I booked a happy hour cruise for myself and a few friends because we had a guest coming into town…read moreand wanted to do something fun for a birthday. To our surprise, the cruise scheduled for September 19 was abruptly canceled with no explanation. This was supposed to be our first time on the Benjamin Franklin Yacht, and based on this experience, I don't think we'll be trying again. What made the situation worse was the lack of communication. We were never given a reason for the cancellation, and the email we received stated we wouldn't get a refund for 30 days--which is extremely unreasonable given that the cancellation was on the company's end, not ours. Refunds should be processed immediately in cases like this. To add to the confusion, when we called the office, we were told the yacht was still available to charter privately on the exact same date. That makes absolutely no sense. Why cancel the cruise but still offer the boat for private events? All in all, it was a frustrating and disappointing experience. We were left scrambling for plans with a guest in town, and the lack of transparency and poor customer service make it hard to recommend this company to anyone

Absolutely phenomenal evening on the yacht this past summer! My amazing realtor does a client…read moreappreciation party every year, usually at a local bar. Last year, he was approached by the yacht about hosting the party on the boat for 2025. I legit have messages from my realtor a year ago being like OMG THE BEN FRANKLIN YACHT WANTS ME TO THROW MY PARTY THERE! Of course, he made it happen. Honestly one of the funnest best nights in recent memory. The owner and staff were absolutely fantastic through the event! The food was good - not amazing, but solid for a party on the water. We filled all 3 decks, there was a dj and dancing and nonstop fun! We had amazing skyline views during our stroll along the water. I definitely want to do one of the public cruises in the future because I had so much fun on this one!

Disappointed and Frustrated with Booking Experience…read more I was really looking forward to celebrating my 21st wedding anniversary with a romantic sunset cruise and was excited to see that Sea Philly had availability on the actual day. I booked through their online system and paid in full -- the money was taken from my account immediately. Unfortunately, I received a phone call shortly after telling me that the date I had booked wasn't actually available, and that the company managing Sea Philly's bookings "messes up all the time." While I understand that mistakes happen, what followed was even more disappointing. I was told a refund had been issued, but five days later, I still hadn't received anything. When I reached out again, I was told by the owner, Georgette Luna, that the refund was now "out of their control" and being processed by the bank. What was supposed to be a special and romantic experience turned into a stressful and frustrating one. I hope others have a smoother experience, but I felt it was important to share what happened. Proceed with caution if you're booking through their current system.

WOW! If you are contemplating this tour while reading this review - think no further! Pull the…read moretrigger, click the purchase button, and get your behind on the boat. Every aspect of this tour is unforgettable. From the couple who owns the business, to the boat, to the charcuterie, to the actual river itself. Of course - this is very much weather dependent, but we were blessed with a gorgeous evening and sunset. It was a very informative trip - learning a lot about Philly and the Delaware River. We headed out to Petty Island, which is where we anchored up and watched the sun set over the city. I won't spoil the story of the boat itself, but it truly is one of a kind. Beautiful, wood, old-school/Italian style cruiser. It was very comfortable with plenty of space. I felt safe the entire time. Also a nice feature is that it is BYO. This really is such a unique experience to have in the city, and I can't speak highly enough about it.

I came aboard the Spirit of Philadelphia for our end-of-year fellows formal, and overall it was a…read morereally fun experience. Between the views, the food, and the atmosphere, it made for a memorable evening on the water. The staff were wonderful throughout the night. Everyone was friendly and accommodating, and the bartender was especially personable. One of my favorite moments was awkwardly pulling out my Tupperware container to take home leftovers. Instead of looking at me funny, the staff actually encouraged it and mentioned that there's often extra food that would otherwise go uneaten. As someone who hates wasting food, I appreciated that a lot. The food was surprisingly good. We had jerk chicken, sliced brisket, and salmon, and all three proteins were generously portioned and flavorful. The jerk chicken had a nice balance of savory spices with just a little heat, the brisket was tender and smoky, and the salmon was moist and well prepared. The salads were fresh as well, especially the chickpea and tomato salad, which had a bright, refreshing flavor that paired nicely with the richer entrées. My favorite side dish was definitely the elote. It was creamy, slightly tangy, and packed with sweet corn flavor. Every bite had that combination of richness and freshness that makes you keep going back for more. The views were fantastic. Cruising along the river gives you a unique perspective of both Philadelphia and New Jersey, especially as the sun starts to go down. The top deck was my favorite area. There were lawn games like cornhole and Connect Four set up, which gave people something fun to do between eating, dancing, and taking photos. The only reason I'm giving four stars instead of five is the condition of the restrooms. Several were noticeably dirty, some toilets struggled to flush properly, and a few stall doors wouldn't latch. Since most people aren't spending a huge amount of time in the bathrooms during a dinner cruise, it wasn't a trip-ruining issue, but it was definitely the weakest part of the experience. Other than that, I had a great time. Good food, great staff, beautiful views, and a fun atmosphere. If you're looking for something a little different for a celebration or group event, it's definitely worth trying at least once. The scenery alone makes it feel like more than just dinner.

