What's Actually on the Savannah Riverboat Cruise Menu

What's Actually on the Savannah Riverboat Cruise Menu

The standard dinner buffet includes signature Savannah shrimp and grits, a beef carving station, fresh catch of the day, lemon and artichoke chicken, potatoes au gratin, squash casserole, and garden greens with dessert. The gospel dinner cruise trades that for a Southern feast: fried chicken, pulled pork, mac and cheese, sweet potatoes, greens, coleslaw, biscuits, and peach cobbler plus banana pudding. Menus are subject to change, and dietary accommodations are handled as much as possible.

When you step aboard a Savannah River Cruises dinner boat, the meal is as central as the skyline views. The operator runs two different buffet lineups: a year-round standard spread served on most dinner and entertainment cruises, and a dedicated Southern gospel buffet offered Monday evenings from April through October and on select December holiday dates. Both are built around generous, help-yourself portions, but the specific dishes shift depending on whether you’re sailing with live music and a carving station or with a gospel choir and a smoker’s worth of barbecue.

To give you a clear idea of exactly what lands on your plate, here are the two buffets set side by side.

The standard buffet leans on Savannah’s seafood-meets-comfort-food identity, while the gospel buffet is a full-on Southern cookout served family-style aboard the Georgia Queen. Neither menu is tiny: you can return for seconds of the shrimp and grits just as easily as you can grab another piece of fried chicken. The operator notes that menus are always subject to change, so the exact spread on your evening may swap out the catch of the day or a seasonal vegetable for whatever is freshest. The beef carving station usually features tender roast beef or prime rib, sliced to order, and the shrimp and grits is the most-requested dish on the standard lineup, according to guest commentary on the live listing (checked September 2026). Desserts on the standard buffet vary; the “choice of dessert service” typically includes something like pecan pie, bread pudding, or a rich chocolate cake, though neither the operator nor the live listing names a fixed dessert lineup for the non-gospel cruises.

All three of the site’s dinner cruises put a full meal at the center of the experience. The difference comes down to whether you want the classic carving-station-and-live-band evening or the Monday gospel singalong with a plate of pulled pork. Here are the three dinner cruises that travelers book for the food.

What Makes the Gospel Dinner Cruise Menu Special?

The Monday Gospel Dinner Cruise (April–October, holiday dates in December) replaces the standard buffet with an all-Southern spread: fried chicken, pulled pork barbecue, mac and cheese, southern greens, sweet potatoes with fire-roasted apples and craisins, coleslaw, garlic cheese biscuits, peach cobbler, banana pudding, and more. It’s served aboard the Georgia Queen with live gospel music, creating a distinctly Savannah evening.

The gospel feast isn’t just a handful of items swapped in: it’s a completely different buffet built from the region’s church-supper traditions. The fried chicken is the anchor, and the pulled pork from the barbecue station often draws the most repeat trips, according to guest reviews on the live listing. Sweet potatoes arrive caramelized with apples and dried cranberries, and the dessert table holds both warm peach cobbler and chilled banana pudding, giving you a solid reason to save room. The garlic cheese biscuits, which come out hot and soft, are a recurring highlight in reviews, often worth a second helping before the dessert round.

Because the gospel cruise works from such a distinct culinary playlist, it tends to book faster than the standard dinner sailings. The operator lists it as one of the most popular and fastest-selling cruises in the fleet (checked September 2026). If fried chicken and live gospel sound more appealing to you than a carving station and a Top 40 band, this is the one to grab early. The earlier you board, the sooner you can claim a table near the buffet line and secure a spot on the open-air deck for the sail past the Talmadge Bridge at dusk.

Despite the menu differences, the dinner atmosphere aboard both the standard and gospel cruises shares a lot of the same DNA: climate-controlled indoor dining, open-air deck access, and a two-hour sunset-timed route that passes under the Talmadge Bridge and past Old Fort Jackson. For a classic evening that pairs the ease of the mainstream buffet with live music and a lively crowd, the flagship dinner cruise is the direct match.

