A group of eight of us enjoyed a fun and relaxing lunch cruise on the Spirit of Norfolk. The buffet lunch was good and plentiful. It included three types of salads, rolls with butter, chicken, pulled pork, and salmon entrees, potatoes, Mac and Cheese, plantains, squash, and street corn. Plus a large selection of desserts. Iced tea and water came with the meal too. They also have a full bar and reasonable prices for beer and wine. Service is cheerful and efficient. The entire crew was accommodating and helpful. After lunch, you can go out on their decks and enjoy the view or stay inside to dance to tunes played by a DJ. Tip and tax is included on the cruise fee, though not on the separate drinks you order on board. They'll serve you drinks at your table or on the outside decks. We boarded at 11:30 am, and the buffet opened around that time too. We then sail shortly after 12 pm. We disembarked at 2 pm. Parking is available a block away in the Town Point Garage. I believe they usually have handicap parking close to the ship, but that area was occupied by a festival when we were there. They give a military discount. Sometimes you'll see a discount on their website too. read more

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Enjoyable cruise to see ships and the harbor and river. On the boat you can grab snacks and hot dogs and beverages. The staff are friendly. read more

I have to say I was a little disappointed in this cruise. First, let me start off by saying we booked a lunch cruise for my birthday. We booked window seating. Which started off when we arrived. I was told we didn't have window seating. That was a big turn-off. When I know we payed highly to receive that. I spoke to a manager. Showed them my phone, and they changed it. We also purchased the (top shelf drink package) which included four drinks for two people. Guess what that package has stipulations on what drinks you can order. Imagine that, yet it's called top premium. I didn't like that. I do have to say those Bahama Mama drinks were good. So I will give them credit for that. The food was just mediocre. The best thing on the menu was the jerk roasted pork. It was very tasty and tender. The salmon was pretty dry, as well as the chicken. Our server was very nice as well as the other employees. So I will give them 3 stars for that. Also, can someone please clean the outside windows for window seating so that someone can actually see out of it without a problem. Is that too much to ask for something that you have to pay extra to have. I think it definitely needs to be considered. The DJ needs to play music that suits all individuals on board. As well as crowds of all ages. I don't know if I would recommend this cruise. Maybe the Dinner Cruise might be different, but I can't guarantee it. read more

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Perfect spot for date night! The buffet-style dinner was surprisingly delicious, offering something for everyone: chicken, beef, salads, and etc! Of course we had to get the jumbo margarita...! After dinner, we headed up to the upstairs bar to enjoy the water views, so relaxing and romantic. The night wrapped up on the dance floor, even some staff joined in, making the overall vibe a 10/10. The service was top-notch, food was great, and the experience was unforgettable (we even got to take our glass home)! Whether you are planning a family gathering or a special night out, City Cruises is definitely worth checking out. read more

City Cruises - Margarita! - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

We scheduled a trip on the Spirit of Norfolk on 11/7/2025 (late-night cruise). The staff was amenable. Food was minimal for the price of the cruise. Drinks were expensive. DO NOT purchase the pictures. We purchased pictures and the digital downloads. This has been the worst experience. It's like trying to find a needle in a haystack, contacting Spirit of Norfolk and PGI Photos. They have no record of what you paid for; they want the receipt, a copy of the picture, the date, and time. So, please don't pay with cash because you may be out of luck if you lose the receipt. Unless you just want something to do locally, I wouldn't recommend it. read more

The food was cold, and the customer service was less than ideal.. I would save your money or go on the American rover instead. It's a much better value. I will not be a returning customer. read more

Made what I could of it too have a good time but they mixed up our romance package and we had to wait awhile to get that settled. Food at the buffet was barely warm by the time it was our turn (nothing to rave about either). The VIP experience was basically the normal one nothing vip at all. There was a sweet 16 birthday and the kids kinda took up the entire dance floor or were brushing their hair near my food. Great view of the sunset tho read more

