My husband and I took advantage of 727 weekend, and booked a last minute afternoon cruise on the StarLite Sapphire out of St. Pete.. For the good: parking and check in were easy, the boat ride was nice, and the drinks and apps were delicious! They also gave us a TON of food -- bread, house salad, just things I didn't expect. And I'm glad we got a deal. For the bad: the boat was tired inside (a/c dripping and a ceiling panel literally taped up), some of the food wasn't great, and the narration about the bay was kind of mumbled. I think if I re-did this, I'd probably eat ahead and just order appetizers and drinks. Maybe just drinks. I don't think it's worth it to pay the full price of ~$30 per ticket plus pay for food. Not sure if you can do that on the sunset sailing, but the lunch did seem like it might be a la carte. It was really cool to see the bay, and we even got to see dolphins briefly! I also loved that it was air conditioned (esp in July!) and that they had bathrooms on board. read more

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We were in town for the weekend and my husband booked a lunch cruise on this boat. It was a very good experience. You are assigned a table on the lower level of the boat and servers come around and take your order for either appetizers, salads or entrees. We decided to split a flatbread because we were not real hungry. The views during the cruise were outstanding. We went upstairs and took a few pictures outside and also went outside to the front part of the boat downstairs. In addition to all of the beautiful homes along the water, we also saw a ton of dolphins. Several parties were celebrating birthdays and anniversaries on our cruise. The price was very reasonable at about 32 dollars a person. That does not include any food or drinks. read more

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This boating dinner was actually a lovely experience. I went here with a group for a birthday at the start of the year. It was cool outside so we didn't enjoy the outside of the boat much but overall the views were lovely, and the vibes decent. I felt like the DJ on board didn't do much in terms of Keeping the crowd lively or playing enough good tunes. The food was just OK some people enjoyed their meals, most found them mediocre. The servers were fine, I can't recall anyone going above and beyond. I would probably want to do this again in the spring or summer when there's more light to enjoy and warmer temperatures. read more

StarLite Sapphire - Great views! - Boating Near Me - St. Petersburg, Florida

I recently attended a wedding aboard the Starlite Sapphire dinner cruise and wanted to share my experience. While there were some major operational and aesthetic drawbacks, a few standout staff members truly saved the day. The Cons: The vessel itself is showing its age; the main floor dining and dancing area featured cracked glass windows and taped-up ceiling tiles. Additionally, the bridal changing area in the captain's quarters (wheelhouse) was highly impractical. It lacked air conditioning--turning it into a sauna that immediately ruined the bride's hair--and the 180-degree windows were only half-covered, offering very little privacy. The ceremony felt incredibly rushed. At one point, the Captain (acting as the officiant) actually stepped away from the arch during the vows to speak with staff, which was highly distracting. The timeline for the wedding package's included songs was also poorly paced, with two played right after the ceremony and the final song delayed until we were nearly docking. As for the catering, the appetizers were decent, but the salad missed the mark with our entire party, and the main course (salmon) was disappointing enough that I didn't finish it. Service was also quite slow due to how packed the boat was. The Pros: On a positive note, the crew allowed us to decorate our tables, which greatly improved the room's aesthetic. More importantly, the staff was the saving grace of the night. Greg did a fantastic job overseeing our party's setup coordination. The real star of the evening, however, was Stephanie. She is an absolutely incredible, irreplaceable asset to this company. She went completely above and beyond--helping pin the groom's boutonnière, lacing the bride's gown, and managing a fantastic playlist that kept the energy high. Her live singing voice is amazing, and her ability to get everyone singing and dancing completely turned the night around. She single-handedly kept the event fun and memorable for everyone. read more

1 less star for the food and drinks. We only had spinach appetizer and that was not good at all. We had their coffee too and same, not good. The staff were very nice. The cruise was smooth. It was half narrated. We did daytime. 1st you'll be seated at dining room so they know your order. After ordering, you can walk around. There's a 2nd floor with also dining tables. That's where we hung out. Both decks have an outside. They have a bar in the 2nd floor too. For $25, can't beat the price to just sit and hang. read more

