Home / Party / Dinner on a Boat Ideas – 32 Perfect Recipes for Cruises
One of the best experiences from a trip was a sunset dinner cruise, and you can plan out a great dinner without a ton of money or a lot of prep time! We outline the best dinner on a boat recipes that are easy to make and don’t require a long cleanup time.
After all, enjoying a day on the water is a great way to spend some quality time with your friends.
But if you’re planning on heading out on the boat for a fun day trip or romantic evening, you’ll need to find some boat-friendly recipes to enjoy while you’re on the water. These dinner on a boat ideas are the perfect way to entertain after a day floating on the waves.
A boat trip is great idea when you want to celebrate a special occasion! Below, you’ll find great options to create a fun or romantic dinner that you’ll never forget!
DINNER ON A BOAT IDEAS
Finding good recipes to serve on your boat isn’t always easy. Whether your boat has a full kitchen or just a small grill, you’ll find tons of delicious recipe ideas for appetizers, side dishes, and a main course.
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Seafood Pasta
Your dinner guests will love the combination of fresh shrimp and scallops in thisseafood pasta recipefrom Christina’s Cuccina. It’s a great way to bring the flavors of the ocean to your dinner table.
Photo Credit:amandascookin.com
Pinwheel Sandwiches
Make these quick and easypinwheel sandwichesfrom Amanda’s Cookin’ before you leave the dock to have a delicious appetizer for your dinner party guests to enjoy.
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Creamy Cucumber Avocado Gazpacho
Since there’s no cooking involved in thiscucumber gazpachorecipe from Gastrono Therapy is perfect for dinner on a boat. Simply add your ingredients to a blender and whip up a delicious starter for your meal.
Photo Credit:ifoodreal.com
Shrimp Tacos
You only need 15 minutes to prepare these quick and easyshrimp tacosfrom iFoodReal.
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Avocado Peanut Coleslaw
Add some Asian flavor to a classic no-bake side dish with this recipe foravocado peanut coleslawfrom The Short Order Cook. This simple side is the perfect make-ahead dish for any dinner party on the water.
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Chimichurri Steak Salad
Cook dinner on the grill while on your boat with thischimichurri steak saladrecipe from A Page of Positivity.
ThisVietnamese Shrimp Toastis a party favorite! Buttery baguette slices are topped with creamy mixture of shrimp, mayonnaise, shredded cheese, and green onion.
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Greek Orzo Salad
Since thisGreek orzo saladfrom The Healthful Ideas is packed with veggies, it’s the perfect side dish to serve at your dinner party.
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Yellowfin Tuna with Sesame Sauce
If you’re searching for an easy main course for your dinner on a boat, this flavorful recipe foryellow fin tunafrom Cooking in the Keys is it! The delicious combination of Ahi tuna and toasted sesame seeds is perfect for enjoying on the boat.
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Turkey Tikka Skewers
Prep theseturkey tikka skewersfrom Hooked on Heat ahead of time and grill them on the boat for dinner.
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Cajun Shrimp Salad
This colorful Cajun shrimp salad recipe is packed with bold zesty flavor! So quick and easy to make, this deliciousshrimp saladis a healthy, satisfying way to enjoy a taste of the Louisiana bayou.
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Sardines on Toast
Toasted bread topped with tomatoes and capers make up this quick and easy recipe forsardines on toastfrom Little Sunny Kitchen.
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Broccoli Salad
The fresh combination of broccoli and apples make this simplebroccoli saladrecipe from Dinner at the Zoo the perfect side dish for an outdoor dinner.
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Mojito Pineapple Salad
Whether you’re searching for a refreshing dessert or sweet side dish, your dinner guest will love thismojito pineapple saladfrom Divine Lifestyle, which features fresh pineapple and mint leaves.
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Mini Cornbread Muffins
This simple recipe formini cornbreadfrom On My Kids Plate is the perfect side dish for any seafood recipe.
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Baked Fish Nuggets
Enjoy your catch of the day for dinner with this recipe forbaked fish bitesfrom Spend with Pennies.
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Seafood Paella Valenciana
Enjoy the flavors of Spain at your dinner party with thisseafood paellarecipe from Chocolates and Chai. Featuring calamari, shrimp, and mussels, this seafood dish is a delicious main course for your menu.
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Grilled Halibut Tacos
Cook some halibut on the grill while out on the boat, then make these delicioushalibut tacosfrom In the Kitch.
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Spanish Mussels
Since theseSpanish musselsfrom The Gourmet Bon Vivant are seasoned with chorizo and paprika, they’re packed with flavor.
Photo Credit:amandascookin.com
Walking Tacos
Make eating dinner on your boat quick and easy with these funwalking tacosfrom Amanda’s Cookin’. Since all the ingredients are served in a chip bag, this simple meal is perfect for boating.
Photo Credit:theforkedspoon.com
German Potato Salad
The flavorful combination of creamy potatoes and crispy bacon in thisGerman potato saladrecipe from The Forked Spoon is a delicious side dish for any main course.
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Watermelon Feta Salad
Your dinner party guests will love the sweet and salty flavor combo in thiswatermelon feta saladfrom Somebody Feed Seb.
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Seared Chilean Sea Bass
Enjoy a restaurant quality meal on your boat with this quick-cooking recipe for searedChilean sea bassfrom The Kitchen Girl.
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Bacon-Wrapped Scallops
Serve these easybacon wrapped scallopsfrom Bensa Bacon Lovers as an appetizer for your dinner party guests to enjoy on your boat.
Photo Credit:itsnotcomplicatedrecipes.com
Creamy Prawn Linguine
Featuring a creamy lemon sauce and fresh prawns, thislinguinirecipe from It’s Not Complicated is sure to be a hit at any dinner party on a boat.
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Hawaiian Sliders
These quick and easyHawaiian slidersfrom A Paige of Positivity are made with rotisserie chicken, making them perfect for preparing on the boat.
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Vegetable Risotto
Since this easy side dish is packed with asparagus and kale, it’s a flavorful addition to any dinner party menu. Your guests will love eating thisvegetable risottofrom Our Love Language is Food along your dinner’s main course.
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Blackened Shrimp
The Cajun flavors in thisblackened shrimprecipe from Low Carb Yum is a great way to add some spice to your dinner menu.
Photo Credit:flavormosaic.com
Grilled Mahi Mahi
The smokey flavor in thisgrilled mahi mahi recipefrom Flavor Mosaic is a great menu choice for your dinner on a boat.
A Few Tips Before Hosting or Attending Dinner Cruises
While planning our the best food is a major key to a great night, these ideas may help elevate your night even more!
- Will you serve an alcoholic drink? We like a glass of champagne when boarding and a bottle of wine chilling for dinner.
- Will you have any live entertainment or live music?
- Do you have foul-weather gear just in case you hit rough seas?
- Think about food safety. Do any of your food options need to be refrigerated, or can they be kept at room temperature?
- Do you need any kitchen appliances?
- If you’re going at sunset, another good idea is to bring a blanket or sweater.
- Do you plan on seeing anything? For example humpback whales or specific landmarks like the Empire State Building.
- If you’re wanting to keep the meal simple, lunch cruises are a great option! You could serve sandwiches with pasta salad!
The best thing about dinner on a boat is that you can make it what you want! You can plan a fine dining experience with lobster and white wine, or you can do beer or soft drinks and hot dogs after a hot day exploring!
Some of the most delicious meals are because of the memories attached to them!
We hope these ideas help you get out of your comfort zone and have an amazing night on the water!
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