There is something really wrong & suspicious about the bad reviews for the Mystic Blue, that I HAD to make sure I write a review about my experience. One word: FANTASTIC. Â Another word: ACCOMMODATING. Â
Truly, compared to the other boats, Mystic Blue is THE FUN BOAT.
I organized a large party for about 200 people on this boat, and EVERYTHING, from my AMAZING sales associate (Lucy Sharkey), to the restaurant manager (Lalo Garcia), the staff, the buffet, the service, the boat crew, the DJ, the boat itself, WAS PERFECT. Â My party was beyond satisfied and happy all because of Mystic Blue and their commitment to great customer service! Â ANY thing that wasn't up to par with what I had arranged (unexpected things that pop up), were handled IMMEDIATELY. Â
Our party did the buffet brunch and it was EXCELLENT! Â There was so much food, lots of selection (we had choice of 3 meats, 2 breads/pasta, brunch items, 2 salads, PLUS veggies & a whole dessert buffet too! Â I honestly don't understand what other people are talking about in their reviews about the food. Â It tasted great too. Â My favorite was their penne pasta in the tomato cream sauce- VERY flavorful. Â We had plenty to drink, the kids in our party had an AMAZING time- they were SO happy. Â People even thanked me for arranging this party on the boat. Â ALL thanks to Mystic Blue cruises and their amazing staff!
So let's break it down:
*The Staff & Crew: Â super friendly & accommodating
* The food: excellent flavor & plentiful
* Entertainment: DJ was very very polite & respectful of our wishes regarding certain music, we even got to supply some of our own
* Decor: very clean, classy yet casual, white tablecloth setting, very nicely decorated, my party was so pleased and impressed when they walked in
* Sales: MY SALESPERSON WAS THE BEST- make sure you work with her for all your party needs! Her name is Lucy Sharkey
* The Boat & Cruise: very smooth, long enough (2.5 hrs), excellent views
* Extra Touches: Â the staff really catered to whatever we needed to help make our party special. Â They allowed us to personalize things however we needed.
I will DEFINITELY be a returning customer; we are actually organizing a whole boat rental next and it's going to be this one!!
We have a company party here every summer and always have an amazing time. It's the perfect way to see Chicago and provide a fun and unique experience for employees. The food is fantastic and there are always more than enough choices (chicken, beef brisket, salads, veggies, pastas, and a phenomenal dessert table). The staff is attentive, fun, and definitely go above and beyond for their guests. Tracy and the team make it easy to plan the events and provide plenty of options for the group. I think it's a great value for the experience and we definitely plan on continuing our annual outing with Mystic Blue Cruises.
Review Source:A friend set up a great birthday party for himself... he had plenty-o-booze, we had a great time.
We started the night with the Chicago fireworks show while downing libations at the Navy Pier Beer Garden... good primer for the boat.
At midnight this cruise is a night club on the water. 3 floors of DJs, one indoor, cold as hell, bar area with limited music.
These people are here to party! There is a specialty drink with commemorative light up cup... pass. Food that smelled enough for us to stay away... but it is a night club, booming, reggae pounding, latin dance, dirty grind audio explosion on water. The upper deck has a DJ and I noticed more than the aroma of typical cigarettes.
Great time, right sized crowd. Good luck catching a cab when this thing docks though.
THE ONLY THING GOOD ABOUT THIS CRUISE IS THE VIEWS!!!!
First let me start with the price. Five years ago I paid for 2 people to go on this cruise and the total was $78. When my husband and I went on 6/30 is was $102 per couple. I am not sure why the price went up when the quality went down. The extra money must have went for the POLICE SEARCHES right before you get on the boat. I've never seen more police for just an outing on a boat.
Plus it was an extremely hot and humid night and the cops told me to throw out my unopened bottle of water. I was pretty pissed because in order to get water you had to go onboard and wait in the bar line which was always long. It wasn't until the end of the night that they even sat the water out where we could just pour it ourselves. I couldnt believe I had paid for this experience. I understand why I cannot bring bottled water on an airplane, but what was the point of us not being able to bring an unopened bottle of water on board the boat??? The worst part was that later on I saw several people who had bottled waters that they had brought on board with them. So not only were the police full of shit, but they were inconsistent. Go figure!!!
