Life these days is at warp speed and this cruise is the perfect way to slow things down!!!…read more This beautiful, old ship is something to truly check out! Rose is her name and Captain Shane was not disappointing! Not only was he our Captain, oh Captain, he was extremely informative (educating us on safety protocol) open for questions, and pictures at the helm!We couldn't have asked for a more personable & entertaining Captain! In fact, I'd pay to see him in a comedy club! The ship itself holds 49 passengers and its big enough to move around and not feel like sardines, all packed in shoulder to shoulder. It has 2 bathrooms, a small kitchen with salon and I believe it's 3 levels. The only warning that I have is the dock is quite steep on your way to the ship and what goes down must come up, so it's not the easiest return to the parking lot but it's doable. I.e., I have had both knees replaced and have chronic back pain and I made it. Wear good shoes. We were on the river right at 6:30 and Captain Shane immediately put the mainsail up. I felt like I was back East, Westport Harbor, Mass. in 1976! My buddies and I were out on little skiffs when the Tall Ships started heading home after participating in the 1976 Bi Centennial celebrations They were absolutely majestic and a sight that I will remember forever! I want to say to both locals and visitors that the, Schooner Rose, is a special gift to everyone that enjoys gorgeous sunsets, our beautiful river and that lazy kind of feeling you get sailing! You will forget, even for an hour and a half, your problems, the worlds problems and the uncertainties that come with it all! BEST prescription ever!! Thanks, Captain Shane, and crew, for a memorable experience!

We took the maiden sunset voyage of the Schooner Rose 85ft tall ship from the Harbor 1 Marina with…read moreour friends and Captain Shane. It was a beautiful evening on the Columbia River with ample room to move around the ship and 3 decks. We sat on the couch on the forward part of the ship and it was like being in our living room but with an amazing view. Captain Shane even allowed me to captain the ship and put on his captain's hat for a bit and his first mate showed me how to use the rudder control and compass and some basic right of way rules. I had a blast. Truly a one of a kind experience. They offered snacks as well and at the end of the tour, we sat on the ship docked with our friends and watched the sun fully set, talked with Captain Shane, and I even got a tour of the engine room. Hands down the best boat cruise in Portland. You can even bring your own drinks and food and we had a little picnic onboard. Note that in the future, they will AirBnB out the ship which would be an awesome stay.

What a blast! I had no idea this outfitter existed until last night - when our friend Holly rented…read moreit for her birthday party for s 2 hour tour (think the theme song for Gilligan's Island). The owners were so nice, they actually gave us an extra 30 minutes for a 2.5 hour tour. Yes, there is a toilet on board. Yes, there is a bar. No hard liquor but they have beer, wine, hard ciders and a wine made to taste like tequila for their version of a margarita. We got the watermelon ones. Mmm... Yes, you can bring your own food n board. Our birthday girl brought a stack of pizzas, chips, dips and a birthday cake. Yes, they get you as up close to the falls as legally allowed. Yes, there are plenty of tables and comfy sofa style benches to relax on while you take in the sunset. Yes, they have bluetooth speakers so you can all jam to your favorite tunes. Yes, they provide a karaoke machine so your party can garble the 2 whole hours if they want. I really can't think of a downside except that the birthday girl kept saying that she wished the night wouldn't end. Thanks to the great staff who kept the drinks flowing and go us off on time and gave us a little extra time to enjoy ourselves.

Went with this outfit for my friend's birthday. It was so fun! Very relaxing ride on the…read moreWillamette. No hard liquor, but they have a nice selection of wines, beers, and they can mix wine cocktails that taste like the real thing. I would definitely do this again!

This yacht is everything! Lots of space for tanning and hanging out, great sound system and…read morebeautifully decorated. We cruised down to the Oregon City waterfalls then to a lagoon where we dropped anchor and relaxed in the sun. We did not want the day to end!

Thank you Yacht Charter PDX for an amazing afternoon!! I booked a charter for my girlfriend's…read morebirthday party and I am so glad that I did. Whether you're scheduling an intimate trip or fun for family and friends, Yacht Charter PDX is the way to go. I will definitely be booking with them again in the near future!

3 1/2 Stars - This is a difficult review to write…read more May 22, 2026 we went on our third Portland Spirit Cruise. We upgraded to the "Admiral Package," as this was a special Rose Festival Cruise, concluding with a fireworks display. The cruise itself was wonderful. The live piano music is a lovely enhancement, and the atmosphere was buoyant ;-). Every staff member was a delight and the captain is charming. But - The Food: Our appetizers were interesting, Mr. Wonderful ordered the Shrimp Cocktail and said it was alright. I had the Cheese Platter, some of the cheeses were hard, (as in dried out) and the crostini was *overly hard, bordering on stale. The salads were good, the dressing delicious. For our mains, I ordered the pasta dish. I took perhaps four bites and stopped eating. The pasta was far beyond al dente, the vegetables were almost unrecognizable - it lacked flavor or texture. Mr. Wonderful ordered the Beef Short ribs, and was happy with his meal. I'm going to chalk this up to me ordering incorrectly. Table clearing was another issue, our bread tray and appetizer plates remained on the table far too long. When our main courses were delivered, there was no room. We ordered our desserts and coffee. We received our coffee about 10 minutes afterwards. Then we watched as our server, served a large table next to us their desserts and a couple of other tables nearby. He may have been overwhelmed as this deck was extremely busy. Anyway, after waiting 20 plus minutes more, we requested our dessert, again. Cold coffee and dessert = not great. Our meal service from start to finish was disorganized. Viewing the fireworks from the top deck was a treat! We enjoy cruising with Portland Spirit and will do so again, but we would *not purchase the upgrade. Hint: Request (and pay for) a window seat on the *second deck, as the views are much more desirable.