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Went on the dinner cruise June 3rd to celebrate my friends birthday. I purchased the guaranteed window with view tickets along with the boarding photo / frame add on and 4 premium drink vouchers. We arrived early and were able to go ahead and board which was nice. The boat was limited to first and top deck for us since a high school prom reserved the second deck. The first deck we were on wasn't too crowded, quite a bit of empty tables were left which was nice. The music and ambiance was enjoyable and a good vibe. The drinks were alright. I was happy I did purchase the vouchers because the regular price of the cocktails and drinks were too high honestly. I just didn't like that with the drink voucher you couldn't just order whichever cocktails you wanted off the menu. The food buffet included many options which were good. I didn't like that right after everyone got their plates and were eating / finishing eating their first plate the workers were already breaking down the buffet, which made it awkward for those who went back for seconds and those who wanted seconds couldn't get them because all the food was taken away so fast. The dessert bar wasn't very good. By the time I got over to it everything was gone and the desserts that were left were all messy and flipped over so I only got like a small piece of cake and a dry bland cookie. We did go up to top deck for a little bit and it was nice but there were so many high schoolers up there being kind of loud, so we couldn't really enjoy it. I don't see myself doing the dinner cruise again honestly, but I'm thinking about trying the brunch cruise maybe. My overall rate of experience : 7/10 read more

City Cruises - Drinks - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

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Well-done, lots of useful info given by tour guide. Murals wonderful & got a closer look at the city of Norfolk & its awesome architecture & artwork! Now I feel closer to Norfolk, Va & less fearful to explore it on my own! Highly recommend the Norfolk Walking Tours! Ty read more

I held my husbands birthday party on the Spirit of Norfolk. Let me just say this they outdone themselves! It was amazing and staff went above and beyond for the 20 guest and guest of honor. I brought the cake myself and carried it on. Talk about and adventure it was! Hahaha The views at night with fresh air and vibes can't be beat! If you haven't experienced the Spirit of Norfolk it's worth it. They have all sorts of cruises and times so go to the website and prepare for a fun afternoon or something evening! Cheers! read more

This Halloween cruise was awful!! The music was all the same genre and there was no variety at all. I mean how do you have a Halloween party and never even play Thriller?? There were also ladies with their nipples showing; the crowd was just raunchy and classless. The drinks were pricey and tasted like rubbing alcohol. Overall, it was a terrible experience and I will not be back. read more

Everything was fabulous! The staff, the room, the FOOD. Our server, Cassy, was the best! Great evening.

Soren was a stellar staff member on this visit. He was attentive & proactive when it came to the breakdown of a large party. Had a very positive attitude and helped the environment be more inviting. read more

I loved the atmosphere and the scenery the cruise shows you of the Atlantic ocean but the food was just ok. I was expecting a more high end dinner since the cruise requires you to low key dress up but the crew was nice and very attentive. I enjoyed the dance floor , we went for a night cap dinner and with the lights and everything of the harbor it was so beautiful. The crew offers to take pictures of you which was nice. We also got to take home a huge souvenir margarita cup if you order the margarita drink. The tickets aren't too expensive so I think ill come back and try the bunch party. I heard the brunch and lunch cruises are a little better. read more

On the mother's day 2 hour brunch cruise in Norfolk. Freedom Elite is our cruise ship today. Staff assisted every customer on the cruise ship. All patrons are well dressed and excited to enjoy the day cruise. Seven tables for the guests. Every group of guests were seated together. Mother and I were seated with another group of guests. Every guest is given a drink ticket to use for each drink they consume. Buffet style food lined the ship. There is bacon, sausage and eggs to chicken and prime rib. Mimosas for those who want to indulge. There are pastries as well. Well organized from the time we boarded til we arrived back to Waterside. *Sn this should be a 5 star rating however, they do not have bottled water, only tap which my mom doesn't drink tap. Amazing time.Thank you City Experiences read more

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When buying a ticket from a third party, Groupon, the cruise time was not properly conveyed. Be aware that some cruises don't leave at 7:30. The time on the voucher is the time the boat leaves not the time you should arrive. We arrived on time to see the boat sailing away. After many efforts on the phone with City Cruises and Groupon (chat) I was brushed off, bounced back and forth to each company only to be told too bad. It's terrible business and a bit sneaky. So Groupon keeps our money and we don't get to cruise. So unclear. read more

