Took the 4pm live music cruise in March. Weather was perfect + boat tour was super! went with a group of 15 + we had a great time! Scenery is absolutely beautiful, the guitar singer sounded great as we sang along to most songs. beverages & bagged snacks can be purchased at very reasonable prices! Boat was clean & staff was great! highly recommend! read more

My husband and I took the 4 pm (wine and music); we loved it. The views are fabulous, the music was good and not too loud. The women who had to help the long line of people for drinks and popcorn were amazing; very friendly and efficient!! Our favorite is Andie - though we didn't interact with the other woman very much. Highly recommend. We are going to come back and do the informational cruise. And the gift shop right next to boat was nice to browse thru; I have my eye on a sweatshirt! Good quality, good prices!! read more

This isn't too hard to find and just about a 25 minute drive NE of Mesa. The parking lot wasn't too hectic for a Saturday and we were able to find a spot before noon, NP. The way was lined up to get onto the boat was a bit weird, we had a stand on the dock in the sun for about 15 minutes and then rush onto the boat to pick out our seats. I could see how this would be annoying during summer. Once we were on, it was a pleasant experience. The guide gave a good narrative as to the history of Lake Saguaro and explain how the geography of the area has changed over time. We were also able to see several birds dive bombing for fish successfully. We were even lucky to see a bald eagle on one of the large hillsides. This ride is a little longer and could probably be reduced, but luckily the boat is well equipped and has multiple levels so you can move around during the ride. read more

Desert Belle Cruises - The Belle in all its Glory - Tours Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

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Amazing pilot. So funny and informative. Trip was very well organized and worth every penny

This was such a fun trip! Captain John was funny, informative and very professional. His crew was kind and attentive. We are thoroughly impressed. We felt safe with their Covid precautions too. Highly recommend this! read more

Such a fun experience! The staff were very personable and made sure that you got the best out of your experience. The scenery from the boat was gorgeous! Prices were very fair as well. Defiantly worth checking out. read more

Service doesn't get better than this staff was. Helpful, friendly, fun and informative. I will defintely be back. Beautiful scenery and relaxing ride! read more

I decided to try out the live music cruise on the belle and was not disappointed. The artist on board played from a list of famous 80s and 90s songs and was very talented. Lake saguaro is gorgeous and the tour takes you through a mountain. This tour was definitely worth the price. read more

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Nice boat ,captain and crew I only wish the ride was longer. Had drinks and popcorn with good service people. Would recommend even if you have been to Saguaro Lake before. Free parking at Marina. read more

Desert Belle Cruises - Bow of The Desert Bell on sunny afternoon. - Tours Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

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Absolutely enjoyable, relaxing and breathtaking. The staff is amazing! Wonderful captain and live entertainment..we will definitely be doing this again! Simply a spectacular experience!! read more

We have gone on the Desert Bell many times and have never been disappointed. The staff is very friendly and the views are beautiful. We have gone 2 times when the South West Surfers were playing, lots of fun. We have also gone on the regular cruise, and we have seen eagles, wild horses, and other surprises. read more

We booked for 4 people well in advance which worked fine. About 5 days before the trip, our traveling companions had a health emergency and was unable to go. We tried to cancel and we're told of the no refund policy. Desert Belle was able to sell our cancelled spots(2) but would not issue us a credit, even tho they sold our spots. They did offer a credit for a future booking, but we don't know if we'll be back. The trip itself was very good. The captain was knowledgeable. The music was good. The staff was knowledgeable and friendly. The views were terrific. All good except for cancellation policy read more

Beautiful sunny day, 89*, warm breeze, on a cruise on Saguaro Lake, life is good. This cruise has been a bucket list item for 2.5 yrs since moving to Fountain Hills, AZ. Finally made time to do the narration cruise as it seemed to make sense for a first go around. Friends and neighbors have recommended this cruise since I arrived 2.5 yrs ago. Well, I have to say that this was a wonderful and pleasant experience on the lake. Captain John was informative and entertaining. He's got some jokes! LOL The scenery, landscape, water, sky, desert, saguaro cactus, boaters, fishermen, kayakers, water skiers, water fowl, flying raptors, Captain's narration, snack bar, wine, beer, popcorn, all of it made some wonderful memories. I highly recommend making the time to come out during the week if possible, less crowds, to do this 80 minute cruise. Wednesday's @ 2:00 is music & wine theme. Friday @ 2:00 is music & craft beer theme. Check out the calendar for special events. I would do it again on one of the themed cruises. I would take visitors on this cruise. There were a lot of out of town people on the cruise. The price is very reasonable for the memories and natural beauty that you enjoy. read more

