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Weddings

City Cruises - Chicago Reviews

City Cruises - Chicago

City Cruises - Chicago

Chicago, IL
4.2 out of 5 rating, 17 Reviews
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Reviews

4.2 out of 5 rating
17 Reviews
  • Quality of service
    4.3 out of 5 rating
  • Average response time
    4.5 out of 5 rating
  • Professionalism
    4.2 out of 5 rating
  • Value
    4 out of 5 rating
  • Flexibility
    4.2 out of 5 rating
82% Recommended by couples

Awards

17
  • User2210767 Sent on 07/04/2015
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    Super helpful coordinator. Took care of everything. Really willing to work with our budget
  • User1632655 Sent on 05/26/2014
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    Their food are great. Staff are nice and helpful (thanks Ashley our wonderful wedding planner, Susan, our account manager, Tyler, our service manager and many others). After our wedding on May 18, 2014, our guests commented on how wonderful our wedding was and how they enjoyed every minute on the cruise. Given the guaranteed high quality of their professional service, it seemed to me the only variable key factor to a perfect wedding with Odyssey cruise is whether the weather is good since the ceremony will be held on the observation deck. We were very lucky to have a gorgeous wedding day with the most amazing Chicago skyline and breathtaking Michigan lake.
  • M
    Meghan Sent on 01/16/2014
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    We got married on the Mystic Blue in November. We couldn't have been happier with our choice in venues. We had a small wedding ( 60 guests), we had both our ceremony and reception on board the cruise ship. Our wedding planner, Joe, was amazing. He answered close to 100 emails over the course of the planning process and was there the day of the wedding to ensure things went fabulous. The entire staff was very accommodating and willing to go the extra mile to make my husband and I's vision a reality.

    We had a lunch reception, the food was amazing, as was the DJ.
    We had our ceremony outside (in the cold!) and I couldn't imagined having it inside - the views were amazing, everything went great!



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  • B
    Blanca Sent on 09/16/2013
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    My wedding was a small party not big enough for a private room. Either way the experience was phenomenal. The team on the boat are there with you all the way to help you and your party with anything needed.
  • User1323374 Sent on 09/10/2013
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    Entertainment cruises was amazing! Made our day perfect and they were so responsive to our needs. We did a day wedding on the Odyssey which was great value! The food was delicious! Our wedding coordinator was Joseph Altobelli! He did a great job, was really attentive, really friendly and very organized! Only negative things were we didnt get a dessert tray that we ordered but we got reimbursed for it and didnt need it anyways! We also werent that happy with how the rehearsal the day of the ceremony was organized!

    Other than that, it exceeded EVERYONE'S expectations! Would HIGHLY recommend them to anyone! Amazing company, friendly staff, beautiful scenery and great prices!!!! It looked gorgeous with all of the renos too!
  • M
    Monika Sent on 07/18/2013
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    We chose the Odyssey 11 in Chicago as our venu to have our wedding. It was absolutely beautiful. They just had a multi-million dollar renovation on the boat and it is stunning. I am very happy we chose to have our ceremony and reception on the boat. Made for forever memories. The ceremony is held on the upper most deck of the boat and with the views of the city and the pier around you it is amazing. The reception was all the we expected and then some. Beautiful room, amazing food. All of the servers and staff are incredibly nice and helpful. The wedding coordinator is amazing. They keep everything so organized to make sure your day goes smooth. I had no stress or worry at all planning our event with them. Looking forward to our one year anniversary on the boat. I would highly recommend anyone to have their wedding with the Odyssey Cruises.
  • S
    Sarah Sent on 06/13/2012
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    After attending one of their engagment gala's on The Odyssey, we decided to book our wedding for June 9, 2012. This was such a fantastic decision. Throughout the entire process, the whole staff was beyond accomodating and friendly. From when we began working with sales (Karri) to craft the package we wanted, to coordinating actual wedding day details and vendors (Susan), to the actual day of with making sure things were going smoothly (Sandra) I can't say a single negative thing about the experience.

    I've received so many emails and messages saying this was by far one of the most memorable weddings they've ever been to. It's so different and such a unique way for people that are traveling in to see Chicago. And my parents couldnt stop telling me how impressed they were with the attentiveness of the crew - they really made our day awesome!!