I went to the spirit of Norfolk cruise this past weekend (June 07th, 2025) for my cousins graduation gathering. First, the boat they use now isn't as nice as the one they had before that caught on fire. They should've replaced it with something nicer I feel! We were highly disappointed in the price for the food we had. It was $85 PER PERSON for a terrible meal . We went during lunch time at 2:30 pm . The best part was that the boat was clean. They don't have sweet tea , only unsweetened and soda products we had to pay for. The lunch was extremely disappointing. I'm not sure who the chef was but the meal was not good & buffet style. I think if they are charging that much, they should offer FRESH plated meals. By the time everyone gets their food on one half of the boat , the food is picked over. Some salad mixture that was extremely soggy, pork bites, bland salmon , potatoes, cold Mac and cheese, and street corn (which was the best tasting thing). The staff was nice & the bathrooms were clean! The deck is kind of rusted since the boat is older. I would go back for dinner to see what they offer. But if you can, avoid lunch. :/ read more

City Cruises - The meal . - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

Booked our family Thanksgiving on the Norfolk City Cruise this year. Food was very good (turkey, ham, roast beef, salmon & all the trimmings). The only complaint was the too loud disco music. It overwhelmed the entire experience. We couldn't talk or visit w/each other at all. Why not have dinner music in the background for this type of family gathering? read more

Once I heard the Spirit of Norfolk was up and running again, I couldn't wait to finally experience one of the lunch or dinner cruises. After checking the site, I noticed a Candlelight Lunch Buffet was scheduled to sail on my birthday, so I immediately booked the date. Boarding day arrived, and that's when it started. Upon arriving to the berth, we were disappointed to find out that there was no handicapped parking closer than the one and a half block we had to walk from the parking deck. Then we were just a tad bit confused because the ship's name didn't read "Spirit of Norfolk" moving past that we finally got on the ship. The captain and crew were all very friendly and accommodating. They constantly asked if we were okay, and our server checked in frequently. My suggestions would be to lower the price for the lunch cruise. Very little was offered once you boarded. Perhaps you could add some visuals, like posters depicting the things the Captain spoke about that we couldn't see under the water, Karaoke, trivia games, Ice breakers to encourage mingling... just a few thoughts to make the voyage interesting for those who can't move to the upper or lower decks. read more

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A lunch time cruise with the fam on a hot and humid Saturday was right on time!!! We purchased tickets online, so heads up you still have to go to the box office and physically pick up the actual paper ticket in order to board. You do make your first stop or a photo opp as your board so get ready to say cheese!! Once on the boat, we were seated and greeted and then by invitation only (which really meant they did not want everyone swarming the buffet at one time, they sent you up tabke by table). The food was pretty good!! I'll admit I was kinda surprised as this can be a hit it miss area. The meatballs and the mashed potatoes were a favorite as the mash tasted like grandma made them from scratch. The meatballs were seasoned and flavorful. There was also some seasoned fish and done chicken that were decent. For the non meat eaters, they also has a mini salad bar with a range of fixings. Drinks as you can imagine are most definitely overpriced but they soften the blow with light up cups and a few other cute glasses that you can keep with purchase. The DJ kept it lively as he played a nice set and took recommendations from the guests. If you can rage the sun and want to get the most of your experience head to the upper deck and spend your fine there!!! You get to take in the total vibe of the cruise as you pass Nautilus and a plethora of naval ships and vessels along the way!!! The cruise is all of about 2 hours which is the perfect amount of time and well worth it!!! Don't forget to stop by and take a peak at your pic, which if they can find you on the boat, they will bring them to you to see towards the end. PS. Check in on Yelp and you get one premium drink for free!!!! Happy Sailing!! read more

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The food was meh. Buffet style and none of it was really that good. Cruise played nice music and it was nice to watch the sunset. One time was enough, probably wouldn't highly recommend to friends unless they really needed weekend plans read more

City Cruises - Buffet style food. Meh - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

