My husband and I recently married aboard the California Spirit at YCI. Early on we decided to go…read morefor a yacht wedding so we set out exploring our options here in the Bay Area. We first looked at Commodore, Empress, and Hornblower before we found Yacht Connections International. We were a little hesitant to check out YCI simply because their yachts looked so luxurious; we assumed they would be expensive to charter. Well... we were both right and wrong! We toured the California Spirit, their bigger yacht, and it was by far the best looking yacht we toured; very elegant, very contemporary and really no comparison to the competition. So yes, we correctly assumed YCI had the best looking yachts but we were wrong on the price to charter it! We felt YCI's quote for our wedding was quite reasonable. That being said it is still going to cost more to charter the California Spirit than comparable boats at the competition but if you ask us, it was well worth it! The real reason why you should go with YCI is their employees. Yes their yacht was the best looking, but the people who helped make our wedding so special are worth the higher price. My husband and I have received nothing but the highest praise from our guest about the captain, the stewards, the bartender, and the chef - the food was delicious. All our guests raved about the food but we were too busy to really enjoy all the offerings, we completely missed the artisanal cheese and fruit, but we did enjoy the mushroom ravioli - you should definitely work that into your menu! There are lots of options for the menu including gluten free and vegetarian and loads of drink options - my husband's Irish family members had no complaints about the offerings at the bar, nor the bartender! YCI also has excellent vendors. We had Janelle from Green Petal Designs for flowers, Rob from Rob Martel Photography, and Mary Michler from Creative Pastries for the cake. All did a fantastic job with their respective craft and each was very friendly and helpful during the planning process. This review isn't about them but it exemplifies YCI's commitment to providing a high level of service even from their vendors. Lastly we need to make special note of Captain Bill who married us, great officiant and expert at guiding our yacht through the SF Bay, and Stephanie our event coordinator. Stephanie is simply the best! Listen to all her suggestions and definitely ask her to serve as your coordinator the day of. She kept us on schedule, pointed out photo ops, had great suggestions about decor, things to avoid, and everything behind the scenes. She helped me get down the aisle, took care of any special meal requests, had a plate of food ready for us, helped with guests, and I could go on and on with how much assistance Stephanie provided both me and my husband. Thank you very much Stephanie! In short: the yacht was the most luxurious, the crew phenomenal, food amazing, vendors top notch, and a super event coordinator. This adds up to a five star company that made our wedding day oh so special! (And my husband would like to add, all for a competitive and reasonable price!!!)

They made my wedding day a true experience. The food was delicious, the views breath taking and the…read morecrew was delightful. Everything I wanted and more. Dinah was an absolute delight! She was alway available when I needed her. Even giving me her private number if I needed to contact her after business hours. She was god sent and I'm forever grateful to have her on my team during this special time in my life.. Thank You from the bottom if my heart Yacht Connection Crew and Staff! The Bride

I found The San Francisco Sailing Company by chance. There's a kiosk tucked between a fruit stand…read moreand a jewelry shop. The man that helped me was patient, friendly and even cared to ask what type of experience I was looking for. He recommended TSFSC and said it was a more authentic sailing experience, which is what I wanted. I met the crew at 1 PM, they took us to the boat and gave us a quick tutorial. The package offers 2 beers, which was a nice touch. The crew did a great job at allowing the experience to be very relaxing. I will come back!

We took friends from out of town on a 90 minute sail. The crew was great, everything was in good…read morecondition and professional. Everyone said they enjoyed it and were glad we went. Definitely follow the advice to bring layers. We had a beautiful sunny day but the wind out on the bay was still cold! Luckily they had blankets for some guests who were not prepared for the variety of temperatures we enjoyed that day.

We just went on the 4th of July dinner, dance watch fire works cruise on the bay. It was great. We…read morehave seen the Cabernet Sauvignon yacht docked in Alameda when we go walking along the shore but never really thought about looking into cruises. We boarded around 6:30 after getting checked in. The bars opened at 6:30 (2nd and 3rd deck) so it seemed like a good first stop upon boarding. Buffet dinner of chicken, hand cut prime rib, sauteed vegetables, salad, lemon rice, and cheese cake started just after 7. I had 2 helpings and cleared my plate both times. Delicious. Back to the bars. Both had beer, wine and spirits. The upstairs bar had the good tequila as well as more premium spirits. Around 9:30 we were in position off the San Francisco waterfront to watch the fireworks. The open top deck was perfect for viewing. It was somewhat clear earlier I the evening but of course the fog rolled in just in time for the festivities. It was still a good show. The DJ was playing tunes all night on the 3rd deck but the dancing really started after the fireworks. The crowd was mixed but everyone was pleasant. The over zealous clean up crew decided to grab our drinks while dancing. The bar crew replaced them even when the bar was technically closed. Huge props to them. Will definitely do this again. Maybe for fleet week when the planes are flying.