The buffet was just meatballs, breads,chicken strips, Â celery, carrots, egg rolls. Your basic frozen food/reheated fair. Plus the people were dressed in booty shorts, Â I AM A FEMALE AND SAW MORE VAGINA ON THIS BOAT THAN IN THE WOMEN'S LOCKER ROOM AT THE YMCA!!!The dress code online said that we should dress in appropriate club attire, but these women were damn near naked. The music was just ok and we spent much of our time on the top floor enjoying the awesome views.
Now lets talk about the drinks. Remember this was a hot night, and the boat served beers in plastic cups. SO BEER GOT HOT PRETTY FAST!!! The beers were $7, and the "special" was the blue island for $ 12.75. Oh and the bartender told me that you could keep the cup, which was nothing more than a cheap Party City style light up cup. Without the cup it was $10, but no one told me that until my frugal aunt mentioned that she asked the bartender for no cup and he charged her $10. I guess if you don't ask, they don't tell. By the end of the night I ordered one more blue island and the bartender told me it was $14. When I told him that it was the special for $12.75, he looked at me with a pissed look and said," oh yeah I forgot about that".
All in all the music was basic club music for a 16 year old(I'm 29), the food was basic reheated frozen food, the drinks were expensive without reason, and served in tiny plastic cups ranging from $9-$14, and the staff had an attitude. Sadly the ONLY thing good about this boat was the view. Which I would have seen anyway had I just took a water taxi for $10 per person.
I requested that the DJ play I'm on a boat, and he refused to do it. What is this nonsense...
Everything else was okay. Our school rented out the entire short for a formal, so there were three indoor levels (2 as dance floors, and one as bar) and a top deck. The boat looks a little ghetto and run down on the outside in comparison to, say, the Odyssey, buts its surprisingly cute inside. The food was okay, my bf said that its the exact same stuff that they serve on the Odyssey - meatballs, chicken strips, veggies, and cookie on a stick. The view was the best part - Chicago looks spectacular from the deck as we drifted through the harbor.
Food: 2
Service: 3
Decor: 3
Came here for Northwestern Senior Formal.
Pros:
-dj was okay and much better than The Odyssey's, but the music selection still needed work (was probably more appropriate for some girl's sweet 16 party)
-view was nice
Cons:
-food was disappointing, although it was the same as The Odyssey's (breaded chicken strips, carrots and celery, meatballs, mac and cheese, chips and cheese sauce, chocolate chip cookies on a stick, profiteroles (which were okay), and chocolate cake)
-service was mediocre (had to walk around to find someone for water)
Yelp was right about this one - it is very much a 3 star!
I went for an lunch with work. It was a beautiful day, which made it perfect for a cruise. The ticket office staff was friendly and helpful (I was in charge of picking up tickets for our big group), which made to a good start.
We had no issues with anything whatsoever. We occupied 2 big tables, and our waitress was extremely nice and helpful. I'd give her a 5/5. She was very accommodating and personable and always with a smile. The managers were great as well, we had some questions by the end of the cruise and they came right away with great answer. Once you sit, they'd serve you drinks, and you can go get your food (buffet). After lunch, people started to head up to the  top deck, which offered beautiful view of the city, especially on a good day. It got quite windy, so I wouldn't recommend taking this cruise on a colder day because, really, the view is what you paid for.
So why only 3 stars? Well, first, the food - nothing spectacular. It was a buffet, which I liked, but the food was very average. Mashed potatoes (or some kind of potatoes), some meat (which was beef I believed), simple salad, mac and cheese, and something else. They did offer a separate desert buffet later, which was good but again, nothing spectacular. Another thing I wasn't impressed was what the venue itself - it was not as fancy as I had imagined. Nevertheless, I'm glad I had a chance to try it, but I probably won't be back soon.
We were given complimentary tickets after this fiasco....Two stars for attempting to correct the problem. We went first week of August, took one look at the crowd and left, having paid for parking already. I expect a certain standard of dress as stated in their website but this time around all I could see were "booty" shorts left and right. I'm not a prude but this was surreal! I could see A shirts and booty shorts left and right, I'm from Logan Square and don't freak out easily but this was not a good atmosphere at all.