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Our family thoroughly enjoyed an evening dinner cruise aboard Sapphire. This 112' double decker vessel typically sells out days in advance so you need to plan ahead. I chose the Sapphire primarily because of the private parking lot that is free, rather than getting the additional shakedown in Clearwater Marina along with having to deal with the nightmarish traffic getting there. Once aboard we were quickly ushered to our reserved upper deck window table. Our waitress was ready for any drink orders and requested food orders be placed before we embarked on our 3 hour journey. The menu is available to view prior to booking so you can get a good idea of what you want to order long before boarding. We all thoroughly enjoyed our freshly prepared salads, entrees and dessert, which paired well with the sunset cruise. Based on the food being cooked to order for every guest at once, I think the crew did a phenomenal job! It's not a prestigious restaurant, it's a dinner cruise, for the purpose of watching the sunset and perhaps seeing dolphins, and enjoying yourself! read more

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It's a sunset cruise through the bay. Very beautiful and the mc/dj was pretty nice. Food was pretty good, but the alcoholic beverage prices were like that of an airport. Holy heck! My girl had 2 glasses of wine and it cost about 32 bucks, not including tip. Still had a good time though. read more

StarLite Sapphire - Sunset. - Boating Near Me - St. Petersburg, Florida

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This place is more about the experience and enjoying the sea and the beautiful views that about the food, the menu has several options but they are small portions and the flavor is average. the place, atmosphere and experience are excellent, the views are spectacular, you can enjoy the sea, a beautiful sunset and the entertainment and music on the boat do it much better. The service is super attentive and very friendly. They have a variety of drinks, I ordered a Margarita mango that was very sweet and little liquor, but the sangria was delicious. read more

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This review is of the dinner cruise, but I'll update in May with a review of their wedding services. We went out on the boat just before Christmas 2021 and had a great time. The boat was decorated nicely, the food was delicious (and portions large), and the service excellent. The singer was ok - not really my cup of tea, but pleasant dinner music. No one really danced, but ther was a floor should anyone want to. Excited to grt married on this vessel in a few short weeks! read more

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Had a great time on the Sapphire with family! We took the sunset cruise. It had been a while since we were all together, and this cruise provided some great quality time together. The cruise itself is reasonably priced and food and drinks were just like downtown prices. Staff was lovely and entertainment was fun! I'd equate it to a very versatile wedding singer. The food was pretty good, too! I had the blackened salmon and a Kentucky lemonade. Everyone enjoyed their food. read more

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We paid for a dolphin cruise while on vacation and they cancelled an hour before due to rain. Now they are refusing to give us a refund bc they said we could use the ticket for 30 days. We live 16 hours away! We cannot use the tickets. They are refusing a refund. But we are still fighting because that is theft. DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY!! read more

It's a great place to go for dinner. It's one of the only locations I believe in the St Pete area that you can go to dine and dance. Live music great service excellent food, and beautiful sunsets. read more

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So much fun. Mediocre food. Excellent service and entertainment. ~30$ meals Never been on a small cruise boat but this was nice! Coming on was easy, we were seated with water ready and so quickly informed of what to expect on our 2-3 hour adventure. Service and entertainment made us feel so comfortable. Music was playing, decor was like a jazz club and it was spotless. No dust or dirt spotted by my picky guest (lol). First came some warm baguette with some olive oil, garlic combination on the side. Usually this dish is served with balsamic inside the oil but im not sure what was this jelly dark substance, weird. Next came a salad with raspberry vinaigrette, raisinettes, mandarins, and parmigiana cheese. This was enjoyable. The entree I thought was appropriate on a yacht was the red snapper and rice. The snapper was nicely seasoned so it wasn't strongly fishy, was juicy, but could've had a sliver of fat discarded before cooking(rendered). With all entrees came this boiled asparagus that i would have preferred to be blackened but was well cooked non the less. Now to talk about the alfredo... it really reminded me of those box alfredo pastas named Michelinas with the sauce being extra thick and chicken lacking flavor. This is definitely better than box pasta but i just didn't see anyone finish this entree so i tried it myself and i could see why. On another note, the end included desert(cheesecake that tasted commercial because the crust was about same texture as cake and the flavor) and DANCING! really think the entertainment carried the night and loved them. Stephanie I believe her name was, she was awesome, what a cool lady, so talented too. Thank you for the experience starlite. TO IMPROVE: food could be better but i understand i get a salad, bread, desert and entree for 25-35$. read more

