I took a cruise through a third party and I really enjoyed the historical tour and the experience, overall. The variety of drinks and appetizers was outstanding. It exceeded my expectations. The crew was super nice and attentive. The Captain and his staff were all excellent. I'm already recommending this cruise and plan on doing it again. read more

Betty Lou Cruises - Appetizers - Boat Charters Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Went on a private cruise for a rehearsal dinner. A unique idea for a rehearsal dinner and something fun to do in Madison! The food was very average but I would expect that given the size of the boat and needing to transport food onto a boat. There were two people to serve drinks and food. Given that, it was a little bit of a wait at first for drinks. It would almost be better to have one person passing out a bunch of beers for people that don't care for cocktails to get them off the main floor so it doesn't get overly crowded. Overall, it was a nice experience and something fun to do! read more

We went out on a sunset/night cruise for a rehearsal night of a wedding. It was a great place for the family and wedding party to gather and enjoy the night before the wedding. They had hors d'oeuvres, drinks, and a very nice meal ready for us. Everyone took turns rotating up to the front deck and upper deck to check out the views of the water. Our captain gave info on the tour that was also interesting. The bartenders were nice too. Overall, it turned out to be the perfect place to be with family & friends!! read more

Had a great Fall tour of Lake Mendota...a little rocky...it was a breezy cool day but the staff were great as was the brunch!

Great views on Lake Mendota, 2 hours goes by fast! We did a private company tour and the variety of food was great. Bartenders make good drinks, I enjoyed the rum punch and Moscow mules. Captain shows off notable locations like the memorial union and the governors mansion, but it is hard to hear him if there is wind. Top deck is much nicer with a breeze, bottom floor can get hot and stuffy. Bathroom door won't lock which is a little unnerving on a boat with your coworkers... the ship could use a little better upkeep. read more

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Food - 1 star Everything else - 4 stars We did a dinner cruise on a Friday night. There were 2 people in my party and 12 in a birthday party. The captain arrived on time and explained everything thoroughly. He was pleasant and knowledgeable. I agree with the other reviews about the boat being dated. If you're looking for a high end dinner cruise this isn't the place for you. The boat is modest and is functional for its purpose. There is an upstairs and downstairs and bathrooms on board. I get motion sickness but this boat ride is slow enough to not have caused me any issues. The service was great and the staff was super friendly. The boat ride itself was amazing and so were the views. The downside was the dinner part. You get one free drink ticket and then they have a drink list if you desire something more.They start out with appetizers. Fruit, veggies, chips, hard stuff to mess up. Then comes the clam chowder. I wasn't a fan of it but I'm sure someone somewhere would think it's amazing. Dinner was grilled chicken, grilled fish, breaded fish, scalloped potatoes, and cole slaw. The slaw was ok but the rest really left a lot to be desired. The food was cold and really lacked flavor. We didn't finish eating because the food was so bland. I highly recommend taking the cruise to experience the trip on the water but plan to eat elsewhere. read more

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My husband and I went on the fiesta cruise and we had a great time. I think it was worth the money for sure, so fun! Everyone was friendly, food wasn't bad and we loved taking a little cruise around the lake. We'll definitely go on another one soon! read more

Went on the Betty Lou Brunch cruise taking off from Mariners Inn doc, there was about 25 people aboard.they had plenty of room to move around with unlimited mimosa's. I thought 2 hours wouldn't be enough time for the trip but it was just right. Nice staff , plenty of good food and very relaxing. I'd do it again! read more

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Great food! Great service!! It was very relaxing. I will definitely book another cruise when I'm in the Madison area.

Today we did the champagne Brunch cruise and it was awesome! We did Lake Mendota, as we live in Monona, and thought the scenery and sights were amazing, tons of fun stuff to see! Food- very good, and plenty of it! Save room for delicious desserts like chocolate covered strawberries, spoonfuls of cookie dough, and cheesecake bites. Mimosas were flowin'!! Brandon is a great host, very friendly and kept everyone's glass full. Seats- this is true, it's not a very big boat, and they pack it in. You have to be strategic with your seats. We ended up next to a huge family of 13, which took over the entire upper deck, but we moved to the front where the best seats are Overall, highly recommend to any Madisonian or a great idea for guests! read more

