I have had numerous trips on boats that offer the best tours of Chicago along the River & Lake through the years and I will say, no one does a better job than Seadog Cruises. They are great at providing a fun environment that engages and educates patrons while providing the BEST views of Chicago. Worth every dime spent. What a great experience! read more

Billy was an awesome tour guide! We had an amazing time! Learned a lot due to his knowledge of the city. Recommending to all of our friends- well worth it!!!! Actually, the best part of our trip! Thanks Billy! read more

This cruise is fantastic!! Worth every dollar. Our crew: Kale, swig, and red beard were excellent: friendly, enthusiastic and funny, thank you!! read more

Bowow wow the dog was set loose to sail with are man Charlie the MC on the Chicago Architectural tour. Just do it folks read more

Seadog Cruises - Boat Charters Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I have done the Seadog cruises on several occasions now (probably 5 or 6 times total) and every single time they don't disappoint. Our last visit was on 9/16 and we did the 3:15 architectural tour, with Tela (sp?) as our guide. Not only was she incredibly knowledgeable, but she presented the information in a way that was entertaining and kept everybody engaged. On one of my other Seadog trips a few years back, the guide said they have to come up with their own presentations, so the quality just shows how dedicated the employees are to making the experience great for everyone on board. I love the Seadog team!! read more

The 75 minute River + Lake Michigan Trip is excellent. Make sure to ask for Tour Guide Tila, she is extremely knowledgeable and entertaining. read more

I purchased Groupon tickets for the extreme thrill ride. The ride was fun however it was slightly chilly on the day I went. The captain said that because of the weather, we were not going to be enjoying the same ride he would normally provide when the weather is warmer. So in that aspect I feel like my experience was not the same as everyone elses. The rides for that day should have either stayed the same or have been cancelled. I paid for a certain ride experience but I was not provided with that experience because the captain and crew didn't want to get wet. Otherwise, the crew was very friendly. I just wish I would've gotten the experience I was expecting. read more

I took the 75min tour tonight. Our captain Jaime took us on a beautiful ride down the river and on Lake Michigan. The tour started off comfortable, but the temperature dropped and it got chilly! Bring a jacket if you are going later in the evening. Kevin, our guide, offered me the jacket off his back. I must have looked cold, but it was such a nice gesture! Much appreciated. :) This is a must do if you are visiting Chicago. Perfect way to see all the beautiful architecture of our city. read more

I went to the faster boat ride with my mom and we had a blast. On the ride they had music playing and our host was amazing. We 100% recommend you get Kellen and Captain Swag. We had a really lively experience with everyone on board. If you don't want to get too wet you can sit in the front, but you'll still get pretty wet. I would totally recommend this place to anyone due to the amazing experience I had there. read more

The 30 minute extreme cruise was a blast. We hadn't planned on taking the cruise, but were able to get tickets for the next cruise (which was taking place the next hour). The tour guide, Ben, was funny & his Irish accent was so charming. While the cruise is short, it is a lot of fun. It offers great views of Chicago. You are going to get wet, especially if you sit in the back. I wasn't prepared to ruin my hair for the day, but it was so worth it. I'm so glad I took the cruise. On my next trip, I'll definitely either do the extreme cruise again, or take the longer architecture cruise. read more

Three of us went on the architectural tour. My mom was in a wheelchair but can walk with a cane. They will hold the wheelchair for you while you're on tour and they were helpful to assist my mom on and off the boat. No steps, just a ramp, and was easy! The tour was tons of fun and we learned some cool facts. Jake, from State Farm, was our tour guide and he was hilarious and knowledgeable. At the end, you get a fun little speedboat ride and the crew will walk through and take your groups photo if you'd like. This was a neat way to see a different view of the city! read more

Had a tight schedule in Illinois but I really wanted to see the buildings up close. The architectural tour by Seadog was a nice and fun way to have a quick ocular view of the landmarks from a unique perspective. Grant and Catlin were very fun and informative and answered any questions the group may have had. Bring your jackets though, it can get cold! read more

