Philadelphia: Christmas Eve Gourmet Brunch or Dinner Cruise

Philadelphia’s Christmas Eve cruise turns dinner into a moving holiday party. You board the Spirit of Philadelphia at Penn’s Landing, settle at a reserved table, and watch the city slide past the windows while a seasonal buffet, DJ, and onboard games keep the evening lively.

I like the private table arrangement, especially for families and couples who want a fixed place to eat rather than a free-for-all buffet scramble. I also like the open-air rooftop lounge, which gives you a way to step outside for skyline views and fresh air between courses.

The main caution is the food. One available review praised the salad selection and kind staff but found the meats overcooked and the ingredient signs poor. At $109 per person, you are paying for the holiday setting, boat ride, entertainment, and meal together, so this works best if the full evening matters more to you than a top-end culinary experience.

Key points to know before boarding

• Christmas Eve on the Delaware: The cruise leaves from Penn’s Landing and offers views of Philadelphia’s historic waterfront and the Ben Franklin Bridge.
• Two meal choices: Brunch lasts two hours and includes unlimited mimosas, while dinner lasts about two and a half hours.
• Reserved seating: Make one booking for your entire party so everyone can sit together at the same table.
• Indoor comfort, outdoor views: Climate-controlled dining decks have large picture windows, and the rooftop lounge provides open-air viewing.
• Food is part of the gamble: The buffet offers seasonal favorites and salads, but meat quality and ingredient labeling may be uneven.
• A party atmosphere: A live DJ, games, holiday décor, and seasonal drinks make this more of a festive event than a quiet sightseeing cruise.

A Christmas Eve evening that keeps moving

The appeal here is simple: you get a holiday meal, a city view, and entertainment without having to plan each piece separately. That can be useful on Christmas Eve, when restaurant hours may be limited and a normal sightseeing trip can feel too ordinary for the date.

You board at Penn’s Landing and enter a yacht decorated for the holiday season. The setting includes twinkling lights, snow-covered trees, themed décor, seasonal menus, and holiday music. The exact mood will depend on the DJ and crowd, but the plan is clearly festive rather than formal.

Your reserved table gives the meal a useful anchor. You can get food from the buffet, return to your place, and still have a comfortable base for conversation. I would make only one reservation for your whole party. Separate bookings may not be seated together, even if they are made for the same cruise.

The boat is designed for both indoor comfort and outdoor sightseeing. The dining rooms are enclosed and climate-controlled, with large windows that let you keep watching the waterfront without standing in the cold. The open-air rooftop lounge is there for a closer look at the skyline and a break from the dining room.

Choosing brunch or dinner

The two options feel like different kinds of holiday outings, even though both include a buffet, reserved seating, and DJ entertainment.

Brunch with unlimited mimosas

The brunch cruise lasts two hours and includes unlimited mimosas, along with coffee, tea, iced tea, and water. It suits you if you want a daytime Christmas Eve event, prefer a shorter outing, or like the idea of starting the celebration before the evening gets busy.

The brunch menu is described as a three-course buffet with seasonal favorites. Since the meal is served buffet-style, you can choose your portions and return for more. The format is relaxed, though you should not expect the pacing or presentation of a restaurant with individually plated courses.

Unlimited mimosas are included with brunch, but other alcoholic drinks are not. The bar sells beer, wine, cocktails, and seasonal drinks. If you are comparing the value of brunch with dinner, the included mimosas are a meaningful difference.

Dinner with a longer cruise

The dinner cruise runs about two and a half hours, giving you more time for the meal, music, waterfront views, and games. Dinner is usually the more natural choice for a Christmas Eve celebration, especially if you want the cruise to serve as the main event of the evening.

The dinner buffet includes holiday favorites and the usual trimmings. You can expect the meal to be part of the entertainment rather than a separate restaurant stop. A longer cruise also gives you more time to stroll around the decks and visit the rooftop lounge.

Dinner drinks cost extra. That is worth keeping in mind when you set your budget, since a wine pairing or seasonal cocktail can quickly add to the $109 base price. Gratuity is also not included.

The buffet: plenty of choice, mixed execution

A buffet is a practical choice for a large holiday event. It lets you pick what you want, avoids long waits between courses, and works well for groups with different tastes. The advertised format is a three-course buffet, with seasonal dishes and holiday trimmings.

The strongest food note available is the salad selection. That gives you a lighter option and some variety if the hot dishes do not suit you. The more important warning is that the meats may be overcooked, so I would approach the buffet with realistic expectations rather than expecting a fine-dining meal.

Ingredient labeling also deserves attention. Poor signage can make it harder to tell what is in a dish, which matters if you have allergies, dietary restrictions, or simply want to know what you are choosing. Ask staff when something is unclear. The staff have been described as very nice, which should make that conversation easier, but the labels may not answer every question.

The meal is best judged as one part of the package. You are paying for food plus a boat ride, holiday décor, entertainment, table service, and city views. If your priority is Philadelphia’s best Christmas dinner, a carefully chosen restaurant may offer better food. If you want dinner to happen on the river with music and a skyline, the buffet makes more sense.

Waterfront views from Penn’s Landing to the bridge

The cruise gives you a different view of Philadelphia than a walking tour. From the water, the city becomes a broad line of lights and historic buildings rather than a series of streets and landmarks. You can watch through the picture windows or head outside when the weather allows.

The route includes views of Philadelphia’s historic waterfront and a passage under the Ben Franklin Bridge. That bridge is one of the key visual moments of the cruise, especially when seen from the deck or rooftop lounge. The boat’s movement also helps break up the meal, giving you a reason to get up and walk around.

