Marina Del Rey: Christmas Eve Buffet Brunch or Dinner Cruise

Marina del Rey’s Christmas Eve cruise turns a meal into the evening’s main event. You’ll eat aboard a climate-controlled boat, watch the harbor lights slide past, and spend the holiday with music, festive décor, and views toward Burton Chace Park. It is a tidy choice when you want celebration without planning a restaurant, a view, and a second activity.

I like the guaranteed table for your party size, especially for families and groups who do not want to split up at a busy holiday meal. I also like the choice between a daytime brunch with unlimited mimosas and an evening dinner with turkey, salmon, tri-tip, and seasonal sides.

The main drawback is the fixed, non-refundable booking. At $143 per person, this is a special-occasion splurge rather than a casual meal, and dinner drinks beyond the included coffee, tea, and water cost extra.

Key points at a glance

• Two Christmas Eve sailings: Pick a 2 to 2.5 hour brunch or dinner cruise, depending on the available departure time.
• Brunch includes free-flowing drinks: Champagne, mimosas, and sparkling cider are included with the daytime meal.
• Dinner feels like a holiday feast: Turkey, salmon, tri-tip, mashed potatoes, stuffing, vegetables, and desserts fill the evening menu.
• Harbor scenery does the decorating: You’ll see Marina del Rey, Burton Chace Park, harbor lights, and possible sea life from indoor and rooftop spaces.
• Good for mixed-age groups: A children’s station appears at brunch, while dinner includes familiar sides and desserts.
• Plan carefully before paying: The experience is non-refundable, and you must bring a passport or ID card.

Christmas Eve on the water, not at another crowded table

The appeal here is simple: you get a holiday meal, a moving view, music, and a decorated setting in one booking. Instead of driving between dinner and an evening activity, you spend the whole celebration aboard a cruise through Marina del Rey.

The boat has an intimate, climate-controlled interior, so you are not relying on good weather for the meal. Open-air rooftop decks give you a place to step outside, take in the harbor, and see the lights from a different angle.

That combination works especially well on Christmas Eve. The holiday can become a scramble of reservations, cooking, traffic, and family logistics. This cruise removes much of that work. You still need to arrive on time and manage the fixed schedule, but the meal and entertainment are arranged for you.

The atmosphere is festive rather than formal in a hushed, white-tablecloth sense. Holiday décor, music, and a buffet encourage a social mood. A welcome glass of champagne has been a pleasant part of the occasion, and the harbor lights add more charm than a typical dining room can offer.

Choosing brunch or dinner

The two versions suit different kinds of Christmas Eve.

Brunch is the livelier and better-value choice for many groups. You get unlimited champagne, mimosas, and sparkling cider, along with coffee, hot tea, iced tea, and water. The menu begins with pastries and smoked salmon, then moves through eggs, bacon, sausage, French toast, salads, pasta, chicken, salmon, tri-tip, and desserts.

A daytime sailing also gives you clearer views of Marina del Rey and Burton Chace Park. If you want to see the harbor rather than mainly its lights, brunch has the advantage. It can also leave your evening free for another family tradition.

Dinner feels more like the classic Christmas Eve event. The menu includes hand-carved oven-roasted turkey with cranberry sauce, hand-carved tri-tip with caramelized onions and balsamic demi-glace, oven-roasted Atlantic salmon, and three-cheese baked macaroni. Garlic mashed potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes, haricots verts, stuffing, and turkey gravy fill out the plate.

Dinner drinks are not included beyond coffee, tea, and water. Beer, wine, and cocktails are available to buy, so include that extra cost if a full bar is part of your plan. The dinner sailing is the better fit if you want your cruise to serve as the central holiday celebration, but brunch offers more included beverage value.

Starting times vary, so check the available departure before you commit to family plans. The cruise itself lasts about two to two and a half hours, enough time for a full meal and harbor views without taking over the entire day.

What the brunch buffet puts on your plate

The brunch starts with assorted muffins and Danishes, followed by a Scottish smoked salmon display with cream cheese, red onion, capers, tomatoes, and bagels. That gives you a light, cold opening before the heartier dishes.

