SheSue Experience

One of the most popular cruises on the Portland Spirit is their Sunday Champagne Brunch. The Portland Spirit is a 3-deck 150 foot long yacht. It boards in downtown Portland, cruises on the Willamette River, then back to Portland. You get to see the core downtown area, then the rural countryside of the Willamette valley before turning around and heading back.

Here I am with my son on the right and my daughter and her husband on the left. The inside of the boat is set up just like a restaurant. Each party gets their own table. Your waiter serves up orange juice, fills your coffee cup and pours your choice of sparkling cider or champagne.

You are free to head up to the buffet anytime. The menu is pretty extensive. There are a variety of fresh breads and pastries followed by several cold salads. Next is breakfast with thick slices of french toast, scrambled eggs, country fried potatoes, pepper bacon and eggs benedict. Keep going for platters of fresh vegetables and fruits and finally an assortment of cheeses and crackers. And while we are wading our way through all this food, a dessert tray is brought out. That will wait.

While we are eating, the crew gets the boat ready to shove off. The captain gives a short introductory and safety speech. The wait staff sings a cute ditty and we are on our way. There is a grand piano on board providing live music for most of the cruise. About half way through the cruise, we are all invited to visit the captain on the bridge.

After filling our tummies, it’s time to explore. We head up to the top deck which is mostly open air. The day is pretty nice, so we check out the sights. Then it’s time to visit the captain. We all get a turn “driving” the boat. You get a special certificate for driving. I have been here before while visiting with Captain Kaya. The view up here is spectacular.

Don’t forget to check out the smallest floating gift shop west of the Mississippi. There is a pretty good selection for how small it is. By now we have worked up an appetite to sample the desserts. Cute little petite fours, a nutty chocolate roll filled with creme, cookies and lemon bars. Mmm, breaking your diet once in a while isn’t bad, is it.

As we head back into town, we once again wander the boat. The boat goes as far as the Steel bridge before turning once again and heading back to dock. The food was great, the company fabulous. If you’re looking for something to do for a special occasion, be sure to check out the Portland Spirit. Tell ‘em SheSue sent you!