Celebrating 40 Years Serving the Low Country & Providing Dinner Guests The Most Epic Views of the Holy City

Jeff Walker,  Entertainment Writer / Restaurant Review

The beauty of Charleston SC, and the reason it's ranked number one for tourism among national travel magazines, is due to it's charm and history. But locals as well as regular visitors know, when it comes to things to do in the holy city, Charleston is among the most diverse.

Nearly 365 days a year, no matter your interests, Charleston much to its mild weather offers a wealth of opportunities. Whether its festivals, live theatre, semi-pro sports, concerts, outdoor activities, the beach, or its rich history combined with an awesome food and beverage scene, Charleston SC delivers!

Although the plantations, the gardens, Rainbow Row, the Battery, and the City Market get a lot of foot traffic, again locals and repeat tourists agree perhaps the best way to experience Charleston is either by horse drawn carriage or on the water. And while a carriage ride provides up close and personal looks and history downtown, there's nothing like witnessing Charleston from a harbor's view. 

Albeit, there a several options. Depending on your mood, and time of day there are charter and sail boats that will take you out on the water. But nothing compares to cruising around Charleston than spending 2.5 luxurious hours aboard the SpiritLine Dinner Cruise. A harbor experience like no other.

Operated by SpiritLine Cruises, a SpiritLine Dinner Cruise positively checks three essential boxes. First and foremost they serve up awesome food. Secondly they provide excellent customer service, whereas they pay attention to detail. And lastly, the three deck boat combined with epic views of Charleston offer an incredible overall ambiance. Step outside their covered top deck to take some the most incredible photos of Charleston, while collecting memorable shots of your group as the sun sets.

Let's break down the initial essential. While guests have their choice of three to four main entrees including vegan and gluten-free options, the standard three course meal (with a optional dessert) begins with a well seasoned bowl of Charleston She Crab Soup. A savory bisque-like soup made with heavy cream and sweet blue crab meat. Every spoonful delightful.

Next up is their Harvest Greens Salad. A colorful and refreshing array of mixed greens swirled in a blend of sun dried cranberries, crumbled feta cheese, and toasted walnuts, with a hint of champagne vinaigrette. Totally compliments the soup, with both courses an ideal lead in to the main course.

Whether you prefer beef, poultry, or seafood, the four main entrees cover all the bases. Their Braised Beef Short Ribs is an ample offering of tender and succulent short ribs in a cabernet reduction served over warm whipped potatoes, complete with seasonal vegetables. 

Poultry lovers will savor their Seared Prestige Farms Chicken dish crafted using premium chicken from Prestige Farms, a seven decade old poultry provider out of North Carolina. As to the meal, we're talking a plump breast stuffed with spinach and smoked gouda presented again with whipped potatoes and veggies.

Those who fancy seafood have two selections. Their warm and flaky Pan Seared Fillet (boneless) Salmon comes complete with a Cajun Caper Remoulade (mayo based French style bold & zesty cold sauce with a hint of Louisiana heat). Tres magnifique!

Should you opt for their second choice, you'll be dining on a holy city original. Low Country Shrimp & Grits are a Charleston staple, and SpiritLine present them just as they should. Creamy stone ground grits (key ingredient) under a blanket of warm sautéed shrimp folded around tasso ham and andouille sausage, further enhanced with a aged cheddar and bacon jam garnish. As they say in the south 'that's darn good eatin'.

The lone vegetarian option is a Penne Pasta entree, a mélange of sauteed wild mushrooms and leeks dressed, with a zest of lemon and olive oil arugula, celebrated further with Calabrian chili gremolata (a vibrant Italian herb condiment designed to enhance any dish). 

Many guests might be full from the sumptuous meal. However, while not part of the dinner reservation SpiritLine do offer two select dessert choices including a preferred New York Style Cheesecake engulfed in blueberry compote and fresh cream, with their Triple Chocolate Toute, a velvety French inspired ganache. Ooh la-la!

Each meal begins with a mixed basket of dinner rolls accompanied by the creamiest of sweet butter. Courses come approximately 15 minues apart to allow for relaxed dining, with the entire three course fully-plated dinner meant to reflect Charleston's overall rich history with cuisine. Patrons have more time to enjoy the main entree before deciding on a dessert.

SpiritLine has a full service bar on board, allowing dinner guests to choose beers including a Holy City Pilsner (local favorite), and preferred cocktails, as well as a pleasant list of select wines by the glass or bottle. Normally 10 beers available with some rotating depending on the season, with at least 15 or more red, white, and sparkling wines ready for you to enjoy.

While the food and beverage stand alone, your relaxing dinner cruise is made more enjoyable with live acoustic music (dance is you so choose), and of course scenic waterfront views of one of America's most beloved cities. During your time on the water you might see dolphins, sail boats, all the while touring around Charleston's renowned battery.

Some cruises take you by Fort Sumter or under the impressive double diamond Ravenel Bridge connecting downtown to Mount Pleasant, with the evening beginning aside the Yorktown at Patriots Point, which is where your dinner cruise departs from.

Let's not forget SpiritLine's the attention to customer service. Your Cruise Director's David and Tim float about both dining decks to ensure guests are enjoying and optimal time on the impressive Spirit of Carolina vessel. Basically your entire time on their three-deck luxury dining yacht is meant to relax, leave your cares behind, and savor a great meal and bask Charleston's beauty from the a different perspective.

A Brief History:

SpiritLine Cruises and its parent tour business have operated in Charleston Harbor for over 60 years, tracing back to Fort Sumter Tours founded in 1961. The specific dinner cruise and expanded harbor tour operations under the SpiritLine name were later added and expanded starting in 1986.

Until the operation was bought by Aramark (a local premier food services & facilities management company) a few years back, SpiritLine Dinner Cruise was owned and operated by two different families during their more than four decade run. The founding family's (the Campsen's) she crab soup recipe still exists on the menu, with the remainder of the 3-course meal and desserts curated by Duvall Catering, Charleston's premier catering company. 

Much to their credit Aramark has retained staff members who have been cruising the harbor for a number of years including David and Tim, as well as several attentive servers. That reflects an ongoing family atmosphere. Collectively their knowledge of Charleston and the menu, combined with their exceptional customer service make having dinner aboard the Spirit of Carolina a memorable experience.

If you're a first time visitor to Charleston, booking a dinner reservation with SpiritLine Cruises should be on your bucket list. If you're a local and have never enjoyed a dinner cruise, it's a must do bucket list, and perhaps one you might want to enjoy a couple times a year, especially when entertaining out of town guests.

SpiritLine Cruises not only provide dinner cruises, but oversee a host of harbor tours including daytime dolphin and Fort Sumter tours. They also provide combined tours that include trips to Boone Hall Plantation, Ghost and Graveyard Tours, and a 90 minute guided bus tour through the streets of downtown Charleston. Safe to say, SpiritLine Cruises is your one stop destination for experiencing Charleston on the water and around the peninsula.

Yes they accommodate large parties and their fleet of vessels can be booked for private events. Imagine spending your silver or golden anniversary, maybe an epic birthday, or your retirement surrounded by family and friends out on the harbor watching the sunset. Unforgettable experience.

Daily tours depart from downtown Charleston near the SC Aquarium with all dinner cruises sailing from Patriots Point in Mount Pleasant. For all SpiritLine Cruises have to offer and or to book reservations visit them at https://www.spiritlinecruises.com/