Chicago Skyline Tiki Chic Party Cruise on Lake Michigan

Chicago, USA

1 hour 30 minutes (approx.)
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Overview

What's Included

Air-conditioned vehicle
Restroom on board
Chicago Skyline Cruise
Enclosed Climate Controlled Space

Alcoholic Beverages, Snacks (available for purchase)

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

355 Chicago Riverwalk, Chicago, IL 60601, USA
Chicago Riverwalk entrance is the corner of Wacker Drive and Columbus Drive. Proceed down the stairs and make a right when you get to the river. If you are driving, there is street parking is available behind Island Party Hut, 355 Sub Lower Wacker, Chicago, IL 60601 (hint, it's near the auto pound.)

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Itinerary

Chicago Skyline (Pass By)

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Service animals allowed

Near public transportation
Most travelers can participate
Dog Friendly
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 40 travelers

Supplied by

Cancellation Policy

This experience is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason. If you cancel or ask for an amendment, the amount you paid will not be refunded.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Featured review

Traci_P

We had a nice escursion with a very personable crew who each had interesting experiences and tales. There was a sailing grand prix in the distance that provided extra interest, though it was not needed with the skyline view.

Reviews

3.8

based on 27 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Birthday Celebration

Alycia_W, Sep 2025

Very fun afternoon celebrating a birthday and was a perfect day. Much nicer tour than expected. Crew was awesome.

Response from Host, Sep 2025

Thank you so much for the 5-star review! 🎉 We’re thrilled to hear you had such a fun afternoon celebrating a birthday aboard Enchantment. It’s wonderful that the day exceeded your expectations, and we’ll be sure to share your kind words with our crew. We hope to celebrate with you again on the water soon! – The Island Party Boat Team

Lots of fun

Lisa_S, Sep 2025

Worth the money . Great people. Great view. Drink prices not to high . Outside and Inside accomodations.

Response from Host, Sep 2025

Thank you so much for your 5-star review! 🌟 We’re thrilled to hear you enjoyed your Lake Michigan Cruise and found it to be worth the money. It’s great to know you loved the views, the people, and the balance of both inside and outside accommodations. We also appreciate your feedback on drink pricing—it’s something we’re glad adds to the overall experience. We hope to welcome you back on board for another cruise soon! – The Island Party Boat Team

Don’t waste your time

Liam_M, Sep 2025

My group (11 people) had our boat tour at 3:00pm on 8/30/25. We were only in Chicago for the weekend so looked to pack in as many things as we could. This tour was our biggest regret. We were all very much looking forward to getting out on the lake, so you can imagine our disappointment when the first full hour on the boat was spent sitting and waiting at the mouth of the river for the lock to let us through. Once we did make it through, it was enjoyable for a bit, until we were told by an attendant that there were too many people on the front of the boat so my group had to go back inside (while all the others stayed up front in the open air). Inside was fine at first, until the group sitting next to us had a girl vomiting into the public trash can next to us, which they proceeded to just leave there for the remainder of the tour. To top it all off, we were expecting the tour to be 90 minutes, as stated everywhere on the description. We didn’t get back on land until a full 2.5 hours later so we completely missed our next reservation, which we were charged for. I understand it says it’s “approximately” 90 minutes on the website, but a full 150 minutes doesn’t come close to “approximately”. Don’t waste your time.

