Cruise down the Chicago River in style during this 3-hour dinner cruise aboard the Odyssey. Watch the beautiful city and its architecture pass by through the ship’s panoramic windows. Then sit down to delicious 3-course meal accompanied by DJ entertainment to set the mood for your journey. A full-service bar complete with microbrews, creative cocktails, and a wine list is also available for purchase.

Take a 3-hour dinner cruise along the Chicago River aboard the Odyssey
See Chicago landmarks such as the Tribune Tower and Willis Tower
Enjoy a delicious 3-course meal with unlimited coffee, hot tea, and water
Set the mood for the journey with onboard DJ entertainment

What's Included

Two and a half to three hour dinner cruise on the Chicago River
3-course plated dinner with attentive table side service
Unlimited coffee, hot tea, and iced tea
Guaranteed table for your party size
The most breathtaking views of the Chicago skyline and attractions, including the Tribune Tower, Wrigley Building, Willis Tower, Civic Opera, Wolf Point and so much more
Service charges, local taxes and fees

Alcoholic drinks (available to purchase)
Surf and turf menu upgrade
Gratuities

Meeting And Pickup

Meeting point

455 N Cityfront Plaza Dr
455 N Cityfront Plaza Dr, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
Parking: City Cruises does not own or operate any parking lots in the area. Local parking is available at 219/225 E. North Water Street, on the LOWER level for Odyssey Chicago River.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Tribune Tower (Pass By)

Wrigley Building (Pass By)

Merchandise Mart (Pass By)

Lyric Opera of Chicago (Pass By)

Skydeck Chicago - Willis Tower (Pass By)

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
Wheelchair accessible
All interior areas of the ship are non-smoking. Guests who smoke may do so on the outdoor observation decks only
Surf and turf menu upgrade is an additional cost and may be paid direct to operator on day of departure
View the spectacular 30-minute pyro-musical program fireworks display with the world famous Chicago Skyline as a backdrop for your unforgettable evening.
Firework Schedule from Memorial Day - Labor Day

Odyssey can be your opportunity to dress up. For women, cocktail wear, a dress, or dressy-casual attire is appropriate. For men, collared shirts and dress pants are recommended. Dressier jeans are acceptable. However, casual jeans, t-shirts, athletic shoes, or flip flops are discouraged.
Stroller accessible
Service animals allowed
Most travelers can participate
Seating is only guaranteed together for the number of tickets confirmed on this voucher. Reservations may not be combined.
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travelers

Cancellation Policy

This experience is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason. If you cancel or ask for an amendment, the amount you paid will not be refunded.

This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.

about cancellations.

Frequently Asked Questions

The answers provided below are based on answers previously given by the tour provider to customers’ questions.

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Q:Where is the departure point for the Premier Chicago River Dinner Cruise?

A:The Dinner Cruise departs from 455 N Cityfront Plaza Dr, Chicago, IL 60611

Apr 2021

Q:Is there parking near the departure point for the Premier Chicago River Dinner Cruise?

A:Local Parking is available at 219/225 E. North Water Street, on the LOWER level. There may be a fee for parking.

Apr 2021

Q:Is the Premier Chicago River Dinner Cruise handicap accessible?

A:Yes. Please be sure to notate any special needs or requests in the "Special Requirements" box at checkout.

Apr 2021

Q:Are there any age restrictions on the Premier Chicago River Dinner Cruise?

A:There are no age restrictions. Children ages 3-11 enjoy a discounted rate and infants under 3 years old go free as lap children.

Apr 2021

Q:Are there high chairs available for my child during the Premier Chicago River Dinner Cruise?

A:Yes, high chairs are available for use during the dinner cruise.

Apr 2021

Q:How should I dress for the Premier Chicago River Dinner Cruise?

A:Business to dressy casual attire is recommended. For men, slacks or khaki pants and a collared shirt with or without a jacket; for women, slacks or skirts with a collared shirt or dress. Please no jeans, shorts, tank tops, flip-flops, or gym shoes.

