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Here's what they're saying:
April 6, 2010
My husband and I went on a dinner cruise for our anniversary and absolutely loved it. The staff and service were excellent and our entrees were amazing. My husband's filet was one of the best he's had. The staff even gave us desserts decorated with "Happy Anniversary". After dinner, we requested our wedding song to be played and the DJ obliged us. The view of downtown Tampa from the outside deck was beautiful.
My husband and I will be onboard next year for our anniversary!
September 8, 2009
My husband and I went on the yacht starship for our anniversary. I thoroughly enjoyed myself and thought the food was excellent. I had a shrimp appetizer that I still to this day remember (and it’s been over a year ago). I tell everyone I know about what an enjoyable experience I had. I am planning to go next weekend with my husband, brother and his wife..I had a great evening and with the discount this month it is really a great opportunity to have a memorable evening.
August 31, 2009
First I want to say THANK YOU to Tracy and the Starship, we called them "alot" to get this surprise birthday party to go well. Our Boss was surprised. I forgot the name of the soup but it was great as well as the main entree and dessert. The staff helped us with our seating and dvd issue. We had a great time and all 15 of us enjoyed it this past Saturday. We are glad we picked the Starship to celebrate his birthday. Yes, I would recommend them.
June 4, 2009
My husband and I have cruised on Starship several times and all have been wonderful experiences--the food, atmosphere, service, scenery, entertainment, and, especially, the comfort level--everything! We always look forward to the next time… Don't miss out on one of the best venues in the Tampa Bay area--gourmet dining with a gorgeous backdrop!!
January 4, 2009
Love the Starship Dining cruises. Great fun and delicious food. I actually married a friend of mine on the cruise a few years ago. Had a great time with excellent service! Highly recommend!!
Sincerely,
Janice
September 6, 2008
The staff, the food and the scenery made for a truly splendid evening. Greeted by a truly professional staff and treated like royalty from the moment we arrived, until the moment we disembarked. The food was worthy of comment, I had the Salmon and it was fantastic, my wife had the spinach ravioli and enjoyed it as well. We started with an order of the "Fire Island Shrimp" and it was not only very tasty, it was done in a way that I hadn't tried before. I would recommend Dinner on the Starship for any special evening, or just a night away from it all. If you like good food and excellent service, you will love this dinner cruise!!!
July 2008
My husband and I went on the Sunday Brunch cruise, using the 2 for 1 special offer… We would highly recommend this ride... the food was absolutely wonderful, with a great variety of both breakfast and dinner foods. You can go up to the buffet any time throughout the 2 hour cruise. The atmosphere was lovely and the staff was SO friendly and attentive- they couldn't have been nicer. I had pre-ordered a bottle of champagne when I bought the tickets (unfortunately I forgot to take the free champagne glasses home). After eating we went up to the top deck for a great view of the harbor, then it was back to our table for our own yummy dessert sampler tray. My only complaint is that I wish the trip was longer! I would imagine that a nighttime cruise would be great, too. Nice way to celebrate a special occasion. Bring your camera
June 29, 2008
We really enjoyed all aspects of the Starship. We were celebrating the 10th anniversary of our 1st date. It made for a truly memorable evening.
August 12, 2007
We had a great evening on board. I was served the Mahi Mahi and the flavor was incredible.
Susan-
Today was our second cruise on the Yacht Starship on Easter Sunday. We so enjoyed our first cruise that this time we brought 10 of our dearest friends with us. The food is always exceptional, but today was highlighted by your exceedingly friendly interaction with us along with the outstanding service we received from our waitress, Deenah. You all made our cruise a very special Easter activity and I have been asked by my group to do this again next year. Perhaps we will have 3 tables in 2010.
Regards,
Cliff & Susanne Buck
Hi Matthew,
This is a belated but sincere thanks for allowing us to experience the StarShip Yacht on 9/15/08.
We had a nice time and our staff was impressed by the food and the service. They thought our experience on the StarShip was better than that of your competitors. It is nice to have another option for our guests when they're visiting Boston.
We wish you much success and thank you again for your hospitality.
Hi Donna,
Simply…WOW!!!
I cannot thank you enough for your kindness; you truly took care of us and your generosity was completely unnecessary but certainly appreciated.
We all had a wonderful time and the food was absolutely spectacular!!! I wish I had ordered more shrimp! Just wonderful!!!
It truly was so great and everything from the crew to the team of servers, each individual was so nice. Ashley was our server and she was fantastic!
Thank you so very much Donna! I really do appreciate your graciousness and for a wonderful night.