Seadog Cruises - View from the tour - Boat Charters Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Bought a Groupon and went on the Architectural Tour with two of my friends. The weekend was booked up, so we took the 9:15PM on Friday night, and that was a fantastic decision. It was chilly, but the views of the city from the lake and the river while the sun is going down are spectacular. I've lived in Chicago for several years, but still feel I saw a new side of the city and learned a lot about the various buildings along the tour. The tour was just the right length and all of the staff was fantastic despite it being a cold evening and it being the last tour of the day. Seats and sound were both perfect, and while the reservation process was a bit difficult, the staff was very friendly and helpful. Even if you've lived in Chicago for a while or visited before, be sure to take a river/skyline tour, and Seadog Cruises is as good as it gets. read more

Took 4 kids ages 9-15 and we had a blast! We went on the Extreme Adventure Cruise. The crew was great. We got our tickets on Groupon which made it more affordable for a group. We sat in different spots on the boat and we all got soaked - so get the poncho if you don't want wet clothes. And make sure you put your phone away - there is time for picture taking but most of the time you are holding onto your seat. They have other cruise options but we all loved this. It was something new to try and would do it again! read more

Seadog Cruises - View of Chicago from the boat - Boat Charters Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Took a chance on the Extreme Speed Boat yesterday with my daughter and 9 year old granddaughter. OMG!! So much fun! We all loved it!!! Like an "E" ticket ride at Disneyland in the old days! But.... Beware... They tell you that you will get wet and they mean it! We were all soaked!!! I'd wear a bathing suit and flip flops next time. Employees were all fabulous and funny. Very well managed. We will definitely go again. From So Cal read more

Not a water person but this extreme thrill ride was awesome. From the tour guy being pretty funny in the beginning and 3-1 minute breaks to the captain making as many twists and turns to make you think you were drifting on top of the water to the music they were playing and the great scenery of seeing the skyline from the Lake Michigan angle. Got 2 tickets for $34 and they were worth every penny. Got out of the ride pretty wet. Definitely would recommend to anyone. Where is my life vest lol read more

Seadog Cruises - Great view of the skyline - Boat Charters Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My boyfriend and I took the 7:15pm boat and we absolutely recommend taking a night cruise to see the city lit up. The Seadog boat first takes you out for a "speed boat ride" (it only goes 35mph). It was awesome to see the city skyline a bit further out. Then, we were taken through the city on the Chicago River. Our tour guide, Charlie, was so awesome. He was personable, entertaining, and incredibly knowledgable about the city of Chicago. He really made our experience outstanding. We also loved Captain Tim, he did a wonderful job. I would highly recommend this tour during your visit to Chicago. read more

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Very organized. You'll learn a lot about the city of Chicago. It was very choppy so we did not go into Lake Michigan but the river portion was very enjoyable. Definitely recommend it. Anna was our guide who had really good jokes. read more

What a perfect way to spend one of the last warm Fridays of the season. From start to finish our experience was perfect, but I should have figured it would be when I found out Seadog offers a discount if you BRING YOUR DOG! How cool is that? I can't think of many businesses that tolerate dogs, much less encourage them. Our German Shepherd loved his first time on the Seadog almost as much as we did--I only wish he could have understood our fantastic tour guide, Billy, because the hilarious and insightful commentary he provided really put the whole experience over the top. Thanks, Billy & crew! Y'all are responsible for one of the best days of our whole summer. read more

Sea Dog Architecture Cruise was great. Maui , Swag and the Captain our all first class. Great information all the way and super fun for the entire family. Thanks for such a great trip !! read more

We had a great architectural cruise of the river with a fantastic tour guide Tela, first mate Mariana and our captain! Definitely recommend! read more

Took the 75min tour on vacation to Chicago. This was a great tour. Our guide Andy was great. He provided so much info about the river , all the buildings and what Chicago was known for. Highly recommend them. Andy was awesome very funny and just a cool dude... read more

If weather permits, go on this cruise. It takes you out onto the lake to see the skyline of Chicago, and then you get an awesome, informative and comedic tour of Chicago. It has the best of both worlds instead of just doing it on a slow boat. It picks up speed and just enough so that an infant can be on it. The only thing I would prefer is that the architecture part of the cruise was a bit longer. It felt short. Other than that, worth every penny. read more

