Pattaya: All Star Dinner Cruise, Cabaret Show & Beer Buffet

Pattaya lights up after sunset. This 90-minute cruise combines a seafood and Indian buffet with unlimited beer and soft drinks, then adds a cabaret show by award-winning transgender performers. I like the easy mix of dinner and entertainment, and I like the boat itself, dressed in Thai teak with a 20th-century Shanghai-style design. The main catch is the crowded setup, which can make boarding, buffet service, and movement around the boat feel rushed.

You meet at Bali Hai Pier E in the early evening, exchange your ticket between 6:00 and 6:15 pm, and board from 6:20 to 6:30 pm. The advertised cruise runs from 6:30 to 8:00 pm, but you should keep expectations practical: some recent bookings have reported a shorter sailing, cold food, beer served with ice, and a paid photo moment that takes up part of the final section.

Key things to know before booking

• The boat is part of the attraction: Thai teak decoration and Shanghai-style details give the cruise more character than a plain excursion vessel.
• The food covers several tastes: You get an international buffet with seafood and Indian choices, useful for mixed groups.
• The drinks are unlimited: Beer and soft drinks are included, though beer temperature may not satisfy everyone.
• The cabaret is the main event: Award-winning transgender performers appear after dinner, with time to take photos and interact.
• The schedule is tight: Ticket exchange, boarding, dinner, show, photos, and disco music all fit into 90 minutes.
• Crowding is a real concern: Early boarding and quick movement may matter if you want a good place to sit or watch the stage.

What the Pattaya All Star cruise is really like

This is not a quiet sunset sail with a small plate of food. It is a compact dinner-and-show package designed to keep the evening moving. You board, eat, watch a stage performance, take photos, and finish with disco music before returning to the pier.

That format works well if you want a simple night out without arranging separate dinner and entertainment. It is less suitable if you want a long, calm meal, polished restaurant service, or plenty of open space. The cruise packs several activities into a short window, so the mood is more festive than relaxed.

At $45 per person, the price makes the most sense when you use the whole package: buffet dinner, entertainment, bay views, beer, and soft drinks. If you mainly want good food or a peaceful boat ride, the value is harder to defend. The food quality has been uneven, and the limited sailing time means the meal can feel secondary to the show.

Arriving at Bali Hai Pier E

Your evening begins at All Star Cruise Pattaya, Bali Hai Pier E in Chonburi Province. The ticket exchange period is 6:00 to 6:15 pm, followed by boarding from 6:20 to 6:30 pm. Those times matter because this is a fixed departure, not a flexible harbor cruise.

I would arrive before the exchange window opens. The pier can become confusing when several groups gather, and a crowded boarding process is one of the main weaknesses of this outing. You do not want to spend the first part of your dinner looking for the right boat or joining a queue at the last minute.

There is no hotel pickup or drop-off. You need to make your own way to the pier and return from there after the cruise. Check your transport plan before booking, especially if you are staying away from central Pattaya.

The vessel itself helps set the mood. Its Thai teak decoration and 20th-century Shanghai-style design give the boat a theatrical look before the entertainment even begins. This is a useful detail for anyone who enjoys atmosphere and photographs as much as the meal.

Boarding, welcome dancing, and the first drinks

Once aboard, you can expect a lively welcome dance and appetizers. This opening gives the cruise an immediate party feel rather than a slow restaurant-style start.

The boat may feel crowded during this stage. One practical concern is space: recent departures have been described as too busy, with limited room to move after boarding. If you want a clear view of the performance or an easier route to the buffet, board promptly and get oriented before the main rush.

The cruise is scheduled to leave at 6:30 pm. From there, you will see Pattaya from the water as the boat moves around the bay. The views are one of the better reasons to choose this format. Instead of sitting in one restaurant for the evening, you get changing views of the shoreline and the city as the sky darkens.

Keep your camera ready, but do not expect a long sightseeing cruise. Ninety minutes passes quickly once you account for boarding, food, stage entertainment, photographs, and music. The scenery is a pleasant part of the evening, not the sole purpose of the trip.

The buffet: seafood, Indian dishes, and international food

The buffet is built to serve a broad crowd. You get seafood, Indian food, and international dishes, which makes the menu useful for a group with different tastes. That variety is probably a stronger selling point than any single dish.

I would approach the meal with moderate expectations. Some recent sailings have had food that was not hot enough, and the overall quality has been described as basic. That does not mean you will find every item disappointing, but it does mean this is not a dinner cruise to book for fine dining.

The timing of the buffet can also affect your meal. A rushed opening has led to people heading for the food before the process was properly organized, leaving some diners with a less orderly experience. If you see the buffet open, move at a sensible pace and take a first plate before the busiest period. You can return later if time allows.

The dining setup is best viewed as practical fuel for the show. You are paying for food plus drinks and entertainment, not a carefully paced meal with attentive table service. Seafood and Indian options add welcome choice, especially for mixed groups, but the quality may vary from one departure to another.

Unlimited beer and soft drinks

Unlimited beer and soft drinks are included in the price. That helps the package feel more complete, particularly for people who want a social evening without adding a running bar bill.

The important qualification is temperature. Beer has been served with ice rather than properly chilled, which may not suit you. If cold beer matters, this small detail can affect your enjoyment more than you might expect.

Soft drinks give you a nonalcoholic option, and unlimited service is useful during a warm evening on the water. Still, the cruise is short, so do not calculate the value only by how much you can drink. The appeal is having drinks available throughout dinner and the show, not turning the boat into a drinking venue.

