Delicious local cuisine, live entertainment and of course, enjoying the breathtaking scenery around the Gulf Coast. All of these are aspects that you can expect to experience when you board the best dinner cruise in Orange Beach. After a long day exploring everything Gulf Shores and Orange Beach has to offer, there is nothing better than relaxing with a late night dinner cruise around the Gulf.
During our recent trip to the Gulf Coast, we were guests on the Perdido Queen and can now well and truly attest that Hudson Marina of Orange Beach offers an amazing dinner cruise that you would be hard-pressed to find a better alternative.
We have been fortunate to experience a variety of dinner cruises across various destinations around the United States. The iconic Steamboat Natchez along the Mississippi River in New Orleans and the Spirit of Jefferson along the Ohio River in Louisville are two examples of dinner cruises that we thoroughly enjoyed.
However, neither of these could prepare us for an experience that we both believe was far superior to either of the aforementioned cruises. The Perdido Queen is undoubtedly one of the best dinner cruise options in Gulf Shores and hopefully, after reading this post, you will be ready to book your very own evening cruise and navigate the scenic waterway of Orange Beach and Perdido Key.
Hudson Marina of Orange Beach
The Hudson Marina of Orange Beach is the best place to visit if you are interested in experiencing a dinner cruise in Orange Beach!
However, it’s worth noting that if boarding a dinner cruise isn’t feasible on your next visit to Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, there are plenty of other options offered by Hudson Marina. From fishing charters to dolphin cruises in the Gulf of Mexico, Hudson Marina has a distinctive blend of tour options to satisfy all visitors to the Gulf Coast.
For those of you that prefer a little more adventure, why not try the parasailing activities or jet-skis that you can rent from Hudson Marina.
History of Hudson Marina
The beauty of this organization is that it is family owned and it always has been! I really think this goes a long way to identifying why our cruise was so unique and “different” to anything we have experienced before.
It began as a Charter Boat Fishing Marina. It has always been family-owned. (Hudson Marina of Orange Beach)
The “Hudson Marina” picked up its name from the original owners, the Hudson’s. However, in 1998, the Jones family took over this marina but rather than changing any of the original philosophies, they continued this establishment as a family-run organization.
The Hudson Marina continues to thrive today with the tradition of allowing visitors to create everlasting memories and enjoy spectacular experiences at the forefront of their mission.
Before we share our own experiences onboard the Perdido Queen, let’s take a look at some of the key information regarding the dinner cruise option that we enjoyed.
Ticket Prices
Adults – $59
Children – $39
Cruise Availability
Dinner cruises on the Perdido Queen are seasonal and we strongly recommend checking out the Hudson Marina of Orange Beach website for latest availability.
Address
4575 South Wilson Blvd
Orange Beach, AL 36561
Tel: (251)981-4127
Website: Hudson Marina of Orange Beach
Best Dinner Cruise in Orange Beach
Welcome to the Perdido Queen! The vessel that will take you on an amazing adventure around Orange Beach and Perdido Key is a stereotypical paddlewheel cruise, perfect for both casual and formal events.
We arrived at the Hudson Marina about 15 minutes prior to the advertised departure time and we were able to board the Perdido Queen immediately. The “friendly” customer service was instantly noticeable as we were greeted and shown to our table.
Every table in the dining room had a name card for guests and given that it wasn’t a full cruise, many of us were able to enjoy a more private dining experience.
As I mentioned at the beginning, there are essentially three different components that you will experience while onboard the Perdido Queen – the cuisine, the entertainment and the breathtaking scenery that you cannot help but admire as you cruise around the waterway!
Delicious Cuisine
After leaving the marina and heading out toward the gorgeous Perdido Pass, the captain soon announced that the dinner buffet was open for everyone to enjoy.
After a delicious salad, we had the tough choice of selecting from a generous blend of entree choices and accompanying sides. Entrees during our dinner cruise included chicken and a shrimp pasta that I couldn’t resist going back for seconds.
Complimentary sweet (and unsweet) tea and water are served to all guests onboard while those of you looking for something a little stronger can enjoy a cash bar with all of your favorite alcoholic beverages.
Perhaps the best part of the buffet is when dessert was brought out. Having the opportunity to indulge in homemade bread pudding while peering out of the window and watching the sunset drop over the landscape was definitely a great way to end the dining experience.
Live Entertainment on the Upper Deck
For those of you that want to dance the night away, why not head to the upper deck to enjoy live music from local artists showcasing their talents.
We thoroughly enjoyed the music throughout the evening and regardless of your desire to wear your dancing shoes, there is no better spot to admire the breathtaking scenery around Perdido Key and Orange Beach than the upper deck of the Perdido Queen.
We take special Requests for music all night long!!
Be sure to share your favorite hits because requests are appreciated all night long. From modern day hits to old-time favorites, every genre is covered and you never quite know what entertainment will be on show from your fellow guests.
We had the opportunity to enjoy a group of talented ladies from New Orleans showing their dancing skills but most of all, just having a great time onboard the dinner cruise.
If you enjoy socializing, this is a great way to meet new people from around the globe. That’s right, Gulf Shores and Orange Beach may not be the first destination you think about for world travelers but onboard our cruise were folks from both India and South America!
Enjoy Amazing Scenery and Perfect Sunset
The pinnacle of enjoying the dinner cruise in Orange Beach aboard the Perdido Queen has to be the incredible sunset that we experienced.
It was almost destiny that we had the perfect weather conditions to enjoy the sunset and we had been told by some locals that Gulf Shores and Orange Beach is blessed to have some spectacular landscapes. We didn’t leave disappointed!
Before enjoying the sunset, we had the opportunity to cruise around the bay, visiting Robinson Island and passing by a plethora of amazing sights.
Another amazing experience was spotting dolphins, though these elusive creatures made it almost impossible to capture a good picture.
But I will return to the amazing sight of the sunset which was the perfect way to end this dinner cruise! This experience alone would justify a return trip on the dinner cruise.
Summary
When you think about dinner cruises, you could be forgiven for associating this with subpar cuisine and poor entertainment. However, if you want to experience something that is everything opposite to this, be sure to hop on the Perdido Queen to enjoy the best dinner cruise in Orange Beach, Alabama!
A breathtaking sunset, a delicious array of cuisine options and amazing live entertainment all combine to create the perfect evening experience.
Gulf Shores and Orange Beach are both spots that are not short of things to do but if you want to enjoy something a little different, we strongly recommend heading to the Hudson Marina and boarding the Perdido Queen for an adventure that will long live in your memory!
Disclaimer – We would like to thank Visit Gulf Shores and Orange Beach for hosting us and in conjunction with Hudson Marina of Orange Beach, we received a complimentary dinner cruise in exchange for consideration of a blog post review. These are solely our personal opinions/experiences and we were not financially compensated for this post.