4th of July Spectacular with City Cruises City Experiences Dinner Cruise…read more. You rocked it! It was mom's big birthday. You took care of every detail she had a blast. She kept thanking us all the way home. We had the best time. Your captain and crew made this trip exceptional. No one knew there was a storm with such a smooth sail. Nothing but fun. The ship was parked perfectly and adjusted at all times to see the fireworks which could not have been better! The food had something for everyone, my salmon was cooked perfectly and boy did everyone dance. The timing and safety of how this ship was managed and its crew due to the storm makes city cruises exceptional to have a great time and know you have the safest crew. A shout out starting with the photographer who took pictures where everyone looked good no small feat and in 105 heat. Our server and bartender could not have worked harder. They were friendly and enthusiastic from beginning to the end. Lastly getting guests off the ship in the rain was handled with tremendous care. My mom and others with challenges were treated with kid gloves. Thank you city cruises. This might have to be an annual event.

Absolutely amazing time. Captain Brent was great. My wife and I celebrated anniversary with river…read morecruise. Amazing and new way to see the city we've lived in for years. So cool. The boat was brand new. Will be back with more friends for sure.

From the owner: See the city like never before on a BYOB cruise in a brand new luxury pontoon boat! read more

I did the 10:30 AM Independence Mall Tour Philly Tour with them on a Monday in late June 2022. I…read morewalked to the Betsy Ross House, the meeting place, from the place I was staying. If you need to use the restroom before the Tour, use the one in the Betsy Ross House because the one in the Starbucks across the street didn't have any toilet paper. We had a very big group but Toni kept us all together. She is such a gem - a much better storyteller than the Tour guide from the Independence Hall. This tour with Toni made up for the anticlimactic one from the Independence Hall. She was very thoughtful and made sure we always stopped in the shade since it was a very hot day. Her stories were entertaining and engaging. I loved all the historical snippets she'd give us about the timeperiod of the founding fathers. We got so lucky because Benjamin Franklin's printing press was finally opened after a 10-year closure. Such a great addition to The Tour. You donate whatever you want at the end and I would highly recommend it if you're in Philly.

Was running late as our train into Philly was delayed about 10 minutes. We met Glenn and were lucky…read moreenough to have a private tour as nobody else showed up. We started at the Betsy Ross house where we stayed outside for about 15 minutes. We went to elfreth's alley where we spent close to 30 minutes learning about the Trinity style architecture and lots more. We walked to the courtyard of the Ben Franklin museum. He also gave us the lowdown on where to go for the best cheesesteaks. It's pay what you wish and overall gives a great introduction to the city.

I don't understand what's up with this business. No reviews…read moremade in 10 years. I've called multiple times and left messages and no one returns a phone call. (I just wanted to ask some questions before booking.) But their website has a schedule of tours, with some available and others as 'sold out'. And it's the only Philly kayaking tour I can find.

Took a kayak tour of the Schuylkill River with Hidden River Outfitters yesterday and it was a very…read morecool experience! Having run along the river thousands of times, the chance to see the city and the Schuylkill Banks from the actual river was really great. Jason led our tour- which departed from Walnut Street along the Schuylkill Banks and took us up to the Fairmount Waterworks (and back). We were provided with really nice kayaks, life vests and fascinating tidbits from Jason as he pointed out various points of interest along the way. Jason was really professional and provided a very helpful overview of kayaking to our group (which was comprised of first time AND experienced kayakers). Whether you're a visitor or a local who has seen the river a million times, I definitely recommend experiencing a kayak tour of the Hidden River!