The hot breakfast section includes scrambled eggs with American cheddar, Applewood smoked bacon, pork sausage links, breakfast potatoes with onions and sweet peppers, and French toast with whipped cream and maple syrup. It is familiar food, which helps when a group includes children or picky eaters.

The savory lunch-style choices make this more than a late breakfast. You’ll find Caesar salad, Greek salad, sun-dried tomato pasta salad, baked orecchiette with parsnips, kale, ricotta, and sage, birria-style chicken, and oven-roasted salmon with bok choy and miso citrus soy sauce.

The hand-carved tri-tip is the most substantial option on the brunch buffet. It comes with rosemary marinade, caramelized onions, and balsamic beef demi-glace. A children’s station offers chicken tenders and French fries, a useful detail for families who do not want to negotiate a holiday plate with a young eater.

Dessert comes from a signature station with individual desserts and seasonal fruit. Since the menu includes nuts in some items, and the kitchen warns of possible gluten cross-contamination, you should ask the staff about dietary needs before eating. The menu marks vegetarian, vegan, nut-containing, and gluten-related items, but the kitchen is not fully gluten-free.

Why the dinner menu feels more seasonal

Dinner leans into the flavors you expect from Christmas. The salad course includes Greek salad with cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, feta, arugula, and za’atar dressing. A roasted vegetable and grains salad adds quinoa, cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, watercress, mixed seeds, and sumac vinaigrette.

The main buffet is broad enough to work for different tastes. Turkey and cranberry sauce provide the traditional choice. Tri-tip gives you a richer meat option, while Atlantic salmon with roasted bok choy and miso citrus soy sauce keeps the plate lighter.

Three-cheese baked macaroni is the comfort-food pick. The side dishes include garlic mashed potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes, haricots verts, stuffing, and turkey gravy. If you prefer something less standard, potato gnocchi with roasted squash, Parmesan, arugula, and pistachio pesto is available by ordering from your server.

Dessert is partly pre-selected. You receive apple crisp with a gluten-free oat crumble and cinnamon, plus a seasonal display of cakes, brownies, pastries, and fruit. This setup gives you variety, though it is less flexible than choosing every dessert from a fully self-serve station.

The menu is designed for abundance and choice, not for a small, highly customized tasting meal. I would choose the cruise if your group values variety and a festive setting. If you are seeking a quiet dinner built around one carefully prepared dish, a harbor restaurant may suit you better.

Marina del Rey views between courses

The scenery is a major part of the experience, but it helps to set realistic expectations. This is a harbor cruise, not a long coastal voyage. The visual reward comes from moving through Marina del Rey, seeing Burton Chace Park, watching the shoreline and boats shift around you, and looking for sea life.

During brunch, daylight gives you the clearest sense of the marina. You can use the rooftop deck to take photographs or get fresh air, then return to the climate-controlled interior for your meal.

At dinner, the harbor lights create a more festive mood. A French-speaking diner praised the view of the port lights, and that detail captures the evening’s strongest visual appeal. The lights do much of the work once the sun is down, so dinner is less about seeing distant scenery and more about enjoying the glow around the harbor.

You will not be outside for the entire cruise. The rooftop deck is an option, while the main meal takes place in the sheltered interior. Bring an ID, and remember that the experience is wheelchair accessible, making it a practical choice for groups with different mobility needs.

Music, décor, and the mood aboard

Music entertainment helps keep the cruise from feeling like a restaurant that happens to move. The exact performers and musical style are not specified, so you should expect background or live entertainment rather than plan around a particular artist.

Holiday décor adds the seasonal touch. That matters because the cruise is meant to feel like a Christmas Eve occasion, not simply a regular buffet with a boat ride attached.

The mood should suit families, couples, and groups of friends who want a shared event. It is convivial and social, with buffet lines and a guaranteed table. You can eat at your own pace, return for another plate, and step outside between courses.

The table guarantee is an important practical feature. On Christmas Eve, securing seats together can be difficult at restaurants, especially for larger groups. Here, your booking is organized around your party size, although the specific table position and view are not stated.

Understanding the $143 price

At $143 per person, the cruise sits firmly in the special-event category. The price covers the cruise, freshly prepared entrees, salads, desserts, holiday décor, music entertainment, and a reserved table for your group.