The cabaret show and performer photos

The cabaret performance is the heart of the evening. The show features transgender performers described as winners of previous Tiffany Beauty Contests, giving the production a connection to Pattaya’s long-running cabaret tradition.

Expect costumes, dance, music, and a stage-centered presentation. The performers are the reason this cruise feels different from a standard buffet boat. If you enjoy colorful live entertainment and a playful atmosphere, this part should be the strongest match.

After the show, you can interact with performers and take photographs. That sounds simple, but you should pay attention to the cost. A recent departure included a 100-baht charge for photographs with the performers. The official inclusions cover the cabaret, dinner, seafood, beer, and soft drinks, but do not list photo charges, so carry small cash and ask before posing.

The photo period can also change the feel of the final minutes. Instead of ending with a relaxed view from the deck, the last 20 minutes may become a queue for photographs followed by disco music. If you want a picture, enjoy it, but do not feel pressured to buy one. The interaction is optional.

Families should also think about the show format. Children have disrupted performances on some departures, and the boat’s compact layout means noise carries. This is a better fit for adults and older children who can handle a loud, busy entertainment setting.

Disco music and the return to the pier

After the cabaret and photo opportunity, disco beats carry the cruise into its final stretch. This gives you a chance to move with the music rather than sit through a formal finale.

The disco section is fun if you want a party ending. It will feel less appealing if you hoped to spend the final minutes quietly watching Pattaya Bay. The cruise does not offer much spare time, so each activity takes space from another.

The scheduled return is 8:00 pm. Because the total duration is only 90 minutes, keep an eye on the clock if you have a later dinner reservation, transport connection, or evening show. Some recent bookings have reported only about 60 minutes on board, so I would avoid planning anything that requires a precise arrival time.

Crowding, organization, and food quality

The biggest practical issue is crowd control. Boarding and buffet service may feel disorganized, and the boat can become difficult to navigate when many people are moving at once. This affects more than comfort. It can reduce your time at the buffet, make photographs harder, and limit your view of the show.

Food service needs the same caution. Reports of cold dishes and very basic quality mean you should book this for the overall program, not because you expect a memorable dinner. The inclusion of seafood and Indian food is useful, but variety does not guarantee strong preparation.

The published rating of 3.6 from 85 reviews reflects that mixed picture. The concept is appealing, and the best parts are clear: the unusual boat design, the cabaret, the moving views, and the included drinks. The weak points are also clear: crowding, inconsistent timing, buffet handling, and the extra photo cost.

Who will enjoy this Pattaya evening

I would recommend the cruise to you if you want several types of entertainment in one booking. It suits first-time Pattaya visitors who want bay views, dinner, drinks, music, and a cabaret without planning each part separately.

It can also work well for groups with different interests. One person can focus on seafood, another on Indian dishes, and others can enjoy the performers, music, or photographs. The broad buffet is more useful for a mixed group than a fixed set menu would be.

You may want to skip it if food quality is your top priority, if you dislike crowded boats, or if you want a quiet romantic dinner. It is also a poor choice for a tightly timed evening because the advertised 90 minutes may not feel consistent in practice.

The show’s style matters too. Cabaret here means lively stage entertainment, costumes, music, and interaction. If that sounds like your kind of night, the format has appeal. If you prefer museums, quiet views, or a serious culinary experience, spend the $45 elsewhere.

Booking advice for the $45 price

At $45, the cruise offers reasonable value when you want a ready-made evening. Dinner, seafood, Indian dishes, international choices, a cabaret show, unlimited beer, soft drinks, and bay views are all included.

The value drops if you pay extra for photographs, eat little, or find the buffet poorly timed. It also drops if your cruise runs shorter than the stated 90 minutes. Since hotel transport is not included, add the cost of getting to and from Bali Hai Pier E when comparing this with other evening plans.

I would reserve only if you accept the package’s tradeoff: more variety and entertainment, less space and control. Arrive early, confirm the boat at the pier, board promptly, and keep your expectations closer to a lively group show than a refined dinner.

Should you book the All Star dinner cruise?

Book it if you want an energetic Pattaya night built around cabaret, drinks, and changing bay views. The boat’s Thai teak and Shanghai-style design add character, and the combination of seafood, Indian dishes, unlimited drinks, and live performance is convenient.

Skip it if you need reliable timing, quiet seating, or restaurant-level food. The most useful warning is simple: this is a crowded entertainment package, not a leisurely luxury cruise. For the right audience, it can be good fun. For everyone else, Pattaya offers calmer ways to eat and see the bay.

FAQ

Where does the cruise meet?

The meeting point is All Star Cruise Pattaya at Bali Hai Pier E in Chonburi Province.

What time do I exchange my ticket?

Ticket exchange is scheduled from 6:00 pm to 6:15 pm.

What time does boarding take place?

Boarding is scheduled from 6:20 pm to 6:30 pm.

What time does the cruise run?

The scheduled cruise time is 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm.

How long is the experience?

The stated duration is 90 minutes.

Is dinner included?

Yes. The package includes a dinner cruise with an international buffet, seafood, and Indian food options.

Are drinks included?

Yes. Unlimited beer and soft drinks are included.

Is the cabaret show included?

Yes. A cabaret performance is included as part of the cruise.

Is hotel pickup and drop-off included?

No. You must make your own way to Bali Hai Pier E and arrange your return transport.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes. You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.

Can I reserve now and pay later?

Yes. The booking option allows you to reserve your place and pay later.