Boston City Harbor Cruises Turns 100 – 5 stars cruises!

“We throw parties for a living.”

That’s how Bob Lawler, General Manager of Boston Harbor City Cruises, summed up the company and on August 26, he and his crew proved it.

The occasion was a pretty big one: Boston Harbor City Cruises celebrated its 100th anniversary! A century of taking people out onto Boston Harbor is certainly something worth celebrating, and the company pulled out all the stops for its milestone birthday.

And naturally, there was plenty of food.

Guests were treated to an impressive buffet overflowing with New England favorites, including snow crab claws, oysters, shrimp, and, of course, the famous Boston lobster roll. But seafood wasn’t the only star of the show. The spread also featured squash ravioli, salmon, roast beef, glazed ham, Italian-seasoned chicken, and plenty more. There was enough variety to satisfy just about everyone on board.

Top-Notch Food on the Water

Food is an important part of the Boston Harbor City Cruises experience, and the company takes it seriously. Rather than relying on outside caterers, the company employs professional chefs and its own restaurant staff to prepare and serve the food aboard its vessels.

That means the dining experience feels much more like going to a high-end restaurant than grabbing something from a typical event buffet. The kitchen, waitstaff, bartenders, and servers are all part of the operation, giving Boston Harbor City Cruises control over the entire experience from the galley to the dining table.

The result is food that feels fresh, intentional, and anything but generic.

Raise a Glass

And what goes better with a meal on Boston Harbor than a drink?

The boat features a full bar with a solid selection of beer and wine, along with a variety of cocktails. For the centennial celebration, two featured choices were the ever-popular Mojito and the French 75, a refreshing combination of Prosecco, gin, and lemon.

Whether you prefer a carefully crafted cocktail, a cold beer, a glass of wine, or simply a soft drink, there’s something aboard for just about everyone.

Welcome Aboard the Odyssey

It seems appropriate that in the summer of The Odyssey with Christopher Nolan’s much-anticipated film adaptation generating plenty of attention, Boston Harbor had an Odyssey of its own.

The Odyssey, one of Boston Harbor City Cruises’ premier vessels, served as the setting for this special celebration.

Captain Hans was kind enough to welcome guests onto the ship’s bridge for a quick behind-the-scenes look at the command center of the vessel. For passengers, the bridge is normally a mysterious place they never get to see. Up there, however, you can appreciate just how much technology, skill, and experience goes into safely navigating a large passenger vessel through Boston Harbor.

Captain Hans has an impressive story of his own. Originally from Rotterdam, he began his career with Boston Harbor City Cruises as a deckhand. Within a year, he had passed his examination for a 100-ton vessel pilot’s license and worked his way up to the captain’s chair. He has now been serving as captain for the past five years.

It’s a great reminder that the people behind these cruises are not simply operating boats, they’re professionals who have built careers on the water.

A Birthday Worth Celebrating

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu was unable to attend the celebration herself, but she sent a special representative to mark the occasion. The city also officially recognized August 26 as Boston Harbor Cruise Day, making the centennial celebration even more memorable.  That’s quite an honor and one that seems appropriate for a company that has been part of Boston’s waterfront for an entire century.

Businesses don’t often make it100 years. Boston Harbor City Cruises has survived generations of change, economic ups and downs, technological advances, and an ever-changing city around it. Reaching a century is an accomplishment worth recognizing, and the celebration certainly lived up to the occasion.

Save Room for Dessert

And what would a 100th birthday be without cake?

After the enormous meal, guests could head over to the dessert table, which featured carrot cake, tiramisu, macaroons, and an assortment of fresh fruit for those looking for something a little healthier.

Of course, after crab claws, oysters, lobster rolls, roast beef, ham, chicken, and everything else, “healthy” may have been a relative term!

Still, the dessert spread provided the perfect finale to a celebratory meal.

More Than Just a Cruise

While the centennial celebration was a special occasion, Boston Harbor City Cruises offers experiences throughout the year.

The company operates scenic cruises around Boston Harbor, including dinner cruises, lunch cruises, and brunch cruises. Its vessels can also be booked for corporate functions, weddings, private parties, birthdays, holidays, and virtually any other special occasion you can think of.  If you’re looking to celebrate something, there’s a good chance Boston Harbor City Cruises has a boat for it.

And cruises aren’t the only way to get out on the water. The company also provides ferry service to destinations including Provincetown and Cape Cod, along with experiences such as Bingo Cruises and whale watching excursions.

And for those who prefer their harbor experience with a little less relaxation and a lot more adrenaline, there’s always Codzilla which is Boston’s legendary high-speed thrill ride that turns Boston Harbor into a roller coaster.

For a more in-depth look at the company’s sunset cruise, check out our previous five-star review:

Sunset Magic on Boston Harbor with City Cruises — Five Stars

https://eventsinsider.com/sunset-magic-on-boston-harbor-with-citycruises-five-stars/

And for those looking for something a little more extreme, check out our review of Boston’s own Codzilla: The Biggest, Baddest Speedboat in Boston — 5 Stars.

https://eventsinsider.com/codzilla-biggest-baddest-speedboat-boston-5-stars/

A century in business is an impressive achievement. But after seeing how Boston Harbor City Cruises celebrates, Bob Lawler may have summed it up best:

They don’t just operate cruises. They throw parties for a living.

And after 100 years, they’re still showing Boston how it’s done.

For more information about cruises, private events, ferry service, whale watching, Codzilla, and upcoming experiences, visit CityExperiences.com/Boston.