The first party cruise was born when Odysseus's hapless buddy, Steveicles, got lost sailing home from Troy and was sucked into a wild kegger of the gods. With today's Groupon, mere mortals can sail the seas in luxury. For $40, you get a 2.5-hour party-time cruise replete with dinner, two drink vouchers good for beer, wine, or champagne, and DJ-conducted entertainment with FantaSea Yacht Charters (a $64.75 value with tax included). You must call ahead to book your spot, but it's first come, first sail. Cruises ply the wild waters of Clear Lake, the Kemah Boardwalk, and greater Galveston Bay.

You'll board at pier 9 of the South Shore Harbour Resort on the eponymous FantaSea, a 117-foot glitz-class glamcruiser equipped with two decks, two bars, custom brasswork, 42-inch televisions, Doppler 5,000 sequin-sensing radar, and a massive, startlingly nude pink-unicorn figurehead. Also, the FantaSea has never killed a merman. See here for cruise dates and times.

Dinner consists of a single-entree meal with a salad, side item, and dessert. Menu items vary week to week, but past entrees have included blackened chicken with beurre blanc sauce, parmesan-crusted chicken, and pecan-crusted tilapia, and past sides have included herb-buttered pasta and wild rice. You'll be entertained by a live DJ on an outdoor, covered dance floor, where you can move your feet, legs, knees, hips, arms, and hands in rhythmic succession. Once you've used your drink vouchers, items at the cash bar run $2–$5.

Reviews

Five Citysearchers give FantaSea Yacht Charters a solid four stars:

• The FantaSea is a great place for romance! My fiance and I enjoyed a fantastic dinner cruise aboard the FantaSea and we had a very wonderful time! The crew was very nice and the views of Clear Lake were awesome! Take a loved one for romance or just party! – Smash77573