*One-Hour Sightseeing Cruise Review* If you're visiting the Gateway Arch, adding on the Riverboat Tour should be on your to-do list. Located just a few minutes walk away from the Gateway Arch National Park, the tour takes you on a leisurely ride up and down the Mississippi River in a refitted historic paddleboat. Seating is available inside in the AC or outdoors on two decks (upper and lower). In this indoor area are tables to sit at and concessions for sale. If sitting outside, there are plastic lawn chairs you can move around to get your preferred view. The tour could be a little difficult to hear at times (even though i was trying to sit close to a speaker) but what I did hear provided interesting details about the St Louis riverfront downtown area that you won't learn during a visit to the Arch. Of course you'll also receive a gorgeous view of the arch from the river as you pass by it. If you have the time and you're there to do the whole Gateway Arch experience this is a can't miss! read more

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The one hour cruise was very good. The weather was perfect, and the narration was perfect. He explained the history of the area and how St. Louis was affected. We sat on the top floor and the view was incredible. It was definitely worth it. Yes, the water is muddy but hey, it is called the Muddy Mississippi for a reason. read more

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I have enjoyed riverboats in several cities but this weeknd was the first time I got on one in STL even though I have lived here more than a decade. A friend and I bought tickets to celebrate 314 day (area code for the city aka March 14), we really enjoyed the trip. Buying tickets online was simple and there are a range of packages with the arch and more. We did the simple boat tickets only and were on the noon cruise. The captain occasionally pointed out information about the bridges and construction and various things. It was a nice hour or so and we got some great photos. read more

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A very nice ride to see the Mighty Missisippi and the St Louis Sites from the water. I recently took the Arch Riverboat tour in St. Louis, Missouri, and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. It offers a fantastic perspective of the city from the water that you simply can't get from land. Boarding the riverboat involves crossing to a stationary barge where the boat ties up, then navigating a gangway across the front of the vessel before entering the main compartment. Note that this setup can be a little difficult for mobility-impaired visitors, so those with such concerns may want to plan accordingly and consider assistance if needed. Once aboard, I highly recommend grabbing a spot outside in the shade toward the front for the best views and comfort. The boat has air-conditioned indoor seating as well, which is nice on hot summer days. The tour route heads north first, just past the bridge, before turning south. The captain and crew do a great job narrating the various points of interest along the way, sharing history and details about the Gateway Arch, riverfront landmarks, and the city's development. The Mississippi River itself is really muddy, with large trees and other floating detritus making for a strange site for a person used to calm and semi clear water. Despite the brown water, the views of the Arch and surrounding sights are very nice. perfect for capturing great photos throughout the cruise. The staff was very friendly and helpful. They offered to take group photos, but you can easily skip that if you prefer. Everything ran smoothly, and the narration added real educational value without feeling overly scripted. Overall, this is a great way to view St. Louis from the water and a worthwhile addition to any visit to the area. I would recommend it, especially for families or those interested in history and scenery. read more

Overall we found this to be a good use of our time. When we were booking tickets we did see the option to pay for parking on the levee ahead of time. I am very glad we chose not to as when we got there the parking was free on the levee. The gift shop is small and seems to have a sort of odd variety of things to buy, but for those who like trinkets it could be worth it. The crew members were very kind and welcoming. The captain was informative and seems to know the area well. You are able to walk around the boat as you please during the tour. There are also several concession options to buy a snack or drink. The Tom Sawyer is a bit run down, but for the price you couldn't ask for much more. read more

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We came for the floating sleigh on a Thursday night and we were the one of only two parties that came. I don't feel like we should've paid the $10 entry per person, but I understand they probably needed it for gas, which is completely understandable. The drink list was pretty large. I think they had a lot of options for the pop-up bar. They even had a shot list and they all had great names. The concession menu was just like movie theater food but still great options. They had a cute little bottle downstairs. The upstairs is a lot smaller. I think it would've been cuter if they decorated the outside of the boat so you could sit outside with twinkly lights perfect for photos. The staff was very friendly and took pictures for us! read more

