Must do in NASHVILLE.. this was amazing and super over the top experience. From the calmness of the boat in the water to the show experience inside. Plus the tasty food. And good service and information from the whole boat crew. And the show was spectacular great performers. 100% worth it read more

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If you're staying near the Opryland area, the General Jackson Showboat dinner and show experience are a solid way to pass one of your evenings. It's definitely a throwback to a different time in American history as you enjoy cruising down the Cumberland River on a restored paddle boat as you head to downtown Nashville and back while enjoying a buffet dinner and musical show. You're encouraged to arrive early to the boat when purchasing your ticket and for those that arrive early there is a live band performing on the very top deck....once it's time for the dinner and show you'll move below deck into the theater/main dining room. Everyone has a designated table. We were seated towards the back and I'm so glad we were because with how loud the audio was I couldn't imagine sitting at one of the closer tables to the stage. For your meal, you being with a Ceasar Salad course prior to each table lining up to go to one of the buffet stations set up on either side of the dining room.The buffet consisted of a variety of items including their take on brisket (no bbq sauce is available on the whole boat btw), Tuscan chicken, mac & cheese, mashed potatoes, and more. As you near the downtown area, the buffet area will be shut down so you can enjoy the downtown skyline views at night while the servers place your dessert at your table. Our night we had a toffee cheesecake (that tasted old and like the cardboard box it had been sitting in for who knows how long). As for the show it takes you on a journey through the years of popular music that came out of Music City - Nashville. It was a good way to pass your dinner. All in all - none of the pieces of this experience by themselves was a standout but combined it made for an enjoyable (and different) way to pass an evening in Nashville. read more

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This was an amazing experience on The General Jackson Showboat at the Dinner and cruise, it was a full moon on the Cumberland River in Nashville tn. I would highly recommend read more

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Food was ok. Nothing to write home about. The dessert was best. Mostly it was way too loud during entertainment. The entertainers were talented but volume too loud. Also they kept trying to sell you expensive photos and drinks. read more

I spent New Year's Eve on the general Jackson and it was a great experience! For $160 you get a dinner including appetizers (a kale salad with raspberry dressing and a brie puff pastry), dinner (slightly overcooked steak with carrots, potatoes and some other veggies) and dessert (a slice of delicious chocolate cake), as well as non stop live music starting at 9pm until docking at 1. And of course the music was phenomenal with the supremely talented Perry Danos band keeping the party going all night. Service was fast and efficient and while drinks were not included and pricey, you get your money's worth because the pours were heavy! You can also explore the boat, which has 4 different levels and even though it was cold it was a beautiful night out on a beautiful boat. Cons: -when I tried to call Gaylord opryland with a question I was on hold for over 10 minutes before I eventually hung up. For such a large hotel you would think they would have more -the schedule they sent was not accurate to what happened. Boarding was supposed to start at 8 and dinner at 8:45; my party boarded 10 minutes after 8 and most of the seats were already full with salads already served and most eaten. We also docked early. read more

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Very nice family experience and entertainment Meal was good Service could be improved I am sure finding help is difficult as everywhere read more

It had been 30 years since I had cruised on the GJ. Wow! What a throwback experience. This is Americana nostalgia, and you need that mindset to step back in time on this boat. Well-maintained with friendly staff and decent food, we were pleasantly surprised at the quality of service and drinks as well. Is it cool, hip, or modern, no, but that's what's great. I had a good time aboard and the entertainment was a bonus. It's pricey, but worth it for a family or group outing. read more

General Jackson Showboat - Time to replace that letter. - American Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

