Celebrating Moms in Style on the Odyssey Chicago

One of my favorite things in Chicago is to go cruising on the Odyssey Chicago with Entertainment Cruises. If you come to Chicago and you want a truly unique experience with good food, good service and an unforgettable time- I recently sailed on Mother’s Day for the Mother’s Day brunch cruise and my glowing approval from the NYE cruise still stands. I highly recommend going for a cruise!

The weather wasn’t super cooperative this Mother’s Day, but we still had a lovely sail around Navy Pier and out by the breaker.  I always think we will have so much time, but honestly- it’s a two hour cruise that’s over before you know it.  One good thing about planning a cruise for Mother’s Day, it doesn’t matter how good or bad the weather is, you’re sure to have a great time onboard.

Brunch was served with an easy going atmosphere.  The DJ had everyone get to know each other in between bites and even gave away some prizes. If you are one who loves dancing (raises hand) he had a few dances for moms and kids, dads and kids, couples and pretty much anyone who wanted to bust a move.  Also, he played Taylor Swift, so I was doing just fine on this brunch!  (No shame in my game, I heart TaySwift)

One thing I love about Odyssey cruises- the service is always top notch and the food is always scrumptious, but you also don’t have to fight ghastly crowds with sometimes shaky reservations that don’t hold when you have a special day planned.  When I’ve brought people to the city during a busy holiday or Saturday- you always play the gamble if your reservation will be truly honored, or if they’re going to just cram extra tables in a corner and sort of be accommodating (like a certain famous steak joint in the city last Christmastime that “lost” my reservations, TWICE.)

On a cruise, your table is always waiting for you ,and seating always goes smoothly- which has been the case with both the NYE cruise and Mother’s Day Brunch.  It was seamless, stress-free and comfortable…which is more than I can say for other brunch outings as  the weather gets nicer in Chicago, it can often feel like the Hunger Games trying to leverage your luck for a table!

The brunch offerings were very tasty, and I was loving the lox tray- I ate way too much, but luckily saved some room since there was chocolate fondue for dessert.  Pair chocolate dipped strawberries with the champagne that was served to every bruncher as we sat down, and you have a winning brunch combination.

Now that I’ve sailed twice on the Odyssey Chicago, I’d say that one factor beats out all others when trying to figure out if you should book a cruise with this company- and it’s the experience.  If you’re looking for a great way to celebrate someone special, or have a memorable time that you won’t find elsewhere in Chicago, especially on very busy holidays (such as Mother’s Day) the Odyssey Chicago goes out of their way to make the experience relaxed for the diners, but absolutely, the service is attentive and fine tuned.

I wanted this Mother’s Day to be special for my guests, and in typical Odyssey style, it was made possible, and then some.  Back on the NYE Fireworks Cruise in January, I saw how they handled throngs of people on the boat- but still went out of their way to make an unforgettable evening for the couple next to us who was getting engaged… (and a few others who were celebrating something special).   For Mother’s Day, they gave me and my guests that notable, top notch treatment and were very accommodating.

Honestly, booking an event on the ship makes for a wonderful brunch or special occasion, but if you’re celebrating something special- they do a great job of helping you celebrate.  The DJ called out several special guests, and the manager made rounds to greet everyone, making note of tables who had come from out of the country or who had made special requests.  You also have the ability to add upgrades or special touches when you book- the staff always seem to be ready to make you feel special, even on a high volume day, they have it down to a science!

Every mother was given a rose upon boarding, by the captain- which was a sweet touch.  All guests were given a glass of champagne or a mimosa and celebrate- also a great touch.  As we wrapped up the buffet and enjoyed a bit of dancing- the staff came around with little jars of honey, since “Mothers make life sweet” to gift to each mom.  It was seriously so cute!  

On the NYE cruise, everyone got a bag of “midnight kisses” Hershey Kisses, and I seriously adored all the little touches.  Having little gifts for the guests really made the day so wonderful!  Honestly, you can have brunch anywhere in Chicago, but if you want an unparalleled experience that will make you feel as if every detail has been thought out (because it has) and really have an impactful, memorable celebration- I cannot recommend Entertainment Cruises enough…both experiences gave me plenty to talk about afterwards, and the details made for an unforgettable experience.

If you’d like to learn more about Entertainment Cruises and the Odyssey Chicago, you can check them out on Instagram and Facebook.

Thank you to Entertainment Cruises for having me onboard as a media guest to facilitate this review, all opinions are 100% my own and all desserts consumed were all 100% calorie free..okay, maybe not that last part.