Went with a friend for her birthday to the Harborfest with a group. Tried to be pleasant but was disappointed at the whole experience. More than an half an hour passed before our table was able to get in line for the buffet. By then others were on their seconds, not to mention food was lukewarm, under/ overly seasoned and not much variety for buffet style. Before our table finished eating, the servers were breaking down the buffet to which other people complained about. I purchased a drink and after going to the deck for the view, I was low key watched and then almost harassed as if I wasn't going to pay for my drink. I was easily offended and appalled. I will not return or recommend. For what it's worth , staff lacked professionalism and after the boat ride, we ended up going elsewhere to eat. This was my third time and had better experiences, but this will definitely be my last! read more

While in Norfolk we wanted to take in the waterfront and have enjoyed tours in other cities. This one offers a buffet too. Some of the food was good (salmon) but treat mediocre. The tour of the Norfolk waterfront was interesting but difficult to hear the first part that was recorded. The second segment was delivered by the Captain and was more personable and understood. Not something we would do again. read more

Love the vibe here! It's been a long time coming, but I made it to the Midnight Cruise in August 2017 for the Carib Fest All White Party! The boat features themes sometimes, but not for every cruise. As a result, check the website before booking to see what's going on. This particular cruise was sold out due to tickets sold in advance and no ticket purchases at the gate/box office on the day of. FYI - this particular event ALWAYS sells out and it takes place yearly. The Spirit of Norfolk recently had a face-lift and I'd say it was for the good. The upper deck of the ship is super beautiful. Here at the top, the views were already spectacular, but now you can sit at high top tables, at the bar or lounge on one of the couches/loverseats. Very sexy vibe up top! The first and second floors seem to be a bit larger than what I can remember. The seating is still super tight, but I enjoyed it all. A suggestion - the table spacing and types of tables used... definitely need to be replaced for a more comfortable feel. The food was great. However, it didn't last all night long. The buffet was served as first come first served, and it's not monitored. Therefore, everyone dug in and kept digging. Nevertheless, we were full and pleased with the selections for the Midnight Cruise. I did not check out the restrooms on the bottom deck, but I did use the restroom on the middle deck (located near the bar) and it's unisex restroom I believe...it was clean and tidy - thankful for that. Bars were open on every floor. The roof top bar seemed to be your best bet - no long wait in line. The mixed drinks were on point too! Not too pricey as well. I'm looking forward to trying out the lunch or dinner cruise some time soon. But I so want to experience the Spirit during a fireworks night at TownPoint Park. Parking is available across the street in the garages. If you are lucky you may be able to find street parking. Not sure if valet will work...Valet may close at 2am and the midnight cruise does not return until 3 am. The midnight cruise was three hours - I may be getting up in age to handle the midnight partying hours but all seemed to be having a great time from boarding to departing. And the crowd was all the way live!!! Pictures of yourself or your party are snapped before you board the ship and you have the opportunity to purchase once you exit the boat. I believe they range from $10 - $20. The staff was friendly and accommodating. My only side eye is how tight the seating is on board. However, the DJ/dance floor area just enough room to get your boogie on without touching shoulders with the other guests. Before this was a super tight space. - great upgrade! If you are looking to experience a great night on the water for a few hours for a date night, a girls night out or maybe even to cruise alone, I'd definitely check this out. You may even find discounted tickets on Groupon. The crowds typically are all friendly. I have not been on cruise I didn't enjoy - it's what you make it! Have fun and enjoy life :) read more

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Ive been on Spirit cruises before for previous school trips, however this one disappointed a little :(. I was looking forward to the buffet but the food was disappointing. the only good things were the honey sesame chicken and short ribs. the sound system kept cutting out too and then the DJ vanished! The view is always beautiful, though! read more

City Cruises - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

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Had our company holiday ball there. It was a nice area. We stayed at the hotel across the street and they made everything convenient to get to it. The boat was nice...it could have used a little more decoration for being a holiday ball. They offered to take pictures before boarding that was cute. The dance floor was small but not bad since not many danced. The bar was close by, but the drinks were outrageously priced. They were really expensive I thought, but I guess since you got to keep the glass that was why. I will say though you only got to keep one glass even though we bought refills and they were still the same price. The food was a nice surprise and had good variety and it was hot. It was a buffet. The ride was very smooth so that was a plus, but I would have like to see some sort of lighting or decoration just to look at since there were windows all around. read more

City Cruises - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

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We Celebrated my sister 65th Birthday! 35 family members& we had an Amazing time! Happy Birthday Lillian! Great Time read more

City Cruises - Desert buffet - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

I purchased tickets for the Father's Day Brunch cruise at 1pm. We were able to find a parking spot in the garage across the street. I picked up our tickets at the tickets booth and we were able to come aboard immediately. I noticed there were a lot of people inside already eating, I found this odd since it was said that boarding would start at 12:30. We were showed to our table and we went straight to the buffet. The food was delicious. There was salad, couscous, fruit medley, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, pesto pasta, pork with mustard glaze, and sesame chicken. Desserts consisted of bread pudding, lemon raspberry pudding, and carrot cake. DELICIOUS! Our server Keyon was wonderful! He was attentive and was able to accommodate my requests for our little one. We were able to go outside on the deck and they had games for the kids and a woman playing a steel drum to incredible music! They also had bars on each deck! They also had tortillas and hot wings out on the top deck. We had a wonderful time today. We had great service, wonderful food, and they even had ice cream sandwiches passed out to all guests as we disembarked. I'm seriously working out a family gathering in the future! read more

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Thoroughly enjoyed the brunch cruise today! Although the food was good and presented well, it was limited in variety. Unlimited mimosas were included in the price, as well there was a cash bar. The scenery up and down the river was perfect and the DJ (Valente Haynes) was the perfect complement to a beautiful day and experience. I can't wait to go again! read more

City Cruises - The Spirit of Norfolk - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

The Spirit of Norfolk is located beside Town Point Park off of Waterside Drive in Norfolk. There are several parking garage choices within easy walking distance to the dock. Our family arranged for group ticketing in advance for a swimming banquet for my son's club team. Due to this I am unsure how much tickets are, we paid $30 per for a 3 hour excursion on the river. Our team sold the boat out with approximately 300 tickets. After getting your ticket and arriving at the prearranged time, the crew will allow boarding. But first they take a pic that of course later they try to sell you. The boat has a main level, mid level and top deck. Restrooms are located on the first floor and if there are others I did not see them. Bars are located on main level and top deck, I did not spend any time mid deck. Our party was set up on the main level to eat and this is where the DJ is too. Buffet is provided in front of the bar. I was bummed my premium drink with Yelp Check-in could not be utilized since the club elected to not serve alcohol. Our sever introduced herself and got us settled in with drinks. She was very nice and I liked her energy They have soda packages if you like unlimited, I think it may have been $5. Our table got the tap water package for FREE! Prior to eating our family went top deck to enjoy the view of the Elizabeth River. This is a perspective you will never get unless you know someone that has a boat that travels on this portion of the river. It is very industrial and the route takes you around the Norfolk Ship Yard. This all seemed fascinating to me. The beautiful Portsmouth Naval Hospital which dates back to the revolutionary war is right on the banks of the Elizabeth. You can also see construction of the new tube that is being built to cross under the water. We sailed for around 35 min and was told lunch buffet would be served. The dismissing of tables was orderly, but seemed to take forever with a full ship. The food offered was a meat, chicken and seafood dish with sides of potatoes and green beans. Also offered was two kinds of salad and bread. Deserts are brought out by your server after your meal. The food was just passable, that's it! Due to the fact this was a banquet we had speakers and awards. Unfortunately this lasted almost the entire cruise and very little time for the DJ was allotted. Music along with alcohol would have provided a different (improved) dynamic I think. So the review is leaving out a large aspect of what people do enjoy. Staff did come around and sell picture packages if you are so inclined. My wife felt like she wanted to get it since we have almost no studio pics taken. So for $20 we got a 5x7. I personally did not care so much for the experience. If it would have been a different situation with just a party atmosphere I can see it being much better. I did take notice of most of the Elites that reviewed Spirit of Norfolk enjoyed themselves giving it a better than average review. However combined score is right on track with mine. Maybe another time under different circumstances I may give it a try. Bottom line... if I am a tourist visiting Norfolk this is not what I would recommend friend and family. read more

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The taxes and fees doubles the price of the ticket so you pay over $300.00 for a two person brunch

