Private and Corporate Events on Lake Ray Hubbard: A Planning Guide

A private boat charter is a different kind of event venue. There is one price for the whole boat, the captain and crew come with it, and the view changes for the entire party. This guide covers everything a planner needs to book a private or corporate event with DFW Boat Ride on Lake Ray Hubbard, 25 minutes from downtown Dallas: which boat fits your headcount, what the price includes, how food and drink work, the planning timeline, the AV on board, parking and boarding, and what happens if the weather turns.

If you are planning a company holiday party specifically, start with the company holiday party page. Everything else is here.

Who books a private charter

DFW Boat Ride is family owned and operated in Rockwall, Texas, and the boats leave from The Harbor Rockwall, next to the lighthouse behind the Hilton Dallas/Rockwall Lakefront. In the fall, most private inquiries are office and company parties. The rest of the year the mix is wider:

• Company holiday parties, year-end dinners and awards nights
• New Year kickoffs, sales meetings and leadership offsites
• Board meetings and client appreciation evenings
• Team happy hours
• Family Christmas parties and reunions
• 40th, 50th and 60th birthdays and 50th anniversaries
• Rehearsal dinners and retirement sendoffs

The common thread is a host who wants a private space for a specific group, with the logistics handled by someone else. A charter is private by definition. Nobody else is on the boat.

Choosing a boat: headcount first, then season

DFW Boat Ride runs three boats. Pick by how many people you expect, then check whether the date is in warm weather or cold.

Harbor Lights: up to 90 guests

Harbor Lights is 57 feet long and 25 feet wide, with two decks. The main deck is fully enclosed in floor-to-ceiling windows and is heated and air-conditioned. The sky deck above is open. Both decks have 8-foot tables, with 72 seats on the main deck and 72 on the upper deck. For a company event, Harbor Lights has three flat screens with HDMI inputs, a PA microphone and a Bluetooth stereo. The boarding area and restroom are accessible for manual wheelchairs.

This is the boat for most office parties, team dinners and family gatherings between 40 and 90 people.

Sapphire Star: up to 140 guests

Sapphire Star is 67 feet long and 28 feet wide, the largest inland boat in Texas. The main deck is fully enclosed with oversized windows, heated and air-conditioned, and seats 96 at tables. The upper deck has cocktail tables and shade. Sapphire Star has flat panels that companies use for board meetings and presentations.

This is the boat for the whole company, a department plus partners, or any seated dinner over 72.

Sapphire Moon: up to 49 guests

Sapphire Moon is 52 feet long and 16 feet wide, open air on both decks, with wrap-around lounge seating, stainless steel bars and a sound system. It is not heated.

This is the boat for a small team, a birthday or a happy hour on a mild evening. For November through February, plan on Harbor Lights or Sapphire Star.

Seated or standing

The guest limits above are total capacity, including caterers and photographers. For a seated dinner, use the seat counts instead: 72 per deck on Harbor Lights and 96 on the main deck of Sapphire Star. For a standing reception with cocktail tables, the full capacity applies.

What a private charter costs and what "all-in" means

Private charters start at $1,946 all-in for a daytime cruise, with the boat back at the dock two hours before sunset. All-in means the captain, crew, fuel, gratuity and taxes are inside that number. There is no per-head venue fee, no bar minimum and no corkage.

Evening and weekend slots cost more and vary by boat. A Friday evening on Harbor Lights is in the high $2,000s, and Saturday peak slots are higher again. The quote depends on the boat, the day, the time slot and the length of the cruise, so pricing is confirmed by phone.

What is extra: catering, which is priced per person by whichever caterer you choose, and additional pre-boarding time if you need more than the included 30 minutes for setup.

For a fuller breakdown with sample scenarios, read How Much Does a Private Boat Charter Cost in Dallas?

Booking, deposit and balance

Private charters are booked by phone at (214) 534-3797, press 0. A 50% deposit secures the date and time. The balance is due 30 days before the cruise. Both the deposit and the balance are non-refundable, with one exception covered under weather below.

Every cruise must end by 11:30 pm.

Food and drink: BYOB, your caterer or ours

This is where a charter differs most from a hotel or a restaurant.

Alcohol. Every charter is BYOB. Beer, wine, seltzers and cocktails are welcome in small to medium coolers, and rolling coolers work well. No kegs. Everyone drinking must be 21 or older with ID. The boat supplies complimentary sodas, water, juice and cups of ice, so mixers and chasers are covered.

Food. You have three options. Bring your own food. Hire your own caterer. Or choose from DFW Boat Ride's list of recommended local caterers who know the boats. There are dedicated serving areas on board, and chafing dish warmers are allowed in those areas.

What is not allowed. No smoking or vaping. No sparklers or candles, which rules out a few holiday decorating ideas, so plan on battery candles and string lights instead. No pets. No swimming.

The planning timeline

A private charter does not need months of planning, but a few things have to happen in order.

Eight weeks out

Call with your headcount and a first and second choice of date. Weeknights in November and December are the open inventory and the easiest dates to get. Pick the boat by headcount and season. Put down the 50% deposit to hold the slot.

Six weeks out

Decide on food: your own, a caterer of your choice, or one from the recommended list. If you are using a caterer, get them the boarding details and the 30-minute pre-boarding window. Decide whether you need extra pre-boarding time for decorating or a DJ setup.

Four weeks out

The balance is due 30 days before the cruise. Send the invitation with the dock address (2059 Summer Lee Dr, Rockwall, TX 75032), the free-parking instructions and the boarding time. Tell guests about the electronic waiver so it is done before they arrive.

