New Year Party : Chao Phraya Princess Dinner Cruise at Bangkok Admission Ticket

The best part of this New Year cruise is the view from the Chao Phraya River at midnight, when Bangkok’s temples, palaces, bridges, and riverside buildings glow beside the boat and fireworks mark the arrival of 2020. I like the simple all-in-one format: dinner, drinks, music, sightseeing, and a New Year countdown in one evening.

I also like the open bar, which includes whisky, wine, beer, and soft drinks, plus the chance to see Wat Arun, the Royal Palace, Wat Phra Kaew, and Rama VIII Bridge from the water. The main concern is organization. One booking problem involved a departure-location mix-up and an unresponsive hotline, so you should confirm the pier and meeting point well before New Year’s Eve.

Key points to know before booking

• Fireworks from the Chao Phraya: The cruise is planned around the midnight New Year celebration, with river views of Bangkok’s illuminated landmarks.
• A 10pm to 12:30am sailing: You check in at Asiatique between 9pm and 9:45pm, board for a 10pm departure, and return around 12:30am.
• Dinner and an open bar included: The buffet covers Thai, international, and seafood dishes, with whisky, wine, beer, and soft drinks.
• Live Filipino band: Saxophonists and singers perform soft pop, jazz, and dance songs during the meal and cruise.
• Asiatique departure: The meeting point is between warehouses 7 and 8, next to the candy shop.
• No hotel transfers: You arrange your own transport to and from Asiatique, and the booking is non-refundable.

What this New Year cruise is really selling

This is not a quiet sightseeing boat with a small meal. It is a late-night New Year party on the river, built around music, buffet dining, drinks, and a midnight fireworks view.

The cruise lasts about two and a half hours. You spend the first part settling in, eating, and listening to the band. Later, the boat becomes a moving viewing platform for Bangkok’s best-known riverside sights. At midnight, the focus shifts to fireworks and the New Year celebration.

I see the appeal for couples, families with older children, and groups who want one fixed plan for New Year’s Eve. Bangkok can be hard to organize on this night, with crowded roads and busy restaurants. A cruise gives you a reserved activity, food, entertainment, and a place to watch the river without changing venues.

The tradeoff is that this is a large festive event rather than an intimate meal. The music is intended to keep the mood lively, and the buffet format means you do not get the slow, polished service of a fine-dining restaurant. If your ideal New Year is a peaceful dinner with a careful wine pairing, this will probably feel too busy. If you want a party with views, it makes more sense.

Starting at Asiatique between 9pm and 9:45pm

Your evening begins at Asiatique The Riverfront, at 2194 Wat Phraya Krai in Bangkok’s Bang Kho Laem district. The check-in counter is between warehouses 7 and 8, next to the candy shop.

That detail matters. Asiatique is a large riverside complex, and a New Year crowd can make a simple meeting point harder to find than it sounds. Give yourself enough time to get through the complex and locate the counter. The stated check-in window runs from 9pm to 9:45pm, with departure at 10pm.

The easiest route described for reaching Asiatique is the free boat from the Saphan Taksin dock. It takes about 10 minutes, runs every 15 minutes, and operates from 5pm until 11:30pm. That gives you a useful public transport option, but do not treat the final departure time as a guarantee for your own return. After the cruise, you finish back at the same meeting point and arrange your onward transport yourself.

The booking does not include hotel pickup or drop-off. I would keep your phone charged, save the exact meeting-point wording, and verify the departure location in advance. A previous customer had trouble after the departure location changed close to the event and the hotline did not respond promptly. The provider said the pier was listed on the voucher and that the customer went to the wrong pier. Either way, New Year’s Eve is a poor time to rely on last-minute clarification.

Boarding the Chao Phraya Princess at 10pm

The crew welcomes you aboard before the boat leaves the pier. The cruise then follows the Chao Phraya, Bangkok’s main river, with the city’s illuminated buildings on both banks.

The schedule places dinner around 10:20pm, shortly after departure. You can eat while the band performs and the boat moves away from Asiatique. This timing is practical because it leaves the early part of the sailing for dinner and the later part for sightseeing and the countdown.

The buffet includes Thai food, international dishes, and seafood. That range is useful for a mixed group, especially if not everyone wants strongly seasoned Thai dishes. It also means you should think of the meal as a broad buffet selection rather than a carefully paced Thai tasting menu.

The open bar includes whisky, red and white wine, beer, and soft drinks. Drinks are part of the admission price, which adds value for people who plan to drink during the evening. If you do not drink alcohol, the food, music, and river views remain the main reasons to book, but the price may feel less attractive compared with a standard dinner cruise.

Live music, saxophones, and a dance-floor mood

The entertainment comes from Filipino musicians, including saxophonists and singers. The stated program moves from soft pop and jazz toward dance music and local and international songs.

That progression suits the evening. You can begin with dinner and conversation, then shift toward the party as midnight approaches. The music is not a background detail. It is one of the central parts of the experience, so you should expect an upbeat setting rather than a silent sightseeing cruise.

For a special New Year event, live music can make the boat feel more like a celebration than a simple restaurant on water. It also gives groups something to do during the longer stretches between landmarks. The possible downside is personal taste. If you prefer a quiet deck and the sound of the river, the band and dance atmosphere may be more than you want.

Bangkok landmarks viewed from the water

Around 10:45pm, the route provides opportunities to photograph famous riverside sights and religious buildings. The named landmarks include:

• The Royal Palace
• Wat Phra Kaew
• Wat Arun, also called the Temple of Dawn
• Bangkhunphorm Palace
• Wat Kanlayanamit
• Rama VIII Bridge

Seeing these places from the river gives you a different view from a daytime temple visit. Instead of walking through courtyards or examining details up close, you see the buildings as part of Bangkok’s nighttime riverfront. Their lighting becomes a major part of the scene.