Overall, a fabulous experience that everyone should do when visiting Nashville. Photos are taken when you first board the boat for purchase later if you so wish. From 6:15-7:15 is country music on the top floor of the boat with a band playing and a bar. The bartenders on the top floor made the best drinks of the night. I recommend trying a banana pina colada, or a colada/daiquiri mix. After the music, you are ushered to the Victorian theater for a buffet style meal that includes mashed potatoes, broccoli, mac and cheese, chicken, and a carving station with prime rib. The prime rib was fantastic! After dinner, go out on the deck of the ship as you approach downtown Nashville/Broadway street in its lighted splendor. Great views from the boat. The ship is then turned around. Go back inside and enjoy a show that includes pretty impressive vocals and songs from country music legends as the boat makes it way back to the dock. The only reason I did not give this experience 5 stars is that the wait staff at the end of the dinner were very pushy for tips. It made several of us at the table uncomfortable since it was a buffet style meal.... But overall, I think everyone should experience this at least once when visiting Nashville. Nothing quite like it. read more

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Broken a/c on boat in August. No cancellation or refund offered. We were told fans were placed on boat to help with heat. They were not adequate to make the boat comfortable. Many seniors on board and there was no offer of complimentary water or ice. after the meal. Shame on General Jackson! A nice trip, lunch and show experience ruined by these conditions. Don't go this week unless A/C is fixed. read more

Excellent experience, greeted by friendly staff. Views are incredible and shows are really nice. Food is good and we loved getting to know some new folks. read more

The General Jackson was a really enjoyable part of our time in Nashville. We were looking for some quintessential things to do and this was on every Top 10 list. With good reason. We bought tickets ahead of time for a dinner cruise on a summer evening. Boarding was set for 6:15pm but started a little early so we were able to get our souvenir group picture taken by the crew and then onto the boat very quickly. Before the 7pm departure, you can explore the boat, listen to music up on the top deck, and/or get a drink from any of the many bar areas. Dinner started about 20 minutes after we departed. We were served Caesar salad at the table and then the buffet opened. We were lucky and were one of the first tables at the buffet...the line got CRAZY long. But the food was fresh and hot the whole time, and you could go back for seconds. Our buffet included cooked carrots, broccolini, mashed potatoes (soooo good), mac and cheese (also really good), bread, chicken and carved prime rib (which was very tasty!). After dinner was over we went out on deck to see Nashville's downtown area all lit up with lights. It was so cool! We took a ton of pictures and the boat never felt too crowded. Dessert was cheesecake, followed by a wonderful hour-long performance of country music history and hits. The show was really fabulous! Our only hiccup was traveling back from the boat..it was easy to Uber there but getting an Uber back was slow. There were taxis waiting, but they wanted $35 for what was a $10 Uber ride. Not at all a reflection on the General Jackson but just an FYI. read more

The entire experience exceeded our expectations. The show was amazing. The staff was extremely kind, helpful and knowledgeable of the boat and river. We enjoyed visiting with them and learning from them while on the cruise. The General Jackson Showboat was the highlight of our trip to Nashville TN. read more

General Jackson Showboat - Rocking on deck - American Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

Great time! Great food and excellent show. Only disappointments were- Website. It could be so much easier to see what you're booking. Website is weak for being a big business. Wait staff. Particularly ours. I wish I could remember his name. He told an off color joke that was offensive. Also the reminders about a tip were annoying. He reminded us twice and then another server came to tell us. We were still eating!!! Otherwise, we would highly recommend! read more

Decided to book this river boat tour to just to see Nashville from a different point of view. I booked the lunchtime cruise. From the moment we arrived at the pier and checked in with our reservation the customer service was exceptional. Had the opportunity to meet the captain and our table service was excellent and the worst staff is very attentive. The food was good, not mind blowing but above average especially the deserts. However, the show Legends show was phenomenal. The artists performed every genre of country music you can think of with all the popular favorites and were very multitalented. The performance alone is worth the cost of the experience. read more

Dinner, River cruise, and a show for $100. Definitely worth it!! Sine we were first in line at the buffet, the prime rib was pretty dry. It was still tasty. For my second round at the dinner buffet, it was superb! I got my prime rare, with baby carrots, broccolini, nice side salad, and fresh horseradish with a kick! The food was better than I expected for a buffet. The interior was very cool. Love the old school architecture. Wait for my review on the show. We sat on Table 65. It was Tier 2. Tables 51 and above are better seats only because you are not as crowded and you have more room to move about. The tables in front of the stage are best for the show. You may even get a personal lap dance. Jk. There is not a bad seat for the show though. Post #2: the show was outstanding! From Johnny Cash, Shania, Toby, Garth, Reba, Ray Charles, Dilly, Elvis, Aretha, I can go on. I even knew the Swiftie song. The singers/performers did a fabulous job. A must see. Overall, 4.5. It was greater than a 4 and less than a 5. read more