I guess you get what you pay for! I'll stick to the Odyssey.
Our first night in Chicago. Â June 15th. Â Rainy and cold. Â But we have reservations on the Mystic Blue for the three of us, and for what I paid, we are not missing this.
It was freezing on the boat. Â Ladies, don't forget your wraps! You will need them.
I paid extra for a window seat and paid for 5 premium drink tickets.
We found out that premium is not very premium. Â My husband got a scotch on the rocks and got me a taquila shot, and it cost 25 bucks! Â Wow!
The buffet style dinner was nothing to write home about. Â But dessert was good. Â
We were on a dinner/fireworks cruise that lasted 3 hours. Â We had a few dry moments for the fireworks, which was nice. Â But overall, I didn't feel like it was well worth the 400 dollars I paid for it. Â Especially when the price you think you are going to pay is only 80 dollars a person, plus the add-ons. Â Taxes and fees were over 100 dollars. Â They should quote that price up-front. Â I felt taken advantage of, but I was committed and hoped the experience would be worth it.
To me, it wasn't. Â Only 2 stars for this experience.
I bought a Groupon for my husband & I for the fireworks cruise. Overall I was happy with the experience. The food was... well, unfortunately what I expected. But the cruise was fun, the DJ played decent music, and when it comes down to it you can't beat watching Navy Pier fireworks with the Chicago skyline in the background.
Review Source:Full disclosure: I won this cruise for two because of a Yelp event back in May, 2010 hosted by the Chicago Trolley & Double Decker Company. So why not 5 stars? Mainly because the food was good but not memorable. It is served buffet style at a steam table, so it was as good as that can be. Only beverages are served at your table. If I were to pay, I'd go for the marvelous experience of cruising for a couple of hours on Lake Michigan with an unbeatable view of the downtown area. If you can swing it on a night when they are having fireworks at Navy Pier, it would probably be spectacular.
High marks go to the professional crew and staff aboard this excursion vessel. You will feel pampered every step of the way, from first friendly greeting to your disembarkment (The night we cruised, it rained right upon docking back at the Pier. The staff unfurled oversized golf umbrellas so parties could exit comfortably to the Pier building.) We had the good fortune of being waited on by Benji, who served us their complimentary flute of "champagne" and was attentive to our requests throughout. We were seated in the spacious first level cabin, the Escapade Room, which held a number of smaller groups and couples. It sports a full bar at the bow and a small dance floor near the stern, where the DJ holds court. The DJ had all the favorites you would hear at any good wedding reception, plus he had these expertly mixed so they flowed seamlessly into one another. He's also a VJ, because many of what he plays is accompanied by the appropriate music video that may have launched that tune (yes, a lot will be from the 70s and 80s.) Unlike at most weddings, this music was not over amplified; just loud enough for dancing.
Since you have to reserve your boarding some weeks ahead of the cruise day, the only unforeseen snag could be the weather. You are protected in a fully enclosed cabin, but it's so nice to climb up to the open roof deck to see the city at its finest. Our afternoon started out as cloudy, cool, and threatening. It was fascinating to witness the storm front come in that night (See my video: <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D4fJqx3IxQbk&s=611d8c91f215ba9bf0fc73c6ff3384a17ba8e9a597ecaf6e40f260b8ec268507" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/w…</a>). The experience of being on the lake is well worth the cost of this cruise. You won't get seasick; there is almost no perception that you are on a boat unless it happens to cross the wake of another boat that went by.
Groupon made me do it. I purchased the Groupon earlier this summer thinking that it would be a great way to enjoy the sights of Chicago. But, as summers do, you get busy and forget about things that sound like a good idea.
And then winter hit.
When I called to make a reservation using my Groupon in November, I was informed that there were only 5 dates available left in the year to use them and none of the dates were incredibly appealing. Feeling backed against the wall, I picked a date and went.
