Marina Del Rey: Christmas Eve Buffet Brunch or Dinner Cruise

Christmas Eve feels pleasantly different from the usual restaurant meal when your table is moving through Marina del Rey harbor. This 2 to 2.5-hour cruise pairs a holiday buffet with music, decorated interiors, open-air rooftop decks, and views of Burton Chace Park and the harbor lights.

I like the choice between a leisurely brunch with free-flowing mimosas and a more traditional dinner with turkey, stuffing, salmon, and tri-tip. I also like that your party gets a guaranteed table, rather than having to balance plates in a crowded dining room. The main drawback is the fixed, non-refundable price of $143 per person, which makes this a special-event purchase rather than a casual meal.

Key points to know before booking

• Christmas Eve on the water: You spend the holiday alongside Marina del Rey’s harbor views, with Burton Chace Park and possible sea-life sightings along the route.
• Brunch includes drinks: Unlimited champagne, mimosas, sparkling cider, coffee, tea, iced tea, and water are included with the brunch sailing.
• Dinner feels more traditional: The evening buffet includes turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing, mashed potatoes, salmon, tri-tip, and holiday desserts.
• A proper seated meal: Your party receives a guaranteed table for its booking size, making this easier for families and groups.
• Indoor comfort plus fresh air: The vessel has a climate-controlled interior and open-air rooftop decks.
• Plan around the fixed price: At $143 per person, the value depends on how much you care about the holiday setting, included food, entertainment, and brunch drinks.

Christmas Eve begins in Marina del Rey harbor

The appeal here is simple: instead of sitting in the same dining room for Christmas Eve, you eat while Marina del Rey slides past the windows. The cruise gives you a change of scene without asking you to commit to a full-day excursion.

The boat has a climate-controlled interior, which matters in December. You can enjoy the meal indoors, then step onto an open-air rooftop deck when you want a clearer view or a little cool ocean air. I like this setup because it gives you options. You are not stuck outside if the evening is chilly, and you are not stuck inside when the harbor looks best.

The route highlights Marina del Rey itself rather than famous Los Angeles landmarks. Expect views around the marina, including Burton Chace Park, harbor lights, boats, and possibly sea life. The scenery is more about the mood of the water and the holiday setting than about checking off major sights.

Choosing brunch or dinner

The two meal options create different kinds of Christmas Eve outings.

Brunch suits you if you want a relaxed afternoon celebration. The menu begins with breakfast pastries, smoked salmon with bagels and toppings, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, breakfast potatoes, and French toast. Unlimited champagne, mimosas, and sparkling cider are included, along with coffee, hot tea, iced tea, and water.

That drink package is a major part of the brunch value. If you would order several mimosas in a restaurant, the $143 price becomes easier to justify. If you do not drink alcohol, sparkling cider and the meal still give you a festive option, but the included champagne will matter less to your calculation.

Dinner leans into the holiday meal you probably expect on December 24. The buffet includes Greek salad, roasted vegetables and grains, three-cheese baked macaroni, Atlantic salmon, oven-roasted turkey, tri-tip, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, haricot verts, traditional stuffing, and turkey gravy.

Dinner also includes an apple crisp and a seasonal dessert display with cakes, brownies, pastries, and fruit. Beer, wine, and cocktails cost extra, so do not assume the evening sailing includes the same drink package as brunch. Coffee, tea, iced tea, and water are included.

What the brunch buffet offers

The brunch menu has enough range for a mixed group. Someone wanting a classic breakfast can choose eggs, bacon, sausage, potatoes, or French toast. Someone looking for a lighter plate can start with smoked salmon, salad, or fruit.

The smoked salmon display comes with cream cheese, shaved red onion, capers, tomatoes, and bagels. That is a nice touch for a holiday brunch because it gives you something more special than a standard breakfast buffet.

The hot selections move beyond breakfast. You will find sun-dried tomato pasta salad, baked orecchiette with parsnips, kale, ricotta, and sage, birria-style chicken, roasted salmon, and hand-carved tri-tip with caramelized onions and balsamic beef demi-glace.

Families get a dedicated children’s station with chicken tenders and French fries. That does not make the whole cruise child-focused, but it gives younger diners a familiar choice while adults sample the broader menu.

The dessert station includes individual desserts and seasonal fresh fruit. I would treat this as a broad buffet rather than a fine-dining tasting menu. The strength is choice and ease, especially when different people at the table want different things.

What the dinner buffet offers

Dinner is the better fit if you want Christmas Eve flavors rather than a breakfast spread. The turkey comes with cranberry sauce, and the buffet includes traditional stuffing, gravy, garlic mashed potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes, and green beans.

The tri-tip is served with caramelized onions and balsamic demi-glace. Salmon comes with roasted bok choy and miso citrus soy sauce. Those two main courses give you a useful alternative to turkey, especially if someone in your party prefers beef or seafood.

The roasted vegetable and grains salad adds quinoa, cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, mixed seeds, watercress, and sumac vinaigrette. The Greek salad brings cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion, feta, arugula, and za’atar dressing. Fresh bread and butter accompany the salads.

One unusual dinner item is potato gnocchi with roasted squash, Parmesan, arugula, and pistachio pesto. This dish must be ordered from your server rather than taken directly from the buffet. That small detail is worth knowing before you arrive, since it is easy to miss when most of the meal is self-serve.

The menu has vegetarian choices, including the salads, roasted vegetable and grain dish, macaroni, and gnocchi. Some dishes are marked vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, or nut-containing. The kitchen notes that food marked gluten-free may still face cross-contamination, so you should take that warning seriously if you have celiac disease or a severe allergy.