General Jackson Showboat - American Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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We purchased a ticket a month or two ago, and we decided to upgrade to the "captains table". With that you were supposed to get a drink, a T-shirt tour of the captains area. We go into it as newcomers we get to tour we are escorted down to the main ballroom or whatever you call it, and we were sitting at table 9. There were two captains tables we sit down. It looks like it's a well placed table settings kind of look like going to a wedding the way it was placed. Anyway, all the other people or first come first serve sitting behind us and they didn't have the free drink, obviously which was a plastic mug that looked like the boat on top. Absolutely ridiculous. Everybody left their drinks. It was just pineapple juice and grenadine if we wanted to add alcohol, it was $15 a shot anyway we're sitting there and we see a menu on the table so we're thinking we're gonna order food and then they're gonna bring it to us. Our waiter comes over. Says no we don't order food. This is a buffet at that point I was ready to go. There was 500 people on this boat. The buffet line was in the very back of the room I ask him do we get priority going to the buffet line 1st since we were the VIPs at the caps table he said no it's gonna be a mad dash or a kettle call getting into the buffet line on our boat errors. A lot of spring break kids. He said these kids are gonna eat all the food. You better hurry up and get there as soon as you can. I was pissed at this point because we were in the front of the room. All the buffet lines were in the very back of the rooms and it was damn near a fire hazard because you cannot walk between tables. It was so crowded. Needless to say we did not go to the buffet cause it was disgusting everybody fighting over this food breathing and leaning over it laugh and spitting on it so we were done at that point we sat down in our table while the other people were eating. I called and made a reservation at a restaurant nearby and I told my partner there's no way in hell we're gonna eat this food plus we were never told it was a buffet very shady descriptions when you buy these tickets. I know if people found out that this is a buffet and it's first come first serve. I'm guessing a quarter of the people would not even go anyway the show was OK nothing special but it was what it was so to recap when I go back now, but I recommended to my friends no but I would warn them that if you're a big fan of buffets, don't get the VIP package cause you're gonna be in the very front of the room by the stage, but all the food is in the back of the room so you're better off being in first come first serve and sit at table 50 that way you can get up and eat your food if that's what you want. That was our trip on the General Jackson. I would give it one star and a half. read more

This showboat is the final boss of the touristy things you can do in Nashville. BUT- it is incredibly fun. The food, the view, the entertainment. It's worth going at least once. We did the Rollin' on the River evening show and the performers were very talented. I was riveted to my seat the entire time. I loved the virgin strawberry daiquiri I got and props to my husband for bringing the souvenir glass back in one piece in his carry on! Shout out to the random guy in the trees along the dark river bank who screamed at us and revved a chainsaw. We got a good laugh about that. Remember to bring cash to tip your waitstaff! read more

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We made reservations for our Party of 5. Drove to the dock and we were informed Boat was broken down, we could have dinner and see show while the boat was docked or get a refund. We opted for a refund... No Problem with refund, which is good Why not just sell tickets when boat is up and running? read more

We had a wonderful experience on the General Jackson Showboat. The food and entertainment were both wonderful. I highly recommend it! read more

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Four LOCAL Ladies decided we would take in the 4th of July Fireworks from the General Jackson Showboat. Booked in March, glad we were able to get a table in the theater balcony. LOVELY ambiance, GREAT service, EXCELLENT food served at our table, salad, bread, entree & dessert with Tea, Coffee, Water included. Early Music was Outstanding & Stage Show on way back was very well done! Perfect parking spot on the Cumberland River to watch the Fireworks show. The boat was packed but we never felt cramped or crowded in our space. 6pm till approx 12 Midnight read more

