Charles River Boat Company Reviews

Dayna and the staff at Charles Riverboat Company made our small wedding celebration simply amazing. We had a group of about 50 people aboard The Valiant and it was perfect in every way. Dayna was excellent from the beginning, listening to my vision for the day and executed it better than I could have imagined! She took care of all the details, made me a timeline, floor plan, and menu. Literally all we had to do was walk onto the boat...which was beautiful! We had the perfect evening - the food was delicious, bar staff was excellent, and we had stunning views of the harbor before we danced the night away. I highly recommend Charles Riverboat Company to anyone planning their next event!!

We rented the Valiant for a 55-person Welcome Party the night before our wedding. We did a two-hour cruise + buffet dinner + bar, and it was SO fun and unique. So many guests commented on how lovely it was, and how it made for such a fun kick-off to the wedding. Their team (shout out Dayna!) was exceptionally professional and very responsive to any questions we had. The crew on board did an excellent job. I just wish we could have used them for our reception (they were already booked!), because they were super easy to work with and did a great job of making the event feel really special.

Melissa and Georgie were one of the best vendors we have worked with. We had to make several changes from the hours, the size of the boats, and the location but Melissa and Georgie always had a solution for us and worked with us to make those necessary adjustments. We, unfortunately, had a terrible planner so if it wasn't for Melissa and Georgie, I don't think our event would've been smooth sailing. Thank you!!

Our wedding aboard the Valiant was like a dream! The team at Charles Riverboat were absolutely amazing and took care of so much of the planning for our big day. The views were spectacular and I can't wait to see the pictures from a magical night. Highly recommend for an intimate wedding on Boston Harbor!

We chose Charles Riverboat because we love the water and spend the majority of our weekends on our boat in the Ipswich bay. The venue was perfect, the staff were amazing and communicative and delivered exactly the wedding we envisioned. We couldn't be happier and our guests are still raving about our event.

We worked with a lot of great vendors for our wedding but none compare with Charles Riverboat Company- this team and specifically Cecily were responsive, considerate, kind, fun, and just all around awesome. Even when I was a little bit neurotic, Cecily was always happy to talk me through whatever the concern was and make sure we landed on an option we were comfortable with. The day of we had Georgie with us on the boat and she was great- not only did she keep the entire night running smoothly but after the ceremony she was waiting with my drink of choice in hand ready to check in on us. The boat itself (we were on the Valiant) was beautiful and even now, two weeks later, we are still having friends reach out to us about how much fun they had. We were a pretty informal couple and were more focused on the party than the ceremony and this team delivered every step of the way. I could not possibly be happier with my experience with Charles Riverboat Company, I will gladly recommend them to anyone hosting literally any kind of event, and if I could give them 10 out of 5 stars I would!

Charles Riverboat Company was amazing to work with. My husband and I can’t say enough about our micro-wedding on board the Charles I. In such uncertain times, they kept us calm through the whole planning process. We originally planned a 200 person wedding in December at another venue, and when we knew that wasn’t going to be possible, we came across Charles Riverboat Company as a Plan B. Our Plan B, which consisted of 16 of our closest family and friends, along with an unbelievable caterer and DJ, became a dream Plan B! Melissa was very responsive and so meticulous to detail. I was never stressed when working with her and she made everything possible. While everything was covid-friendly on the boat, I would have never known I got married during a pandemic thanks to her attention to detail. I would highly recommend this company for any event – we are already planning our 10 year anniversary with the same crew in 2030!

In Covid times is hard to find a location for your last minute wedding and they did an excellent job! We had a delicious vegan/ vegetarian catering and everything was just perfect. Professional, affordable and so kind! (Cecily you’re the best!), we couldn’t be more happy!

My wedding ceremony and reception was amazing thanks to the Charles Riverboat Company and Melissa! The Valiant is absolutely gorgeous! Everyone at my wedding enjoyed the cruise so much and had a blast! They made wedding planning super easy as well since they already work with a caterer and a DJ. The food and the DJ were great! Melissa was super helpful with planning and was always available. Could not have asked for a better evening and would definitely recommend!

Getting married onboard the Charles I with the Charles Riverboat Company was an unforgettable experience! We had plenty of space for guests to spread out and we constantly had beautiful back drops of Boston Harbor and the Charles River. All of our guests raved about the food and the overall experience. The staff onboard the boat and the staff that helped coordinate the details were incredibly helpful and supportive leading up to the wedding and during the day. If you are looking for a unique wedding that your guest will be sure to remember, this is your place!