Apr 2021

Q:How early should I check in for the Premier Chicago River Dinner Cruise?

A:Boarding time is 30 minutes prior to departure.

Apr 2021

Q:Can I smoke on board the Premier Chicago River Dinner Cruise?

A:Smoking is allowed on the outside decks only. Please dispose of all refuse in proper receptacles. Do not throw anything into the water. Please help us keep our harbors clean.

Apr 2021

Q:Where do we sit on the boat during the Premier Chicago River Dinner Cruise?

A:As you board, our Captain and Marine Crew will direct you to your deck. From there the Host/Hostess will show your party to your assigned table(s). Seats are assigned based on needs and capacity for each cruise.

Apr 2021

Q:Are there vegetarian selections available during the Premier Chicago River Dinner Cruise?

A:Yes, vegetarian options are available at the buffet lunch. If you have food allergies or other dietary restrictions, please notate them in the "Special Requirements" box at checkout.

Apr 2021

Traveler Photos

Featured review

Johnetta_T

The entire experience was phenomenal, the views of the city were breathtaking. Each course of the meal was flavorful and delicious. The staff was friendly and accommodating especially our waiter Edgar. He made our night extra special, from serving to taking photos. He was amazing at his job and he truly took care of our table. It was an experience that we will cherish and highly recommend to others.

Reviews

4.0

46 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

Showing 1-10 of 46 reviews

No dock information

Angela_B, May 2023

The instructions to find the boat weren't great. There was no dock information. We missed the boat. Called customer service for help and they referred us to an 800# that no one answered. We were visiting Chicago on a business outing and looked forward to seeing the city. It was beyond disappointing.

Great Experience

Keyanna_B, May 2023

Everything was great. Food was tasty. Nice portions. The food could have been hotter but it was bearable. Our waiter Edgar was the best. We was on point making sure we were satisfied every step of the way.

Everything was great, I...

Tanya_M, May 2023

Everything was great, I really enjoyed myself! What a great way to bring my 40th birthday. I will most definitely recommend you guys.

Loved it!

Marion_N, May 2023

Great experience! Great DJ, great food, breathtaking atmosphere and sites views. It worth! Daniel was awesome! Great service. We enjoyed our experience with him! Great asset to your company. He is in his element!

Memorable experience!!!...

gerardo_o, May 2023

Memorable experience!!! The views, the food, the friendly staff… It was a perfect night, thank you so much

The views were perfect!...

Robert_F, Apr 2023

The views were perfect! Edgar was our server and he was great! Always asked to take pictures for us when a new view came along.

Boat tour excellent; food and service terrible

Marinela_M, Mar 2023

The boat was very nice and enjoyed the cruise along the Riverwalk. However, it was a very cold night and we were seated where cold air was literally blowing in our face. We asked to either turn this off or move tables. We were moved. The server was so focused on what bottle of wine we wanted. We didn't even know the menu so give us a break. The service from Heather was slow and found she was so busy talking with other guests. It was 30 minutes before we saw her and the other wait staff brought us our "clam chowder soup" - tasted like a bowl of salt and some onions thrown in and temperature was lukewarm. We were brought bread but no butter so I had to get up and ask. The "main" meal we chose was short ribs. Horribly salty and the broccoli tasted "funny" as if it was spoiled. We were afraid to get food poisoning so we didn't eat it. The cost of this cruise for 2 was unfortunately not worth it.

My family loved the experience.

Stephen_S, Mar 2023

Took my family to Chicago. Great ambience. The food and service were great. No issue at all with the reservation. One thing I want to point out the checkin instruction was wrong, you need to go down to the riverwalk to find the checkin booth. Not North of the NBC building which is the opposite of it.