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Food was good (brisket, chicken, steamed green beans, carrots, mashed potatoes, mac n cheese, rolls) staff was nice, but couldn't understand them as they were foreign. No drinks unless you pay $5 for Pepsi products except unsweetened tea (if you could call it that), coffee, and water. Elvis tribute- Sounded nothing like Elvis and looked nothing like Elvis. He spent 30 minutes talking and 30 minutes singing. If you are a true Elvis fan you'd be mortified. Scenery was pretty. Beautiful boat. read more

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ABSOLUTELY A MUST DO! We did this the first night we were in town. The boat cruise was nice and easy was not rocky at all. You eat dinner first buffet style and there was all types of food for everyone. I loved the fresh cut prime rib they even let you get seconds if you wanted more. The show was absolutely amazing you can tell they love what they do and I love how they did generations over time of country music. About great deal for dinner and a show! So happy to have gone. Everyone was friendly and nice bathrooms were clean and place was clean. read more

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I was a little worried because I get seasick and the girls aren't excited about boats. However, this was all of our best boat experiences ever! Everyone that we spoke to was friendly and kind. The kids were just talking about how much they missed salads now that we were not in California, and our first course was a Caesar salad. The kids loved that chicken nuggets were an option for the little kids meals. For the adult meals, the chicken was tender and succulent and the crab cake wasn't too salty. The drinks were so large that when my glass was empty, I was able to put both of my hands into the glass and there was still room for 2 other hands. The service was attentive, and we found out that we were the only ones at our shared table that tipped the waitstaff at the end which is just something that thoughtful people should think about. The ship was so fun for the kids to wander around and look at the large paddle as it makes ripples in the water as we move past. The mild 70 degrees Fahrenheit weather was also a plus for our leisurely walk around the deck. The show was so fun! The kids were dancing when they were listening to music that they never heard before. It was just a wonderful experience that we would love to try again. read more

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Took the afternoon lunch cruise. The food is served buffet style and it was just ok. Loved our table and seats at table 16. Would not choose the captain's table, not worth the upgraded price. The one hour show was very entertaining. I recommend this activity - it was a clear day and cruising on the river was beautiful and relaxing. My friends and I agree it was a good choice and worth doing when in Nashville! read more

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Recently visited Nashville for the Country Christmas cruises. Beautiful boat, but we were a little disappointed upon being seated for lunch (very expensive lunch) as many of the chairs were stained. It felt a little odd that the entire wait and Bar staff were foreigners. It was an interruption to the cultural experience. It would have been preferable to have local, hometown folks employed by Opryland. It is, after all a country music and Christmas themed experience. The entertainment was phenomenal, we really enjoyed the music. Do I recommend? No i dont. It really isn't worth the price, it felt more like a tourist trap. The two stars are for the music, otherwise it would be no stars. read more

General Jackson isn't at all what it used to be. It's just not worth $100 a person. Sure the food is good and the Show is awesome but you would think that they could change the show. Same show as 2 years ago. And the cruise isn't long at all. They basically take you downtown Nashville and turn around. I guess for tourist it's fantastic but we're not tourist. We sat at a table where a couple was bragging bout how the snuck on the boat. Okay?! How did you even manage that?! WAIT I don't even care to know. But my husband got up to inform one of the workers and it was like they didn't even care in the least. We were planning on going back on the evening cruise again this year but yeah...no I don't think so. This wasn't our first go around with hearing someone say they snuck on the boat. GJ you really need to have some better security cause, in all honesty that's pretty scary! read more