Two weeks out

Confirm final headcount with the caterer. Load the slideshow or video onto a laptop with an HDMI output if you are using the screens. Build the playlist for the Bluetooth stereo. If anyone is giving a speech or an award, put it in the run of show.

The day of

Hosts, caterers and decorators board 30 minutes before the event. Guests board 10 minutes before departure. The captain and crew handle the rest.

For a start-to-finish walkthrough of a December office party, read A Company Christmas Party on a Boat Near Dallas: How It Works.

AV, seating and the run of show

Company events usually have one moment that needs a microphone and a screen: the year-end toast, the awards, the kickoff deck. Harbor Lights has three flat screens with HDMI, a PA microphone and a Bluetooth stereo, and its 8-foot tables seat 72 per deck. Sapphire Star has the flat panels used for board meetings and seats 96 on the main deck.

A few things that work well on the water:

• Put the presentation in the first half of the cruise, while people are seated for dinner. Save the sky deck for after.
• Keep the laptop on the main deck near the screens, with the HDMI cable tested before departure.
• Awards and speeches read best from the main deck, where everyone is inside and seated.
• A DJ fits on either of the larger boats. Build in the extra pre-boarding time for setup.

For January events with an agenda, read Planning a New Year Kickoff Event for Your Team on the Water.

Getting there, parking and boarding

The dock is at The Harbor Rockwall, next to the lighthouse and behind the Hilton Dallas/Rockwall Lakefront, 25 minutes from downtown Dallas. The address is 2059 Summer Lee Dr, Rockwall, TX 75032.

Self-parking is free in The Harbor Rockwall lots at Summer Lee Drive and Shoreline Trail. The walk to the dock is 5 to 11 minutes depending on the lot, so tell guests to arrive with time to spare. For out-of-town colleagues, clients or relatives, the Hilton Dallas/Rockwall Lakefront is next to the dock.

Boarding is at the dock 10 minutes before departure, and every guest completes the electronic waiver first. Sending the waiver link with the invitation keeps the line short.

Weather and the captain's call

Lake Ray Hubbard is an inland lake and most dates go ahead as planned. Charters are non-refundable, with one exception: if on the day of the cruise the captain decides that conditions are unsafe for navigation, because of severe weather, lightning within 10 miles, excessive wind or similar, you choose between a refund of what you have paid and a new date. The captain is the sole decision-maker on this. It is a safety call, not a forecast call.

For cold months, Harbor Lights and Sapphire Star both have fully enclosed, heated main decks. The upper decks are open. The boats are winterized in January and February and public cruises stop, but private charters are possible in winter when the date makes sense, weather permitting.

Comparing a boat to a ballroom

The reason planners choose a charter over a hotel ballroom or a restaurant buyout usually comes down to three things: one price for the whole boat instead of a per-head fee plus minimums, BYOB instead of a bar package, and a venue that moves. The honest trade-offs are a hard cap at 140 guests, a dock in Rockwall rather than downtown, and AV that covers a toast and a slideshow rather than a full stage production.

The comparison in full is here: Company Holiday Party Venues Near Dallas: Boat vs. Banquet Room.

Family events on the lake

Not every private charter is corporate. A daytime charter at $1,946 all-in is a practical way to put three generations in one place for a reunion, a milestone birthday or a Christmas gathering, with potluck food, BYOB for the adults and an accessible restroom on Harbor Lights for grandparents. The crew briefs everyone on safety before departure.

More on that here: A Family Christmas Party on the Water.

What it looks like when it goes right

Earlier this year a rehearsal dinner host arrived with a clear picture of her evening, and the boat she had first chosen could not deliver it. DFW Boat Ride switched her to a different boat, arranged the tables the way she wanted them, and the night turned out the way she had pictured it. She left with the photos. The lesson for a planner is simple: describe what you want the room to look like when you call, and let the crew match the boat to it.

Frequently asked questions

How far in advance should I book a private charter?

Six to eight weeks is comfortable for a weeknight. Friday and Saturday evenings and any date in December go earlier, so call as soon as you have a headcount and two possible dates.

What is included in the all-in price?

The whole boat, the Coast Guard-licensed captain and crew, fuel, gratuity and taxes, complimentary sodas, water, juice and ice, use of the stereo, PA microphone and screens on Harbor Lights, and 30 minutes of pre-boarding time for your caterer and decorations.

Can we bring our own alcohol?

Yes. Every charter is BYOB for beer, wine, seltzers and cocktails. Bring it in coolers. No kegs, and everyone drinking must be 21 or older with ID.

Do we have to use a specific caterer?

No. Bring your own food, hire any caterer you like, or pick one from the recommended list. Chafing dish warmers are allowed in the serving areas.

Is the boat warm in December?

On Harbor Lights and Sapphire Star, yes. Both have fully enclosed main decks with heat and air conditioning, and open upper decks for anyone who wants the night air. Sapphire Moon is open air on both decks and is not heated.

How many people fit for a seated dinner?

Harbor Lights seats 72 on the main deck and 72 on the upper deck at 8-foot tables. Sapphire Star seats 96 on the main deck. Total capacity for a standing reception is 90 on Harbor Lights and 140 on Sapphire Star.

What happens if the weather is bad?

If the captain decides on the day that conditions are unsafe, you get a refund of what you have paid or a new date. Otherwise charters are non-refundable.

Where do guests park?

Self-parking is free in The Harbor Rockwall lots at Summer Lee Drive and Shoreline Trail, a 5 to 11 minute walk to the dock next to the lighthouse.

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.

Check a date

Tell DFW Boat Ride your headcount and a first and second choice of date, and they will come back with open dates and a quote. Start on the company holiday party page, see all the options on the private cruises page, or call (214) 534-3797 and press 0. A 50% deposit holds the date.