Cool experience. Good way to see the shipyards. Good service. Smooth ride. Well orchestrated service. read more

Was very happy this Mimosa Brunch cruise was open right now. They did require masks unless you were seated at the table and plenty of hand sanitizer was supplied. Crew was great, D.J. had some fun music playing...Music should be kept a little lower till after we ate.I would recommend visiting the 3rd open deck while waiting to be called to eat..Not as busy and they hi tail it back so we didn't have much time on top..Food was really tasty ..Not really a fan of Mimosas so can't comment on those, but it was great they comped the soda for the non drinker's..All Together a great time( shot some great maternity pics on the top deck, just an idea) read more

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My fiancé and I were excited for date night on the ship. The tickets weren't too expensive either. There were tons of people and lots of food choices. But needless to say the night felt like a disaster. The BBQ beef was hard, chewy and tasteless, the chicken was too salty, the green beans and bow tie pasta were hard, the fish was bland, the meat balls had no taste. The only thing that was good was the corn and Angry Orchard Cider because it was pre packaged. The DJ played crappy music. Lots of line dancing music. Also, don't bother dressing up like the website says cause this place was ghetto as hell with people wearing tie dye shirts with shorts and flip flops. Don't bother going on the ship; take your $180 and go have a nice dinner in the city, watch a movie and grab some drinks. What a waste of a trip! read more

I've never ever been to the Spirit of Norfolk cruises but have always wanted too. A family member had offered to bring us as guest for a Christmas party so we were super stoked. Besides the weather being extremely cold and raining we enjoyed the cruise. FOOD: I'm not sure how it is on regular days but for this Christmas party it was buffet style and the food was phenomenal. Since it was just one free meal we stuffed all the food on one plate. I enjoyed the stuffing and pesto pasta. The mashed potatoes and salad were really superb. They also offered 3 different desserts, pumpkin cheesecake, raspberry covered creme brûlée, chocolate cake with cherry flavor I believe. SERVICE: The waiters were very tentative they would come by and grab empty plates and refill our water. The bI believe the security or guard near the door also was kind enough to show us where the bathroom was since we looked lost looking. Upstairs was the top deck with another bar and an outside view. The same security also offered to take a picture of us since we couldn't take a pic of our whole group. I thought that was great and very hospitable. Overall I enjoyed my time on the Spirit of Norfolk and even thinking about inquiring with them for next years work Christmas party as well. read more

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I just went on a midnight cruise with family and friends and it was awesome!! The staff and everything was so nice. I just love it!! I would recommend anyone to get out and enjoy on The spirit of Norfolk read more

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Midnight dance cruise.... The atmosphere was quite enjoyable. Celebrating birthdays... the food and music were great! read more

City Cruises - Midnight dance cruise.... fun atmosphere for all. The food and music were great! Celebrating birthdays!!!! - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

They offer several specialty cruises like princess cruises, Halloween, Easter, etc. The food is pretty good and atmosphere great. They have different time cruises brunch, lunch, dinner, moonlight. read more