The staff is super friendly, Candace, our server, was awesome. The buffet was fine, nothing stand out. The dessert is okay too. The singing and dancing servers were horrid - you will never see any of these folks on American Idol or Glee. The accoustics were horrible for the sings. Â
Ah, but the people watching. Â December is big company holiday party time so lots of people drank a bit too much on the company dime and boogied on the dance floor. Two hours of awesome people watching + crap-tastic food = 2 stars.
My hubby and I used a Groupon to experience a chitown boat cruise for the first time. Â
It was pretty much what I expected for a mid-tier dinner boat cruise.
The food is decent but nothing spectacular - 2 long buffet lines that give you access to your basic american chicken, veggies, potatoes, and seafood. The food wasn't bad, actually, just nothing I'd remember. Â I did like the dessert buffet that had a great chocolate fondue spread with plenty of strawberries, marshmallows, cookies, and other sweets.
The complimentary drinks were ok - turns out you have to make sure to ask which of the drinks on their menu can be redeemed with the complimentary drink ticket. There's no indicator of which is which. Similar to wedding receptions, the drinks were kind of watered down.
The best feature about the cruise is the unique view of the city that you won't see anywhere else. The skyscrapers against blue waters is really breathtaking, even if you've lived in the city for a while! Â Because the boat travels back and forth along the shoreline from Navy Pier to the Shedd, you get multiple opportunities to take day time and nightime pictures of the skyline.
It was really cold on this day, but normally it'd be super pleasant to take a drink up to the deck where they have couches and bar tables and just enjoy the scenery.
The entertainment was average, as you would expect - the DJ had some raffles and we were slightly amused by the dance contest that was held. Dancing followed but the dance floor is quite small.
This was like a wedding. Â A seriously bad wedding. Â Horrible music. Â Fat people filling up at the buffet over and over and over (which was just horrendously greasy). Â Older ladies wearing dresses waaay too short tearing it up to Lady Gaga. Â A chocolate skin-collecting fountain. Â Ewww.
The only saving grace was a decent guitarist on the top deck, which most people didn't seem to enjoy seeing as it was a little chilly - so we spent the entire time up there as I preferred the cold to the madness indoors.
I did use my groupon, but was told by the person on the phone that it was the last groupon cruise of the year and I took the last two spots. Â Crappy since my groupon didn't expire until December. Â Like another poster said, shady!! Â And the woman on the phone was incredibly rude.
I almost gave this two stars because the views of the city are just awesome. Â But that's to no credit to Mystic Blue - so one star it is!
I also got the runaround with my Groupons. After 3 attempts to reserve my spots, I contacted Groupon for a refund. I'm hoping to recoup the amount I paid at this point. MB shouldn't have put an expiration of 12/30 if there were no cruises available after 11/9. That's shady. The next time I consider a cruise, it will not be with Mystic Blue. It's left a bad taste in my mouth.
Review Source:I've done both the brunch and the dinner cruises. Â The brunch food was okay, but I was VERY surprised by the dinner! Â It's buffet style, too, but they had the most delicious and creamy butternut squash ravioli that I've ever had. Â LOVED IT! Â And there were lots of options, too. Â I was definitely happy with the food :)
The entertainment was not the best, but it was leaps and bounds better than what they have on the Spirit of Chicago, which is supposedly a nicer boat. Â No cheesy singer waiters, no hoola-hoop competitions, just your run-of-the-mill dance music, and at an appropriate volume (unlike Spirit of Chicago). Â We did not partake in dancing (blame the hubby for that) but we still enjoyed ourselves immensely. Â And I loved the calming blue decor and lighting.
The drinks were good, too. Â I had a mudslide, which was a tad pricey, but not shockingly so, and it was delicious. Â Not strong, but not too weak, either. Â
The views were spectacular. Â Spirit of Chicago circled Navy Pier three times... Mystic Blue went up and down the coast once, which was just perfect. Â Then we parked in the harbor to watch the fireworks! Â What a night!
We loved Mystic Blue so much that if we had been able to afford to transport everyone from the suburbs, we would've held our wedding reception there.
For the price, you really can't beat Mystic Blue (and it's soooooo much better than the Spirit of Chicago!)
While this is not a luxury cruise it fits the bill for a romantic night out on the water. I used Groupons to cut the price in half, which might cause a biased review.