Had our high school prom on the Commodore and it was okay. The boat itself had 4 levels with the…read moreupper deck being an open space as well as the 3rd level having a bit of an outdoor portion. The other levels were mainly designated to food and photobooths. The boat drove all the way past the golden gate bridge from Alameda and back. The views were spectacular but the cruise itself was just okay. Pros: - Amazing views from the deck as well as all areas inside the boat. Really loved the route it was on. - Lemon bars which were slightly too sweet but still delicious. - Friendly waiters who were always asking us if we wanted any drinks and clearing the plates. Cons: - No elevator so it was hard to climb up and down the stairs in a long ball gown. - The bathrooms were tiny, not poofy dress friendly. - The food is actually terrible. Think grapes with saucy chicken, I don't know who thought of this option. - The dance floor was on the 3rd floor and while people jumped, it seemed like the ceiling tiles were about to break on the 2nd floor. Overall okay experience. Should have spent more time looking at the views instead of eating the food.

I had my wedding on Luxe cruises June 5th, 2026. It was relatively last minute; I started planning…read moremid/ end of March. Jules was my Sales point of contact and walked me through the pricing, what was offered, and gave me some great suggestions (1hr dockside, the rest of the time on the Bay). We got lucky with "Karl" and had the most perfect clear weather ever! I worked with Brenda as my point of contact Coordinator. She was calm, collected, responsive and very flexible. I very much enjoyed partnering with her during the planning process. And by flexible, I mean her and her team changed the party at the literal last minute with additional people. Most events have a 10 - 20% no show or drop rate. So I assumed about 42 would show, when the full 50 arrived; including a few that didn't RSVP. Brenda had suggested that I stick with a 50 final headcount, I declined, and...she was right. The team really rallied and made it work. I primarily interacted on the ship with Christian and Annika. They were *delightful*. We arrived at 4pm, informed the staff of additional people and they responded immediately with additional meals, drinks, and let the kitchen know. No hesitation, just understanding and problem solving. I absolutely added an additional tip to the event. Food and Beverage: Important to us so we picked the Lux Package: seafood tower appetizer, Prime Rib, pasta trio, salad, mixed desserts, while allowing us to bring a cake. Solid food, better than expected, pretty decent for a buffet. Open Bar, top shelf. They also let us bring several bottles of wine for dinner, with no corkage fee. Annika was our bartender and was a delight to work with! Boat: two levels- dining level one, and dancing level two. We had a disco themed wedding so the dining area was pretty perfect for the theme (dark reflective ceiling, mini lights) Upper level had great views, clean and easy to decorate to match our team. Overall boat was clean, well maintained and the staff, again, was fantastic all around. Christian was our main point of contact on the boat, and a delight! Overall, Luxe worked really well with our vendors and we didn't hear of any issues with the set up or strike down. Brenda coordinated well with them all, again flexible with last minute updates and changes. As an example, we added two vendors (dance instructors) last minute (literally three days before the reception). No problem to add them to the vendor list, added vendor meals and again. Just really worked with us.

We had such a great time attending a friend's 50th birthday celebration. From start to finish the…read morestaff was amazing, so kind, very attentive, helpful and fun. The food was great and the vibes were amazing. I'm so grateful for this experience.

We hosted a celebration of life for my FIL for about 100 and everything was just as I had…read moreenvisioned. Lupita was patient, compassionate, thorough, and handled my many details and requests from start to finish with the utmost professionalism and sensitivity one could hope for. Captain Gerry couldn't have been more accommodating with our schedule and the entire crew worked together to deliver a pitch perfect day. I was beyond thrilled with how everything came together and deeply appreciate their help in one fitting and unforgettable sendoff. Thank you x's a gabillion!