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It's a pop up bar. The floating sleigh. Located on the Tom Sawyer riverboat. This is a new attraction for our STL riverboat series. Private parking on the cobblestones. Two stories inside of pretty decorative party accessories. Colorful scheme. Great music to dance too. Pretty picturesque moments. Great views out on the deck. Plenty of seating and spacious. Food list I listed below but i decided on sleigh nachos and pretzel and cheese. Drink menu I listed below as well but I chose dancer sparkler and it was delicious. My group ordered prancer punch and Rudolph redd fizz mocktail. Prices were reasonable. Staff was friendly and welcoming. read more

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The Gateway Riverboat pop up bar was a great experience for me, the drinks were good, the food was good and inexpensive, the decorations were very pretty. read more

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We did the riverboat tour with a package for the arch tour. In hindsight, I would have passed on this option. The boat was larger but with limited seating for the amount of people. The Mississippi river was gross, brown, and had oil floating on top. From the boat, there was nothing to view after leaving the arch park. The sides of the river were lined with condemned buildings, rusted factories, and oil barges. The state of the river and environment was very depressing. read more

Gateway Arch Riverboats - Tours Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

This was a nice ride, complete with picture for purchase, and a history narrated tour up and down a portion of the MS river. If you've been on as many River cruises as I have, you can skip it, but got some great photo ops and the staff was nice. read more

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Unattended children, apparently on a field trip, were loud and screaming and extremely rude for the first 40 minute of the trip. I tried to find the Captain but a woman heard me asking and told me she worked there and would take care of it She did nothing. After about 40 minutes a woman came to check on these children (who were on the level above us) and I told her how horrible they had made our time and how unbelievably mocking and rude they were. I would expect to see these kids in mobs some day destroying businesses and terrorizing people on the streets. 5/6/26 for parents who want to know about their children (someone mentioned the school was The Orchard in Indianapolis). The boring narrated trip, from what we did hear, and not having much to see, not worth your time or money. The Arch was great and walking the land was very worthwhile; recommend you stick to this. read more

Was able to explore this pop up bar on the river. The boat was decorated and welcoming. There was a bar on the first level with men and women restroom. The second floor only had concession but a great view of the arch. Mary and Chris were helpful and kind. I ordered the Rudolph red fizz mocktail with deep eddy vodka plus bought shots for the girls jingle juice, vodka, pea, schnapps and cranberry. Overall a great experience even if it was just us partying it up in a Thursday. read more

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This was a cool activity after going to the arch and doing the tram. We did the Friday afternoon at 3 cruise, and had a great time. The staff were all friendly and they did a great job and explaining everything you were passing by and some fun little history about all of St Louis. Cool activity I'd totally do again! read more

Our Captain did a great job driving the boat and sharing in depth information about the River and the City throughout the trip. Great perspective of a historic City! Affordable trip, lasts about an hour read more

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I went with my family to the Caroling with Santa Riverboat Cruise during the 2024 holiday season. There were 5 of us including one 6 year old who had a blast. There were holiday snacks, a Santa Claus singing, and obviously the boat cruising south on the Mississippi. I hadn't been on one of these boats since I was a child and it was fun. I'd go back with kids but not necessarily adults. Great views of sights around the river! read more

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The Arch is always a nice touch to a STL visit! The entire experience was fun and informative. Going up the arch was fun. Before we got on the tram, we participated in a learning session. We saw videos of how things were constructed and about the builders. I believe that there are sessions held with the founders and builders as well. I love how organized everything was. We stayed with our group took fun photos and learned so much! Once we made it to the top, it was a really nice view. Now I don't know if it was my fear of heights or what, but I became super dizzy and nauseous. But I did get a few pics and videos. Once we came back down, we stopped in the restaurant to eat. They have a really good system to make sure you get your food quickly. We had the ribs and wings. All of the sides come with original lays potato chips. We also had the juices. They were good! Finally, we shopped in the souvenir shop. It had so many great items. I always get a magnet for my refrigerator collection. If you are in St. Louis, this is definitely a place to visit! read more