    One word of advice though - we did a day cruise instead of evening, and it was absolutely gorgeous weather (And cheaper) but it is more than worth it to buy at least the one extra hour after docking. Even with that, our wedding went by so quickly.
  • Sandy
    Sandy Sent on 10/01/2019
    4.8 out of 5 rating
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    Excellent choice!

    I loved hosting my wedding aboard the Odyssey Chicago River! I wanted indoor/outdoor space and for my guests to also receive a Chicago experience as most guests were from out of town. Having food, alcohol, music and staff onsite was a major bonus. We were given the option to provide our own dessert which helped us feel as if our own touches could be included with the evening. The boat, bar, and city skyline speak for itself so having little details accommodated provided for a wonderful evening! I highly recommend this venue for your wedding. If I could go back in time, I would choose the Odyssey Chicago River again!
  • Jenn
    Jenn Sent on 06/13/2019
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    The most beautiful and memorable wedding :)

    We are so thrilled about our choice to have our wedding on the Odyssey Lake Michigan. Amy and Rachael were so wonderful to work with, not to mention kind and just so incredibly patient with me when I felt like I was losing my mind trying to plan a wedding while still in medical school and in the midst of graduation. The Odyssey is just such a beautiful venue especially with the backdrop of Navy Pier from the top ceremony deck, and when we decided to sign our contract for a June wedding, we never imagined that it would rain on our wedding day! I was having anxiety about the weather for days leading up to our wedding day. Amy was there with me from the very beginning, reassuring me that it was my night and they would make it special rain or shine. Mother Nature tricked us into thinking that the rain had passed and that we would be able to get through our ceremony without it raining again. So when I made the call not even 20 minutes before the start of our ceremony that I still wanted to proceed with having the wedding outside on the top deck, the Odyssey crew made it happen and in record time set up 150 chairs so that our guests had dry chairs to sit on. In fact, our ceremony actually started five minutes early to try to beat the rain. We were able to get all our 150 guests seated, and the entire wedding party down the aisle without a drop of rain. However, the moment my song started playing and I was walking down the aisle with my mom and dad, a fat drop of rain hit my face and I knew it was coming! My officiant just went with it, and I was drenched by the time umbrellas made their way to us (the Odyssey brought out a ton of umbrellas for our guests too), but it was just so beautiful and so much joy and laughter was caught in pictures and video as we got married in the rain. I had so many guests tell me that our wedding was the most memorable and unforgettable wedding they have ever attended, and the most fun they have ever had at a wedding, beginning to end. It was also a plus that everyone dried off pretty quickly once they got inside for the reception, and the staff had coffee and tea ready. I had guests texting me even days after our wedding complimenting the appetizers and the food (I had one guest say she still dreams of the lobster quiche that was served). We had an open bar all night and the bartenders were great, the DJ was amazing as was our live band, and the two giant macaron towers that they put together for us were beautiful and delicious. The rain cleared up pretty much right after the ceremony and it turned out to be a beautiful evening, so the Navy Pier fireworks show still went according to plan! It was the best day of our lives for sure, and so many people told me that they had never seen my husband smile so much. Only issue I can think of bringing up is that there were some communication issues with the Odyssey staff and our photographers and videographer, and they weren’t informed that the plan was to start the ceremony five minute early (to try to beat the rain), which led to our videographer not catching my husband and his mom walking down the aisle, along with the first couple of people in our wedding party which we are pretty bummed about. There was also some miscommunication regarding the meals we had ordered for our vendors, and with the craziness of the evening, they ended up not getting a chance to eat. However, we also know that the weather that evening threw off our meticulously planned schedule. We had an hour by hour schedule of when things would happen (reception, dinner served, speeches, cake cutting, first dance, etc) and that ended up going out the window because the weather really threw off our timing for certain things. But it was still a perfect evening! We are so grateful for the entire Odyssey staff and for Amy and Rachael who helped with so many aspects regarding the details. We can not wait to be back for our one year anniversary cruise!
  • D
    Diane Sent on 07/03/2015
    4.8 out of 5 rating
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    My husband and I wanted to have a smaller yet memorable wedding ceremony and reception and chose the Odyssey. It was the perfect decision!!! Everything was so easy and perfect!!! The staff we worked with both when planning the event and the day of the event were nothing short of awesome!!! We would not have changed anything. We had a perfect wedding day and great memories to last a lifetime!!!
  • Ashley
    Ashley Sent on 08/24/2012
    4.8 out of 5 rating
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    I had my wedding in the late morning aboard The Odyssey at Navy Pier, because of all the boats at the pier this is the only one that offered a sit-down plated meal. This is the nicest wedding and reception I can imagine for the cost (book early to get an additional discount) as well as the nicest wedding and reception many of my guests (as they*still* continue to tell me *three weeks later*) say they had ever been to! (And these are people who have been to weddings all over the world)
    Pro: Value
    In the end, with a three-course meal, cake/dessert, and wine/beer package plus champagne toast, the total cost per person was about $100, which if you talk to anyone who has paid for a wedding at a restaurant or banquet hall, is basically what it costs for a windowless banquet room in a hotel, except that this is on a yacht and includes a cruise of the beautiful Chicago skyline.
    Con: Ok, so even if it's a good *value* for what you get, it might cost more in total than some options like a home garden reception or a church wedding followed by dinner in a private dining room at a nearby restaurant.
    Con/Pro: Because you coordinate the event with one person for months but cruise with a different on-site coordinator, some details can get lost in the shuffle (I'm *very* detail-oriented so missteps like the DJ forgetting to announce a couple members of the wedding party, frustrated me at the time) BUT THE IMPORTANT THING IS that no matter how many things I *thought* went wrong, no one noticed because of how perfect everything else was (some credit here goes to the flawless weather and to the breathtaking cake my best friend made) or even if they *had* noticed, no one would have minded because they were in such awe of everything else.
  • S
    Steve Sent on 01/26/2014
    4.4 out of 5 rating
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    A wonderful experience and a truly memorable evening. Everyone loved it. I would highly recommend. My score reflects only the fact that there is no bargain, but everything was easy and I don't regret a dime spent.
  • S
    Sandra Sent on 08/01/2008
    4.3 out of 5 rating
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    We wish we could do it all over again! Very professional and good service. My guests have told me it was the best wedding they've ever been too. I love the fact that we could go inside or outside. I'm so glad that it's the venue, catering, DJ and flowers all in one! It made things easier!

