Tired of the same old song and dance that occupies your weekend time? Interested in sprucing up your social calendar with something different? There’s a new place in town that is taking the Space Coast community and social scene to the next level. Port Canaveral’s latest addition, Canaveral Cruises 1, has everything covered to make for a fun time out, from local restaurant cuisine and drinks to captivating views and entertainment. 

“We have a 90-foot, 150-passenger tour vessel, (which used to be a dinner vessel), and we did a complete renovation for harbor tours and events,” says Captain Tim Levensaler. 

From the bottom up, it begins with the event area. The large, 2500-square-foot room with booth seating can be set up for any type of event, from weddings and bachelorette parties to corporate holiday celebrations and more. The next 

deck up is a lounge area, featuring a full cash bar, dance floor and space for a DJ, all of which include the spectacular views of the water. Then there’s the outdoor area with a deck surrounding the vessel, including a sun deck with breathtaking views. “We have a flat rate for the boat, so whether you want to plan an event with 10 people or 100 people, you have that option available,” Levensaler says. For charters, guests have the option of bringing their own food or it can be catered. Levensaler offers a variety of tasty menus to choose from, including those from nearby hot spots. For the public cruises, walk-ups are more than welcome to enjoy a late afternoon, two-hour cruise. “We’ve had a lot of people take the 3:30 cruise, come back and then grab dinner at the port,” Levensaler says. “Everything is walking distance and convenient, which a lot of people enjoy.

All of the restaurants around here are happy to have us in the community. It’s like a small family here in the port.” people enjoy. This inspiration began approximately three years ago when Levensaler and his wife, Arlet, acquired the boat and underwent various renovation projects to completely revamp the space.  

“We were focused on harbor wildlife cruises at first, but then realized there was much more opportunity available,” Levensaler says. 

With the holidays approaching, there’s no doubt this vessel will attract local businesses and corporations, as well, for their celebrations. “We will have one Friday night Sunset themed dinner cruise each month featuring local talent, a monthly dance-party on Saturday night with DJ Eric, and even more than that, we keep our web page up to date for our events,” Levensaler says. “We’re excited to start planning holiday events too.” ◆