Ticketing nightmare, “not my department”

Samantha_D, Feb 2023

On board was a great experience, the staff were great and the food was delicious. Booking and ticketing and getting on board was a fiasco and the biggest inconvenience ever- my original choice got cancelled *by the tour operator* but they wouldn’t refund it and wouldn’t automatically amend my booking to a tour that was actually available- instead I was “offered” the chicago River in lieu of Lake Michigan but I had to call Viator to make change… 2 hours on the phone later, it finally got switched. Then the day of the actual tour at the box office they had the original location on file and didn’t have a table for me- finally after showing multiple emails showing that the tour operator cancelled on me and “offered” this tour instead I get tickets then walk 20 ft and hear from the man checking tickets “this says Lake Michigan, not Chicago river” I explained the situation again and he rudely says “it’s not my department” … would not recommend booking with this tour operator

Phenomenal and Delicious Experience

Johnetta_T, Feb 2023

River dinner

Marcus_B, Jan 2023

Having dinner on the water was great that is all I have to say to make these 26 letters damn y’all make people writ too much

Proposal

Mauro_O, Dec 2022

I booked this River Cruise for my brother who wanted to propose to his girlfriend. He asked for help since they dont live here but he said he wanted a River Cruise. They really liked it and they were talking great things about the food, the ambiance and the staff. Eventhough it was a cold and rainy day they really enjoyed the dinner. The proposal was a success. She said yes!!!

Greatest night ever.

William_C, Nov 2022

Celebrated 2 events honeymoon and wife's birthday. We enjoyed the cruise, food, ambience, and the services.

1 traveler found this review helpful

Had a wonderful time!

Erin_K, Nov 2022

Dinner was amazing and so was the ambience! I loved the dancing and the music. The drinks were amazing too!

Soul refreshing ride.

Jemal_T, Nov 2022

The dinner with exceptional customer service and the pictures. The nice breathy night over the mighty river through Chicago.

Amazing experience - left hungry

Joshua_W, Sep 2022

The boat: Clean, elegant and you can get a workout during dinner by opening the door (kidding but I’m ripped today!) Boat score: 9/10 Staff: I’m going to try and keep this short as I could go on and on about Enrique. My wife and I celebrated our anniversary and Enrique really made our evening amazing. He was so genuine, super personable and I can confidently say he made us forget about the food (see below) entirely. I grew up in the restaurant industry and I feel my experience allows me to say this: he needs to be cloned. The way he interacts/converses with your patrons would make any restaurant owner/manager proud. He also has a very casual way of upselling and from a margin perspective - these transactions are key to the business. We were educated on the offerings, given personal recommendations and trusted his opinion. Ironically, his recommendation was the only thing we finished - can’t screw up raw shrimp can you! It would’ve been better if they chilled the shrimp and didn’t add seasoning to the shrimp but overall it was a successful upsell for the business. The rest of the food was disappointing and we didn’t each much of any of the 3 courses. Enrique’s keen situational awareness kicked in and he noticed we weren’t liking the food but we also werent complaining as nothing could ruin our anniversary and we’re not the type of people to complain. Instead, we just don’t try that restaurant again. He approached our table, was very apologetic (not his fault!) and offered to fire up other dishes for us to make up for it but we politely declined as the quality was due to be just as underwhelming. I cannot emphasis enough that Enrique made/saved our anniversary dinner and we left very satisfied with our experience. Keep up the great work Enrique! Enrique: 12/10 Food: I want to caveat that this meal was $400 and for that amount of money - one would have high expectations. The issues I had as a patron are easily correctable with good leadership and accountability. The food lacks any real passion and the result was bland and mediocre. This screams that the chef/management team doesn’t taste anything before it goes out the kitchen. If they didn’t taste the food - that can happen sometimes when the kitchen is moving fast for a dinner rush (boat was 40% occupied so very unlikely). If they did taste the food then your problems aren’t QC - your problems are talent in the kitchen. There was just no creativity. Siracha shrimp Cocktail sauce - just why? Water melon salad.. old dry watermelon (cheap or lazy), bottom shelf feta cheese (cheap or just don’t care) and needed much more dressing. This makes me confident that either there is no QC check or the standard for quality is low in the kitchen. The entrees (braised beef and Cod) we’re both bland and the plating of the dishes was “fine dining” circa 1995. Lastly, it seemed impossible but somehow dessert was just as bad. The chocolate cake was old and stale. The cheesecake was store bought and old. As a customer, i felt as if the kitchen thought we were idiots and we wouldn’t recognize that it wasn’t fresh… Again, this meal was $400 and we didn’t even eat. I understand your seasonal business model is likely geared towards the experience and most of your patrons are tourist (repeat customers aren’t a priority I bet) but the least you can do is have some pride in your food and represent Chicago the right way. We are a food town. Food: 2/10 Overall: I would recommend the experience to others as it really was a beautiful boat with fantastic views of the city and uniquely romantic for couples. However, I would caveat my recommendation with a warning that the food is mediocre - be sure to eat a late lunch that day.