Response from Host, Sep 2025

Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We truly regret that your experience was impacted by the unexpected delay at the Chicago Locks. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers controls the operation of the locks, and on this particular day, they were not functioning properly. This was a force majeure situation completely outside of our control, and we understand how frustrating the delay must have been during a short visit to Chicago. Regarding the situation with another guest becoming ill, we agree this could have been handled better. We are looking into how our crew can respond more promptly and appropriately in the future. Guest comfort and safety are extremely important to us, which is also why certain areas of the boat cannot become overcrowded, as our crew must follow Coast Guard safety requirements. As for the cruise duration, while our Skyline Cruise is advertised as approximately 90 minutes, extended delays caused by the lock system unfortunately made this particular cruise longer than planned. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience this caused with your schedule. We always strive to deliver a fun, safe, and memorable experience for all of our guests, and we’re sorry that this cruise did not meet your expectations. We would love the opportunity to welcome you back for the smooth, enjoyable experience we are known for. Please reach out to our team directly so we can assist you with a credit for a future cruise. —Island Party Boat

Don’t waste your time or money

Jozian_M, Aug 2025

This is definitely not a party cruise and despite the description, there was no island music playing. Just an old playlist from the 70s with 10 songs on it so you hear the same songs over and over. On top of that, it’s supposed to be a 90 minute tour. We’ve been on the boat for over 2 hours and 15 minutes and we’re still not docked. We had to cancel our dinner reservation because we’re going to miss it. Definitely not worth the money.

Response from Host, Aug 2025

Thank you for sharing your feedback. We’re sorry to hear that your experience on the Skyline Cruise was affected by unexpected delays at the Chicago Locks. Unfortunately, the operation of the locks is managed entirely by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and when issues occur, they create force majeure situations that are completely outside of our control. As a gesture of goodwill, we offered you two complimentary tickets to enjoy another cruise with us on a date of your choosing, and we truly hope you’ll take advantage of this opportunity. We’d also like to clarify that our playlist is carefully curated and features over four hours of island-style music, including Jimmy Buffett–inspired songs, creating the fun, tropical atmosphere our cruises are known for. We understand tastes in music vary, but we take pride in providing the island vibe our guests expect. We value your feedback and hope to welcome you aboard again under smoother circumstances. —Island Party Boat

Great boat!

Kendra_B, Aug 2025

Great boat! It rained some so it was nice to have the inside cabin when needed. The bartender was super nice and friendly and was from our state of MO

Response from Host, Aug 2025

Thank you so much for joining us on the Skyline Cruise! 🌆 We’re thrilled to hear you had such a wonderful experience and that our team helped make it memorable. We look forward to welcoming you back for more beautiful views and fun times on the water! 🚤✨ — The Island Party Boat Team

This was a great...

Joseph_S, Aug 2025

This was a great experience! Staff was nice and accommodating. The price and extra open bar cost was right on point! Made this a great deal!

Response from Host, Aug 2025

Thank you for the 5-star review! 🌟 We’re so glad you enjoyed the Skyline Cruise and found the staff welcoming and the open bar package a great value. It’s wonderful to hear you had such a great experience, and we can’t wait to welcome you back on board soon! 🚤🌆🍹 — The Island Party Boat Team

To get 15 minutes early,...

Maria_V, Jul 2025

To get 15 minutes early, we’re almost lost our ride because time management, this was so scary plan accurate

Response from Host, Jul 2025

Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. While we appreciate all feedback, we do want to clarify that we strive to provide clear information about cruise times, boarding locations, and arrival recommendations in all confirmation emails and ticket details. It’s unfortunate that your experience was affected by a lack of planning, but we put great effort into delivering a safe, enjoyable, and well-organized cruise for all our guests. We feel a 4-star rating doesn’t accurately reflect the service and experience we provided. It was not the fault of Island Party Boat that you did not plan accordingly

We sat idling for almost...

Dionne_T, Jul 2025

We sat idling for almost 30 minutes for fireworks boat. No one explained anything to us. They did not extend our selling time eitherd

Response from Host, Jul 2025

Thank you for your feedback. We’re sorry to hear the experience didn’t meet your expectations, and we appreciate the opportunity to address your concerns. Fireworks cruises can be tricky to time, as the show start time is determined by the city and is sometimes delayed without prior notice. While we aim to position the boat for the best view, there are moments—like this one—when we must idle longer than expected to ensure our guests don’t miss the show. We understand the importance of communication and will work on being more proactive in updating guests in real time when delays occur. As for selling time, we follow a strict schedule due to dock availability and Coast Guard regulations, but we truly value your feedback and will take it into consideration as we plan future cruises.