We couldn't have asked for more from our wedding venue and coordinator. We changed to a small, intimate wedding due to COVID-19 but still wanted to do something special and memorable. The Valiant was the perfect choice. We looked at a few vessels from other companies and Valiant was by far the nicest and as a bonus, we got to work with the BEST coordinator ever, Melissa! Valiant itself is so elegant and classy; every detail is just what you would want. Melissa was flexible, helpful, and kind through the entire (very quick!!) planning process. On the day of the wedding, she anticipated our every need and made the entire experience seamless and relaxing for us. We made such special memories aboard Valiant on our wedding day and I wish I could relive the experience over and over!

Where to even begin with this review! As you can imagine, planning a wedding during Covid was one unpredictable, stressful feat I wouldn’t wish upon anybody. Whilst our plan pre-Covid was to always have what’s now being called a “micro-wedding,” when part of the original plan fell through, it was still devastating. Then entered the Charles Riverboat Company, who ended up saving the day for us not only once, but twice.

The first time was when another Boston based boat company we had signed a contract with canceled less than a month before. (Even after they had told me weeks prior they could still host us while following Covid restrictions). In total panic I called my mom and sister’s crying saying the whole day was ruined and there was no way we could do the day without the harbor cruise. In hindsight, that cancellation was truly the BEST thing that could have ever happened. Within hours I called the Charles Riverboat Company, having recalled seeing some of their gorgeous boats cruising the harbor before. The only reason we didn’t originally consider them was because it was easiest to go with the same company my sister had used four years prior. I was in tears and full of doubt when someone named Cecily answered the phone. I explained my dilemma, just about still half-crying, and she calmed me right down. Our date was available and within minutes I had an email with different chartering options, menu options, pricing, etc.

Our original plan was to only take a two hour cocktail cruise and be dropped off at a restaurant on a pier for dinner. Welp, the restaurant portion fell through two weeks before the wedding. Like dejavu, I called Cecily again thinking our whole plan was ruined. Once again she saved the day and took over the planning as if she were a personal wedding planner I had hired to do so! The company was quick to accommodate our change of plans, allowing for a longer cruise and catering on board. They also were extremely helpful by referring us to Johnny Burke’s Catering and making the introductions. And oh my gosh, to say we’re glad things played out the way they did is an understatement.

Our wedding reception on board was not only the highlight of mine and my husband‘s life, but other family has told us the same. (To the point that we’re all talking about having a reunion on board again next summer!) We boarded the Valiant and were greeted with the most kind & friendly staff who were there for our every need. The views were absolutely stunning but honestly, a rainy stormy day would have still been just as gorgeous and memorable with this company. The Captain was so sweet, allowing my five nephews on board to take turns steering the boat. The bartenders were so fast and friendly, and accommodated us by making our “signature cocktail” for the evening. We were able to plug in our I-phones and dance the night away to our customized playlist while taking in views of Boston Harbor lit up at night. They also allowed for us to bring as many personalized decorations on board and set up everything for us in advance. Our wedding of 25 immediate family members was the most magical night all thanks to them. I’ll never ever forget looking around at my family, dancing on the most gorgeous luxury yacht (during a PANDEMIC) and feeling such happiness and gratitude for things turning out the way they did. The Charles River Boat Company really gave us the “best day ever” and the other company canceling was the biggest blessing in disguise.

I have to give a special thank you to Cecily, who I jokingly referred to as my angel throughout the process. From the second I met her over the phone all my worries dissipated because it was so evident from the get-go that we were in great hands. I truly don’t think I’ve ever met someone as knowledgeable and professional as she is. She had an answer and solution for every random question or concern, Coronavirus related or not. My family found this so admirable especially during a pandemic in which we’re all sailing unchartered waters, to put a pun on it. Cecily coordinated all of the planning and everything leading up to the day so I was thrilled to find she would be on board with us. The day after the wedding when our family was recapping, it seemed everyone had a different Cecily encounter or story to share; all were nothing but raving reviews of her. To top it all off—when we left our remaining wedding cake on board at the end of the evening, Cecily personally went out of her way to drive it to us on a holiday weekend the following day. She’s a rare gem and I highly recommend trying to work with her!!

Micro wedding or not, Coronavirus or not, book your wedding/event with the Charles Riverboat Company and you’ll have the greatest, most unique, memorable, talked about experience. Your only regret will be that it flies by too fast!