When you board you are welcomed by many of the wait staff and directed to your table. Come hungry because the dining is buffet style. While the food was not outstanding, there were enough buffet options to find something you liked. While eating, there are great views of the skyline to be had. Their is also a dessert buffet in the latter half of the journey.
On the top level of the boat there was a solo acoustic guitar player. The tunes were mellow and you were able to take in the breeze and views.
I would not pay full price for the cruise, but if you are able to find a good deal then it is an enjoyable night.
This was like a bad dream. Â Bad food - all starch buffet, terrible waitress (she was nice, but literally would have to be chased down and reminded three times to get a beer for someone at the table) and awful cheesy music. Â The cruise is just like the rest - same path north and then south and then docked - all within 2 hours. Â Seriously, the buffet was one of the nastiest I have seen AND they are still trucking out the "chocolate fountain" that shouldn't be seen outside of weddings.
I suppose if you have nothing better to do with your money than waste it on this stuff, go ahead, but I would rather skip the food charge and take one of the other options. Â (Get some churritos on the pier and bring those instead - yum!)
This cruise is really what you make of it. In one sentence, I would say that I was well-fed, the live 2-man band on the top deck was incredible (I want them to play at my wedding incredible), and the views of Chicago were really beautiful, especially while the sun is setting and a cute date on your arm. A great romantic and fun night with a special someone, or the family!
This isn't a luxury cruiseliner, but it isn't a shabby boat either. The servers REALLY try to make your night special and are super attentive. The mix of people on the ship are either folks on a company outing/mixer, couples celebrating anniversaries or b'days, or families celebrating b'days, and other random people who were smart enough to buy a Groupon! :P
The food was decent, not anything special but always well replenished. Mashed potatoes, salad, potato skins stuffed wish delicious seafood, beef, rolls, and something else. Halfway through the cruise, they switch the spread to dessert. My only gripe is that downstairs, where you eat, the music is played WAY too loud and the music selection is like, from middle/high school dances.
OH! And the boat actually doesn't leave Navy Pier very far. I was sad when we only sailed as far as Adler Planetarium, then came back to the Pier. :(
We had a great time on this cruise. It's not a luxury cruise, but its a good time nonetheless. The food was good. The music was good. The ambiance was nice. The servers went out of their way to accommodate anything you needed. I don't know about all these negative reviews about waiting to board the boat, we got right on and had no problems at all. I would definitely cruise with them again. Great way to see the Chicago skyline at sunset!
Review Source:If you are coming here expecting a luxury cruise, then you will be disappointed. Many people who I have talked to were disappointed with this fact. I personally love boats and being on the water. I knew I was going to enjoy my cruise.
My wife and I went on a fireworks/dinner cruise here. They had a decent spread prepared: salad, seafood stuffed potato skins, pasta, mashed potatoes, BBQ pork, vegetables. There were a few other things, but this was all I really had. They did a great job of keeping the buffet fully stocked and everything fresh. The food was by no means bad and everything was tasty and hit the spot! Our server kept our drinks full throughout the meal and did a great job.
After dinner, we set sail out on Lake Michigan. The waters wee calm but every now and then you could feel the boat rock a little. It was a smaller boat so I was expecting this. The two interior floors were nice and air conditioned and they had DJs spinning some tunes. They stuck with many crowd pleasers so I felt like I was at a wedding. The top open air deck was cool! They had a two man acoustical band playing and it made a very nice background. I wish there were more seats up on this deck as it was quite crowded.
Overall I had a great time, just as I suspected. All of the staff that we came in contact with was very quick, friendly and helpful. The only thing that I wish could have been improved was that there could have been more outdoor seating. Other than that they did a great job.
Recently went for a dinner cruise on a lovely Chicago night, it was a great experience. Â I was expecting it to be sort of touristy and cheesy, which it sort of was... they do take a photo of you when you walk on the boat (and try to get you to purchase it later) which was sort of prom-like, but besides that I was able to avoid the cheesy things they had to offer.
