Holiday Sparkle Dinner Cruise

Gateway Clipper is running its Holiday Sparkle Dinner Cruise on Friday, December 4, 2026. It's a two-hour evening cruise through Pittsburgh, and the company bills it as their flagship holiday outing—a way to toast friends, colleagues, or family as part of your December celebrations.

The evening pairs dinner with a river cruise through the city, so you get to see Pittsburgh's holiday lights from the water rather than from a sidewalk. There's a Happy Hour cocktail pricing period during the trip, and the buffet includes vegetarian and gluten-free options. The crew handles the food, the bar, and the festive décor, which is how they frame it as a riverside alternative to a land-based party: you just show up and let them take care of the hosting.

Gateway Clipper Fleet is Pittsburgh's family-owned riverboat company, and they've been sailing the Allegheny, Monongahela, and Ohio rivers since 1958, carrying more than 25 million passengers over the years. Their fleet of paddlewheelers—the Empress, Three Rivers Queen, Princess, Duchess, and Countess—runs sightseeing, dinner, dance, family, and holiday cruises, along with private charters and weddings.

Boarding is at the Gateway Clipper dock in Station Square, 350 W. Station Square Dr., a short walk from the parking area. They ask guests to arrive 30 minutes before sailing. Tickets are $72.76 per adult, all-in.