Island Party Boat

Well i hope the staff is reading this because I too want to split my review. GOOD: beforehand i have had amazing service. I had an emergency with my event and after telling them, they completely listened and understood and said they were all about fun and that they wanted to alleviate any stress so the day could be wonderful for us and my event/​birthday party.
Now for BAD: Communication!!! This is very important and kind of makes or breaks a business. The cost for this entertainment is extremely high to other boats that can be chartered and although theirs looks nicest and seems most fun… still communication is important. I feel for all that is paid they should be able to have one person that answers the phone all the time the complete hours of operations. I have called, i have emailed and i have text and only time someone contacted me was when i askeda question about payment question.
But again their accommodations for me in my time of need i appreciate, so if the communication issue was resolved then i would give 15 stars… ;)

I’m on board with one of the other reviews below on the need for splitting the review. First, my group had an awesome time. We rented the Polynesian and everything about the boat was awesome. Captain Eric and Pinkman were awesome and made sure what we wanted to accomplish happened. The swimming raft was an awesome surprise and the crew rolled it up and rolled out quickly whenever we asked without hesitation. There is a waterslide, which pretty much could replace the word fun.
On the flip side, the communication with this company is the worst thing I’ve ever experienced. I wanted a couple questions answered before booking and called numerous times to no answer, emailed with no responses ever, and most of the time their voicemail was full so I couldn’t leave a message. Don’t tell people to email questions when you don’t actually check your email. I finally text the main number and got a call back. I booked air/​water show so most things were booked up or I would have went another direction.
After booking, I called a few days before to verify some details and they told me the captain would call to explain everything. I never got a call and was pretty nervous day of our rental. I called the day of and luckily someone answered to tell my group where to go.
Great product but really awful communication for something at that price point.

I was also on the bachelorette cruise that turned creepy. We went through a lot of preparation to make our event memorable, and it was! It’s just disturbing to know our fun times are on that creepy old guy’s camera. And I hope that’s the only place. Gross.
Maybe there’s a chance to have fun on their boats but unfortunately, ours was soured a little. Please please please request any other captain than captain Mark.

DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY! Very unprofessional. Chose it based on good Unilocal reviews but you have to wonder who is writing these based on the terrible experience my friends and I had. Trying to enjoy a weekend with the girls and discover that the captain of the boat was using his personal cell phone to video tape us dancing & trying to have fun. He must have been embarrassed when we questioned him for doing that because he decided to take the boat back an hour early. We’ve tried contacting the company and that unfortunately has turned out to be useless. There are so many different boat companies in Chicago I strongly urge you choose a different one!

THIS WAS LITERALLY AWESOME! Seriously so much fun. 7 friends and I bought a Groupon for the Tahitian weekday boat cruise and chose the 7−10pm sunset cruise.
We loved it. The cruise is BYOB, and Island Party Boat supplied a huge cooler and 3 bags of ice — plenty of room and plenty of ice. You’re also able to hook up a phone to the speakers, and can play any music you want.
We went down the waterslide, which was fun, and hung out in the playpen on the giant blue wavepad they provide — think of it as a giant floating yoga mat.
Captain Mark was the best! Such an enjoyable captain and you can tell that he really loves what he does … He was very accommodating, friendly and funny! His first-​hand, Amber, was also very nice.
I would definitely recommend and would definitely do it again!
Thanks, Island Party Boat!

This review needs to be split: five stars for the boat experience itself, and between two and three for communication with the company.
First, the good: I rented the Polynesian for my friends’ bachelorette party and we had an amazing time. The water slide was a hit with everyone (even though the water was freezing) and the raft was great for relaxing in the lake with a cocktail. Our captain was amazing, a super funny and tough woman who took care of us and made sure we had a great, safe time. For a great time with friends, I’d recommend this experience highly.
Now the bad: I had to contact the company several times because of issues with my reservation. I was charged the wrong amount upon first making a reservation, which was rectified after I found the mistake. It took several calls to get a hold of anyone after I received an email about paying the rest of my balance several days after I had already done so. Perhaps the most frustrating experience with them was just a few days (and then a few minutes) before our outing. I called the day before regarding a rain plan (since the weather was potentially going to be bad) and the woman who answered the phone explained their rain plan, and then mentioned casually that their location had changed entirely. No idea if I would have received this information if I hadn’t contacted them myself. Then, on the day of, I confirmed with the same woman THREE times about the new location: just right of the Chicago Yacht Club. Three minutes before our boat was meant to pick us up and we can’t see any Island Party Boats. Luckily, one of the party members happened to get lost stumbled across where our boat ACTUALLY was. Nowhere close to where the IPB woman was telling me.
At the end of the day we had a great time, and now that I know where the boats ACTUALLY are, maybe I’ll use them again. But please, get more organized!

My friends rented out the Polynesian boat for a 30^th birthday celebration and it was as good as it gets! Our Captain, Michelle, started our evening cruise off with a stern talking to us, which was a bit intimidating at first, but she warmed up and had a really great time with our lot! Our lives are in her hands, so I understand where she’s coming from. She later told us we were one of her favorite groups — with the best playlist of music ha!
We cruised out to the playpen and slid down the slide and swam (in the numbing Lake Michigan). Ate, drank, toasted our birthday girl, sang, etc.
It was an unforgettable night with an unforgettable group of friends on an awesome boat with a great Captain. Highly suggest renting one of these bad boys out!