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My family and I went to celebrate my grandmothers birthday and it was such a nice experience. The food was really tasty, although the Blackened Fish portion was sort of small, but good. The drinks were made really good. I had a Lemon Drop Martino which was AWESOME! We danced and took in the views. It was a really nice time. The time went by really fast -- it didn't even feel like 3 hours had passed. I would DEFINITELY do this again. We got the tickets from GROUPON by the way! 2 for $35 and a $2.45 convenience fee. read more

StarLite Sapphire - A view - Boating Near Me - St. Petersburg, Florida

It was a very pleasant and relaxing experience. The food was amazing and staff were very nice. The entertainment was great! The sunset was breathtaking. read more

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We were invited to a wedding on the StarLite Sapphire. They set up the wedding on the top deck and had the reception on the lower deck in a temperature controlled room with windows going down both sides of the room. This ensures a beautiful view during the entire three hour boat ride. There was enough room for a small dance floor and many tables that sat groups of six. The kitchen somehow was able to offer a menu with five or six meal options. Our table decided between the beef Bourguignon and salmon. Both were served hot and taste great. There is a full bar and several signature drinks to choose from. The entire staff was fun and accommodating. read more

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We just had our wedding on this yacht and oh my gosh guys!!!!!! It was amazing! So well put together. The staff is so considerate and so accommodating. The dj on the boat was so fun and so nice!!!!!! My champagne glass was always full. They made sure we were okay the entire time. The views are BEAUTIFUL! We had dolphins swimming nearby and a rainbow for our wedding. Also everyone was raving about the food. It was amazing. I had the land and sea entree. SO GOOD. They got our food out in a timely manner. I will MOST DEF be back for one year just to eat on the boat again. 10/10 HAVE YOUR WEDDING ON THIS BOAT. everyone loved it and I wouldn't change a thing! Thank you to all of the staff who made it happen for us! read more

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We bought a Groupon for the entrance to the boat (for a party of 8) and scheduled it about a month in advance. They called not once, but twice the day of to confirm, once in the morning and one 40 minutes before asking when we would come (we were on the way, and we're confused as to why they kept calling us when we confirmed in the morning?) Anyways, got onto the ship and we're seated and our waitress took our drink orders. My mom has a latex allergy so we asked the waitress then if she could check the box in the kitchen to see if they used latex gloves. She comes back to our table for dinner orders, and when she gets to my mom, we politely say she can't order until we know about the gloves. She just says "so you're not eating?" Safe to say our waitress was not helpful the whole time, and acted as we were a burden to her whenever we asked a question about accommodation. Overall, the experience of the boat is great but the service and food lacked. Each course I kept thinking, oh the next course will be better...and then we got to dessert and everything was underwhelming. My "stuffed shrimp" was over cooked shrimp on top of a lump of crab cake. Safe to say come for the experience of a sunset cruise, but maybe skip eating. read more

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Experience is nice. Food is actually pretty good. We got the surf and turf and we're presently surprised. Of course you don't go on a dinner cruise for the dinner but more so for the cruise so keep that in mind. Staff was fun, friendly, and helpful. We had a blast! read more