After we were sat at the dinner table, we got in line for the buffet. Â This was where I was expecting it to be terrible, but it wasn't. Â It wasn't great by any means, but much better than expected for buffet food. Â We did get in line fairly early so maybe the food hadn't had time to sit out and get gross? Â The drinks were expensive, but to me that's the touristy part. Â After drinking 2 $10 vodka lemonades, I ordered a special drink of theirs for less and it had 2x the amount of alcohol (order off of their fancy drink list).
After dinner, the boyf and I went straight up to the viewing deck to enjoy some live jazz. Â It was great - the weather, the drinks, the company and the skyline. Â It wasn't too crowded at all, and I think boat is the best way to see the city.
When I went back downstairs to the dining room to use the facilities, I realized that the dance floor was in full use with cheesy Beyonce songs and idiots dancing. Â I'm not sure why someone would pay to come on a boat to dance inside (again in a sort of prom-like cheesy atmosphere) when the weather was fantastic and you could enjoy the great views while listening to jazz?
Idiots aside, it was a nice evening. All the staff was very friendly, not sure why others thought they were rude.
This is not something that I'd do on a regular basis, but for tourists or locals wanting to do something different, I would recommend Mystic Blue.
One of the worst "cruise" experiences I've ever had. We went on one of their dinner tours. The food was TERRIBLE. I can normally drink spoiled milk and feel fine but the crap they served definitely gave me a run for the money. The boat is nothing special (read: old and needs work) and rocks with even the slightest wave.
To top it all off, their employees are some of the rudest people I've come across in the service industry. Most of the issues had to do with reservations but they were enough to almost make me cancel our reservation before take-off. I wish I had!
The dinner cruise is a good value, and you can't beat the views. Just be aware that you're getting what you pay for, much like Andy C's review. Don't expect to be wined and dined with romance. If you're looking for top notch, spend the extra dollar and go with Odyssey.
Mystic Blue is just fine for a nice out with friends. Around $80 gets you mediocre buffet food and the Best of the 90s dance hits. But it's the view you're paying for, and that is worth the money.
Ha - I'm getting a chuckle out of reading others' reviews of this vessel. Â This "cruise", if you can truly call it that, can be disheartening if you are expecting an extravagant ordeal replete with top service, top food, and top drinks. Â You can ideally hope for a great view and get it on a nice cloudless day or night, but duh on that one.
Ahem. Â Operative words: Club. Mystic. Moonlight. Cruise. Â You read the description on their website, and you think, "This could be fancy, there could be great food, great dancing." Â
Wrong answer. Â
To my delight and laughter, the Club Mystic cruise reminded me of Soul Plane starring Snooppity Snoop as the pilot with the 25 cent luggage lockers. Â It was a fun time. Â Sure, the food wasn't great, but it was ok. Â The view was delightful. Â There were no uncoordinated people trying to dance, and when one girl tried to do some ridiculously stupid techno club dance, she was QUICKLY pushed out of the circle by people performing the correct choreography to "Cupid Shuffle." Â Down Down do your thing...
The buffet Lunch cruise on Saturdays is great. I have taken many guests on that cruise and it is always a good time. Good food, Pricey drinks and decent wedding dancing music. Making reservations was always easilly done in person or over the phone. Great boarding procedure, and great views from the lake.
Review Source:I went on a dinner cruise on the mystic blue and for a touristy attraction it was okay. Â The dinner buffet was alright, but not the best. Â Drinks were pretty strong. Â
One disappointment was that it felt like to boat was just going around in circles between Navy Pier and Polk Street. Â I think I'd rather check out something more interesting like the architecture cruise.
Here's the deal on this cruise - it's cheap. I don't know if you knew, but $50 is a pretty low price for a dinner cruise on the lake. For the price it gets three stars. I think this is kind of like the Old Country Buffet of dinner cruises.
I'm sorry, but I thought the food was pretty awful. Everything was just camouflaged in cream and butter and the rolls were dry, the pasta salad had a funny aftertaste and the green beans were just plain yuck. The carrot cake was quite yum though.
If you pack some granola bars and a flask you can have yourself a nice evening on the lake...you go for the view really and it's quite spectacular.
The staff weren't the most professional, but weren't awful...just kind of awkward. Anyone else heard of a white wine spritzer being made with Sprite?!