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I really enjoyed the Riverboat ride. As you travel up river the captain points out structures or businesses and describes their history or current functions. For instance, you learn a little bit about all the bridges, the electric building built for the World's Fair, the history of the tide wall and depth of the river, and commerce along the river. In the way back the Ranger for the national park provides a history of the river and notable stories associated with it. You take shelter inside the boat or enjoy the sun and breeze on the decks. The total time on the river is about 1 hour. I recommend this at least once. read more

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Take a cruise on the Mighty Mississippi River. Board on a replica 19th century paddle-wheel riverboat for a different view of the Gateway Arch and the banks of the Mississippi. Love the names, the Becky Thatcher and the Tom Sawyer, that were originally used to take sightseers to view the construction of the Gateway Arch in the 1960s. Today, the cruise goes under several bridges, the Eads, the MLK, the MacArthur. On a beautiful sunny fall day, it was nice to be on the river enjoying the sunshine, but the tour itself was not that interesting and it was hard to hear the narration. Buy tickets at the National Park Service office inside the Arch and then walk down the steps to the riverbanks to board. The sixty-minute cruise is $25 ($24 plus a $1 service fee). If I had to do it again, I'd opt for a themed cruise like the Blues Cruise or Halloween for $30. read more

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I think the 3 stars is fair - it's a cool experience in St. Louis, it really is. We did the evening cruise with dinner. Getting on the boat has cool views so highly recommend taking some photos. The boat hasn't been renovated in a long time so it is outdated, and gets pretty warm inside. We sat upstairs which I thought was better and less busy than downstairs. I booked all 4 seats together and for some reason they only had two of us seated at the table. I get mistakes happen but it seemed like this was going on with a lot of reservations. Because of that, they pushed our service behind everyone - our party arrived before 80% of the tables upstairs and we were last to get our drinks. I know the server was stressed but there was also some attitude around it which was weird considering it wasn't our mistake. I would understand if we booked separate but we didn't, the reservation clearly had 4 people. Once that was figured out the rest of the evening was fine. Service ended up being pretty good. The food was okay, there's a lot of great restaurants in St. Louis so for the price of the meal we justified we were paying for the boat ride not the food. The seafood option was a couple shrimp on a small serving of plain noodles. The beef was cooked really well though. The beef portion was fair but the seafood portion was small, both my husband and dad would have left hungry if they didn't have mine and my mom's beef to finish. The DJ sits downstairs so they're just playing a playlist upstairs. We liked the music but you have to pack in like sardines downstairs to enjoy the live music. It's a cool concept but I think there's better ways to execute. read more

While the cruise was a pleasant experience and they were on time departing, trying to get to the Lennor Street parking was less than ideal. No signange and a lot of do not enter signs or flat out blocked streets. Our map app was completely confused. Even tried a second one with the same results. Fortunately we headed out early just in case. We finally went through a place that had a booth that no one was manning but saw construction workers just beyond. We drove up to them and asked how to get there. They said continue on and we'd run right into it. They were correct. Upon leaving same frustration. Maps told us to go north then make a u-turn. We did that and it was blocked. U-turn we did. Probably took us 15 minutes to get out of there. The area also looked very sketchy. The road that finally got us out had a gate arm on the left side and spikes on the entrance side. Looked like a factory area. We went on through and found it did lead to the access road for the highway. They REALLY need to put up clear signage to direct visitors step by step in to the Crusie parking. We were meeting friends and they couldn't find it and ulitmtely missed the boat. read more

Good food is not something I would have expected from a riverboat, but the food on our boat was really good. I'm still thinking about the gooey butter cake. The service was amazing and very friendly, too. You should know: When the boat is up and running, it gets very loud in the dining room area of the riverboat. I was trying to hold up a conversation with people at my table while I was eating, and I felt like I had to shout and ask them to repeat what they said. Upstairs on the deck, it's a little more quiet. But inside, you hear the roar of the engine from start to finish. But you should't spend too much time inside, anyway. The point of these riverboat cruises is to look out at the scenery, and your best view is from the deck. There is no bad seat on the deck, so just pick a spot and relax while the St. Louis skyline whooshes past you. From the riverboat, you can see the St. Louis Arch really well, as well as the behind-the-scenes graffiti and whatnot that you typically don't see from land. I love urban decay, so this is right up my alley. You also pass under bridges and see other watercraft go by. Our riverboat ride was about two hours. Just enough time to eat, snap some selfies on the deck, and bask in the sunshine on a really cool boat that's chugging down the Mississippi River. read more

