About Spirit Cruises

Now in its 29th year, Spirit Cruises, LLC, is recognized as the largest harbor cruise company in America. Our fleet of 12 beautiful ships offers dining, entertainment and sightseeing cruises in seven of America's most popular port cities including Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, New York, Weehawken (NJ), Norfolk, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.

How we got to this point is an interesting story.

It began in 1978 when a company called C.I. Travel in Norfolk, Virginia, purchased an old World War II landing craft with the ambitious idea of converting it into a dinner cruise vessel on the historic Elizabeth River. After a series of major renovations, the ship was finally christened Spirit of Norfolk, and a new company called Spirit Cruises was born.

As the years went by Spirit Cruises entertained over 18 million passengers as we expanded operations into cities up and down the east coast and into Chicago. As the number of vessels grew, so did our product line. From Spirit’s original harbor cruise concept there evolved four distinct cruise experiences: Fun-and-festive dining cruises, Mount Vernon sightseeing excursions, Elite private yacht charters, and the ultimate gourmet dining cruise aboard Bateaux New York, Spirit’s own version of the glass-enclosed riverboats of Paris and London.

Now a new chapter is being written in the Spirit log. We are embarking on an exciting new partnership with Premier Yachts, an entrepreneurial harbor cruise company that began in Chicago in 1990. Starting with one brand-new, fine-dining ship christened Odyssey I, Premier Yachts has quickly grown to serve three major American harbors with four cruise products and 8 vessels. They now have three Odyssey dining cruise ships, four speedboats branded Seadog, and one fun-dining vessel called Mystic Blue.

Together, Spirit Cruises and Premier Yachts have 23 ships that serve eight cities with five unique cruise products. Our dynamic partnership will focus on creating even more superior dining and entertainment cruise experiences for our guests. New ships, new cruise products, new ways to enjoy America’s famous waterways - they’re all coming your way in the years ahead from what is now the largest dining & entertainment cruise company in America.

Check back with us in a few months for more details. In the meantime, get out on the water and catch the Spirit of fun!

Find out more about our new partner. Click on Premier Yachts.