Do not treat this as a detailed sightseeing tour with a guide explaining each building. The available information points to views and atmosphere, not historical commentary. If you want names, dates, and stories about Philadelphia’s founding, pair this cruise with a walking tour of Old City or another history-focused outing.

The rooftop lounge is especially useful for photography. You can take in a wider view than you get through the dining-room glass and get a sense of the riverfront at night. Winter weather may make outdoor time brief, so dress sensibly even though the main dining area is climate-controlled.

DJ music, games, and the right level of holiday noise

A live DJ provides the soundtrack, and onboard games add more activity between food and sightseeing. This keeps the cruise from feeling like a silent dinner with a view. The mood should suit families, groups of friends, and couples who want something social.

You should not book this expecting a quiet, intimate meal. Music and games are central to the event, and the holiday décor reinforces a party atmosphere. The DJ may be a plus for one group and a drawback for another. If you want conversation over a low-key dinner, a waterfront restaurant will probably suit you better.

For families, the games can be useful. They give children something to do after eating and make the boat feel like an event rather than a long meal. For adults, the bar and rooftop lounge offer other ways to spend the time, though drinks are purchased separately except for the brunch mimosas.

The entertainment also helps justify the longer dinner schedule. You are not simply waiting for the boat to return. You can eat, listen to music, play games, take photos, and walk the decks.

What the $109 price really covers

At $109 per person, this is not a bargain meal. It is a packaged Christmas Eve experience. The cost covers the cruise, reserved private table, buffet, basic nonalcoholic drinks, and live DJ. Brunch also includes unlimited mimosas, which improves its value for people who plan to drink them.

The price makes more sense when you consider the date. Christmas Eve can make ordinary dining plans harder, and a fixed event removes some of the work. You do not need to organize a restaurant reservation, find a separate evening activity, or build a waterfront sightseeing plan around dinner.

Still, the value depends on your priorities. I would consider it a fair choice if you want a memorable setting and group entertainment. I would be more hesitant if food quality is your main concern, since the available feedback includes overcooked meat and weak ingredient signage.

Remember the extra costs. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included. Alcoholic drinks are available for purchase, but dinner drinks cost extra. A commemorative photograph is optional and costs more, and gratuity is not included. Those additions can push the final bill well beyond the advertised price.

Who will enjoy this cruise most

This cruise is a good fit for you if you want Christmas Eve to feel like an occasion. Couples can enjoy the skyline and festive setting, while families may appreciate having food, games, and entertainment in one place.

It also works well for a group that wants a shared table and a simple plan. Just place the full party on one reservation. That small booking detail matters because separate reservations cannot be guaranteed seats together.

Brunch may suit people who prefer a daytime celebration or want unlimited mimosas included. Dinner is better for anyone looking for a longer evening event, more time on the water, and a traditional Christmas Eve meal schedule.

The cruise is wheelchair accessible, which makes it a practical option for some groups. The host or greeter speaks English, and English is the listed language for the experience.

This is less suitable for you if you want a guided Philadelphia history lesson, a quiet meal, or a gourmet restaurant menu. The emphasis is on holiday entertainment and setting, with sightseeing as part of the experience rather than the main lesson.

Practical details that can save you trouble

Wear casual but presentable clothing. Nice pants, a button-up shirt, a blouse, or khakis fit the suggested dress level. You do not need formal evening wear, but this is still a Christmas Eve event, so most people will likely want to look a little sharper than they would for a quick lunch.

Bring a passport or ID card. The experience does not include hotel pickup or drop-off, so plan your own way to Penn’s Landing and allow enough time to board.

The cruise is not refundable. That makes the date and meal choice worth checking carefully before you book. If your party is large, confirm the full headcount first and place it under one reservation.

The season is promoted as a wider Winter Wonderland period from December 1 through January 1, with decorated yachts, themed cocktails, seasonal menus, live entertainment, and Philadelphia skyline views. The Christmas Eve cruise is the special-date version of that holiday program.

Is the Christmas Eve cruise worth booking?

Book it if you want a holiday event with movement and music, not just a meal. The reserved table, seasonal decorations, rooftop lounge, DJ, games, and Ben Franklin Bridge views create a full evening plan that is easy to share with family or friends.

Choose brunch if unlimited mimosas and a shorter daytime cruise appeal to you. Choose dinner if you want the longer Christmas Eve outing and do not mind paying extra for alcoholic drinks.

I would book this for the festive setting and waterfront views, while keeping food expectations moderate. If you value atmosphere, convenience, and a memorable date more than flawless buffet cooking, the $109 price can be reasonable. If excellent food or detailed historical commentary is the main goal, spend the money on a strong restaurant or a separate Philadelphia tour instead.

FAQ

Where does the Christmas Eve cruise depart from?

The cruise departs from Penn’s Landing in Philadelphia.

How long is the cruise?

The brunch option lasts two hours. The dinner option lasts about two and a half hours.

What food is included?

The experience includes a three-course brunch or dinner buffet, depending on the option you choose. The menu includes seasonal favorites and holiday trimmings.

Are drinks included?

Coffee, tea, iced tea, and water are included. Unlimited mimosas are included with the brunch option. Other alcoholic drinks, including beer, wine, and cocktails, are available for purchase.

Will my party have its own table?

Your party receives a reserved private table. Make one reservation for the entire group, since separate reservations cannot be guaranteed seating together.

Is the cruise wheelchair accessible?

Yes, the activity is listed as wheelchair accessible.

What should I wear and bring?

Wear casual, presentable clothing such as nice pants, a button-up shirt, a blouse, or khakis. Bring a passport or ID card.