I invited 7 family members to join me on the Monona Betty Lou Cruise for fiesta night. The cost was $352 for 8 people. The weather was calm and warm so we were really looking forward to an enjoyable time. My sister in law is Mexican American and I thought the Fiesta Menu would be perfect. We were very disappointed. The appetizers consisted of opening a bag of tostitos, a jar of salsa and the awful Velveeta's Salsa Con Queso. The amazing thing is that they ran out of the jarred salsa which was the only thing that made the chips edible! How hard it to have several jars on board just in case? The main meal wasn't served until well in to the cruise. We were the first to be served. The flour and corn tortillas were piled on a paper plate in big stacks that were so stuck together that we needed to pick up the whole pile and work it to peel them apart. So much for sanitation. Also, they were only mildly warm. The "hot" food was under warming hoods, however the chicken and beef, along with the rice and beans were just barely warm. The meat juices, which should have been sort of runny, were still dried on the meat. And again, it all would have been more palatable with a large dose of salsa, but none was offered. Dessert was two tiny "cinnamon crisps" with a little dab of aerosol whipped cream. If it wasn't so pathetic it would have been comical. As for the drinks, the margarita's were watered down so after one I switched to wine, hoping that it too hadn't been thinned. The "tour" part of the cruise was also a disappointment. I asked the tour guide to please speak louder as two in our party wore hearing aids. To no avail. Even those of us who could hear, weren't able to make out what he was saying. The boat driver made a tight circle in the middle of the lake, taking us so far from the shore that we weren't able to see what the guide was pointing out anyway. This is not my first Betty Lou Cruise but it will be my last. I've taken two cruises on Lake Mendota, both in 2013. On those occasions, the food was great and the tour guides were very informative. That's why I was so disappointed and mildly embarrassed since it was my idea. I'm lucky that my family is not the complaining kind and they won't hold it against me. But I've certainly learned my lesson. No more Betty Lou Cruises for me and I won't be encouraging anyone else to go either. read more

Below is the letter written to the cruise line when we came home from our experience... To whom it may concern, I would like to start by saying a group of friends and I were very excited about tonights tropical cruise. We went so far as to follow the strongly suggested guidelines to dress accordingly for this themed outing (we had accessories from head to toe that included flowers in our hair, tropical clothing, grass skirts and a myriad of leis as well) because there was an offered prize for our efforts. The night started off well. The friendly captain informed us of the highlights which included the drink specials, food details and 2 competitions taking place throughout the night. The first alarming moment of the evening was when a member of our party noticed additional drink coupons were being distributed to some party patrons as they boarded the cruise (please note that not one member of our 5 person group received one of these additional coupons). Worth noting because it was a surprise to us, was the limited choice of liquor that was available with the "buy one, get one" coupon that was issued with our ticket purchase. I would suggest that it be noted in the brochure or mentioned at the time of ticket purchase that this perk is so limited. During our introduction we were informed of the abundance of food that would be available to us because of the low attendance of this cruise. Myself, my husband and my friend were the last of the 14 party goers to go through the buffet. At this time, the bacon wrapped pineapple was completely gone and the macadamia crusted grouper had only 2 remaining pieces (for the 3 of us). At no time were these or any other dishes ever refilled despite our report to the captain. After returning to the bow once we finished our dinner the other couple in our party reported that the "hula competition" had taken place moments ago with only 4 of the fourteen patrons present (those who where currently on the bow of the boat). No one else on the boat was alerted that this opportunity to win another cruise was going to be taking place at this time. This was extremely disappointing because it was a highlight that we were really looking forward to! Finally as the captain announced we were 10 minutes from shore, my friend and I approached her to inquire about the second competition (that of the best dressed luau attendee). At this time she quite bluntly informed us, while avoiding eye contact, that that prize had alreday been given to "the best tropical shirt" on board. Please note that other than the five people in my party there was only one other person who even attempted to wear tropical attire. This gentleman was quite mildly dressed in theme. This guest seemed to be a returning customer as the captain knew him by name. He was one of the people who received an extra drink coupon and it became clear at this time that he obviously had a connection with your cruise line. Needless to say, myself and the members of my party were endlessly let down throughout what we thought was going to be a wonderful night. We know very well that word of mouth speaks volumes and unfortunately we have nothing positive to say about this experience. Because of our extreme disappointment, we felt it was important to make you aware of our negative experience. I hope that by informing you of this it will help you to better serve your guests in the future. Sincerely, read more