    There are no refunds so make sure you have a final guest count. In fact, you could go a little under and pay for the remaining guest at the week of your reception because there are bound to be people who cancel the day before! That way you won't get flustered at them for doing this at the last minute or have to scramble to find someone to fill the spots.
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    Jackie Sent on 09/13/2010
    3.6 out of 5 rating
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    Overall, the Odyssey was an excellent choice for our wedding ceremony and reception.

    The sales associate I worked with, Ms. Tiffany Weinstein, was excellent from start to finish and very responsive and warm. If you are looking to check out Odyssey we would recommend that you work with Tiffany.

    Overall, the service was acceptable, our deck beautifully decorated and the views terrific! The food was great and we recommend choosing a buffet style. We were lucky and the weather cooperated as well.

    On the actual wedding day, there were a few problems which were minor.

    The wedding party boarding, which was supposed to go smoothly (and quickly so we could start our ceremony on time), was halted because of some Odyssey team members on a power trip. The photography team on the boat insisted on taking pictures of our wedding party with the cheesy "Odyssey" life ring (even though we had our VERY EXPENSIVE PHOTOGRAPHER WITH US) and had to be asked to stop and then tried to explain why we should have the pictures taken after I explained that we DID NOT WANT their pictures. Private parties (with private boarding for a wedding ceremony) should have quick boarding and I did NOT want photos SOLD to my guests as they boarded the boat for my wedding. So cheesy.

    The "day of" wedding coordinator was frequently missing from our deck and instead, other team members had to "sub in" for him--there was always a staff member nearby and our needs were met but I was lead to believe that he was the one who would be available to us which is why I did so much communicating with him in advance. He was nice to work with and the set-up of the deck was what we had discussed but I was disappointed that he was so difficult to find during the event.

    Additionally, the bartender gave a few members of our wedding party (in their THIRTIES) an issue about showing ID to drink on board but did not consistently card other guests (we did not invite any underage guests except for two who were accompanied by their parents). Thankfully, this matter was handled quickly by the wedding coordinator (which we were grateful for) and smoothed over by an excellent waiter.

    The DJ, despite being provided with an extensive list with a note to NOT TAKE REQUESTS and a do not play list, took requests and we had to ask him to stop so that he could get through OUR PLAYLIST requests on our somewhat short reception cruise. He also was asking about certain songs which were clearly marked on our request page. Even though the names were spelled phonetically on his information sheet he still had issues.

