Sumptuous Solaris

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Based in Destin, the Solaris offers romantic dinner cruises and wedding services in scenic northwest Florida.

Photo Credit: SunQuest Cruises

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Destin East Pass

Photo Credit: Contributed Photo

Luxury, dining, romance, even weddings – it's all covered on board the Solaris, a 125-luxury yacht out of Destin in northwest Florida.

Docked at the Baytowne Marina at the Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort, the Solaris is a 125-foot luxury yacht known for its dinner cruises that include an extraordinary dining experience and great live entertainment on Choctawhatchee Bay.

What truly sets the Solaris dinner cruises apart, however, is the unusually high level of hands-on, personalized attention that guests receive when they sail on the yacht.

At the heart of the Solaris is the desire by the entire staff to make each event great. This desire is driven by the three full-time event planners who start working with each group at the time of booking. They then work with the culinary team to execute each event seamlessly.

The Solaris has a dedicated bridal dressing suite, with complimentary waterproof mascara on hand. All the bride has to do on her big day is show up.

Aside from weddings, the Solaris’ regular business consists of a mix of guests from all backgrounds, with at least fifty percent of the people aboard any cruise celebrating some special event such as an engagement, an anniversary or birthday.

Lunch cruises are reserved for large events, such as family reunions and corporate events and are typically booked by companies such as Kraft Foods, Applebee’s Restaurants, the Florida Republican Party and the Lance Armstrong Foundation.  

All guests aboard the Solaris receive personalized attention, as I discovered when I booked a dinner cruise. I arrived solo at the impressive yacht and was seated at a table by one of the large picture windows that overlook the bay. The carpeted dining room boasts hardwood details, while the second deck features a full bar, a smaller dining room and a covered aft deck.

The Sky Deck, located at the top of the yacht, is an open-air space that allows for magnificent views of the passing scenery and the moon and stars above. The Solaris departs the marina for a mile-and-a-half cruise that takes in views of the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort property, private homes and the area’s natural landscape.

Used to dining alone in my capacity as a reviewer, I cracked open a book while my server took my order. The philosophy behind the food is 100-percent fresh, local ingredients, prepared to order aboard.

The entertainment had just started when a woman approached my table and said that she’d heard that I was dining alone. It was her birthday, she went on to explain, and they’d had a party of four, but one of their party had felt ill and gone home. Would I like to join them at their table?

As you can imagine, I was a tad taken aback, but before I knew what was happening, I found myself accepting her invitation. It turned out to be one of the best impulsive things I’d done in a long time.

I joined the birthday girl, Joyce, at her table and was introduced to her daughter, Barbara, both of whom hail from Kansas. Their friend Diane from Dothan, Alabama, was along for the festivities. All the gals, including Renee who’d gone back to the hotel, had flown into town to celebrate Joyce’s birthday. Their dinner aboard the Solaris was to be the highlight of the trip.

Before you knew it, the four of us were talking a mile a minute. The floor crowded with people dancing to favorites such as “Brick House” and “The Electric Slide.” A rockin’ time was had by all.

The Solaris is a wonderful experience – the food is excellent, the entertainment first class and the yacht itself a beauty. But once again, it’s the people behind the Solaris who truly make this dinner cruise exceptional.

Which reminds me – I really should drop Joyce, Barbara and Diane a line.

For more information or to make a reservation, call SunQuest Cruises at 850-650-2519 or visit their website at www.sunquestcruises.com.