cheered when the band guy announced that I had gotten a ring. It was a fabulous and exciting evening that I will remember forever! read more

My husband and I just went on our long anticipated Sunset Dinner cruise on the M.S. Dixie II Paddlewheeler in South Lake Tahoe. With AAA discount our tickets were $60.00 a piece, this price was not bad considering that this special evening was in celebration of our third anniversary, and the fact that the cruise actually last around 4 hours, rather than the three hours described on the web site. First, let me start by saying the views are awe-inspiring, and worthy of your best photographic efforts. My favorite place on the boat was the outdoor upper deck, which includes a small bar for cocktails. A bit of advice to the ladies, I wanted to wear a sexy little dress for our romantic time aboard the boat, but in hindsight, I am glad I opted for white jeans and a top with a lightweight sweater. Even in July, it gets freakin' cold aboard the upper deck. So, bring a jacket or sweater!! Once you get to the Emerald Bay portion of the cruise, there is a brief recording which describes the geograhy, wildlife, and history of the area. I found this very informative, but much too short on facts. I would have loved around 30 minutes on the background of the area. The food was good, but not AMAZING. I order the Macadamia nut encrusted mahi mahi, which was not rolled in chunky bits of nut, but rather a bland sawdust particle sized nut crust that was moist. The fish was fresh, however. My meal came with a shrimp cocktail consisting of three medium sized shrimp-I expected around six pieces. This was followed by salad and bread. The bread was garlic-style-the kind you get pre-made at the grocery store. After the main course, everyone was given one standard dessert, the equivalent of a Mrs. Smith frozen chocolate pie. Though unspectacular, it tasted pretty damn good to me, a person who has been dieting for some time now. In retrospect, I strongly suggesting ordering the steak. My husband did, and he was quite pleased with it. I looked enviously at his meal, as I ate mine, wishing I had the yummy mashed potatoes that accompanied his steak. The steak is by the way, is the most popular dish on the M.S. Dixie II. After dinner, and some time on the upper deck, we enjoyed some live entertainment by a local South Lake Tahoe duo known as The Safaris. They were really good. Most people really seemed to get down to his classic rock renditions on the postage-stamped -sized dance floor. Thankfully, I spared everyone my "Elaine form Seinfeld" funky moves. Overall, I would recommend doing this once. For me personally, I would not make it an annual tradition. I rather rent some paddleboats, and take a picnic to the beach at Zephyr Cove. Oh, and beware of unexpected costs: parking is $8.00, drinks with alcohol are not included with price of your meal, and neither is your gratuity. Even the souvenir photo is $22.00!! Splurge so you can experience being on the lake once, but save your money for other activities on your next trip to South Lake tahoe. read more

Subpar experience. Been on a lot of day cruises. Lake Tahoe is one of the most beautiful places to be at. But this cruise was not worth the money. You do get a three course meal. But you might have to sit with random families or couples. The salad is a small salad with cherry tomatoes and one piece of mozzarella cheese. Your plate comes with about 4 different selections which sound fancy and nice on the menu but tastes like it should be a $10 meal instead of $80. I had ordered the salmon for myself. The quinoa rice was good but they gave me very little. The salmon itself was dry and didn't taste like anything special or unique. My family also ordered the chicken which came with rather long broccoli, maybe Chinese broccoli? Broccoli was undercooked. Chicken was a super small piece and again, under marinated. We also had the steak. Medium rare but did not look or taste like it. It was cooked too much for my preferred request. The side of potatoes was dry and the cheese on it looked very unappetizing. So you pay about $80 per person but did you know that drinks aren't included? Yikes. We all thought it was only to find that our check proved us that it wasn't. Thanks for the free champagne on the walk in but I think I'd rather enjoy a free Sierra Mist in the long run. Dessert is a cheesecake. The cruise is 3hours long. They provide 3 floors of the ship. Top floor is the overlook and bar, second is where the "dancing" happens and first is your dinner. The dance floor is extremely small. One couple or two can dance. Bring your kids if you please but they will get bored after half an hour. There's not much for kids.. Adults can enjoy and appreciate it a little more. Bring a jacket and maybe sunglasses if you go past 4pm. It gets cold even if it's 90 degrees on land. read more

We booked this sunset dinner cruise through a third party site called vacations made easy they advertise it as a five-star dinner cruise in an immaculate dining area.. it was anything but.. when we arrive the immediately seated us along with two other couples at a small 4-person table shoulder to shoulder back to back barely any room to even sit, let alone eat this supposed five-star dinner.. to be clear that's six grown adults at a 4-person table, 200+++ people crammed like sardines in one area.. this was our wedding dinner so to say the least we decided to leave before the ship left the dock.. they refused to give us a refund.. read more