Please know that you guys will be on top of my list of offering Yacht Starship to clients/friends/colleagues!!!
Thank you again!
Donna & Matthew,
Please accept my sincere gratitude for having me and my family as your guests on the Sunday Brunch Cruise. The food was spectacular and the ambiance was perfect. It's not very often that we get 4 boys to agree on anything let alone be on a boat for several hours without Gameboy's and Playstations. They have not stopped talking about being with the captain and driving the boat in the Harbor. This experience will never be forgotten...
Special note of recognition to Jaime or server who was outstanding. Personable and friendly, he was the best! My 8 year old son's 3rd grade teacher happened to be on the vessel and she was celebrating her 40th birthday. Jaime had a plate painted with a big Happy Birthday and allowed my son to present it to her with dessert. This single action may get my son's desk moved from next to the teacher to the back of the class! "Way to go Jaime"
The staff was courteous and friendly and gets 2 thumbs up! I will not have any trepidation in recommending your vessel to our clients as the need arises. You hit a home run in my book and I thank you. Please share my comments with your staff. I wish the Yacht Starship a safe and pleasant trip back to Florida and see you next year upon your return to Boston for the 2009 season.
My best,
John
Matthew,
It [the cruise] was so wonderful and the food was amazing. I am not a huge desert fan, but the cheese cake was simply amazing. It was so different then the other boats I have been on, the food was not only edible, but amazing! I have family coming in towards the middle of the month and will insist that they take the cruise, it is something that can’t be missed when visiting Boston.
And the free parking was perfect!
Sunlight cascades across Boston Harbor as the Yacht StarShip gently cuts through the water. Not only is this two and a half hour excursion relaxing, it’s the perfect way to gain a unique perspective on one of America’s most beautiful and historic cities.
The StarShip is the latest entry into Boston’s brunch, lunch and dinner dining cruise competition. According to the press release, the $8 million, 180 ft. super ship is the first AAA Three Diamond rated dining yacht. This is especially important in light of the fact that it is docked at the corner of Summer St. and Drydock Avenue adjacent to the Black Falcon Cruise Terminal in the South Boston Seaport District, which bodes well for revitalizing the primarily industrial area.
Passengers benefit by being offered complimentary parking in a structure that is less than a block away. In Boston where public parking is expensive, this is a real perk. There is also valet parking directly in front of the ship.
Our group, six in all, arrived at the StarShip at 6:30 p.m. on a slightly humid, but pleasant Friday in July. We were greeted by Jonathan the sharpshooter who snapped a terrific picture of us before we checked in and boarded. Donna Wolfe, whose title of Business Development Boston greeted us effusively, explaining as we climbed the gangway in our summer finery that the tide determines entry. High tide, down below - low tide, where we were boarding.
There are three decks: the 3500 sq. ft. Main Deck with dining areas, a bar and a bow lookout, the 3,300 sq. ft., Second Deck with more dining and bar area, and the 3,300 Sq. ft. partially covered Top Deck. Spacious and beautifully appointed with white linen table cloths, napkins and silverware the tone was set for a comfortable, elegant adventure.
Seated on the main deck in the area designated as Starlight 1 service was immediate. We ordered drinks and enjoyed unobstructed panoramic views of the harbor. We selected a bottle of wine for the table. A complimentary starter of wild mushrooms and haricot vert wrapped in philo dough with a balsamic reduction drizzled over the top proved tasty and delicious.
Jim Hollister, a Massachusetts native, noted, “One difference (between this and other ships) you notice right away is the scale of the dining room. They’ve created a much more intimate dining area where we’re sitting – which looks to seat maybe fifty or sixty people and that’s it. And there’re several of these on the ship as opposed to the big ballroom, cavernous dining room.”
His observation is what makes the Yacht StarShip especially conducive to romantic celebrations, business dinners, family get-togethers, and weddings. There’s nothing more refreshing than gently cruising a waterway, drink in hand; sailboats gliding past an ever-changing backdrop.
We left the dock promptly at 7 p.m., and twenty minutes later we had sailed past the industrial docks and into open water. It was pointed out that there are 27 Boston islands that are part of the National Park system.
Warm, fresh rolls and butter arrived along with a wine list and menus. To begin, some of us enjoyed the clam chowder with bacon, and the asparagus salad.
Chef Paul Finocchi stopped at our table to find out how we were enjoying our respective entrées. Starting in Tampa, he’s been with the cruise company for four years. He explained that 90% of the food is prepared onboard. Baking is the tricky part. I had the braised lamb shank, and as promised it did fall off the bone. It was served on a tasty bed of couscous.