My mom loves cruises so she wanted to do this when we came here which I was totally fine with. Â It wasn't the best cruise ever but it was interesting.
There was a buffet which the food wasn't the best but it wasn't the worse. Â My mom paid $50 a person which included our meals, drinks (soda and juice of course) and it came with a bouqet of ballons and we also each get a cup!
The cruise did consist of a lot and I mean a lot of elderly people which made it fun to watch them dance on the dance floor. Â It's great at the top where you can sit with your food and just watch the city from the ocean.
We had a work event here for a Friday happy hour cruise. Â Great idea for when its nice out. Â However I imagine that if the weather sucks and you're stuck on the bottom deck hanging out it kind of sucks. Â The happy hour cruise is $30/person and includes all you can drink and all you can eat. Â The wasn't very good and it was very spicy. Â There was a washed up old man playing the guitar on the top deck and getting really into it. Â I guess bad music is better than no music though.
Review Source:Had a nice time last weekend on the Mystic Blue for a Venetian Night cruise. Â It's a nice boat and they treat the guests really well - we had one of the friendliest servers I've had in all of Chicago.
The vibe is kind of weird, though - kind of like a wedding reception. Â Mediocre food, a DJ trying to work the crowd into a frenzy by playing the Electric Slide... a little cheezy but fun if you're with friends I guess.
I'd go here with a group to have a good time, but as a couple I think it may be a little akward.
I went on the midnight cruise for a friend's birthday, and it was a huge ripoff! Â For $40 you are admitted to a smelly boat for a 2 hour cruise and are served cold, nasty appetizers. Â Drinks cost extra. Â You have three floors to choose from. Â We started on the bottom floor. Â When we boarded the boat we were told to sit anywhere, so we did. Â A waitress came around to get our drink order. Â While we were waiting for our drinks, we were kicked out of our tables because they were reserved. Â How you were supposed to know that is beyond me. Â We then moved to the second floor, where they played the same 10 songs over and over. Â You can exit the second floor and hang out outside, or you can go up to the top deck and dance. Â However, dancing is very difficult due to the swaying of the boat.
The only good thing about the cruise was the view. Â Seeing the skyline lit up at night is beautiful. Â I'm sure it's romantic too, but I can't really comment on that.
Look...the reality is, you're not going on this cruise for the food: you're here to get on the lake, see our gorgeous skyline from a different perspective in a leisurely manner and perhaps have a drink (or four) and a bite to eat.
For that reason, skip it in the winter (or anytime it's cold out). Â In the summer, however, totally worth it for the relatively inexpensive, all-you-can-eat, ticket price. Â Make your way up to the top deck for the full experience. Â Plus, you have an excuse to brave the crowds at Navy Pier and actually see what all the tourists come here for (which, as a local, is very easy to overlook).
BTW...this is a great option for group functions: not too expensive but an exciting "event" (MUST get there on time) that will seem more impressive than it actually is.
We had our company holiday party on the Mystic Blue. Â Superior staff that was accommodating in every way they could be. Â Fun dj who played almost all the ridiculous requests we threw at him. Â
Food was a bit mediocre. Â We had a spread of salads, finger foods and desserts. Â Nothing was outstanding, but far from awful. Â If they improved on the food, I would have added another star to this review.
The other big gripe almost everyone had was that it was way too cold. Â Yes, it's the middle of winter but we were told that it would be heated. Â We had some who refused to take off their coats for most of the evening. Â
Unfortunately, I can't comment on price as I have no clue as to how much we paid. Â Great experience, I may have to attempt this on my own in the summer.
I am prejudiced about this cruise line--this was where my future husband took me for our first "big date" - on my birthday. Â
The line offers pre-paid cruise packages, both for lunch and dinner and these are reserved seating. Its buffet style, but very good food. There is dancing, music, food, liquor and the lake, what more could you ask for? Fireworks? Oh, on Wednesday and Saturday, Navy Pier supplies those!
This is a really cool cruise to take along Chicago's lakefront. There's lots of options in terms of timing -- you can go for brunch, lunch or dinner. Its a two and a half hour cruise and it's filled with lots of fun. Great food, great music, and of course a wonderful view of the city. Its definitely one fun trip that must be experienced.
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