We booked the big foot cruise. 2 adults and 2 teens. We were the last on the boat. The headphones…read morewere scattered about and 2 of us didn't get them. The boat was really crowded. People sit sideways on the small bench so there is little room in order to see out. Without headphones you can't hear the narration so it just becomes a boat ride. I wouldn't do this again.

I really enjoyed my trip on Ms Wolf, it's as authentic as an old tugboat cruise on the river can…read moreget ,complete with a very knowledgable ,competent and charming Captain Bruce. Bring a picnic lunch onto your trip sit back and wave at everyone passing by enviously watching this sweetest little boat cruising along the Willamette.

From the owner: Try something truly unique. Come aboard this charming historic 28' Columbia River Bow Picker, circa…read more1932. The M.S. Wolf is documented by the Columbia River Maritime Museum as one of the best-restored vessels of its era. Relax in the open bow for an unobstructed an magnificent view of beautiful downtown Portland: wilderness areas; or many of the other incredible highlights of the Willamette River. Periodically, you will receive the seasoned and knowledgeable Captain's narratives about the sights. However, you will mostly experience the cruise uninterrupted as the Captain navigates from the stern and you glide up front through the waterways.

Our family had a fantastic time on the scenic Columbia River with PDX Water Sports. We rented…read moreBrandon's Monark 205 Sun Lounger deck boat (see photos) and it runs great with a 130 hp outboard. With three passengers, we got a max speed of 30 kts and cruised very comfortably on plane at 22 kts. This is not a new boat and is missing its windshield, but it has a bimini shade and plenty of seating. The seat conditions and such are expected of an older boat, but we are here for the Oregon water experience, not two-tone leatherette. There is no online booking, so text PDX Watersports and the response is fast. Coordinating times and getting a price quote was super easy too. If you are used to renting from overpriced corprate operators, think of this as the opposite-- the hometown small business owner. Chinook Landing boat ramp has plenty of parking and is out of the Portland traffic/busy areas. If you are renting on the 4th of July or some other peak day, expect peak conditions at launch and on the river. We had a quiet, summer Friday on the water instead. Deposit was returned within 60 minutes of getting back to the dock (and inspecting the boat and prop of course!). I would definitely recommend PDX Water Sports if you are an experienced boater looking for a great time on the Columbia or Williamette. I sense a lot of the negative reviewers are people who don't know much about boating, planing speeds, weight distribution, or safe operation of a vessel. Looking forward to doing this again the next time we visit Portland!

DO NOT BOOK WITH THEM!! Completely unprofessional. No dock…read moreetiquette whatsoever!! The pontoons are run down trash. The guys running the place have no business running their "boat rental" business out of a public dock. They take up space, extremely rude to others and prefer quantity over quality. Would absolutely not recommend.

Such a fun time!!!! We rented the boat for a couple hours which felt perfect for just two of us…read more The boat itself felt super clean and safe. I was a bit nervous because it was the first time driving a boat, but the staff made me feel confident before we left the dock. We plan to go out with more friends later this year. We had a blast!!!

This was a fun experience! Everyone was super friendly and very helpful. They made sure we had what…read morewe needed and help us carry things to the boat. I was given clear instructions on how to pilot the boat and get back in. I'm planning to do it again!

My boyfriend and I had a once in a lifetime experience fishing with Matt. Unfortunately salmon…read moreseason was cut short, so we fished for only sturgeon. However, we had the opportunity to catch and keep sturgeon only if it was between 44-50 inches; which occurs twice in a year. From beginning to start, Matt was super helpful with providing gear for me as it was my first time fishing. His boat was top of the line compared to the rest on the river that day. It had a hot water sink and very comfy chairs to sit in. He also had beers, waters on dec and had anti-nausea meds on board which was great for me since I was feeling sick. After 5 minutes, my boyfriend caught his first sturgeon that was 47 inches. And I caught one four hours later that was 45 inches. He allowed us to reel it in (which was a struggle for me, but worth it) and he took great photos after. We were the only 2 people that day to catch and keep our sturgeon. We couldn't have had a better experience and we got so lucky that day thanks to Matt! He ended up filet-ing our sturgeons and took 15 pounds of it home. It was the highlight of our trip to Portland. And we plan to come back in the spring once salmon season starts. If you're thinking about booking a trip with him, DO IT. You won't regret it!

We had such a fantastic day on the water with Matt! From start to finish, he made the experience…read morefun, stress-free, and incredibly rewarding. His knowledge of the area, the fish, and the best techniques was unmatched, and he was patient in explaining everything to beginners while also offering great tips to more experienced anglers. Not only did we catch plenty of fish, but we also learned so much along the way. Matt went above and beyond to make sure everyone felt comfortable, safe, and excited throughout the trip. You can he loves what he does, and that passion makes the experience even more memorable. If you're looking for a knowledgeable, friendly, and professional fishing guide who will make your trip both successful and enjoyable, I can't recommend Matt enough! We'll definitely be booking again.