Is the Buffet the Same on Every Savannah Dinner Cruise?

The same signature Southern buffet appears on both the standard dinner cruise (Savannah Buffet Dinner Cruise with Live Entertainment) and the Savannah Riverboat Dinner Cruise, both priced from about $92.52 per person (checked September 2026). The Monday Gospel Dinner Cruise swaps the menu entirely for its own Southern gospel buffet (from $77 per person, checked September 2026). So while the two non-gospel dinner cruises share one menu, the gospel cruise is a separate lineup.

From a food standpoint, the two evening cruises that don’t run a gospel theme are identical. Both serve the shrimp and grits, the carving station, the catch of the day, and the same mix of hot sides and salads. The only variable is the entertainment: the live band may lean toward classic rock or variety hits, while the sailings without a dedicated music set rely more on the captain’s narration and the views. If your main goal is simply eating the full standard buffet and you’re indifferent to the music format, either non-gospel dinner cruise delivers exactly the same plate.

For many visitors, the flagship dinner cruise’s combination of the full standard buffet and the live entertainment hits the sweet spot. It’s the highest-rated of the group with 1,117 reviews (checked September 2026) and runs Sunday through Friday, boarding at 6 p.m. and returning at 9 p.m. The food, like on the sister vessel, is the same generous buffet; the difference is the show.

If your group leans more toward barbecue and gospel harmonies, the Monday evening cruise serves its own menu for a lower per-person price (from $77 per person, checked September 2026) and operates only on a seasonal schedule. It’s a completely separate product from the buffet standpoint, and it’s the only Savannah dinner cruise that runs a full pulled-pork-and-fried-chicken lineup rather than the standard steak-and-shrimp-and-grits model.

What About Dietary Restrictions?

The operator states they accommodate dietary restrictions “as much as possible” upon request, but no guarantees are given. Travelers with serious allergies or strict vegan or gluten-free requirements should contact the operator well before the sailing date to see what can be arranged. The standard buffet can often work for some needs, but no separate allergen-free kitchen exists onboard.

Because both the standard and gospel buffets are served from a single galley and the menu changes seasonally, the crew cannot promise a dedicated gluten-free fryer or a completely dairy-free dessert table. That said, many dishes are naturally free of common triggers: the carving station beef and fresh vegetables usually work for gluten-sensitive diners, and the salad bar can be built without croutons or cheese. One guest review on the live listing noted that the kitchen was able to provide a plain grilled protein and extra vegetables with advance notice, though that experience isn’t universal (checked September 2026). If you’re vegan, expect to lean heavily on salads and starch sides unless the operator confirms a plated alternative ahead of time.

The practical move is to call or email the operator at least a week before your booking and detail the restriction clearly. That gives the team time to note your reservation and plan any modifications. The dinner cruise isn’t a restaurant with a full a la carte kitchen, but the crew has handled requests before and the live listing often contains a contact link for pre-cruise dietary inquiries.

What Drinks and Amenities Come with the Dinner Cruise?

Your dinner cruise includes unlimited iced tea, lemonade, water, and coffee, plus climate-controlled indoor seating and an open-air upper deck for sunset views; a cash bar for wine, beer, and cocktails is available at an additional cost, and the suggested attire is business casual.

The cash bar on both the Georgia Queen and Savannah River Queen carries a standard selection: domestic and craft beers, a short wine list (typically a house white and red), well spirits, and a few signature cocktails. Drink prices are on par with a downtown Savannah bar, so budget around $8–$14 (checked September 2026) per drink depending on what you order. Many cruisers buy a drink at the bar before the buffet opens and carry it to the dinner table; there’s no formal table service for alcohol, so you’ll return to the bar for refills.