    Overall all of these were small matters in the grand scheme of things but I found myself becoming very frustrated with these issues which should have never come up.
  • D
    Dana G. Sent on 01/12/2021
    3.4 out of 5 rating
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    Cool venue, terrible ceremony

    I had my wedding on the Odyssey Chicago River. The planning ahead of time was great and both people I worked with were super responsive and organized. Unfortunately the smoothness of planning ahead of time did not transition to a smooth wedding ceremony aboard the boat. First, we boarded 15 minutes late, which meant as my husband and I were waiting to board all of our guests started showing up so I wasn’t able to get out of sight before people arrived. Once on the boat, the coordinator I had worked with beforehand was not the same person on the boat and it didn’t seem like any info was passed to the new person because there was no coordination of the ceremony. And lastly, and most upsetting, the sound didn’t work during the ceremony. On a boat on the Chicago river sound is pretty important, but it didn’t work and the DJ did nothing to attempt to fix it. No one knew I was starting to walk because they couldn’t hear the music. It was so upsetting because we were so excited about the boat. The Odyssey was a cool venue otherwise, but the ceremony was a mess. I would NOT recommend getting married on the boat, but would be great for any other wedding-related event when those can come back full steam.
  • A
    Allison Sent on 10/03/2021
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    Do not work with them

    Reading these other recent reviews make me so sad because I am completely devastated with the way my wedding went with the City Cruises aboard the Chicago Elite, and I wish I had known to steer clear sooner.

    I had my wedding on the Chicago elite on October 2nd. I initially had Serena as my wedding planner, but three weeks prior to the date, I was informed that Kelly would be taking over my wedding. Kelly was unresponsive, unhelpful, and did not receive any details I had told Serena from the previous wedding planning calls months before and I had to tell her all over again. A week before the wedding Kelly informed me that she would not be on the boat the day of the wedding but would meet me Friday, October 1st for me to drop off the decor. Kelly was a no-show and I was met by Jordyn, ANOTHER wedding planner, and I had to relay my information on what to do with the decor.

    Upon arriving at the boat, NOTHING was set up the way I had asked Jordyn to relay to the team. I had to set up my decor the way I wanted it, and press to get my rooftop DJ setup and my bar on the rooftop. Worst of all, the microphone system was horrible, and my father’s speech was cut short due to their system and glitches.

    I'm beyond disappointed. I would NEVER recommend working with City Experiences and if I had a time machine, I would do this completely differently.
  • B
    Brittany H. Sent on 07/09/2021
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    Extremely unprofessional would give zero stars if could!

    Serena and Jordyn were my planner and coordinator.
    They made my bridal party stand in the rain and would not let them board at the correct time because the staff wasn’t ready. But then she also made my guest stand in the rain when it was past time for them to arrive because the staff was still not ready. Bridal party ended up boarding at the time the guest were suppose to board and guest boarded later than that and it was a rainstorm outside. The same thing happened when we dropped off our decor the day before. We had an appointment with Serena. She came late to the appointment. And then made us wait in the rain when we carried decor through navy pier to the boat. Twice! Because we made more than one trip from car to boat. She knew we had one more trip and still took forever to open the gate. My signature drink was incorrect as well Premium bar. There was a patron missing from my premium bar. I paid for that drink to be in stock and it was not so I need to be reimbursed. I was told by Serena that the staff would pack away our decor and we would just have to take it home, and that any kitchen ware that was used would be washed and I could pick it up the next day, but at the end of night I to pack dirty chargers and decor in-front of all my guest. And when I asked Serena about this she said it was policy guest pack their own item after telling me something different on the phone. Which leads to my next grievance and why my marriage license was misplaced by Jordyn. Jordyn showed us our marriage license and said she would pack it with our items. Jordyn did pack one tote halfway with decor but no marriage license was in that tote like she said it was. I live 3.5 hours away and had to make a special trip to get my marriage license 2 days later. But If it is policy that guest pack up our stuff then why did Jordyn half pack a tote herself. Either they were supposed to pack for us or Jordyn broke policy. But because of the lack of communication amongst staff, my marriage license and other items were misplaced for days. Serena was late to phone calls multiple times, she had my balance wrong multiple times. I had to double check the amount and correct her after I made payments. She had my total cost of the wedding wrong and I had to correct her about that as well. No one from hornblower has gotten back to me.
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