Went on an evening cruise - it was a bit buggy (can't control) & the staff was really great. They had a few apps for us and the drinks were reasonable. The sound system on our boat was not the best, but there was plenty of seating. Would consider doing a day cruise but probably not another night cruise, even though Madison from the water at night was pretty. read more

I also am surprised that there are not more reviews for Betty Lou. We did the Monona brunch cruise and really liked it. Overall, the gig is pretty sweet, but I'll admit they have some serious room for improvement. Major cons: value for price, selection of seats on the boat, availability of crew/service Major pros: taste and amount of food, quality of atmosphere/boat It was really disappointing when we got on to be shoved out of the way by a group of young children, who ended up getting seats on the top deck. If you get there early (like we did), start to line up right in front of the wooden dock to the boats, as that's where they board from. It would be much more organized if they called groups onto the boat in the order they were booked. The food was AMAZING. So good and perfectly organized into appetizers, main course, and dessert. I loved it! The mimosas were tasty, but were weak and it was difficult to get a waitress/bartender as there were only 2 of them tending to the entire boat of 50 people. You are dismissed from your table to go and get food, but we were never dismissed for the first round. Again, it was difficult to get the attention of the crew/waitresses. The views were really scenic and the captain does a quick spin at the end so that you can take photos with the Capitol and the Monona Terrace in the background. read more

Did the champagne brunch cruise. The staff was really nice and it was a fun afternoon. The food was a mixed bag - some of it very good some of it mediocre. Great service, the mimosas kept flowing! Overall, it was a fun afternoon with friends and I would definitely recommend it as an activity. Would like to try one of the other cruises. read more

I recently went on a Betty Lou Cruise for a rehearsal dinner - 3 hour dinner cruise around Lake Mendota, and loved it! The staff are excellent; we received amazing service from the two waitors on board. They brought us drink refills, as well as finger food between courses. The food is also very good. Obviously not as complex as what you would receive in a restaurant, but it will definitely leave you feeling full and satisfied. You also get a ton of it. I don't even remember how many courses we were served, there had to be at least four! Drink selection is great as well. They serve a few island cocktails which really made me feel as though I was on vacation. Our captain was great. He made sure to point out a few landmarks along the lake that I had not even heard of. Only complaint (and it's a small one) is that the boat and furnishings seemed to be a bit outdated. Other than that, it was a perfect night! read more

I was pretty disappointed with my cruise choice. You get to pick the option of lake Monona or lake Mendota, we picked lake Mendota. The cruise was from 8-11pm. It came with unlimited sangria, miller lite and soda, they also had appetizers to start (veggies, chips, etc) then the meal was a BBQ buffet with pulled pork, chicken, mac n cheese, and an ice cream sundae bar for dessert. The captains were real nice, there was 2 onboard which they took turns driving. I was disappointed in the view of the fireworks on the lake, we did not get close enough to see the fireworks and we also sat in the back of the boat and the boat was blocking the view. The captain should of turned the boat sideways so that everyone could of gotten a view, but only the people that got a seat in the front of the boat got a good view. We tried to stand in the front to get a better view but it was too crowded and there was tons of bugs with the lights on the side of the boat. The food and service on the boat was okay, I just wouldn't spend the money again. read more

I am truly disappointed that my trip was canceled 3 hours before my trip was supposed to depart. A friend and I had plans on going to the Friday Seafood train lake Monona. We had made arrangements to stay in a hotel close by and had organized our plans around this trip. We were shocked and disappointed that 3 hours prior to departure, the cruise called and told us the trip was canceled due to low attendance. I know it says that this can happen, but it would have been nice to know earlier. I was not only out of plans for that chunk of time but could not cancel our other accommodations without being charged. It really put a damper on the night and made me reconsider ever trying out Betty Lou again. It would have been nice if they would have at least compensated for the inconvenience. An example would be 20% off a future cruise. At the very least, they could have let us know that there was low attendance and that there was a possibility that this specific trip could be canceled. I will look for other options to be on the water and would recommend others do the same. read more