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I absolutely LOVED my fairytale wedding on the Starlite Sapphire! We had 45 guests and it was perfect for our group! I loved the ambiance, the service, and special care that the staff provided from the moment we approached them with an inquiry. Special thanks to Teresa in customer service, to Amber the Event Manager, to Stephanie the Entertainer to the TWO Olivias who were servers, haha, to the captain and everyone who made our night absolutely beautiful and perfect. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! I highly recommend them!! read more

StarLite Sapphire - Boating Near Me - St. Petersburg, Florida

The cruise is beautiful. We spent three hours on the inter coastal, saw the sunset, and the weather was perfect. I ordered two bottles of wine with dinner. They were both reasonably priced without the huge markup. Our server was great. She was very friendly and attentive. My only complaint was the food. I really didn't care for anything except for the salad. My scallops were undercooked and wrapped in what seemed to be microwaved bacon. My girlfriend had the chicken sapphire and it wasn't very good either. The chicken was boiled and the sauce and pasta were bland. Overall, I would go on another cruise to watch the sunset and enjoy the ambiance but I wouldn't pay for dinner again. read more

StarLite Sapphire - That the signature dish and it tasted like boxed pasta - Boating Near Me - St. Petersburg, Florida

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We had a wonderful time. The prefixed menu is brilliant. The appetizers where excellent, main course was ok we had the stuffed shrimp and bacon wrapped scallops, the staff was very accommodating with substituting the dessert for cake and they sang Happy Birthday to our table. I would take this dinner cruise again. It was relaxing, fun atmosphere, beautiful view of the bay and great service. read more

StarLite Sapphire - This cake was excellent, can't thank them enough for the birthday love. - Boating Near Me - St. Petersburg, Florida

Bought cruise admission as a gift for my boyfriend and we where not disappointed. I was a little annoyed when I called to reserve our table and i was told that tax was not charged to the admission tickets I had already purchased on Groupon and I needed to pay the tax on arrival. The menu was full of lots of yummy options, fresh seafood dishes, chicken, and pastas. Our server was very attentive and kind. We enjoyed our mixed drinks and the selection of liquor they offered. The two of us had 4 drinks total, appetizer, salad, and main course for $110(including the tip). The dirt: the chairs on the ship needed to be replaced, they where covered in stains and look extremely worn out. They have a deck on the top level that is open so you can enjoy the sea breeze, however, get ready to also enjoy a lot of cigarette smoke. I don't think they should allow smoking on the cruise, even if it is outside. The "DJ" aboard was sitting out on the deck smoking and playing on her phone, I felt that was extremely unprofessional. We enjoyed our time and the food was delicious. I think they could do a little updating and change a few things and it would be 100% perfect experience. read more

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Food was great, drinks were awesome and plenty of space to move around. What killed it for us was the smoking on the open deck. Cigarettes are tolerable if you absolutely need to smoke but Cigars should absolutely be banned. These things are carcinogens and my wife has breathing issues. The other issue we had was with payment. I made sure to get my check before the rush and promptly gave it back with my credit card. I waited and waited and never got it back. I was giving her time because I knew she was busy. I finally went to her and she said she didn't have it and where was my slip? How would I have a slip when I gave it to her? As she opened the check holders that she had I spotted my credit card in the bottom of one of the check holders and called it out as she was closing them back up. Probably an honest mistake but they need to be more careful with people's credit cards so watch it when you check out. read more

The dinner cruise is nice but I don't recommend the birthday package. We had to ask the waiter twice about the "free" bottle included and cake that ended up being a plain white cake from Publix. The atmosphere is for older people with an oldies dance party after sunset. The food was overpriced, the shrimp was tough and stale. Overall, the experience is only good if you are retired and have nothing better to do read more

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The absolutely the best venue for a wedding. Ted oversaw every detail and directed the wedding party in every step. The captain preformed the ceremony without missing a beat. The DJ was great as well. The servers were so friendly and very efficient. Great variety and taste in the food. Can't think of anything negative. My grandson and new granddaughter(in-law) are officially Mr & Mrs. read more