The grilled salmon was moist and served atop polenta, and the roast chicken was served with risotto and green beans.
We complimented chef Finocchi on his menu, which he explained changes four times a year.
The windows wraparound, providing sweeping views of UMass (University of Massachusetts, Boston) next to the JFK Library, and the famous painted gas tank. A little further along we cruised past Logan Airport. At the Tobin Bridge the StarShip turned around revealing the U.S.S. Constitution, the oldest ship in the U.S. Navy.
The sun set as coffee and dessert were served. There was a wicked Green Tea Crème Brulee, flourless chocolate cake, a lemon tart with fresh blueberries, and Turtle cheesecake. Twinkling lights played against the water making the skyline from Boston’s financial district even more dazzling. Comfortably full we headed upstairs, passing through the top dining room with more intimate table arrangements.
Up on the Promenade deck the sea air was exhilarating. Couples danced, enjoyed another drink, and reminisced as they listened to “Unforgettable”. The geriatric set could revel in a walk down memory lane while younger diners wanted to tell the dj to bring us into the 21st century.
In the midst of our reverie thunder sounded and raindrops began falling on our heads. We ducked beneath the covered top and enjoyed an intense ten-minute downpour.
The Yacht StarShip is a wonderful experience for locals as well as visitors who want to appreciate the many facets of Boston from a unique perspective. And, since the StarShip is new to the city they are offering specials such as 2 for 1 tickets. That’s a bargain for a wonderful cruise along with delicious food and drink. That, along with complimentary parking make lunch, brunch or dinner very affordable.
For more information, and reservations go to: www.YachtStarShip.com or call 877-744-7999. Prices for the dinner cruise range from $99.95 for adults and $59.95 for children. Lunch and brunch prices are $59.95 for adults and $41.95 for children.
— Feature by Linda Lane, Jetsetters Magazine Las Vegas Correspondent; photos by Linda and courtesy of Yacht StarShip.
At some point, everyone’s attended the kind of gathering where food figures prominently, but isn’t really the focus (and, consequently, isn’t very good). I’m talking wedding receptions, dinner theaters, transatlantic flights—the kind of “chicken or beef?” food service that prompts people like me to pre-eat in anticipation of mushy pasta and chewy steak.
It was with some hesitation, then, that I boarded the YachtStarship in South Boston last Friday night for a two-hour trip around Boston harbor. A new addition to Boston’s dinner-cruise lineup (the other players being Odyssey and Spirit), the ship’s press release promised grand skyline views, dancing on the deck, and delectable, upscale cuisine. I believed #1 and #2.
But it was, in fact, fun. A passing shower graced the harbor with an impressive rainbow, and we were free to wander the various decks. The yacht’s interior is neither stinky nor claustrophobic—two all-too-common characteristics of harbor cruises—and, while it won’t be winning any design awards, it’s pretty darn nice inside. I could actually see hosting a rehearsal dinner or summer event on this thing. Huh.
As for the food, while I’ll admit to relaxing my landlubbing standards at sea, dinner was decent. A braised lamb entrée was appropriately tender; my roast chicken salty, but moist. Flash-fried calamari were crisp, if predictable; and dessert—a green tea crème brulee—offered a light, sweet finish.
Since dinner cruising certainly falls into that category of “expect the worst,” I’d call that a home run. My dining companion and I agreed we’d go again, the scenery (and well-stocked bar) offering reason enough to deport. And at the end of the day, while good food is nice, it’s not really the point, is it?
-Donna Garlough
Boston Magazine
6/25/08
Dear Dara,
My family went on the February 29,2008 dinner cruise on the Yacht Starship II. WE HAD A WONDERFUL TIME!!!! EVERYTHING WAS PERFECT!! We had a party of 15 and this was part of our Christmas gift to everyone. We made a day trip to Clearwater from Ocala to check out local hotels and we had planned on going on the Starlight dinner cruise. When we arrived at the dock we spoke with the lady at the Star light booth and she wasn't very helpful. We had a party of 15 and my wife and my parents (all in their 80s) would be with us. We had a couple of special needs. We saw your booth and spoke with Tracy Manthey. He was very pleasant and accommodating to our needs. He even gave us his cell phone number in case we had any other questions. He won us over with his service and we are so glad he did. The ship looked new and very clean and rur server Shellie was just as helpful and the meals far exceeded our expectations. Everything was Delicious. We were treated as if we were the owners of your yacht and the Captain gave my two grandsons a tour of the bridge. We had the time of our lives.
Thank You for such a perfect evening.
Bruce Ballard
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