Had the dinner cruise last night. Staff was excellent and great service. The clam chowder was great. Drinks were very good. Seating difficult. Could sit at table with friends. Had to grab chairs where we could. Food very mediocre. Everything Luke warm not hot. Nothing special for what we paid. Cruise itself very nice but hard to hear captain with loud people talking and laughing loudly. read more

We had a wonderful cruise on July 10th. Our captain, Rob Sutherland, did a wonderful job at pointing out all the points of interest. The wait staff was just as wonderful. The food was delicious. I would recommend this cruise to everyone. Thanks again for a great time. read more

Rip off won't refund your money for the two trips we canceled after they said they would .We have been a customer of Betty Lou Cruises for over 20 years we go on average of six boat rides which include dinner. The offer prime rib which they gave me half of a slice which was all fat I asked if I could have more and they refused to give me more saying that there's 32 people for one prime rib. The music is so loud on the boat I could hardly have a conversation or usually go on about six cruises a year I will no longer be going on any cruises. As far as I'm concerned this is a waste of money. update review the management of Betty Lou said they refund the other for a cruise this weekend planned because we were so unhappy they were refunded two of our cruises but not the other two they said it was the credit card company's fault that I haven't received the money. That's a bunch of BS this company is not a company I would want to do business with . When they slice you A one a slice of prime rib and then cut that piece in half and say here you go you know you've been screwed prime rip slice that I received was mostly fat what a waste of money I would never go on it but a little cruise again I would not recommend it.‍ Update we canceled 4 trips that we had planned to go on the Betty Lou the management said they would give us a refund they credit us for two cruises and said that it must be a mistake with my credit card company that they gave me the money for the other two which they didn't .so now I have to contest with my credit card company to get my money back what a piece of crap company. Don't do business with Betty Lou cruises. Betty Lou Lou cruises is named after the owners mom I bet you should be embarrassed to have her name as the company logo if she knew how her kids treat people. read more

Went on the fish fry cruise for my birthday. Food was good, but the staff made it great. Made me feel special and treated my whole family well. I know that they don't control the weather, but it was perfect. Absolutely recommend for a special celebration. Already planning our next trip. read more

We just attended a Betty-Lou cruise. This one was the fish fry. The captain said there were 43 attending. We were told there were appetizers in the cabin area. We were on the top deck and when we reached the area all of the crackers were gone, as well as most of the pretzel mix and fruit, and not replenished. Next came the clam chowder that we were looking forward to trying. Now, "this" was doled-out in individual cup containers by the crew so we felt the early passengers would not get more or less than anyone else. The crew member said to about seven passengers, us included, that they had run out of the soup. **Now -- honestly -- there is no excuse they can come up for this. Mariner's is known for their clam chowder and we were really looking forward to it. Not providing what was promised was pretty inexcusable. We asked if there was some reimbursement for this. We were told - no -- but we're really sorry. They told us supper was ready early on because they knew we hadn't gotten any clam chowder. The fish, even at the beginning of the meal -- was cold. We felt the Betty Lou experience was not well planned out. I'd give it a 1 out of 10 and not worth the 50.00 we paid for it. Honestly, we did not get what was promised and "should" have been reimbursed for no clam chowder or appetizers. read more

My husband and I had our rehearsal dinner on a private chartered Betty Lou this past September and it was perfect. Multiple guests told me it was the best rehearsal dinner they'd ever been to. The food was good (not great) but what made it 5 stars was the wonderful staff, captain and views. The staff went above and beyond for us the entire night and the views from Lake Mendota couldn't be beat. The pictures from sunset are simply amazing. If you're looking for a unique setting for a private event of any kind, look no further. read more

I wanted so bad for this to be the best Madison experience of my life! But it wasn't. We ordered our tickets a few weeks in advance so we didn't know that our cruise would be rained out. It was pouring and they had us come aboard anyway with the possibility of leaving the dock. We did not leave the dock. There was limited seating because half the boat seats are exposed. It was wet, stuffy, and crowded. I wish they would have canceled it instead of putting us on a drenched boat. We left early and very disappointed. We did not pay to sit on a docked boat only to pay for more drinks. The drinks were good. The food was stale. We didn't think they were going to refund the ticket costs because they have a strict policy online, but they did refund ticket cost. which I appreciate. I would give this experience another shot but I would not buy tickets more than a week in advance. read more