This was so fun, I wasn't sure it would be worth it, but it ended up being the best part of our trip. The cruise was relaxing and they had good efforts at social distancing. The dinner was delicious, I was really impressed and truly didn't expect much. I had steak and shrimp, fantastic. The only part I didn't care for was the loud music/party atmosphere towards the end but our group went outside and enjoyed the scenery along the way instead and it was so nice. Would definitely do this again. read more

For the price you pay it's not worth the trip. The food was good but wasn't amazing. I guess when you say stuffed shrimp. I expect stuffed shrimp not on screw. Our server Ashley killed it. Her co-work didn't help her once. "Because she didn't have those tables ". Speaking with the mangers was a waste of my breath. read more

Loved it! Best dolphin tour I have ever been on! They were so close I could have grabbed it and took it home with me. The boat is nice and the tour guides were awesome. Very nice and would highly recommend. read more

We overheard the chef advising "The African Americans usually order the surf and turf, they didn't tonight". The service was incredible. Our waitress Jody was top notch. The food was mediocre and the music transferred a great time. Overall, the comment that the chef made us, 8 of us, feel uneasy. I am awaiting a refund. If we do not receive a refund, as promised by the supervisor, I will be forced to contact corporate and the BBB. read more

Overall the experience was ok. Our waitress worked her butt off as I'm sure the kitchen staff did too, but it took a long time to get food. It was around 8 pm when we got our appetizer (boat left at 7) and closer to 9 for entree. There's got to be a better way to streamline the process so guests don't wait so long to get their first course. The food we had was very good. read more

REEKS OF SMOKERS OUTSIDE ON DECK!!! We chose to have our wedding dinner on the StarLite sapphire after our beach wedding. We had a party of 17 which is a big group but not overwhelming. Unfortunately they were not able to sit us together so we were split into two separate tables. They placed us, the bride and groom, at a table by ourselves... I guess that's how it is at some weddings but it was weird and we immediately placed ourselves with the rest of our party. It was very strange that to begin with they weren't going to allow any of our wedding guests on to the boat until I, the bride arrived. Even my parents who paid for it were told they couldn't board until I got there. Which is stupid because no one should have to wait around. Anyways, eventually they let our guests on... Our server was Brittania and she did an awesome job! Our wedding group was ordering drinks left and right all night and Brittania was quick and eager to serve us. We had a big group but that did not phase her at all! She was so friendly! Appetizers came out pre served on a plate which I thought was weird but it worked. The appetizers and salad were delicious! Dinner was excellent as well! My BIG PROBLEM with this boat is the lack of outdoor space. And the small outdoor space they do provide is for smokers to go smoke. So even if it's just one smoker out there, everyone standing outside will be getting that secondhand smoke. It was disgusting standing outside in my wedding dress trying to watch the sunset while reeking of cigarettes. And the deck area has plastic tables and chairs with nasty ashtray filled on each table. Not very romantic or peaceful as you watch the sunset. STOP ALLOWING PEOPLE TO SMOKE ON THE SHIP AND RUIN THE EXPERIENCE! DISGUSTING! read more

We went here for my birthday we definitely enjoyed our time it was something different . The food wasn't horrible but my steak was very good but there wasn't much selection. Either way customer service was great even with the Covid restrictions everything was pleasant ! If you wanna experience dinner on the boat this is definitely the place to go read more

