Exclusive Look At: Summer Evening Cruises

What Is a Summer Evening Buffet Cruise?

The evening buffet cruises are run yearly by the prestigious Windermere Lake Cruises in celebration of the longer daylight hours that summer brings us. On one of these cruises, you will be able to enjoy a buffet dinner, live music and – most importantly – all of the beauty Lake Windermere has to offer.

The cruise offers a family-friendly environment that can be enjoyed by everyone – couples looking for an alternative romantic experience, families with young children and multi generation groups – the cruise is also dog friendly. We recommend buying your tickets well in advance as this opportunity is regularly fully booked. Dogs are also welcomed on board.

Where is the Summer Evening Buffet Cruise?

The cruise is based on Lake Windermere but leaves from Bowness Pier 1– a short journey from your accommodation at Windermere Marina Village. If you would like to walk to the pier, it will only take you 15 minutes to reach the cruise, but bear in mind the comfort of your party; if anyone is wearing heels, a two-minute taxi drive will almost definitely be preferable to walking.

The cruise is a return journey so, at the end of your evening, you will be safely deposited back at Bowness Pier 1 where you began, just a stones throw away from your luxury self catering accommodation in the Lake District.

When Does The Lake Windermere Summer Cruise Depart?

The cruise departs from Bowness Pier 1 at 7pm on Saturdays in June, July and August. The cruise itself lasts for around two and a half hours, so you can expect to pull back into harbour at Bowness at roughly 9:30pm.

Should I Bring Anything?

Your ticket will cover your two-course buffet meal as well as tea and coffee on board. A bar fully licensed bar is available on board.

Other than that, you may want to bring a pair of shoes that you can dance in as there is live music on board, as well as a dance floor which quickly becomes packed as the night goes on. In this video, you can enjoy a taste of the atmosphere aboard the evening lake cruise:

What Should I Wear on the Evening Cruise?

As you can see from the video, the dress code is semi-formal. You should look nice but feel comfortable; women may wish to bring a shawl with them for keeping warm later in the evening.

What About Dietary Requirements?

Windermere Lake Cruises are confident that they can cater to special dietary requirements, but they will need to discuss this with you during your booking. In the meantime, you can peruse some items from their current menu here:

Roast Cumbrian ham, Cheese and onion flan, Marinated chicken fillet, Spanish rice salad, Summer leaves, Spiced potato salad, Tossed summer salad, Tomato pasta salad, Cherry tomatoes, Beetroot salad, Classic coleslaw, Country bread basket, Mayonnaise and dressings
Chocolate fudge cake with cream, Lattice apple pie with cream
Tea and coffee

It should be noted that some elements are subject to change on the evening, so if dietary requirements are important to you or a member of your party, be sure to make that clear during your booking.

One great thing to consider from the evening cruise catering is that Andrew Southcott Catering have crafted their menu from locally sourced ingredients, which means that you will be supporting the local economy during your time aboard.

At the end of the evening, when you’re too tired to dance to another tune and too full to consider another bite, our luxury accommodation will welcome you back to delightfully comfy beds on the waterfront, ready to refresh you for another fantastic day out in the Lakes.

If you have any further questions regarding our accommodation or things to do on your travels through Cumbria, you are welcome to get in touch with our friendly team for more information.