My wife and I just went on the Live Music Betty Lou Cruise last Friday on Lake Mendota. Overall we had a great time! The cruise featured live music by a local solo acoustic artist and an open bar. What we were disappointed by was the food. Their advertised "light appitizer/dessert buffet" was simply chips, dip and some cheesecake. I was sort of baffled they called this "appitizers" but in all honesty the great weather, music and top shelf drinks made up for our food disappointment. read more

I booked a Betty Lou private cruise on Lake Monona for my Mother's retirement party and it was great. She loved it, which was the most important thing. At $19 per person the open bar is a great deal. The food was pretty good too - we ordered the basic appetizer setup and it was actually really nice. It starts with chips and dip and moves into mini sandwiches and some slightly heavier items. I also thought the boat was really cool too - there is an awesome covered outdoor area upstairs and a cute sort of throwback loungey area downstairs where the bar is. The service was really great and the staff were laid back and fun. The Betty Lou is almost a Madison institution and I highly recommend a private cruise for a special event. read more

I'm surprised there aren't more reviews. We did the lunch (on Lake Monona) and enjoyed it. A 2 hour cruise, with a lunch buffet and cocktail service (soda and water are free, alcohol you pay for). Food (including dessert) was prepared at either the Mariner's Inn or Naut-i-gal, so it was good. Some people said the Lake Mendota cruises are better; I could see that as Mendota is bigger--we finished Monona in an hour or less, and just kind of went back around. You'll need some cash to tip the cocktail servers. I think it was priced fairly overall. read more

Really fun!! Our Captain Terri was a hoot! She kept things light, and sprinkled in some fun facts about Madison and Lake Mendota. Also, she made sure to ask each party as they checked in if they were celebrating anything, which I thought was a great touch. We did the cocktail cruise, and got "2 for 1's". We loved it! My husband tried the wings and said they were good. I definitely recommend this cruise! Thanks again Terri for a great experience!! read more

Betty Lou Cruises are great for celebrating an occasion or even just for amping up a lazy weekend. I've managed to completely luck out with weather both times I've been on the cruises, so my review counts for the best-case scenario! I was surprised by how many people fit on the boat; I honestly only felt crowded when running into somebody while going up and down the stairs for food. I would say that the top floor outdoor seating is the best- you're in the fresh air and don't have to worry about people shuffling around you to reach the buffet! Your best bet for getting the seat you want is to get there early and stand close to the dock, right at the front of the line. The service was excellent the whole time. The waiters were super smiley and came around constantly to refill drinks and ask if we needed anything else, and the captains were cheerful and gave insightful information throughout the Monona tour. We loved the views the whole time. The food buffet, while quite large for the size of the outing, was pretty average. Don't expect gourmet food... it's good, but I say spend more time on the mimosas ;) read more

We've done several different Betty Lou cruises. We recently celebrated three special surprise birthdays who mostly had never been in Wisconsin or on our lakes. The food is OK; it's the scenery, not the food! The staff was attentive and on top of everything. Captain Craig announced our special birthdays and gave us a wonderful cocktail cruise on Lake Monona! read more

I finally went on the ever popular Betty Lou Cruise. What a disappointment. The boat is dated and smelled musty. The food is old school and low quality. One and done! read more

Our extended family (8 total) took my 80 and 81-year old parents on a Betty Lou cruise on a rainy Sunday for champagne brunch. My Dad usually hates brunches (thinks it's warmed up leftovers) so we were very pleased with the quality and quantity of food. Better yet, we couldn't believe the service. The captain and two staff couldn't have been more attentive. They ran all our drinks upstairs, carried my elderly Mom's plate up for her, checked back constantly and told us stories about the scenery. Highly recommended! Should have tipped more but I didn't bring a lot of cash. read more

Went on the dinner cruise for Mother's Day with my husband, daughter and her boyfriend. The captain and crew were very nice and friendly. The cruise was fun and it was nice to see Madison from Lake Monona. The crew was very nice about taking group pictures for us when the captain strategically placed the boat in front of the Capital and terrace. The buffet style meal was very good and the crew was very good about taking beverage orders while also making sure we were satisfied with everything. As I said it was Mother's Day. To the surprise of every mother on board , the crew handed out gift bags courtesy of the wife one of the captains. I found this to be a very thoughtful added bonus to our 2 hour cruise. read more

