Hornblower Cruises & Events

09/03/2008 Posted by Bradific

Why did I pay an extra $45 to sit by a window when there were no other options? Every quest onboard had a table by a window. Other than the waitress, who graciously(awkwardly?) sang Happy Birthday to my beautiful Girl Friend, the entire cruise was horrible. From the moment the lines were cast away to the time we were back on dry land a Disco-Jazz Duo continuously played hits from the early fifties to the present. These two guys were all over the road(Bay). Starting off with basic hits such as Sitting on the Dock of the Bay, Hotel California, and a few Michael Jackson tunes. Then for some reason, only God could possibly know, they began playing Sweet Home Alabama. The only couple onboard that was excited by this was the Drunk, Texan, Honey Mooners who appeared to be dancing, maybe they were trying to stand but had a hard time due to the rocking of the boat. blah blah blah more keyboard and drums.... "You've Lost that Loving Feeling" an Anniversary Song? Apparently.... oh and I could of had the same food and view at any of the Pier 39 Restaurants. I want my money back.

03/06/2008 Posted by bluecali

This is something everyone should have a chance to do. I love the night dinner cruises! You can get dressed up and cruise the Bay. The views of the city and the bridges is amazing. On a calm night you might even be able to sail right under the Golden Gate. The food is great! The service is fantastic! Great to do with family, friends, co-workers or anyone!

01/07/2008 Posted by alylew

For my birthday this year I wanted to celebrate in a different way. I heard an advertisement on the radio for a Champagne Brunch Cruise, and thought this would be the perfect way to celebrate my birthday with family and friends. I had a large party to reserve for, and the staff made it a smooth process. They took care of all the details and even had balloons and champagne waiting at our tables. The service on board was impeccable, and all our needs were met. The food was scrumptious and the cocktails delicious. Hornblower Cruises and Events made my birthday celebration unforgettable.

12/11/2007 Posted by jcds2007

Me and my partner went in the New Year's eve bay cruise in 2003 and in 2006 we tried again, bad table service, the food OK. They made us wait in the cold weather for long time, then they started the boarding so slow. They put us in a large table with another 12, the drinks were bad and you have to wait long time for them, also they stopped serving drinks early. The music boring, nobody was dancing. I really do not recommend anybody to spend around 300 dollars per person for bad experience. You supposed to have a good time to start a new year!

Pros: the view of the Golden Gate from another unusual site

Cons: very, very bad service

05/03/2007 Posted by khitch

I recently went on a horblower cruise for my dad's 50th birthday. We had a GREAT time. The views were just as they say , breathtaking. The entertainment was pretty good, the food was much better than i expected - four course meal - choose your main entree! Our server was very nice and friendly. This was something different to do in san francisco that made for a very special night!

Pros: AMAZING views! Great service, okay food.

Cons: none!

02/22/2007 Posted by fizzlesnit

I notice the other reviews are pretty old. Perhaps, the company has gone downhill recently because my fiance and I just had a rather unsatisfying dinner cruise. I don't generally give bad reviews, but this experience was... well, just plain boring. Customer Service: We arrived at 7:15pm for our 7:30pm cruise. There was no sign telling us which pier to go to, nobody outside to give directions, and no shelter from the cold February wind coming in off of the bay. We stood there freezing (me in a skirt, expecting a fancy night of royal treatment) for 25 minutes because they were late letting us onto the boat. No explanation or apology was given. The Entertainment: It consisted of a bad lounge singer who was timid and too quiet to hear. One of the waiters got up to sing a few times, and he was actually much more entertaining. It was advertised that there would be dancing, but the music was not danceable (meandering jazz) and the floor was carpeted. The Food: It was mediocre. I've definitely had much better food in San Francisco. Our server was a very sweet woman, but she seemed to get confused and flustered a lot, resulting in us receiving cold food and the wrong beverages. The Boat: It seemed to be falling apart in every direction. The carpets were old, the stairs sagged, the bathrooms were tiny and dirty. It does cruise under the Golden Gate Bridge, which was fun. However, it's likely better during daytime cruises because it was hard to see the city in the dark. All in all, I'd say, if you want a fancy night out, you can find cheaper, better entertainment elsewhere.

Pros: site-seeing for tourists

Cons: mediocre food, shoddy boat, expensive

06/24/2005 Posted by bmeisterb

Not knowing about the San Franciso...we decided to book a Hornblower cruise for dinner and cruising. We were blown away by the attentive service, well-prepared and delicious food (the best we had while in SF). The views were breathtaking. A nice surprise!!!!

Pros: food, service, cleanliness

06/10/2005 Posted by ldybg830

If your looking for a romantic dinner, the Hornblower Dinner Cruise is perfect. The view is unbeatable and the price is just right. The brunch cruise are also excellent for family get togethers and the buffet is unbelievable!

06/08/2005 Posted by romanomarchetti

Hornblower Cruises are great - fine scenery, fine food and wines, nice music. On the music side of things, I would like to hear a group with more variety of styles and sounds.

06/08/2005 Posted by aww2288

The food was amazing, and the view of the city was incredible. We went under the Golden Gate bridge and behind Alcatraz as well. Truly the best way to combine a tour of the city and a great dinner. Well worth the money!