We have been on several dinner cruises with this company. My daughter, son-in-law, son and daughter-on-law was visiting here from Michigan. This was my daughters first time visit Florida. I wanted this to be special for her. My daughter ordered her meat well done. When it was served it was rare. She told out waiter that she couldn't eat it. He took it back to the chef. The waiter brought her plate back with the veggies and potatoes that had meat juice all over them and by now they were cold. She told our waiter and he took her plate back to the chef. The chef came out with an attitude and asked is there anything else wrong at this table. My husband said his potatoes did not taste good. The chef then took all of our plates from the table and told us our meals would be comped and we was to cash out. My son asked our waiter for a bottle of beer, he was told that our table was cut off. That we could not order or be served anything more. When they brought the Cheese Cake out they set it out so that we could see it, served everyone else, left ours on the tray then dumped them in the trash so that we could see it. My daughter has called them twice to talk to someone at the corporate office, their answering machine came in and she left a message both times. I called this afternoon and was told that I needed to speak to Heather, they transferred me to her phone and it went straight to the answering machine. I left a message and again no return phone call. read more

We booked a cruise for an event and had an amazing time. The food was excellent as well as the boat itself. And the staff, my server Anna in particular, went above and beyond! Definitely recommend. PS: the bacon wrapped scallops are fantastic. read more

So my fiancé and I took the St. Pete cruise. Even though it rained we were undeterred. Ok, let me get to the point. This was NOT a romantic cruise at all. There were children running around making noise everywhere. I'd say that the atmosphere didn't measure up to the decor or the dinner. The service was inconsistent. We heard servers explain the courses at neighboring tables but our server explained nothing. My suggestion would be to have separate cruises for adults who want a romantic evening and families who want to sightsee. I understand they have to fill seats to pay the bills, but it's the experience people pay for; not the boat ride. Yeah I'm saying boat because that's all it seemed like to me. read more

Went on this dinner cruise over the past weekend! I must say it was very nice! The boat departs at 6pm and returns at 8:30pm. I had the blackened Salmon and my bf had the stuffed shrimp. The food was excellent. They bring you an appetizer, a small salad and desert. We also ordered a bottle of champagne. The staff was very nice and friendly. I enjoyed my time. read more

StarLite Sapphire - Boating Near Me - St. Petersburg, Florida

The cruise was beautiful. The staff and captain were nice and attentive. We got a Groupon so that was great. The food was ok. People in my party had the beef and they enjoyed it. I had chicken and it wasn't that great. It's like it was microwaved, moist but almost too wet. It had like a marinara sauce over it. The alfredo sauce on the pasta wasn't that good either. It was nice the meal included appetizer, salad, entrees, and dessert. But overall it was a nice evening, and we got to see dolphins several times. read more

Well... where do I begin? We arrived early for our anniversary and was expecting a fine dining and relaxing cruise. Wrong!!!! I paid extra for the "Anniversary package" a week ahead of time and requested a bottle of sparkling grape juice as my wife and I do not drink, I was told of course, they stock it on the ship. The website is very misleading to say the least. The music was out of date Pop and dance music complete with a disco ball and this was just the beginning. When we arrived we had our picture taken only to be told it's an extra 16 bucks after the meal was completed, on top of spending 107 just to get on the ship. We were sat at a table with a dirty cloth and after ordering our food we were moved to a clean table at the bow. We were informed our bottle was not ordered and we received 20 off our bill. The only redeeming factor was the food was actually quite delicious hence 2 stars, but be warned this is not a romantic or relaxing dinner on the water. read more

What a beautiful experience on the Starlite Sapphire! My wife and I have been on a number of dinner cruises at other places, and this one was, by far, the very best. The ship has two levels to enjoy, and both are comfortable, spacious and nicely appointed. From the start, the service was excellent and the staff obviously strives to make the experience a pleasant and enjoyable one. Seating for dinner was very comfortable as the cruise began exactly on time. We were served at a smooth pace by the very personable crew, and never felt rushed as we traveled on the inland waterway passing the beautiful houses, parks and sights. My wife loved her Chateaubriand and Stuffed Shrimp entrée, and my Blackened Snapper rivaled any top restaurant in the area. The presentation, quality and portions were all super. If you are looking for a very enjoyable evening for a special occasion with your partner or with a group, I strongly recommend the Starlite Sapphire. read more