New Year Kickoff Venue Near Dallas

January is when a company sets the year. The sales kickoff, the offsite, the first board meeting. A private boat on Lake Ray Hubbard is a different room from the one last year's happened in: enclosed, heated, with screens for the deck and a view that changes while you talk. It is 25 minutes from downtown Dallas, and January dates are easier to get than any other month.

This article covers which boat fits which meeting, two agendas you can copy, and winter weather. For the full guide to private and corporate events on the lake, start with Private and Corporate Events on Lake Ray Hubbard: A Planning Guide.

Why January works

DFW Boat Ride winterizes the fleet in January and February and public cruises stop. Private charters are still possible in winter when the weather allows, and the calendar is open in a way it never is in May or October. A kickoff in the second or third week of January can choose from the whole month.

Then there is the price. A daytime private charter starts at $1,946 all-in, with the boat back two hours before sunset. All-in means the crew, fuel, gratuity and taxes are inside that number. For a half-day meeting that is the whole venue cost before food. Evening slots cost more and vary by boat; call for a quote on a specific date.

Which boat for which meeting

Two of the three boats have fully enclosed, heated main decks, and those are the two to consider in January.

Harbor Lights holds up to 90 guests. The main deck is enclosed with floor-to-ceiling windows, heated and air-conditioned, and set with 8-foot tables that seat 72. It has three flat screens with HDMI, a PA microphone and a Bluetooth stereo. Plug in a laptop and the deck becomes a presentation room with the lake on three sides. Boarding and the restroom are accessible for manual wheelchairs.

Sapphire Star is the largest inland boat in Texas, 67 feet long and 28 feet wide, and holds up to 140 guests. The main deck seats 96 and is enclosed, heated and air-conditioned, with oversized windows. It has the flat panels that board meetings have used on board. If the whole company is coming, this is the boat.

Sapphire Moon is open air on both decks and holds 49. It suits a small team on a mild afternoon, not a January morning. For winter meetings, book Harbor Lights or Sapphire Star.

Agenda one: half-day kickoff with lunch

This fits a sales or department kickoff of 30 to 90 people on Harbor Lights.

9:30 am. Caterer and anyone decorating board. Hosts get 30 minutes of pre-boarding; more time can be purchased if you want a longer setup.
10:00 am. Guests board after completing the electronic waiver. Coffee and pastries on the 8-foot tables. Complimentary sodas, water, juice and ice are already on board.
10:20 am. Depart. Opening remarks on the PA mic while the boat clears the harbor.
10:30 to 11:45 am. The year in review and the plan, on the screens.
11:45 am. Break. The sky deck is open air and the view is better up top; the heated deck is where most people stay in January.
12:00 pm. Lunch, catered or brought aboard. Chafing dish warmers are allowed in the serving areas.
12:45 pm. Team sessions at the tables, or awards.
1:30 pm. Back at the dock, and at a desk in Dallas by 2:30.

A daytime charter is the $1,946 all-in slot, so this entire agenda costs the charter price plus whatever you spend on food.

Agenda two: evening kickoff dinner

This fits a leadership group or a company-wide kickoff that doubles as a party.

5:30 pm. Caterer, decorations and the slideshow laptop board.
6:00 pm. Guests board. BYOB, so the beer, wine and cocktails arrive in coolers. Rolling coolers work well. No kegs. Everyone drinking needs to be 21 or over with ID.
6:20 pm. Depart. Welcome from the CEO on the mic.
6:30 to 7:30 pm. Reception on the heated main deck.
7:30 pm. Dinner at the tables. Harbor Lights seats 72 on the main deck; Sapphire Star seats 96.
8:30 pm. The toast and the slideshow on the screens. Awards if you have them.
9:00 pm. Sky deck and dessert.
9:30 pm. Dock. Cruises end by 11:30 pm at the latest, so a longer evening is possible if the quote covers it.

Evening pricing is quoted by boat and date. Ask about weeknights first; they are the open inventory.

What to bring and what is handled

Bring the laptop with the HDMI cable, the slides, and the drinks. Bring your own caterer, pick one from the recommended caterers list, or bring the food yourself.

The crew handles the boat, the sound, the tables and the schedule. A Coast Guard-licensed captain drives. Nobody on your team is running the venue.

Tell the team in advance: no smoking, vaping, sparklers or candles on board, and no pets.

Winter Weather: What to Expect

The main decks on Harbor Lights and Sapphire Star are enclosed and heated. The sky decks are open air and will feel like January.

Private charters are non-refundable, with one exception that matters in winter. If, on the day, the captain decides conditions are unsafe to navigate because of severe weather, lightning within 10 miles or excessive wind, you get a refund of what you paid or a new date. The captain makes that call. A cold, clear day is not a cancellation; a storm is. Book with a backup date in mind.

Getting there

The boats depart from The Harbor Rockwall, 2059 Summer Lee Dr, Rockwall, TX 75032, 25 minutes from downtown Dallas. Self-parking is free in the Harbor lots at Summer Lee Drive and Shoreline Trail, a 5 to 11 minute walk to the dock by the lighthouse. The Hilton Dallas/Rockwall Lakefront is next to the dock for anyone flying in the night before.

How to book

A 50% deposit secures the date and time, and the balance is due 30 days before the cruise. For a mid-January kickoff, that means booking by mid-December. Call (214) 534-3797 and press 0, or send your headcount and preferred date through the holiday and corporate events page.

Frequently asked questions

Can we run a presentation on the boat? Yes. Harbor Lights has three flat screens with HDMI and a PA microphone. Sapphire Star has flat panels that have been used for board meetings. Bring a laptop and the cable.

Is the boat warm enough for a January meeting? On Harbor Lights and Sapphire Star, yes. Both main decks are fully enclosed and heated. The upper decks are open air. Sapphire Moon is open air on both decks and is not the boat for winter.

How many people can sit for a working session? Harbor Lights seats 72 on the main deck at 8-foot tables. Sapphire Star seats 96 on the main deck. For a standing reception, Harbor Lights holds 90 and Sapphire Star holds 140.

What happens if it storms on the day? If the captain decides conditions are unsafe, you choose a refund of what you have paid or a new date. Otherwise the charter runs as booked.

How far in advance should we book a January date? The balance is due 30 days before the cruise, so a mid-January event should be booked and deposited by mid-December. January has more open dates than any month in season.

Packages and pricing at a glance

Charters come in three lengths: 1.5 hours for appetizers and drinks, 2 hours for dinner, and 3 hours for dinner with time for a toast. On Harbor Lights, a 1.5-hour cruise is $1,946 by day and $2,343 on a weeknight evening, with the crew, fuel, gratuity and taxes included. Any caterer is welcome. Our partner, Cater Dallas, runs about $11 a guest for appetizers. See the holiday party packages for the 2-hour and 3-hour rates.

Start the year off the conference room. Check a date for your kickoff or call (214) 534-3797.

Planning a New Year Kickoff Event for Your Team on the Water