For brunch, the included champagne, mimosas, and sparkling cider improve the value. If you would otherwise buy several drinks during a holiday meal, the beverage package can make the daytime sailing easier to justify.

Dinner offers less included alcohol value because beer, wine, and cocktails cost extra. The dinner price makes more sense if you place real value on the harbor setting, holiday atmosphere, and the convenience of combining dinner and entertainment.

You should also count the costs that are not included. There is no hotel pickup or drop-off, and dinner alcohol is extra. The cruise is non-refundable, so it is wise to confirm your schedule before paying.

I would not book this as a bargain meal. I would book it as a planned Christmas Eve event. The value is strongest for a family or group that wants one organized celebration, a guaranteed shared table, and a view without adding another reservation.

Who will enjoy this cruise most

This experience suits you if you want:

• A Christmas Eve meal that requires little planning once you arrive
• A festive setting for a family or group celebration
• A choice between daytime sightseeing and evening harbor lights
• A broad buffet with meat, seafood, vegetarian dishes, familiar children’s food, and desserts
• A guaranteed table for your party
• A wheelchair-accessible activity with indoor seating

Brunch is a strong match for families with daytime energy, people who enjoy mimosas, and anyone who wants to keep Christmas Eve evening open. Dinner suits couples and groups who want the cruise to be the night’s main celebration.

You may want another option if you need a flexible cancellation policy, strict gluten-free preparation, hotel transportation, or a quiet meal with no fixed sailing schedule. The buffet format also means you should be comfortable sharing a lively dining environment.

Practical details before you book

The activity is operated by City Cruises California, with English-language service. The cruise lasts two to two and a half hours, and departure times depend on availability.

Bring a passport or ID card. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included, so you are responsible for getting to Marina del Rey.

Coffee, hot tea, iced tea, and water are included. Brunch also includes free-flowing champagne, mimosas, and sparkling cider. Beer, wine, and cocktails can be purchased separately during the dinner cruise.

Because the kitchen is not gluten-free, diners with serious allergies or celiac disease should ask about cross-contamination before booking. The menu identifies vegetarian, vegan, and nut-containing dishes, but labels alone do not remove the need for a direct question.

Should you book the Marina del Rey Christmas Eve cruise?

Book it if you want a polished holiday outing with food, music, harbor scenery, and a table arranged for your group. The welcome champagne, glowing port views, convivial mood, and broad buffet are the strongest reasons to choose it.

I would lean toward brunch for value, especially because the unlimited mimosas, champagne, and sparkling cider are included. Choose dinner if the tradition of a Christmas Eve evening matters more than drink savings and you like the idea of turkey, tri-tip, salmon, and holiday sides aboard the boat.

At $143 per person, this is not an everyday meal. It is a convenient Christmas event for people who would rather pay for one organized celebration than manage several separate plans. Confirm the date, timing, dietary needs, and transport before booking, since the reservation cannot be refunded.

FAQ

How long is the Christmas Eve cruise?

The cruise lasts approximately two to two and a half hours. Starting times vary, so check availability for the specific brunch or dinner departure.

Is brunch or dinner available?

Yes. You can choose a Christmas Eve buffet brunch or a winter holiday dinner buffet, depending on the available sailing.

Are mimosas included?

Unlimited champagne, mimosas, and sparkling cider are included with brunch. Dinner includes coffee, hot tea, iced tea, and water, while beer, wine, and cocktails are available for purchase.

What food is served at dinner?

Dinner includes Greek salad, roasted vegetables and grains, three-cheese baked macaroni, Atlantic salmon, hand-carved turkey, hand-carved tri-tip, garlic mashed potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes, haricots verts, stuffing, turkey gravy, gnocchi by request, apple crisp, cakes, brownies, pastries, and seasonal fruit.

Is there food for children?

The brunch buffet includes a children’s station with chicken tenders and French fries. The dinner menu also includes familiar foods such as macaroni, mashed potatoes, turkey, and desserts.

Is the cruise wheelchair accessible?

Yes, the activity is wheelchair accessible.

Is transportation from my hotel included?

No. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included.

What should I bring?

Bring a passport or ID card. The activity is conducted in English, and the reservation is non-refundable.