We took the 75 minute Architectural Tour (which turned into a 105 minute tour due to an emergency on the lake and having to wait for the fire department to go through the lock alone) but let me say that our guide, Anna, in the 95 degree heat, handled that delay time like a pro. She never stopped talking to us and telling us stories to keep our minds off the heat. The beginning of the tour on the lake was so fun, and then the tour on the river was relaxing and interesting with great views. We can't wait to try their Extreme Thrill Ride next time we're at Navy Pier. read more

Have been in the architectural tours twice. The hosts have been really nice both the times. I would recommend this to anyone planning for a visit to the city. They take you around and explain all the history of Chicago. Really worth it! read more

Bought tickets on Groupon, we took the regular 30 minute speed boat tour, not the extreme, so we didn't get wet. It was tons of fun! Well worth the money. Our guide, Tony, was energetic and funny, he really did a great job. Great experience, would do it again in a heartbeat. read more

Seadog Cruises - Boat Charters Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I'm a Chicago native and have never done the tour. My kids were in from Florida and what better way to see some of Chicago than on a cruise. We had a great experience and the crew was fantastic. Captain Chopper, Melinda and Kale... great job! read more

We had a great time on the Lake Shore cruise. I'm always grinning on a boat! Our guide was wonderful, giving out lots of info and taking pictures for the visitors on the boat. We will be back and hope to take the architecture cruise next time we visit! read more

So fun! My family, which includes three kids 10 and under, did the 75 minute River and Lake architecture tour. Our tour guide, Ian was amazing! He was very knowledgeable and entertaining. We went on a hot 92 degree summer day, make sure you wear sunscreen! Even though it was hot outside it wasn't too bad on the boat. Learned a lot about the history of Chicago and the buildings in the city. Kids liked going through the lock on the way to the river from the lake. After the river part of the tour we got to go fast on the lake. Prepare to get wet! It was a nice way to cool off in a hot day. Overall a great experience that I would highly recommend and we will be doing this again next time we are in the area! Check Groupon before you go, we were able to get tickets ahead of time and skip the wait for tickets at the pier. read more

Best cruise ever. I went a week ago and the guy was so funny. Also I asked a question about BUBBLY CREEK and he responded nicely. ‍

This was such a fun way to see the architecture along the river and the lake! Telia, Rock, and Captain Swagg were al amazing! Made the information fun and informative! Would definitely recommend! read more

We did the 75-min architecture tour and it was awesome! They do leave right on time (sometimes even 2-3 minutes earlier) so make sure you get there at least 10 minutes before the departure time. The tour started with the lakefront thrill ride for about 10-15 minutes, then went into the Chicago river for the architecture, which I think is a great combination because a longer thrill ride will make you feel really cold on the lake. We sit at the first row on the right hand side of the boat, which offered incredible views. Our tour guide Michael was very knowledgeable and funny. The biggest differentiator for Seadog's architecture tour compared to other companies was probably the short thrill ride of the tour, which I loved very much. read more

Its quite difficult to mess up lake/river tour of magnificent Chicago. The issue with this business is scheduling a trip with a Groupon...quite a ride I must say. Days of advance booking among other restrictions makes the experience sour. As a discount customer, they certainly discount you it seems. I can't comment on the tour itself as I never could get past the scheduling part. read more

The standard speedboat cruise was fun for a 4 year old but be aware that the route described on their website is completely inaccurate. It says: 'Our speedboat lake tour will depart Navy Pier and head East out onto beautiful Lake Michigan. We'll race towards the museum campus and share some quick facts about landmarks such as the Willis Tower and The Adler Planetarium. Next we'll dash up to North Avenue beach and reveal interesting tidbits on buildings including the Hancock tower and the Drake hotel.' Total crap. It basically goes straight out from Navy Pier, and maybe a bit south but it most definitely does not 'race towards the museum campus' or 'dash up to North Avenue Beach'. The furthest north it gets is when you actually just get on the boat. It was the same a year ago when I did it a year ago for free at a work function so that was fine then but it kinda sucks when you're actually paying. At least my kid liked it. read more