Worst experience

Beteab_L, Sep 2022

I wanted to reschedule but couldn’t do so I had to wait about 40 minutes to get answers from customers service and at the end they said they can’t refund so I lost $400 because of viator

Customer service skills

Pio_G, Aug 2022

We had a average experience, customer service skills wasn’t fabulous. Our waitress, customer service skills horrible, I had to get up and go and asked for assistance and also to go to there bar and ordered my own drinks many times.

A magical night!!

Nadine_T, Jul 2022

Celebrating our sons 35th birthday.🥳 He and his wife raved about the experience. 🥰 A wonderful time was had by all. ❤️ We loved our waiter Elmer.👍🏼

Good experience!

Dennis_W, May 2022

Enjoyed the environment! Great drinks. Thought the food and dessert was average for the price! Salad was not great. Just an average meal! Would have been amazing if the food was better.

1 traveler found this review helpful

Not a great value

Gary_B, May 2022

Food was ok. The music was not lively enough. For the money, there is much better value on one of the other tours.

1 traveler found this review helpful

Over charge

theresabui80, May 2022

I paid the trip total $866 for 4 persons however when we got there they print out the ticket only $645. So your company charge a lot different then the actual price. That not good I always purchase all the tour from your company but I could not believe this.

3 travelers found this review helpful

Service and atmosphere...

Bobby_W, May 2022

Service and atmosphere was great. Expected more for the price. Lobster wasn’t that great. Vegetables barely cooked.

1 traveler found this review helpful

Relaxing and Scenic

Linse_C, Apr 2022

It was a nice experience. The cruise was relaxing with a lot of beautiful buildings on display. The food was pretty good but small portions.

Beautiful dinner, great views

David_C, Apr 2022

I sent my parents on this trip. They had a wonderful time. Very thankful for this experience. They were visiting from out of town, and they said they were the only ones gawking and looking up at the buildings the whole time. Definitely very enjoyable. Only critiques: - They did say that the temperature on board was a bit chilly. They did understand that it can be difficult to control the temperature in a satisfactory manner on a boat like this though. - It was a bit hard to click and go right to this review If those are the only two critiques I can come up with, I think that means you all are doing pretty well.

Good experience, some...

Mona_A, Feb 2022

Good experience, some improvements should be done. Service was great. Staff were so friendly. Would do it again but the lake cruise.

Great food, and staff was...

Carlitos, Feb 2022

Great food, and staff was more than friendly and professional. Since the minute you arrive to the minute you leave you will be treated very well.

Fraud

Alejandro_C, Nov 2021

Never found the dock and nobody to help, called to the line and the operator told me it was kind of tricky to find the place.

Too Expensive for what it was

Todd_E, Sep 2021

I thought it was very nice although very expensive for what it was . They said the cruise would be 2.5 hours to 3 hours and we were done in two hours. They should at least give a glass of wine or champagne customary for $150.00 per person. Why would they not go up the north ranch of the river and I thought it would have been a narrated architecture tour.

Disappointed

Julio_G, Aug 2021

Wrong address, very difficult to the address and horrible customer service very disappointed never again