I've been on the Spirit of Norfolk twice as an adult, both times for the midnight cruise. The first time was for a friend's birthday. We were a group of about 5-8 young women, and I had a decent time, but the members of the group who pregamed had a GREAT time. We stayed on the first level, and the crowd was definitely older, like 40-50, and we were late 20's. The music was good, the food was okay, the drinks were expensive. The most recent trip was me and my boyfriend. When we arrived a little before 11:30 the line was super long. We first noticed how diverse the crowd was, age ranges from older (old) people and very young (just turned 21) people; there were people dressed eloquently and people in jeans and T-shirts and sneakers; there were couples and single people, all races and all sexualities. Once we got past the long line, the id/bag check (FYI, they REALLY will NOT let u on the ship without your id, a man who was CLEARLY in his 50's, got turned away), the $20 5x7 picture, and security check (they pat the men down, and wand the women), we finally boarded. We opted to start at the 2nd floor. Despite the long line, it was pretty empty up there. Unlike my previous experience there was no fight for food or a long line at the bar. We ate before we came so we didn't try the food (looked like meatball subs, chicken wings, and veggies). My boyfriend bought us 2 drinks, a simple whiskey sour and a jack and coke, which was $21. They filled the small cups up 1/2 way then filled with ice. Though they were strong, still wasn't worth the price. We sat for a while and listened to the music before we got bored and decided to go up to the 3rd floor, which is the rooftop. They have a bar and some games, as well as seating. It was peaceful and a more romantic vibe. Until others decided to explore at which it became crowded and rowdy as singles started to shoot their shot at each other. We decided to hear back down to the 2nd floor. When we arrived it still wasn't crowded at all but the party had started. Clearly the 2nd floor is for the party crowd. The 2nd floor dj was great, he was interactive, though he sometimes lost the crowd with his song selections, he always found something to bring them back. It was fun we danced a little bit, but it became borderline uncomfortable when he got into his "twerking" set. It got to the point where lap dances were started to happen. Apparently the word on a cruise ship travels fast because the "pick me" crowd from upstairs quickly moved downstairs to show off their other assets. He slowed it down and put on some music for couples, before docking. We said we'd go again, but we'd drink before we boarded, and take a group or other couples with us. I think itd make it more fun. I think what's wrong with the Spirit of Norfolk is that the crowd is too diverse, though it seems to funnel itself out (old people, more tame people - 1st floor; party people - 2nd floor; chill crowd - 3rd flow). A first time visitor will be confused as to what's appropriate dress and what to expect. Also the prices. A $31 trip, quickly became an $85 trip for 2 after adding fees. The most basic drinks start at $10 each. read more

What a night at the Spirit of Norfolk. The spirit of Norfolk is a little get away for those wanting to spend a day or night with their significant other, celebrate an event, or for those who just want to get a little feel on what it's like to be aboard a mini cruise ship to feel the ocean breeze on the Elizabeth river. I was here to celebrate my wedding anniversary. The cruise is Located along the waterfront of Norfolk. We parked at the parking garage directly in front of the building where they used to have Joe's Crab Shack, And Jillian's.. Now sad to see that it's a building empty and perhaps under renovation. On the right side of the building, people were lined up by the dock at town pointe park. I was scheduled to board at 6:00. We took pictures before entering the ship. Aboard the ship their were many couples, some people celebrating their birthdays and many out having a good time with their friends and family. I didn't like the table they originally seated us in. We were sitting at a table for two in between two other couples spending their anniversary as well. I really wanted an area more private, where felt like I didn't have to hear other people's conversations. A little more intimate since we were celebrating our anniversary. The waiter was nice and made sure i got to choose a location that suited my comfort level. We sat directly towards the back of the ship that had bigger tables and less people. I sat at the bar just to talk to my bartender to make sure she made my drink spot on. It was a special request, side car martini. She never made it before so she gave me a taste just to make sure it was done right. With a little tweaking, it was perfect and she even gave me a little more than extra with a complimentary refill. Before the ship left port we were given a quick safety briefing and then it was time for dinner. The entrees buffet line included your choice of salad, garlic mash, Creamed corn and cheddar cheese casserole, Roasted pork loin in garlic, baked ziti, Oven baked north Atlantic sole filet, Honey and sesame chicken, Apple cobbler, Strawberry and vanilla custard, chocolate cake with raspberries and mixed fruit. I stuffed my plate to try almost every item. If you are a major foodie like myself... You have to keep in mind that it is a buffet and that you will get mediocre food compared to quality food that you would get at a fine dining establishment. I enjoyed the corn and cheddar cheese casserole, the sole filet, salad and apple cobbler. I recommend you don't eat the honey sesame chicken and the pork loin. Nothing was like OMG amazing, but I was content enough to be spending some time with my spouse. They had the Dj playing a song for the couples. It was a precious site to see many of them enjoying their time. Especially when I saw a couple well in their years dancing the night a way. It melted my heart. I wasn't a fan at some of the music selections. So therefore I only danced one song. So we spent most of the night on the the top deck area where enjoying the view of the waters. They had a foosball table, connect four set up for playing games and a nice lounge area just to sit an talk and be with the ones you love. The night was fun, the food was mediocre. I left the cruise and was given a freshly baked cookie on my way out. Oh wish they had included this on the buffet line. It was my favorite of the night. read more

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