I rented the 10 person Tahitian boat for three hours off of Groupon! It was a great deal. We hired captain Mark & he was great! It was a great deal for the money! The pick up spot for the boat was unmarked, but we figured it out thanks to our captain calling us and letting us know. They pick you up a little south of Columbia Yacht club, randolph circle drop off! I loved it & I would do it again & recommend to any friend!

Rented the Polynesian for my wife’s birthday yesterday. Captain Shawn and bobby were awesome! They made sure we had everything we needed from them, made sure to anchor the boat where there was the least amount of rocking, and got us the best spot for the fireworks. Definitely would recommend them and the boat to others. Can’t wait to book again.

Thank you to Captain Joe and his crew for taking care of us every summer for the past three years. We annually a few times each summer and always on 4^th of July weekend. we always have an amazing time and the crew is courteous and has the best customer service. They go above and beyond to ensure your time on the boat is fantastic! we will continue to use their services every summer. I wouldn’t use any other company. they also added a slide to their bigger party boats which make the day even more entertaining.
thank you!

My friend recently booked a party with Island Party Boat for her going away bash. We had such a blast. The crew was amazing, nice, friendly, and accommodating! The boat was clean and had much more than we had expected — small table, chairs, cooler, grill, etc.
We went out on an afternoon that was rainy and windy, but that didn’t stop the party. The guys brought the boat in to cruise the docks and set up an awning to keep us dry.
We had such an amazing time and experienced exceptional customer service. This was so much fun — I would book with this company again in a heart beat.

We rented the Island Party Boat for Fourth of July with a group of friends. We had an absolute blast! The fireworks were beautiful and the captain positioned us perfectly to capture the skyline and the fireworks. We brought snacks and food and had a blast using the slide. The cooler was ready for us and everything went so smoothly. I would highly recommend this company to anyone looking for a fun outing on Lake Michigan! I look forward to doing it again one day!

The Island Party Boat was a great experience! I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a fun event to do with friends, family or co-​workers. We purchased a voucher from Groupon in 2013. Signing up for the boat with the Groupon was seamless. The nature of our boat ride was a small team event through work. The boat was very clean and the staff was friendly. We were glad we did this boat ride and would definitely do it again as a group!

We had a great time on the boat besides the rocking back and forth. We utilized the grill on the boat and our captain and co-​captain were the best! Will definitely rent the boat again!

Island Party Boat is a great company and an even greater way to experience Chicago and Lake Michigan. I participated in a July 4^th party on one of the larger boats; the staff was informative in taking all of necessary steps to keep us safe, and they gave us the freedom to enjoy ourselves (they even «Iced» the birthday boy!).
I highly recommend Island Party Boat for any sized group. You will not regret it.

Had an awesome time on the Big Kahuna. Captain Joey was a great host and plenty of laughs. The boat is clean, iced up, and ready to go. The water was cold that day so we didn’t get a chance to use the slide. Slide? Yes. The boat rocks.

Wonderful experience to celebrate a birthday, quietly.
I’d purchased a Living Social deal for a 2 hr. sailboat cruise, and couldn’t wait to take my hubby out for his birthday. Well, that day came and we took the train into the city for the day. We were ½ way thru Millenium Park, on our way to the lakefront, when I got a call from the Captian to let me know where to meet him. When it came time to board, we walked up to the boat, but were told that there was some type of (engine) leak, and that we’d have to reschedule.
Well, we were pretty bummed, as hubby had to take the day off to do this.
But within 10 minutes of the scheduled departure time, the grey clouds rolled in over the buildings and the sky let loose!
Since we were near the Swissotel, we ducked in to eat our picnic lunch in the corner of the upstairs bar/​lobby area. (Still able to salvage the day.)
Anyway– a few days later I called to reschedule the trip. I was afraid they’d give me problems, and was tempted just to contact Living Social for a refund. But they were accommodating, so I booked it again for a few months later.
Last week we took our little cruise. It was a GORGEOUS day and there were no boat issues this time.
Michelle, our Captian, was knowledgable and friendly. She let my husband take the helm for a good portion of the trip. She’d said that it can get pretty obnoxious with all the heavy drinkers that do the evening cruise, but since we were the only ones onboard, it was quiet and relaxing being out there.
If this is your desire, I’d recommend an early-​to-​midday cruise.

We just had an AMAZING night on the Big Kahuna! We rented out the boat and brought 34 people out for my boyfriend’s birthday party last Saturday night, and everything was incredible! The crew were super helpful, they provided tons of ice for our drinks, and the boat itself was in impeccable condition. It had tons of space to hold all of us comfortably, with lots of different areas to hang out, including a big indoor space and a really sweet «upper deck» area. They even provided the «island tunes» when we forgot to bring our iPod. We brought all our own food & drinks and cruised up and down the river, catching the Navy Pier fireworks with perfect timing on our way back to the dock. I definitely recommend renting this boat out — everything was so easy from start to finish and we had a BLAST!!!

I HAD A FREAKING BLAST ON THIS BOAT!
I am so glad I decided to do something different for my birthday. We brought the club to the boat! I rented the Polynesian boat. It’s a little pricey but worth it. The polynesian boat holds 12 guest. They provide a grill but it’s a little small. Bring food that’s already cooked so you don’t have to waste time grilling. The best part was getting into the water by sliding down the back of the boat. Don’t forget to bring your iPod. They have speakers with an aux input so you can jam to your own tunes. The island party boat is something I would do again in a heartbeat. It was soooo much fun!!! Everyone needs to party on a boat!

Rented the 30 foot cruiser. They really did a great job. Boat was very nice and very clean and they treated my family like a million bucks. Would highly recommend