This is a must-do when in Nashville. It's located next to Paula Dean's and Opry Mall. I will be speaking specifically about the dinner cruise. Option for wine and beer before embarking. I had the Chardonnay and it was good. While onboard they have some liquors, wine, soda/pop, and beer. The full bar opens at 7:00 p.m. $12 -$14 Once you check in, get ready to say cheese, and remember your table number. You will get a professional photo op before getting in line. During dinner, they will come to the table number you provided with your photo for you to purchase. There is no line, it's like SouthWest (if flown), you just move forward, and they encourage you to move up. No need to rush anyone, the ship is big enough to walk around and you have an assigned seat (if dining). So once you walk the bridge you are onboard. They have bar-height tables and chairs that seat 2 along the sides, chairs, and tables at the front or back of the boat that can seat up to 6, as well as rocking chairs ( my favorite). Boarding info is available on the site. Boarding 615 Dinner 720 I enjoyed the food, they had chicken and prime rib. I had the prime rib from the carving station!!!! Loved it. Great buffet selection. The dessert I chose was the cheesecake. Delicious. From the bar I ordered a margarita (you can get Patron), slight upcharge but reasonable. Souvenir margarita glass too! The server is friendly and will tell you what to expect. At around 8 p.m., you can go out and take pictures of Nashville! 15 minutes the ship will stay there, then you come back in for the show. The show was fantastic lots of energy, great vocals, and costume changes, they did a great job, very entertaining. You can walk around the ship at any time. I recommend going to the back before take off to see the big red wheel start turning! All in all a memorable time. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!!! read more

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Very nice things to do with family! Seeing downtown by the boat was cool. Music show and dinner was great!

We took a group of 22 teenagers on this dinner cruise and everyone had a blast! It was a unique experience for everyone. The food was delicious and the Christmas entertainment was nice to get the holidays started. It was also beautiful to see downtown Nashville at night with all of the lights and sounds. Would recommend! read more

General Jackson Showboat - American Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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A very cute activity complete with dinner and a show! I would say the at the boast could use some upgrades to really help elevate the experience. I was disappointed that the boat was broken today and I had just a dreadful view of dock. The staff was amazing 5 's and I really enjoyed the salad and my mixed drinks! The general dinner food I would say was largely bland with the expectation of the crab cakes. read more

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Go every year for 4TH of July fireworks cruise, with friends. Cant be beat, everything is well organized, food is great, and parking right below the famous Nashville fireworks is outstanding Then a cruise back to parking lot, with live show, desserts, etc. and then a no traffic jump to motel. Cant be topped!!!!!!!!!! read more

First thing: If you have children, just know that the evening boat voyage is a few hours long. And it doesn't end until well after bedtime. And once you're on the boat, you're not getting off unless there's a medical emergency. So once you decide to step aboard and the ship starts moving, you're committed to the hours-long ride. I mention this obvious fact because it really hit home for me when my young child had second thoughts about going on the General Jackson at the last minute. He wanted nothing more than to get off the boat, but by that time, the boat had left the dock and we were in the thick of the voyage. You can imagine what it's like dealing with an irrational young child who is stuck in the middle of a river with no way out for a few hours. I believe the afternoon trips are shorter, and they obviously end earlier in the day. So if you have kids who are young, maybe choose an afternoon trip. I wish we would have chosen an afternoon trip with my kids. The kid craziness is not the reason for a three-star review, though. The meh review is because the bathrooms we visited on the ship were backed up from the time they were docked (as in they did not flush), and the food was not good, and the servers were strangely passive-aggressive yet demanding with tips. It was just bad vibes from start to finish. The scenery was lovely, though. The showboat goes down Nashville's Cumberland River, and you get a behind-the-scenes look at downtown Nashville, residential areas and other places in the city. We were on the river at night, and we got to see stars and the city lights twinkling and all that. It was truly beautiful at some points. The boat itself is beautiful, too, and full of history. General Jackson showboat is definitely worth a visit. I think if I were to do it again, I'd opt for an afternoon trip and no food. Just experiencing the boat ride would be enough without going overboard. read more

The General Jackson Showboat is the Touristy of the Touristy things to do in Nashville but you should do it because it's a ton of fun, great show and food. I was really hesitant to book this boat because on paper this is exactly the type of activity that we try to stay away from: A boat with food on a river with a show--OMG! I was just looking for someone to take us on a river cruise with no food or show-just a boat ride but could not find one. But the show was great! and the food and service was better than EVERY restaurant in Nashville that we ate in. If the Showboat had a restaurant--I would return there. If the Show was repeated at a local theater I would go see it again. If your budget allows--do it and sit as close to the stage as possible--even if off to the side--closer is better. After, I asked one of the guy in the bad how long they have been performing this very polished show together and he said 8 years. read more