PROS: - Lake Tahoe is STUNNING and seeing it from this boat was very lovely. - Seeing Emerald Bay and Vikingsholm from the boat totally made the trip. If it weren't for this cruise, we wouldn't have gotten to see them at all. - Food options - We didn't partake because I thought it would be all garbage but it actually looked pretty good and was served quickly. CONS: - Expensive. Way pricier than it should be. - I wish this tour was completely narrated and not by the captain. The information the captain gave was ok, kind of meandering at the beginning. He only got in to the history information of Lake Tahoe briefly at the beginning and briefly at the end of the cruise. There should be headsets or something self guided for the history nerds to partake (and to drown out the kids on the boat). - Kinda boring. The boat ride is long (2 hours, 15 minutes) and the views don't change much. I enjoyed it and all but after 30 minutes I was feeling bored. As I mentioned above, if passengers were engaged more I don't think that would be the case. - Booking through Viator website. The dates were inconsistent when I went to book. When I finally did book I got an email a week or so later moving the cruise time up by an hour. Just really strange. - Glassbottom boat area was a super let down. It was like looking through a frosted piece of glass. - Outdoor conditions. I know I shouldn't complain about this because it's beyond anyone's control but I couldn't believe how ferociously windy and freezing it was out of the lake when it was a beautiful 70 degree day. Like I said, the kids inside were obnoxious and I really just wanted to be outside, but the conditions were prohibitive and we spent 80% of the ride inside. What a bummer. read more

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This boat ride was overly priced at $38, but provided a nice scenic view of Emerald Bay and Lake Tahoe. We went when it was overcast, so please try to go during sunny weather for the best views. Nice, calm waters and a very smooth boat ride. The commentary on the ship was boring for me, and I actually stopped paying attention to it, and only picked up bits and pieces along the way. I am not sure how they could make it more interesting, but maybe if you like US history you would like the commentary. There was food and drinks for sale on this 2-hour ride, as well as a photo that they take of you when you embark the boat ($22 if you want to buy). I'm glad I took the boat ride, as Emerald Bay is spectacular. I might wait a few years before taking it again, as it was a slow and expensive ride. read more

My family and I took this historic Lake Tahoe and Emerald Bay cruise last weekend. The weather was freezing and windy, but at least it was not raining or snowing. The lake cruise was nice and smooth. The ground and trees were covered in snow and with the view of Lake Tahoe and Emerald Bay, it was such a beautiful wintery scene. We ate lunch on the MS Dixie II, and we had the clam chowder in a bread bowl and the appetizer sampler of chicken tenders, fried zucchini and french fries. The food was hot, fresh and very delicious. We learned a lot about the geography of Lake Tahoe, and the history of Emerald Bay, Fannette Island and Vikingsholm Castle. The staff was very friendly. We really enjoyed our tour of Lake Tahoe and Emerald Bay. We definitely recommend this tour! read more

The manfolk booked this after talking to a co-worker. I had been on a dinner cruise before in Hawaii and I enjoyed it. This dinner cruise was much better! Beautiful scenery, excellent service, stiff drinks, and the food was surprisingly good. Totally loved the trip around Emerald Bay. We will do this again on our next visit. Well worth the money! read more

On a nice sunny morning it's pretty tough to beat a pleasure cruise to emerald bay with a rum runner or two.

Joined the evening dinner cruise across the lake. The cruise wasnt all that amazing. Some nice views, but nothing I wouldnt have gotten from somewhere on shore. The saddest thing was that we saw Emerald Bay in the dark. They shined their high powered lights on the island, but in retrospect, I would have preferred to circle the bay in daylight. Food was great though. I was really impressed and satisfied. I was so happy to not be met by the "institutional food" that I was expecting. The music was enjoyable. Lots of middle aged couples getting down to some classic songs. read more

We went with a group of about twenty people. The Dixie sent a bus to pick us up which worked out great. You should be aware that there is limited parking at the pier so if you can, you should have them pick you up. Dinner seating is nice - if somewhat crowded. The staff was well organized to bring drinks, salads and take orders. There is a choice of four entrees. I had the steak which was well seasoned and very tasty. Of course, I ordered medium-rare and ended up with a steak cooked medium. No mater, I am accustomed to this and it was still a good steak. My wife had the salmon and it appeared to have been nicely prepared. A glass of sparking wine and tea are included. Additional drinks are extra, which is fine but at the end of the meal we had difficulty getting our bill for the drinks. If we had walked the check they never would have noticed. Meals are apparently served in two shifts. While the first group dines the second group is out on the upper levels and gets a tour of the lake. The noise level in the dining room is too high to here the narration. At the end of the first meal shift we were at the Vikingsholm lodge (a magnificent Scandinavian home on the lake). By this time it is getting dark as the boat circles the cove and gives a historical narration. At this point the second dinner seating starts and the boat heads slowly back to the pier and a live band entertains the first group. Recommendation: If you want to hear the narration about the lake and see the sites from the upper decks while it is daylight take the second seating and not the first. read more

Breathtaking Views, great captain (the ride was very smooth even on choppy water), and all around comfortable tour of Lake Tahoe & Emerald Bay. Everything is amazing except the price. $50/person is a bit steep when you have 6 folks going for a quick little hop across the lake and back. Still, I'm glad we did it. read more

We went on the Monday after Thanksgiving and we were so glad we made this a part of our trip! Spectacular views with great food. We had the fish and chips. read more

MS Dixie II - Spectacular views! - Boating Near Me - Zephyr Cove, Nevada