Schooners Alliance & Serenity

We are Grandparents and took our 10 yr. old Granddaughter on the sail. It was an excellent experience, the crew was knowledgable, very friendly and answered everyone's questions.

I had read the other reviews prior to going on this sail and would have to agree with the majority who described a somewhat boring experience. The trip consisted of barely passing under the bridge to Gloucester and then returning to the dock. For some reason, I thought/hoped we would head toward Chesapeake Bay and see sights that differed from what you could already see by simply driving down the Colonial Parkway. The crew was very friendly and made an effort to include the children and adults in helping to raise the sails. Also, very reasonably priced snacks and water ($1 bottle) were offered. Seating is limited and/or what is available is not terribly comfortable for a 2 hr tour. I would also agree w/the person who said to bring a seat cushion, but I don't know how practical that is.

If you're looking for a rustic two-hour cruise during which you might learn a bit about both basic sailing and local history of Yorktown, you're in luck. A bonus is that the crew are very knowledgeable and their enthusiasm for sailing shows. If desired, you can participate in hoisting the sails. Heck, I even learned how to identify a Schooner among other boats finally. Just don't expect plush accommodations or dinner while onboard The Alliance. There is only a cash bar with some snacks offered. Still, for only thirty-five bucks a pop, your expectations should already be tempered. The ship sails out of Yorktown three times daily so you can probably find a time that suits you. We went at 6:30pm and conditions in late June were fabulous.

This trip was part of my birthday present. It was a terrific break from the summer heat. I loved seeing the dolphins the best!

My husband and I are locals to area and I wanted to take the sunset sail for my 51st birthday. It was wonderful. The staff were friendly and engaging. We also had dolphins swiming along side us. The evening was outstanding. We look forward to our next sail. Lisa T.

Have been before & enjoyed it as much

We're all adults. We enjoyed the sail. Will do it again with house guests. We'll wait till it's a little cooler! Just a relaxing time.

Delightful excursion for Father's Day.

The sail on the York River was really enjoyed by myself and my husband. It is great that Yorktown offers this time of cruise. It is true that you never go to see what is local; however, we did, and we will recommend the sailing to others.

We took my mother on the Alliance for her 75th Birthday. She really enjoyed it. She said it was very relaxing. We met people from other States that were visiting. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. What a beautiful sunset.

We had a great time on the sail on a Friday. The party included one person who has mobility problems, but the crew was very helpful, and there was a convenient place to sit. The information on the cruise states that there is no specific narration on the trip, but the Captain was extremely helpful and was very informative about the historical significance of the Revolutionary War history of the area. The weather was great and although there was not much wind on the river, the sails were set and all passengers who wanted to help were welcome to do so. A picnic box lunch was available, but we were able to get drinks and snacks from the galley aboard ship.

We had tickets for Sunday, June 13. We arrived in plenty of time according to the information provided on the website. We watched a thunderstorm blow up. My friend asked a crew member about the possibility of the cruise leaving and was told that the boat does not go out in lightning. There was no discussion of a late departure as there is no mention of leaving late in the web information - just asking that people arrive early. The departure time came and went with the thunderstorm overhead - lots of wind, rain and lightning. We went to a nearby restaurant thinking that there would be no way the cruise would not be cancelled. About 7 pm we watched the schooner sail by. I am very disappointed when I was told that we would not be able to use our tickets at a later date. The cruise was a birthday present for an old friend - someone I haven't seen in 43 years.

We were disappointed that there was not someone telling us what we were seeing. When we asked questions, the crew willingly answered our questions. They knew a lot but why did we have to pump it out of them? A little P.A. system would help. They would not have to be continually talking as the quietness at times was good. But...it is such a historic area, briefing us on the history and what we were seeing would have added tremendously to the trip. But...we did enjoy it. the crew were very amiable...good guys!

Took my girlfriend on the sunset cruise for her birthday. She LOVED it, so I loved it...you know how that works:-) Seriously, it was a great evening and Laura was awesome. I'd recommend it for anyone but especially as an unusual date night - its a great change from the usual restaurant and movies.

If you have young children who have never sailed on a schooner, this experience would be more enjoyable for you and more exciting for them. Unfortunately for us it was not very exciting - mostly because we live in this area and we don't have children who could have participated in raising the sails. The schooner doesn't travel very far out onto the river and so most of the time is spent just relaxing, socializing and viewing the same scenery which includes some historic buildings, an oil refinery and The Virginia Institute of Marine Science. I would recommend this cruise to anyone who enjoys relaxing on the water and meeting others or for those who have children between 7-15 years old. It was really fun to watch the two children on our cruise raise the sails. I highly recommend it for first dates and for viewing fireworks on the 4th. We went on the 11am cruise which can include a boxed lunch if you like- making it an interesting two hour lunch date. Be sure to bring a wind breaker if it's cloudy as it may feel much cooler than expected.