Wat Arun is especially recognizable from the water, while the Royal Palace and Wat Phra Kaew connect the cruise to Thailand’s royal and religious traditions. Rama VIII Bridge adds a modern engineering feature to the sequence of temples and historic structures.

Keep your camera ready, but do not expect every photograph to be easy. The boat is moving, the light is low, and other people will also want a clear view. The experience is strongest as a broad panorama of Bangkok at night, not as a substitute for visiting each landmark.

Midnight fireworks along the river

The fireworks are the defining moment. The cruise is planned to be on the Chao Phraya as the year changes, offering a view of the display from the water.

That setting gives the countdown a strong sense of place. The reflections, lit buildings, bridges, and moving boat can make the scene more memorable than watching fireworks from an indoor restaurant. You also avoid being tied to one street-level location for the entire night.

Still, the exact quality of your view can depend on where you are on the boat and how crowded the decks become. The information confirms the fireworks feature, but it does not promise a specific viewing deck, table position, or unobstructed sightline. If taking photographs is important to you, arrive early for check-in and pay attention to the available outdoor viewing areas once aboard.

The celebration described here is for welcoming 2020. That date matters. If you are considering this page for a later New Year, confirm the current event date, fireworks plan, price, departure details, and boat schedule before paying.

Is the $98 price good value?

At $98, the package is not cheap by ordinary Bangkok dinner-cruise standards. The value comes from the special date and the number of elements bundled together: a 2.5-hour river cruise, buffet dinner, seafood, open bar, live music, landmark views, and New Year fireworks.

For New Year’s Eve, separate meals, drinks, and entertainment can add up quickly. The fixed schedule also removes some planning pressure. You do not need to find a restaurant, then locate a fireworks viewpoint, then search for a late-night activity.

The price is less compelling if you mainly want a meal or a short river sightseeing trip. You are paying for the event atmosphere and the midnight timing. The non-refundable policy raises the financial risk, especially because plans can change on New Year’s Eve. You cannot cancel or amend the booking for a refund.

I would compare the total cost with your other plans, not just the ticket price. If you would otherwise pay for dinner, several drinks, music, and a special fireworks location, $98 may be reasonable. If your group does not drink and you would be happy watching fireworks elsewhere, the value is harder to defend.

Who will enjoy this most?

I would point this cruise toward people who want a ready-made New Year celebration with plenty happening. It fits:

• Couples seeking a scenic night out
• Families who want dinner and entertainment in one booking
• Groups who enjoy live music and dancing
• First-time Bangkok visitors who want a broad riverfront introduction
• People who value an open bar and a fixed midnight plan

I would be more cautious for anyone seeking a quiet, small-scale dinner. The live band, buffet, and party format are important parts of the evening, not optional extras.

It is also a poor fit if you need flexible cancellation. The booking is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason. You should be confident about the date, the price, and your ability to reach Asiatique before booking.

Practical planning for a smoother night

Save the meeting point as Asiatique, between warehouses 7 and 8, next to the candy shop. Do not simply enter Asiatique and assume the boat counter will be obvious.

Plan to arrive during the 9pm to 9:45pm check-in period. The boat leaves at 10pm, and missing the departure would be especially difficult because no hotel transfer is included.

Use the free Saphan Taksin boat if it fits your plans. The stated service runs until 11:30pm, every 15 minutes, with a journey of about 10 minutes. For the return after 12:30am, the supplied details do not specify transport arrangements, so you need to organize your own way onward.

The activity is described as suitable for most people and near public transportation. It has a maximum group size of 15 in the additional information, although the New Year party setting may still feel lively. The provider is listed as SHA Plus certified, meaning it had approved COVID-19 health and prevention procedures and at least 70 percent fully vaccinated staff under that certification system.

Should you book the Chao Phraya Princess New Year cruise?

Book it if you want fireworks, a buffet, open-bar drinks, live music, and Bangkok’s lit riverfront in one scheduled evening. The strongest reason to choose it is the combination of party atmosphere and sightseeing, not the meal alone.

Skip it if you want a quiet restaurant, flexible cancellation, or a carefully managed luxury event. The departure-location confusion and poor hotline response described in one customer service incident are reasons to be organized and confirm details early.

For the right group, the $98 price can make sense because it covers nearly the whole night. Just treat the meeting point as a serious part of your planning. Get to Asiatique early, check the voucher carefully, and confirm that the event is still being offered for the New Year date you want.

FAQ

Where does the cruise depart?

The cruise departs from Asiatique The Riverfront at 2194 Wat Phraya Krai, Bang Kho Laem, Bangkok 10120, Thailand.

Where is the check-in counter?

The counter is between warehouses 7 and 8 at Asiatique, next to the candy shop.

What time should I check in?

Check-in is scheduled from 9pm to 9:45pm. Departure is at 10pm.

What time does the cruise return?

The cruise is scheduled to return to the meeting point at about 12:30am.

How long is the cruise?

The activity lasts approximately two to three hours, with the stated cruising time running from 10pm to 12:30am.

Is dinner included?

Yes. The cruise includes a Thai, international, and seafood buffet dinner.

What drinks are included?

The open bar includes whisky, red and white wine, beer, and soft drinks.

Is live entertainment included?

Yes. Filipino bands, saxophonists, and singers provide soft pop, jazz, dance songs, and local and international music.

Are hotel transfers included?

No. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included. You arrange your own transportation to and from Asiatique.

Can I cancel or change the booking?

No. The experience is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason.