Newport Beach’s Christmas Boat Parade: Plan ahead to cruise in its midst

If you’re not going to be in the popular Christmas Boat Parade in Newport Beach, then one of the next best places to see the lights and action may be aboard a Hornblower yacht.

On five consecutive nights, Dec. 16-20, the Christmas Boat Parade Dinner Cruise, put on by Hornblower Cruises & Events, sails “right through the middle of the entire parade,” said the company’s director of marketing, Sara Copping.

And if you want one of these prime lookout spots, you’d better plan ahead. These cruises sell out every year, usually one or two weeks before sail date, said Copping.

The cruises last from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and cost $115 per person (pre-tax). You’ll get a glass of champagne upon boarding, a four-course seated meal and live entertainment. Also on board is a cash bar.

During the annual Christmas Boat Parade, all manner of festively lighted vessels from kayaks to luxury yachts will ply harbor waters during each night’s event. This year’s theme is “The Joys of Christmas Toys.”

Contact: Hornblower Cruises & Events, (888) 467-6256

— Susan Derby, Special to the Los Angeles Times

Photo: A recent year’s parade participant. Courtesy of Hornblower Cruises & Events

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, November 18, 2009 at 3:21 pm by Susan Derby and is filed under California, Festival, Orange County, Tours & Cruises. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment, or trackback from your own site.