South Beach Lady, Miami

Stepping aboard the South Beach Lady, guests might detect the aroma of chicken satay with spicy peanut sauce or a roasting top round of beef with a horseradish bordelaise. Hip-hop, '80s tunes, or reggae may softly permeate the air throughout the four levels of the 125-foot luxury yacht, and later that music might grow in volume in the DJ sky booth or party lounge for a night of dancing. But one thing is definite: from the water, the city will glow.

Out on the South Beach Lady’s open-air sky deck, the breeze bats at passengers’ hair while the waves of Miami’s coastal waters slosh below and the skyline shifts almost imperceptibly. After dusk settles and the skyscrapers light up, explorers wander back inside and settle down for dinner. Around them, the pristine glass walls and ceiling complement the milk-white tablecloths, lending the dining room refinement without making all of the waiters wear monocles. This elegance lends a romantic touch to dinner cruises, but with four levels full of lounges and suites, the ship can host nearly any special event as well as private or corporate charters.