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Had a great time on the General Jackson showboat in Nashville, TN. We started off with lunch which was served buffet style... once the boat pushed off the show started being with a tribute to the country stars that put Nashville on the map... these entertainers were excellent. We really enjoyed the performances. read more

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The boat was a great tourist thing to do. I definitely recommend for a group outting or celebration. Location behind the mall with free parking was great idea.. they offered pictures before getting on the boat, buffet style dinner two meat choices, carb, vegetable and a salad. The food was plenty and warm and delicious. We sat and waited till the end to get our food not to have to wait in line and it was a good choice there was still plenty of food. Long line for the bar. We lucked out with great seats by the stage so we didn't feel crowded. They did a great Christmas show I left like i was on a cruise line vacation. Nice view of downtown Nashville. You didn't even feel the boat moving. I definitely enjoyed it for an excuse to dress up and go out. We even mer some wonderful people at our table. read more

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We purchased tickets for the Showboat primarily to get a view of downtown Nashville from the boat. Unfortunately, for our ride, that part of the tour was cancelled for various reasons (I think there was a race downtown so the authorities shut down access). It was cool to take a ride on the paddle boat, but warning that the clientele appeared to be mostly retirees. The meal served was generously portioned, but I would have preferred to eat elsewhere. Also, do not watch this show after going to the Grand Ole Opry --- nothing beats the acoustics at that venue and everything after the Opry sounded like just noise to me. Probably will not return. PRO PARENT TIP: Call ahead of your trip to confirm whether your trip to downtown is still in the plan. read more

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We visited on the one night that the GJ experienced a mechanical problem so it didn't head up the river. We still enjoyed the meal and the show. The food was pretty good for buffet for 500. It was pretty efficient and the food was hot. Pretty standard fare, salad, rolls, carrots, prime rib, chicken, new potatoes The show was pretty good. The ambiance was nice! read more

This one was definitely worth the trip. For the price, you get a cute cruise ship style show, a very well done buffet, you do sit at a table with others (I love that, my husband not so much, LOL) a beautiful paddle boat ride along the Cumberland. The pulled pork and potato salad were both fantastic. My hubby really enjoyed the macaroni and cheese. The show was a tribute to Nashville legends. It was cute and very entertaining. We watched about 1/2 of the show and went outside to get a couple of cocktails and walk around the boat. The entire thing is about 3 hours, which really is a good value for the money paid. I would recommend it, and if we were in Nashville with strangers, I would definitely bring them on this . read more

We came here for a special NYE event, and it was an absolute BLAST! We didn't have any of the negative experiences others described. We sat in the top balcony straight across from the stage and had a great view of the stage. For this event, there was no buffet, but a set menu and the food was brought to us. There was plenty of food and it was good (I just didn't care for the filet - it was kinda like a thick version of a tv dinner Salisbury Steak, but the goat cheese salad was great, and the veggies and crab cake were all really good! The chocolate cake at the end was layered with mousse and that was pretty great, too). Our server was SO fun and sweet and helpful, and kept us posted on when we'd be downtown to be able to step out and check out the fabulous downtown views from the river. The selling point do this event was that there was a dance floor set up in front of the stage. We danced like crazy while the amazing band played - they really were fabulous!!! It was all the music you'd expect to hear at a wedding or something, and they mixed in a bunch of slow songs with the fast, dance ones. It was really fun, and they played some classic group dance songs when the band took a break. There was a toast at midnight and they released balloons, too! I thought it was pretty great that the band played for another half hour after docking, so there wasn't a mad dash to the doors. It was so much fun and probably the best NYE celebration I've ever attended! read more

Bravo! What a great show, entertainment from when you enter the ship till the journey end. However, Very disappointed with the quality of food at the buffet. Adequate bathrooms around the ship. Love the upper deck where you get a nice view of downtown once the show is over. Drinks are expensive but understandable. Water and tea was unlimited but expect to tip the waiter. I hope they work on the quality of the food. read more