While we were forced to change our original wedding plans due to covid-19, our wedding reception aboard the Valiant was so perfect, we can't even picture what our pre-covid wedding was supposed to be.
Our small wedding of about 50 people was so perfect. Our guests loved every minute of it and were blown away by the yacht, the staff, and the 360 degree views of Boston. Melissa from the Charles Riverboat Co. was a dream to work with. She was incredibly easy to communicate with and did an amazing job managing the ever changing event restrictions.
We offered a casual setting for our guests and allowed everyone to roam freely through the boat, sit where the want, and relax. We have heard many times over that this was "the best wedding they've ever been to." The boat itself was extremely comfortable, elegant and spacious. There are many different locations for guests to sit either covered or in open air.
The boat gave us the city feel we were looking for while being able to enjoy the water. We couldn't be happier with the way things turned out!

I could not recommend Cecily + the team more!!! My husband and I were supposed to get married last summer but due to Covid we had to postpone several times and we ended up getting married with immediate families/bridal party. We still had a few different wedding deposits to use and wanted to celebrate with all our friends we couldn't have come due to Covid. What better way to celebrate with friends on an epic boat?!?! We ended up booking the Lexington and Cecily was AMAZING to work with, she was extremely accommodating, quick to respond and worked with us towards our vision ! We are a few days apart so we ended up making it into a combined pirate theme birthday party. The Lexington is perfect for large groups, the upstairs is great for dancing/DJ and the downstairs is perfect for a more chill vibe with tables/food for people to relax, there is also an outside area for people to take in the beautiful Boston harbor view. We had a little under 100 people for a Cocktail Party and it was the perfect amount of space with lots of different areas to move around. I was running late to setup and when I got there the team had already taken care of everything. Dayna was AWESOME, she was directing everyone and setting up the food/decor so when I got there I was able to just enjoy myself. I can't recommend Charles Riverboat Company enough!!! If you are trying to throw a wedding, birthday party or just fun event - book now you won't regret it!!!

We got married on the Valiant on 6/4/16 & LOVED it. We definitely made the right choice. The whole staff was kind, professional, responsive and so helpful in helping us put together an amazing evening, right down to personal touches such as glasses of sparkling wine for guests as they came aboard. We did the entire ceremony and reception on the Valiant, and it provided the elegant but laid-back feeling we were looking for. The amazing weather helped! Brooke did a great job keeping everyone on track for the rehearsal and she and her team made the whole night seamless and responded to a number of our requests on the fly. Highly recommended!

We booked the Valiant for our Rehearsal dinner the night before our wedding. It exceeded our expectations - it felt like a luxury yacht and all of our guests loved it! Young and old! The staff was super friendly & the drinks and food were great!

I didn’t work with management with regards to booking & ironing out details (the groom’s parents handled that), but the guest experience was amazing! Great sunset views made for beautiful pictures!

My husband and I live in Boston and wanted to show our guests some of many reasons we love about this wonderful city. What better way than a private harbor cruise aboard the Lexington?

Emily was an absolute pleasure to work with. She met us on a frigid day in February to show us the boat and calmed my nerves about the weather and waves. In the end, we had an 80 degree day at the end of September that couldn't have been more perfect. Emily was so flexible and accommodating with everything from adding craft beer to the bar menu, extending the length of the charter, to organizing the rehearsal the day before between other charters.

The captain, crew, and servers were also wonderfully friendly, helpful, and accommodating. We have gotten so many compliments on our wedding on the Lexington; it was an absolutely extraordinary day. I cannot say enough good things about the Charles Riverboat Company and their part in that; I would recommend them to anyone.

For our wedding, we opted to have the ceremony and dinner at one location and then hop on board the Lexington for cake, coffee, and some dancing. This was all my husband’s idea; I was uncertain, since it was a little different, but it worked out AMAZINGLY! EVERYONE loved it. We walked over to a point near the Cambridgeside Galleria, past the low-hanging bridge and boarded for a nighttime cruise and it was great! I had some songs on a iPod that the captain put on for us, so we were able to dance. And…I GOT TO DRIVE THE BOAT. SO COOL!!!

We also had our cakes delivered there and everything worked out great. It was perfect. They set up the cakes for us so we could cut them on the lower deck. The entire crew was so helpful and kind. My family was so excited to see the Zakim Bridge from underneath. It was just great.

They are very busy so make sure you book EARLY. We worked with Melissa and she was great. This perfectly capped off an amazing night and could not have gone better.

We did our ceremony/cocktail hour on the Valiant and our reception at the Multicultural Arts Center. We saw the Valiant on our first day looking at wedding venues and nothing quite measured up after that. We loved having the first half of the wedding on the Valiant - you get beautiful views of the Boston skyline and the boat itself is the most beautiful boat you can charter in Boston at its size. The idea of the boat itself also felt very unique, special and very reflective of us/our relationship - since we really love the water/boats and wanted a nautical wedding in Boston. Melissa at Charles Riverboat Company helped organize things. She was really great: responsive, easy to work with, very nice. One of our best vendors!