From stunning sites such as the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial and Kennedy Center to watching airplanes take off and the beautiful trees and grassy areas the busy city still boasts, the nation’s capital is filled with beautiful views worth witnessing time and time again. Aboard a City Cruises vessel, guests are able to dine, drink, dance and sail down the Potomac, all the while taking in magnificent views and celebrating District culture.“You get to see the same views in D.C. that you drive past from a different angle,” D’Mani Harrison-Porter, City Cruises Mid-Atlantic regional director of marketing, told The Informer on Nov. 22 as he entertained guests that evening on the Odyssey, a boat specially made for D.C.“You’ll never find a boat like this anywhere around the country, because this boat is designed to go under the 14th Street Bridge all the way to Georgetown,” he explained.
A native Washingtonian, Harrison-Porter has a lot of fond memories on City Cruises vessels, which was formerly called Entertainment Cruises before its merger with the West Coast operation Hornblower Group and their rebrand post-pandemic.
The Odyssey is decorated as a warm, winter-wonderland, as City Cruises welcomes guests to celebrate the holiday season on the vessel. (Micha Green/The Washington Informer)“A lot of these boats have been in D.C. for a long time, to the point where my entire family has photos of us as kids — for sixth grade graduation, dinners, things like that — here. So, we’re just reminding people we’re still the same company, just a different name,” he said. “We’re the same boat, but we’re a little more upgraded. … Better food, better quality, better service.”The food, service and ambiance are quite excellent. This holiday season, guests can board the Odyssey and be transported to a warm, winter wonderland, equipped with icicles, snow and sparkly decorations, a scrumptious meal, delicious drinks and a DJ that keeps folks dancing to Christmas classics, R&B jams and the go-go swing.From appetizers such as a creamy blue crab and potato chowder, to a smoked chili-rubbed Atlantic salmon entree, desserts like the Spanish “Basque Style” cheesecake, and vegetarian options including a Honeycrisp apple salad and the seasonal potato gnocchi, there’s something for everyone to enjoy on the Odyssey.
The drinks are also delightful and bring holiday cheer such as the Winter Spritz, featuring pomegranate and rosemary, and the peppermint rimmed espresso martini called “Candy Cane Lane,” which is a dessert and drink all in one.During the holidays, people can ditch the stress of dishes and prepping the house for family and friends and check out all City Cruises has to offer.A bartender pours glasses of “Candy Cane Lane,” City Cruises version of an espresso martini, offered through the holiday season. (Micha Green/The Washington Informer)“We do a lot of holiday events,” said Harrison-Porter, before adding the company was gearing up for their Thanksgiving feast on the water. “We do Christmas Eve brunch, and Christmas brunch and dinner. And then we also do New Year’s Eve, brunch, dinner and then New Year’s Day brunch.”Beyond the holiday season, City Cruises welcomes guests all year.“We probably have one of the best brunches in the city, just because of what you get to see. It’s two hours, unlimited mimosas, we have an upscale buffet style menu and we have some of the best DJs,” Harrison-Porter explained. “So you can be on here with somebody celebrating their bridal shower, or someone celebrating their 80th birthday and everyone’s going to get up and enjoy themselves.”
Chad Barth, vice president for food and beverage for City Cruises US and vice president of the Mid-Atlantic region (Baltimore, Alexandria and D.C.), has had an up-close look at how much the Odyssey and company as a whole has grown over the years.“I started as a bartender [on the Odyssey] 17-and-half years ago part-time. I worked front of the house, back of the house and worked my way through the operation, until I joined full-time as the general manager in Baltimore in 2017,” Barth told The Informer. “I carried us all the way through COVID, and then became the VP of food and beverage in 2021 for the whole company.”Now with 16 ports around the U.S., 90 vessels in the City Cruises portfolio, and operating in Canada, the U.K., and the National Park Service with the Statue of Liberty ferry, the company has certainly grown. However, there’s been a lot of growth for the Odyssey over the years as well.“We took a really deep dive into where people had traveled coming in and out of the pandemic. People were going to the Caribbean, they were going to Latin America, they were going to Asia, they were looking for more worldly flavors,” he explained. “So we reimagined our culinary offerings and made an intentional push starting last March 2023, to redevelop our culinary offerings.”City Cruises also updated their beverage program and plans on making more tweaks to the menus with a rollout that will be launching spring 2025.
From native Washingtonians who pass the monuments on their daily commutes, to first-time visitors to the nation’s capital, City Cruises is a perfect and unique way to enjoy all the District has to offer.“[We’re] your regular restaurant,” Harrison-Porter told The Informer, “just on the water with better views.”
Source: Washington Informer