A really great tour for a first timer in Chicago! Tila was funny and very informative, didn't feel any lag throughout our 90 min tour. Didnt get too wet at all and loved the tour! read more

Tilla, Charlie and Jamie were great! Tilla, the tour guide, was entertaining but very informative. The speed ride at the end was a pleasant surprise. Just...bring a jacket. It gets really cold! read more

Been aboard the Seadog many many times. Most of which were free when I worked on Navy Pier. Nice wind in my hair kinda ride. I prefer the peace and quiet of Tall ship Windy but can use a speed boat ride from time to time. Touristy when it comes to the architectural tour and sometimes you get wrong information but a good boat ride. read more

We signed up for the Seadog Architectural Cruise. Unfortunately, we were in the back of the boat, so we did not hear anything the annoying, and I do mean annoying, guide had to say. It was nice being on the boat, but I noticed about 10 people came on, there were no seats and they were told to leave and get a full refund, because there were no seats. Again, it was nice being on the lake, but if you sit in the back, you will not hear anything. And....if you buy a ticket, clearly there is no guarantee that you will go on the tour paid for. read more

We can all agree that Navy Pier pretty much sux. But, the super fast Sea Dog boat excursion is awesome! Go on a warm, sunny day. It really is quite thrilling. The architecture cruise is nice and mellow and interesting but the speed boat ride, oh my...this one will get your heart raising. I've done it three times and each time had a wonderful tour guide. Yep, would do the super fast sea dog boat ride again in heart beat. 5 stars for sure! read more

My boyfriend and I were in town and decided take the architectural tour of Chicago when we saw it advertised on Groupon. I purchased the tickets and booked our cruise on 26May2015 for the evening of 28May2015 at 9:15pm. The company marked my groupons as redeemed once the cruise had been booked, not once it had actually ocurred. Upon our arrival at 8:45pm (per the customer service I spoke with during scheduling, she recommended we arrive by 9:00pm), it took us about 10 minutes to get an employee to stop and speak with us as they were all scrambling about packing up the equipment and closing up. There were employees inside the ticket booth, but all ticket windows were closed and no one would answer the windows when we knocked. The employee we finally stopped passed us off to another employee who told us the tour had been cancelled, there was no offer of explanation, only the excuse that they had tried to call me an hour ago to tell us it was cancelled. We had went to dinner prior to this, and I did have a missed call at 8:00pm, however even if we had received the call and not made the trip downtown I still find it unacceptable that this company would cancel the tour only ONE hour before the scheduled outing. I can only assume this was due to lack of ticket sales, we were probably the only ones who had scheduled a tour, but we should have been notified well before one hour prior to the cruise. The young man we spoke with was polite but when asked why the cruise was cancelled he would not provide any explanation. He offered to provide use with tickets to be used at another time or a full refund of our purchase. As we are from out of town we opted to go with a full refund. I have not received a refund at this time, so I have contacted Groupon to refund the money spent on the tickets. I do wish this had not happened, as we were looking very much forward to the night boat ride and hearing about the history of Chicago and the downtown architecture. I think it is very poor customer service and very poor business practice to cancel the cruises at the last minute. The customer service representative who booked the cruise for us did not mention at all that the cruise could be cancelled at the last minute due to this sort of circumstance nor was it mentioned in the confirmation email I received. I understand that the staff was probably ready to go home, as it was the last tour on a weekday night and not many people had bought tickets but there were no weather issues or any other circumstances that would cause them to cancel the cruise. I would not recommend anyone buy tickets ahead of time or schedule ahead of time without written confirmation that the cruise will actually occur. I also think it is a poor practice to redeem the Groupons when the tour has not happened either, because now I have to jump through hoops with Groupon to prove that the tickets marked as redeemed by the company were not in fact redeemed. I would not recommend this company or cruise line in any city and would recommend you seek out other forms of entertainment rather than waste your time and money. read more