I rarely leave negative reviews, but my experience with Empress Events was extremely disappointing…read more Throughout the planning process, communication was inconsistent and often frustrating. Important details were overlooked, which created unnecessary stress. One major issue involved a lost cashier's check that was not handled with the level of urgency or accountability you would expect. Unfortunately, the event itself fell far below expectations. The dinner quality was poor, especially for the price, and many of our guests noticed. The yacht had no air conditioning, making the ride very uncomfortable. Guests were visibly hot and sweating, and we had to request that the upstairs plastic windows be opened just to get some airflow. The bar service was also disappointing. The cash bar was not fully stocked, and several items listed on the menu were unavailable because they had run out. Additionally, per our contract, we were supposed to use an iPhone for music, but that wasn't possible because they could not locate the connectors they said they would provide. Most frustrating of all, our cruise was cut short due to errors in the contract--errors that were never corrected or brought to our attention beforehand, so we were never given the opportunity to review or re-sign. This directly impacted the experience we paid for. After the event, I reached out to Deborah to address these issues, and I never received a response. That lack of follow-up only added to the disappointment. Overall, I feel like we were cheated out of an event that should have been epic and enjoyable. I cannot confidently recommend Empress Events based on my experience. RESPONDING TO GERRY: Gerry, thank you for responding. I appreciate your apology; however, I want to clarify that my concerns were not based on a misunderstanding or simply being upset after the event. The issue with the cruise time was not that we expected an additional hour. We understood and paid for a 3-hour cruise from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM. The signed contract clearly stated: Boarding at 5:45 PM, Start at 6:00 PM, End at 9:00 PM, and Disembark at 9:45 PM. We were told during the event that we had to get off the boat at 8:45 PM, which shortened the experience we paid for. I brought this concern to the Host during the event, and she went to speak with you. When she returned, she informed me that unfortunately it could not be accommodated and that we would have to get off the boat. If there was a typo or error in the contract, that should have been brought to our attention before the event and corrected with an updated contract for us to review and sign. We were never notified of any correction or given the opportunity to acknowledge and agree to a revised agreement. A signed contract should accurately reflect the services being provided. While I understand you felt everyone was having a great time, there were many issues happening behind the scenes that impacted our guests' experience. The yacht did not have air conditioning, and guests became extremely uncomfortable from the heat. People were sweating, and we had to request that the upstairs plastic windows be opened just to allow airflow. The cash bar was also disappointing. It was not fully stocked, and several items listed on the menu were unavailable because they had run out. The music arrangement included in our contract also could not be used because the connectors that were supposed to be provided could not be located. We had to use a worker's personal device, which required me to sign into Spotify to access our playlist. If that employee had not been available with his device, we would not have had music for the event. After the event, I reached out directly to address these concerns and never received a response. That lack of communication was disappointing, especially after investing so much time, money, and effort into planning what was supposed to be a once-in-a-lifetime celebration. I truly wanted this event to be an amazing and memorable experience for our classmates and guests. Unfortunately, the combination of planning issues, communication problems, contract concerns, and the conditions during the event left us feeling disappointed and that we did not receive the experience we paid for.

My family recently hired Atlantis Yacht Charters to host a family memorial on the Bay. It could not…read morehave been more perfect! Joanna and the captain were both there to meet us at boarding time. The boat was gorgeous and the captain so capable and friendly. There were snacks and refreshments awaiting us, and the captain went through a full safety briefing before we headed out. This was a very important event for our family, and it could not have been more beautiful. Having Joanna handle all the details for us was a godsend, and made everything so easy. Highly recommend Atlantis Yacht Charters!

We recently hired Atlantis Yacht Charter for a Birthday Celebration, we had more than exceptional…read moreexperience! All our friends and family enjoyed food, music and a great service! Joanna was the contact person- she handled everything well and made it work within our budget. Captain Augustino was amazing. He let us play the music of our choice and was very welcoming. We could just connect our phones to the Yacht's audio system and voila-the dance floor is alive. Norma and Juan were great and the CHEF is outstanding. We are very thankful and happy to have celebrated the Birthday at Atlantis. Will recommend to others.

I had a lot of fun chartering out a yacht with onboat. I boarded the boat near AT&T park. The…read morebooking process was quite easy. Once I booked the boat I got a confirmation shortly. Kevin and Marc were pretty helpful on the phone explaining to me the different boats. I ended up getting the 45 lagoon catamaran. That's such a nice boat I wish I can own one some day! I chartered the boat for my birthday party. I really had a blast.

We went out on a 45' Catamaran yesterday with Captain Barry and could not have had a better time…read more The team at OnBoat were communicative and professional, and the rental process was easy. Our journey was a celebration of my father's 80th Birthday. We had saved up for it for over a year. He told me this morning that it was by far one of the best days of his whole life. Thanks OnBoat!

Water Taxi SAVED the DAY. These guys are awesome !!!!…read moreBoo-Uber . Visit the CIty via Water Taxi This week he brought my buddy to the boat I was on and saved us a trip into the busy harbor and then picked him up in McCovey Cove and brought him back to the pier. Better driver than Waymo , better route than Uber . WATER TAXI .....THE ONLY WAY TO TRAVEL

Water taxi is a neat boat with yellow and checkers ...old fashioned 70s boat...I enjoy trying…read moredifferent boats at the wharf of sf ..this was inexpensive $15..try it when it's available ..fun and fast ..from ferry building to pier 39...then call in two hours ..other party and refueling...sunny ..nice view ..smaller boat for up to 10-15 people ...ride it back to ferry building ..fast ..worth trying. ..but I've lived in sf ...