Brunch and a View with Mariposa Cruises

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Perhaps it’s my east coast heritage (being born in Halifax, Nova Scotia) or my parents’ naval background but I am drawn to water. Toronto is no exception with the revitalization of its waterfront. Mariposa Cruises gives you an opportunity to take in the surrounding waterway while enjoying a buffet brunch.

We’ve enjoyed a few events on the Mariposa Cruises in the past, like their Santa breakfast (the jolly man in red makes a visit for photos) and even an ice cream social where the kids created their own sundae while getting a tour of the local sights.

Traveling with the family is always a balance between sights and tastes. We love to see new things but we also love a good meal. The Mariposa Cruises Weekend Brunch offers a bit of both.

When we arrived there was a long line of people waiting to board the Northern Spirit, our vessel for the day’s activities, but I wasn’t too worried since all guests had reserved tables. That means there’s no need to show up really early for first-come, first-served seating; your table marked and ready for you.

There were two decks of tables available, the main deck where we were seated and a lower deck, both offering window views. Sitting inside meant that even with the sun showers we weren’t deprived of a nice view.

While the guests were sorted in their seats our waiter brought the kids water and ran through the assortment of drinks available (at an extra cost). Being that it was Mother’s Day when we visited I opted to try their Mom-oasa as a treat for myself. There was a tea and coffee station available at all times for guests (included with your meal).

The Mariposa Cruises had a photographer on hand to take family photos against a Toronto backdrop. I’m usually not one to do those souvenir group shots but as it was included in our cost we agreed. The photo was processed and delivered right to our table. Looking at it now, it’s nice to have a dated reminder of our event.

The kids were getting a little antsy about the buffet as they could see the crew getting the serving tables ready. The dessert table was available as soon as we boarded so they were able to grab a cookie and macaroon (or two) to hold them over.

When it was time to eat, guests were called up to the buffet by their table number, thereby avoiding long line-ups.

Okay, the food. After hearing about the addition of Executive Chef Damien Wlodarczyk, I was looking forward to the meal. I was partial to the Summer Quinoa Salad and the Wheat Berry Salad so much so that I went up for a second helping. Both were nice and fresh, not soggy. The roast beef was well done also. Not to worry, there were typical brunch dishes like cinnamon French toast sticks, sausage and bacon as well as scrambled eggs, fruit and pastries. After all tables had been to the buffet, everyone was invited to visit again at their leisure.

Of course no meal is complete without some sweets and the Mariposa Cruises kept the sweet table fully stocked throughout the meal right up until we docked.

The meal was only one part of the experience. It was possible to enjoy the sights through our tableside window, and many guests did, but nothing beats heading out on the deck for a full view. Guests were invited at anytime to visit the two outside decks on the mail level or the upper open-air deck.

Our view was a little hampered by the fog that morning but I found it added a still calm to the experience. We only sailed around the harbour, not venturing out around the Toronto Islands but it still gave us a great perspective of the city including the CN Tower. If the harbourftont landscape seems a little foreign to you, Mariposa Cruises offers a free tour app you can download on your Android or iOS device to walk you through the sights.

When we docked at Queen’s Quay again we prepared to say goodbye to our hosts, grabbing one last sweet treat from the dessert table as we headed down the gangway. As this was a Mother’s Day brunch cruise all the moms were given lovely pink roses as a gift which was the icing on the cake to a lovely afternoon.

I put together a short video of our visit to give you a peek at what you can expect during a Mariposa Cruise Brunch:

Mariposa Cruises offers a number of weekend brunch cruises as well as various lunch and dinner cruises. They also have a number of specialty cruises planned so be sure to checkout their event list when you’re in town. Our Mariposa Brunch Cruise was a lovely way to see the city off land while enjoying a delicious meal together.

Mariposa Cruises hosted us for the purpose of experiencing one of their brunch cruises but the thoughts and opinions expressed are purely my own.

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