The views are part of the meal

The harbor scenery supplies the atmosphere that a land-based buffet cannot. You may see the lights around the marina, Burton Chace Park, boats, and occasional sea life. The exact view changes as the vessel moves, so I would not book this expecting one dramatic landmark to fill the entire cruise.

Instead, think of the view as a moving backdrop. You can eat inside, take a few photographs on the rooftop deck, and return to the warmth when you are ready. The combination works especially well around sunset or after dark, depending on the departure time available for your date.

The open-air deck is also useful when the interior becomes busy or you want a break from the music. On the other hand, December weather can be cool, so bring an extra layer even if you plan to stay inside most of the time.

Music, décor, and the holiday mood

Holiday décor helps the cruise feel like a Christmas Eve event rather than an ordinary harbor meal. Music entertainment sets the tone without requiring you to spend the evening in a formal program.

The atmosphere is described as convivial, which is a useful way to think about it. This is an organized celebration with other parties aboard, not a quiet private dinner. You will have a reserved table for your party, but the vessel itself has shared public spaces and a social holiday feel.

A welcome glass of champagne is part of the festive appeal, especially for the evening mood. At brunch, the free-flowing drinks make the celebration more noticeable. At dinner, remember that additional beer, wine, and cocktails are available for purchase but are not part of the listed inclusions.

Is $143 a fair price?

At $143 per person, this cruise costs more than an ordinary buffet meal. You are paying for several things at once: the vessel, the harbor route, the reserved table, the holiday décor, the entertainment, the buffet, and the convenience of having a planned Christmas Eve activity.

For brunch, the value is strongest if you will use the included champagne or mimosas. The meal also includes coffee, tea, iced tea, water, and sparkling cider, so you are not building the entire drink bill separately.

For dinner, the calculation is different. Beer, wine, and cocktails are extra, and the cruise does not include hotel transportation. You should compare the price with what a Christmas Eve dinner at a good restaurant would cost once you add drinks, service, and a festive setting.

I would not choose this mainly as a bargain. I would choose it to make the meal itself the evening’s activity. If you value a reserved seat, changing harbor views, and a holiday setting, the price can make sense. If you mainly want the least expensive Christmas dinner, a regular restaurant will likely be a better fit.

Who will enjoy this cruise most

This outing suits families, couples, and groups who want a holiday meal with some movement and scenery. The children’s station, familiar dinner choices, and guaranteed table make it easier for mixed-age groups.

It also works for visitors who want a Christmas Eve plan in Marina del Rey without arranging several separate activities. You get food, music, views, and indoor shelter in one booking.

Brunch is a good match for people who like a daytime celebration and included mimosas. Dinner is better for anyone who wants turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and an evening harbor setting.

I would be more cautious about booking it for someone seeking a quiet, intimate dinner or a highly individualized menu. The buffet format favors choice and convenience, not a carefully paced meal with personalized courses.

Practical details that affect your day

The cruise lasts about two to two and a half hours. Starting times vary, so check the available departure time before planning the rest of your Christmas Eve.

Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included. You will need to arrange your own way to the departure point in Marina del Rey, and the experience information does not specify transportation from hotels.

A live tour guide is provided in English, and the activity is listed as wheelchair accessible. Bring a passport or ID card. Since the booking is non-refundable, check your date and party size carefully before paying.

The table guarantee is one of the more useful practical details. Your group can dine together rather than hoping to find seats after collecting food. That matters on a holiday cruise, when keeping a family or larger party together can otherwise be awkward.

Food notes for dietary needs

The menus label several dishes as vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, or containing nuts. Brunch includes vegetarian eggs, potatoes, salads, baked pasta, and fruit, while dinner includes vegetarian salads, vegetables, macaroni, and gnocchi.

The labels are helpful, but the kitchen is not gluten-free. Even items marked with a gluten-free note may face a small risk of cross-contamination. If you have a serious allergy or strict medical restriction, contact the operator before booking and do not assume a labeled item is prepared in an isolated kitchen.

Nuts also appear in some dishes and desserts. The menu specifically flags items containing nuts, which gives you a starting point for making safer choices, but it does not replace a direct conversation with staff.

Should you book the Christmas Eve cruise?

I would book this if you want the meal, the harbor views, and the holiday setting to come together in one easy plan. Brunch offers the clearest value because unlimited mimosas, champagne, and sparkling cider are included. Dinner is appealing if traditional Christmas food matters more than included drinks.

I would skip it if you want a low-cost meal, a private setting, or complete control over every ingredient. The $143 price is significant, the booking cannot be refunded, and evening drinks cost extra.

For the right occasion, this is a practical way to make Christmas Eve feel distinct. You eat well enough, keep your party at one table, watch Marina del Rey pass by, and let the boat supply the holiday atmosphere.

FAQ

How long is the Christmas Eve cruise?

The cruise lasts approximately 2 to 2.5 hours. Starting times vary, so check the available schedule for your chosen date.

Is brunch or dinner available?

You can choose between a Christmas Eve buffet brunch and a winter holiday dinner buffet, subject to availability.

Are drinks included with brunch?

Yes. Brunch includes free-flowing champagne, mimosas, and sparkling cider, plus unlimited coffee, hot tea, iced tea, and water.

Are beer, wine, and cocktails included with dinner?

No. Beer, wine, and cocktails are available for purchase but are not included in the listed price.

Is a table guaranteed for my group?

Yes. A table is guaranteed for your party size.

Is the cruise wheelchair accessible?

Yes. The activity is listed as wheelchair accessible.

What language is the cruise conducted in?

The live tour guide and activity language are English.

What should I bring?

Bring a passport or ID card. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included, so you must arrange your own transportation to and from the departure point.