We really had a great time on the Desert Bell Music Cruise. The only thing that would make it better, is to make it longer, the time went by so quickly :) read more

Desert Belle Cruises - Scenic photo from the Desert Bell - Tours Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

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What a wonderful way to spend part of your evening! I've been living in this, area for a number of years but never took this cruise. I would rather have taken the music cruise, but my girlfriend talked me into the narrated cruise instead, and boy was I surprised! Captain Geno is very knowledgeable, and his narrative was thoughtful and amusing! We had a great time, and will definitely be coming back for a music cruise sometime soon! read more

I've heard of this tour a few times before I decided to try it. My sister was visiting Arizona so I wanted to show her around and this was a great idea. It was so easy to book online. They have 3 tours a day, we chose the 5:00pm tour. They have a minimum of 10 ppl for the boat to sail. There are two decks, we sat at the lower deck. It was a pretty cold day so it was kinda chilly but it was so beautiful and peaceful. We were on the narrative tour so the captain was explaining our surroundings as we sailed along the lake. You cannot bring in your own food and drinks but there are drinks on the boat. Also, if you pay slightly more, you can get popcorn on board the boat as well as a drink to enjoy while you sail. The price is $23 for the regular ticket which is not bad at all considering the beautiful views and the information you receive while on the boat. Worth trying if you live here or if you're visiting from another state. read more

it was a great experience the crew was very nice We enjoyed the music and the view was Incredible read more

Great Tour of Saguaro Lake! I've been on the day tour which is very informative and the music cruise. The musician was very good too! All in all I'd highly recommend.:) read more

Had a wonderful relaxing cruise on the lake! We did the narrative cruise and the Captain and staff were very professional and helpful all during the cruise. The scenery and history of the lake were interesting and beautiful. Even saw a Bighorn sheep! One suggestion would be to place a sign up near the check-in area instructing passengers to stay near check-in and not down at dockside. Many went down near the loading point only to be told to retuRN upstairs and wait to be called in the order you'd checked in. read more

Desert Belle Cruises - Tours Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

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This was the most relaxing, beautiful local cruise I've taken in a long time. Boat is pleasant; snacks availabe along with drinks; Captain was fabulously informative. Worth every penny to see beautiful Saguaro Lake etc. read more

Great way to spend 80 Minutes on the water. Service was great! Staff was friendly and captain had just the right amount of narration! Can't wait to try either the wine cruise or craft beer cruise!!! read more

An outstanding cruise. Great for entertaining visitors new to Arizona. AND THEN.....No one greater than John as a narrator. The superlatives are many but I'll try. 1. The most interesting 2. The most entertaining 3. The most patient. 4. The most knowledgeable. 5. The most prompt. 6. The best. read more

I heard about this cruise from a friend's Facebook post, and I'm so glad I did! When we had out-of-state visitors, we all went on the Nature Cruise. Everyone on the cruise obviously enjoyed their jobs, and made sure we had a great time. We went on a Friday in January, and there were 44 people on the boat that can fit 150. It was nice to be able to move from downstairs (enclosed) to upstairs (open) easily as we wished. We saw a bald eagle, but no other wildlife. The views were spectacular and it was a wonderful vacation from our regular routine. read more

Desert Belle Cruises - We could see snow on Four Peaks! - Tours Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

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This was my second trip on Desert Belle. I enjoyed the music cruise while being out in nature and loving the cliff / mountain view. So worth it. Restaurant was tasty with great service. Great for out of town relatives. read more

My wife and I go at least 10 to 12 times a year and have never been disappointed.. If it's a music cruise the music is always good.. The crew is 100% first class.. Great way to relax!!! read more

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Excellent narrative by the Captain of the fascinating history of the lake, the animals and so much more. Very pleasant wait staff. Cleanliness. A truly wonderful experience. This was my 5th tour with different friends and always something new to learn and see. read more