Very disappointed! The boat is very dirty (there were cob webs and the floors were sticky - bathrooms didn't have soap or paper towels). It needs to be updated in a big way. Food was just O.K. I wouldn't waste my money again on this! read more

My husband and I had our rehearsal dinner cruise on the Betty Loud as a private chartered cruise and IT WAS AMAZING! The captain and staff were very friendly, accommodating, and always asking the guests if they needed anything. The food was awesome, but the views were spectacular. I highly suggest using this company for private cruises as well as the public ones which we have done before, as different themes were very unique and fun. The atmosphere is something you can't get sitting at a restaurant. YAY BETTY LOU! read more

My sister is visiting from out of town, so we went on the Monona Sunday dinner cruise, wanting to have a nice meal and see Madison from a different perspective. By the end of it we were ready to jump off the boat and swim to shore to escape. Pros: -The two young women who were the crew were very nice, efficient, and helpful. -The air was cooler than on shore, at least when the boat was moving. -The horseradish sauce was good. Cons: -The sights. "Sights include several views of the downtown Madison skyline, natural areas & lakefront estates"? Hardly. We got about 30 minutes of cruising along John Nolen and the houses just past Olin Park, followed by an hour and a half of circling in front of Monona Terrace. The captain was apparently determined to view a waterskiing show happening in front of the Terrace. If we had wanted to see waterskiing, we would have gone to the show, not on a cruise--and we would have been disappointed, because the waterskiing action was brief and the intervals between it long. Since we were hardly moving, it was often stiflingly hot even on the upper deck, something we had hoped to escape on a moving boat. We never got further east than the MG&E building or to the south shore of the lake a second time. Upshot: Sights included a handful of lakefront estates and one of the most recognizable views of the downtown Madison skyline, over and over again. -The food. Most was adequate, but nothing we would purposely eat again. Appetizers were a basic veggie platter, dip, cheese cubes, and crackers--it reminded me of the catering to my high school events. When it came to dinner, thumbs-down to the walleye, which had had the flavor fried out of it, and the salad, which was almost totally iceberg lettuce. Desserts were good although the cookies seemed store-bought. Dinner isn't served until halfway through the cruise--in this case 7pm. -The music. A brief montage of '70s classic rock hits gave way to endless semi-country love songs. We had planned to get cocktails, talk, and see some sights, but by the fourth circle in front of the Terrace we were determined not to give them another cent, too hot to talk, and out of sight of anything we hadn't seen before. Our tickets to this cruise were $42 each and not worth it. Find a lakefront restaurant, eat there, then take a walk along the shore or rent a kayak. read more

My sister and I enjoyed this relaxing ride. The food was just okay. Note to Betty Lou Cruise: please make sure you don't run out of any items of food. Another time when I took a Betty Lou Cruise the food was much better. This could make a pleasurable evening fantastic! read more

The skies were dark. The rain riddled our windshield as we drove to the dock. The night was slipping through our fingers and the weekend was out of our control. Little did we know that Captain Steve's waiting hands were eager to make things right. Our cruise was canceled. While our fellow passengers reluctantly left the boarding zone with redemption voucher in hand, we stayed to hear Captain Steve's parting words, "Fell free to join us. We'd be happy to host you anyway." We boarded the boat reluctantly. We left the boat a family. Captain Steve's, first mate Brice and the whole crew threw a docked party that we will never forget. Not only did Steve bless us with his years of boat-faring wisdom, but he gave us a snapshot of what it means to do good in this world. First mate Brice ensured that we were comfortable at all times and tended bar like his life depended on it. We can't wait to reschedule our cruise and wouldn't recommend anyone else! read more

I took a cruise for my birthday late August 2016. We had good music, good food, and most of all great service; Kate and Naomi were as friendly and professional as you could hope! Along with the captain (Pete) they help a disabled friend and I forget about things and just enjoy the ride. Thank you for a pleasant cruise, and a lovely way to end the summer. read more