Tic bar boat ride

Michelle_S, Jul 2025

The only issue was the transportation use of Uber unable to drop and pick up causing to walk up and doe. Some steps

Response from Host, Jul 2025

Thank you so much for the great review! We're thrilled to hear you had a wonderful time, even with the minor hiccup with transportation. We understand that drop-off and pick-up logistics in the area can sometimes be tricky, especially with Uber access. We appreciate your patience and hope the short walk didn’t take away from the overall experience. Can’t wait to have you back aboard Island Party Boat for more great times on the water! ⚓🌇🚤

Really good highly...

DaddyMack, Jul 2025

Really good highly recommended. Truly a great time was had by all in attendance and will definitely be back

Response from Host, Jul 2025

Thank you so much for the kind words! We're thrilled to hear you had such a great time aboard the Enchantment—it's always one of our favorite boats for a fun and unforgettable cruise. We're so glad the whole group enjoyed the experience, and we truly appreciate the recommendation. We can’t wait to welcome you back for another amazing time on the water! ⚓🎉🌆

PREPARE ahead of time on where to park! So that You get to Enjoy The Tiki Chic Party.. We never even got to see the Tiki

Patsy_A, Jun 2025

Please Strongly Suggest Scouting the parking out well before the time of your excursion appointment! So that you don’t miss your great experience like we did..We looped around a couple of times and never found The Timi Island Hut for parking..We will try again at a later date maybe because it sounds fun but Please review this area to parking before your actual appointment time..

Response from Host, Jun 2025

Thank you for your feedback. While we understand that parking in the city of Chicago, like many major metropolitan areas can be challenging, we want to clarify that Island Party Boat does not manage parking and is not responsible for third-party lots or city parking availability. We strongly recommend all guests plan to arrive at least 30–45 minutes early to allow ample time for parking and locating our dock. The Island Party Hut is located along the Chicago Riverwalk at at 355 Riverwalk and is in all major map programs, and detailed directions are provided in your confirmation email. We’re truly sorry you missed your cruise because of not planning ahead. We are always ready to take phone calls and would gladly have helped you had you called ahead. Island Party Boat

Horrible

Wasfi_M, Aug 2024

There was no experience it was raining and thunder and reached out to reschedule and there will not do anything. I wouldn’t recommend this for anyone.

Response from Host, Aug 2024

The storm had passed when this cruise went out. Coast Guard recommends 5 miles out for a lightening strike, which was what our captain did.

Not the Best

Ruth_N, Jul 2024

The boat pictured is not the one we were on. A very rude crewmember informed us we were not allowed to use the top deck. Another said it was reserved for a 'party'. Those folks told us they had just walked up and had no reservations. No where on the website was that ever indicated. The snacks for cash were not tempting at all. All in all 'you get what you pay for'.

Great sightseeing cruise but parking can be a hard battle!

Vernice_W, May 2024

We celebrated our daugther's birthday on your Tiki Chic Cruise. Nice trip to relax and see the sites of Chicago. I wish there were more snacks on board to purchase but our bartenders were wonderful! Parking was a bit difficult but we made it at the last minute to the dock.

Amazing! Worth it!

Raquel_V, Sep 2023

The bartenders were super nice and friendly and helpful when we stuck on drink choices! The weather was nice for the boat ride that day! The location was easy to find! The Price was affordable. They waited for the entire party when we were ruining 2 mins late. Wish the music was louder!!!

Boat was canceled 15...

Pamela_F, Aug 2023

Boat was canceled 15 minutes prior to boarding. We had taken an Uber to launch site : hours prior and we did enjoy the tiki bar lunch. I don’t think that boat should cancel right before boarding. We did find another boat leaving at 3 and enjoyed our time