Captain John did an excellent job in his journey across saguaro lake yesterday. His interesting and very factual reports and stories about the lake and the surrounding territories were very interesting and informative. seeing the bighorn sheep and the bald eagles were an extraordinary highlight to the trip. I would highly recommend this boat ride for anyone interested in learning more about this extraordinary area of Arizona. read more

Despite being a local and enjoying Saguaro lake during my entire childhood, I now look at the lake in a whole new way. My family and I learned a lot! We took the narrate cruise and it was funny, relaxing, and enjoyable. They serve hot chocolate, alcoholic additives, popcorn, and other snacks. They only take credit card for those things. If you're looking for a great way to spend time with the family, this tour is it. read more

This was so much fun !! We opted to do the music cruise and it was great , I will say if you want narration then don't do The music cruise as there is very little narration. Overall the views were amazing would definitely do this again. Also make sure to bring cash to tip your musician but all drinks and snacks are paid with card 10 out of 10 would recommend! read more

We stumbled upon the lake while out sightseeing. The Desert Belle was just pulling in from the noon cruise and looked like people had a great time. We bought tickets for the Wednesday music cruise and boarded for the 2pm run. From the start the crew was funny and friendly with lots of jokes. The musician did great guitar music and he and the captain had a great rapport as we cruised the lake. The history on the lake was really interesting but made to be funny. We enjoyed drinks from the bar and some snacks which were reasonably priced. At the end I bought a DVD of the cruise done by a professional photographer for $5 that supported the Make a Wish Foundation which was a really cool thing. Thank you for a fun afternoon! read more

Had not been to Saguaro Lake in 50+ years. We have decided to take Wednesdays off. We do a lake and a lunch. Desert Belle was a treat. 40 minute drive. 1/4 tank of fuel round-trip. Good history of Saguaro and the dams. Great photos and a bite at Shiprock made our day. Crew was great. Good popcorn onboard! Lifes simple pleasures are the best. More lakes to explore. Onward with a grin... read more

We have a delightful afternoon on the Desert Belle! The captain and his crew were informative and entertaining. Friends from out of state joined us and enjoyed it thoroughly as well. We also had lunch at the Marina restaurant. Prices were very reasonable and the portions generous. This is a do again for sure. read more

Nice scenery, entertaining Captain, peaceful ride, good price, learned facts about AZ and Lake Saguaro and neighboring lakes

Always a fun place to bring the out of town guests! Definitely book ahead and arrive and hour early. Head right to the check in by the docks and they only ask your first name and if your entire party is present. So organized! Once boarded, head to the bar for refreshments, no cash so bring a card. We started out upstairs and the sun was nice but cold wind drove us inside. Really enjoyed the tour and will be back. read more

This was my third time taking this boat tour and loved it every time. I was able to take me aunts and uncles, one needed the handicap accessible location. They loved it as well. Great scenery. Bathrooms, snacks and drinks. Great time for the price. read more

Desert Belle Cruises - Back of the boat view - Tours Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

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Great lil area! Marina makes great Sri is while you are waiting! Your is beautiful and the captain narrator is amazing. Had to take my husband just for the ride up to see the beauty but the tour was amaze! read more

Great experience with my family, and I will most certainly do it again! Thank you to the captain and the guitarist, as well as the rest of the staff. read more

This past Saturday we took our Iowa family on a Desert Belle cruise and could not have been more pleased. This is probably the fifth or sixth time we've taken snowbird visitors to Saguaro Lake and each time is as enjoyable as the first time. During these Covid times, the management takes every precaution possible, such as no indoor seating and socially-distanced seating on the open-air upper deck, as well as mandatory masking. Always friendly, informative and fun . . . highly recommended! read more

Desert Belle Cruises - (We removed our masks for the photo op) - Tours Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

Had an issue trying to order tickets online and their office hours are really limited. However, when I did reach them she was more than helpful. Boarding was well organized and the cruise was very enjoyable and informative. The views are spectacular and our captain was knowledgeable and extremely funny. I have done this trip many times and always find it entertaining and relaxing. A great activity to take out-of-towners on. read more

Beautiful ride on a gorgeous day. Captain John was engaging fun and funny. Service was great, would highly recommend.