Climate control matters more than it sounds. The indoor dining decks are air-conditioned, which is a relief in Savannah’s humid summers, but several reviews on the live listing mention the AC can be aggressive: guests have recommended bringing a light jacket or wrap even in July. The open-air deck, by contrast, can be breezy and cooler once the boat moves, so layering is the smart play regardless of the season. The boarding window usually opens 30–45 minutes before departure, and the buffet typically starts soon after the boat casts off, giving you the first 30 minutes to fill a plate while the skyline slides past. If sunset photography is your goal, head up top with your drink between courses; the buffet remains open for a generous window so you won’t miss the meal by stepping outside.

Savannah’s dinner cruise dining is decidedly informal, with a self-serve rhythm and a lively, social atmosphere. The gospel cruise adds a singalong energy, while the standard cruise leans toward a dinner-and-a-show feel with a band or DJ. Either way, plates are real ceramic and cutlery is metal, not disposable, so the setting feels a notch above a cafeteria line, even though you’ll be wearing whatever you wore to explore River Street earlier in the day.

Whether you opt for the standard carving-station buffet or the Monday Southern gospel feast, the dinner cruise menu in Savannah is comfort food through and through. None of the three dinner sailings offers a formal plated meal, so set your expectations for a busy, help-yourself buffet with live music and skyline views. If you want the biggest variety, the standard buffet’s shrimp and grits and catch of the day deliver the best snapshot of coastal Georgia. If you’re after a one-of-a-kind Southern meal with harmonies behind it, the gospel cruise is the play.

The Savannah dinner cruise menus are all-you-can-eat Southern buffets, but the specific dishes depend on which cruise you choose. The standard buffet features shrimp and grits and a carving station; the gospel cruise replaces those with fried chicken and pulled pork. Both include dessert, and the operator accommodates dietary needs as much as possible with advance notice. Non-alcoholic drinks are included, and a cash bar sells beer, wine, spirits, and cocktails.

Common questions about Savannah riverboat cruise menus

What's Actually on the Savannah Riverboat Cruise Menu

The standard dinner buffet offers signature Savannah shrimp and grits, a beef carving station, fresh catch of the day, lemon and artichoke chicken, potatoes au gratin, squash casserole, garden greens, and dessert. The Monday Gospel Dinner Cruise switches to a Southern buffet with fried chicken, pulled pork, mac and cheese, greens, sweet potatoes, coleslaw, biscuits, peach cobbler, and banana pudding. Both are subject to change, and dietary accommodations are handled as much as possible on request.

Are there vegetarian options on the dinner cruise buffet?

The standard buffet includes several vegetable-based sides like squash casserole, seasonal vegetables, and garden salads, as well as starches like potatoes au gratin. There is no dedicated vegetarian entree, but many guests build a plate from the sides and salad bar. The gospel buffet’s mac and cheese, sweet potatoes, greens, coleslaw, and biscuits can form a substantial meal for a vegetarian with advance notice. If you need a fully vegan meal, contact the operator well ahead: the galley is limited but can sometimes accommodate with enough warning.

Does the buffet change seasonally?

The operator notes that menus are subject to change at their discretion. While the core proteins such as the carving station beef and fried chicken are year-round staples, side dishes and the catch of the day may rotate based on seasonal availability. The gospel buffet remains fairly consistent through its April–October run, with only minor adjustments.

Are drinks included with the dinner cruise buffet?

Non-alcoholic beverages like iced tea, lemonade, water, and coffee are typically part of the buffet service, though exact inclusions can vary by cruise. Check the live listing for your sailing for the most current details. A cash bar is available on every dinner cruise for wine, beer, spirits, and cocktails; it is not included in the ticket price.

Can I bring my own food or special dietary items aboard?

Savannah Riverboat Cruises does not encourage outside food and beverages. If you have a medically necessary item (such as a specific allergen-free snack), it’s best to check with the operator before your sailing. The boat has a full-service galley that prepares the buffet, so outside food is generally not permitted.

You’ll also find more planning context in our Savannah dinner cruise guide and a wider look at what tickets cost across the fleet. If you want to explore beyond the dinner table, the free things to do along the Savannah riverfront are just steps from the dock.