One of the main attractions that I could not wait to go on when visiting St. Louis for my first time. Descriptions for the parking situation are entirely too vague. We walked from our hotel at the Drury which was very close but I have disabilities and even though I researched all of my destinations ahead of time for this vacation they definately did not make it clear what a challenge this is for handicapped individuals. Just getting to the level above the riverfront, the long walk from the entrance to the park, past the arch and then across the park to get to the top of the steps (which resemble the scene in the movie Rocky) is a marathon in itself. Then, the handicap ramp is a nightmare. It literally goes downward to the right of the steps and the length is so long just to be sent back in the oposite direction for even a farther distance, down a steep incline to reach the ramp to the dock and then onto the boat. In order to be "outside" on the boat you then have to climb several stairs to get to the first level of the boat because the main level of the boat is only a dining room which is located completely inside. I was using my cane and not one single person working offered to assist me in any way nor find a location for me to sit while on the tour. The staff on the boat were all extremely rude except for the woman working in the gift shop printing the tickets. She was very helpful and kind. Every single other employee that I encountered was rude. They looked annoyed to be there, unhappy and unwilling to assist in any type of friendly way at all. The staff that greet you upon entering the boat (or the staff that are "supposed" to greet you) are rude and look at you as if you are bothering them for even daring to enter the boat. Even the gentleman walking around showing guests the pictures that were taken upon entering the boat was clearly aggitated with his job. He was not at all friendly in any way and looked as if this was the last place he would like to be. No matter where you try and sit on the boat it was still practically inpossible to hear the person that was describing everything along the way. We tried several different locations trying to hear the history that was being described but even when we were right next to a speaker we were still unable to clearly understand what was being said. My advice to anyone looking to take this ride is to skip it. It was uninformative (because you can't hear what they are saying anyways) and the staff are so rude you will wish you wouldnt have even entered the boat to begin with. Save your money for the food in the area. Now, that was awesome!!! read more

Narrator was very monotone. $30+ for a pretzel and a coke? Come on! Too short of a ride. My grandkids should have loved it, but they were bored! Liven up! Pretty pricey, even with senior discount! Make it worth our while...now the Belle of Louisville, she gives you a ride! read more

Easy way to spend an hour in a riverboat if you need to fill some time. Guide was good. Learned a lot about bridges and some history of the Mississippi river in the St. Louis area. read more

My friends and I were looking for something convenient to our location (Busch Stadium) it's only about 3 blocks away and right past the Arch, down the stairs. It was sadly only an hour but filled with lots of info. Bar on board had nice choices. read more

Gateway Arch Riverboats - Tours Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

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Now I can say I've been on a riverboat on the Mississippi. Otherwise not much to write home about. We did this before going up in the arch, so we knew some landmarks to look for from the top. I was glad they had food on board because we had totally run out of time to grab lunch after landing at the airport and needing to head straight to the riverboat! read more

Gateway Arch Riverboats - View of the arch from the boat - Tours Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

Had a wonderful experience with Latoya in the Riverboat gift shop to get my tickets. She was beyond nice and helpful. The riverboat was interesting. Took the 1 hour tour. Parking was a flat $10 on the levee. read more

I wanted to do a riverboat tour when in town as I had fond memories of doing it when I was a kid. Boarding process was quick, they take your photo ( you can skip it) and they bring it to you on the boat hoping you buy it. We initially sat on the upper deck but it started raining with thunder and lightening so we went down to a covered deck. Should have went indoors as it had the air conditioning! As you go down the river there is a staff from the Missouri history society talking about what you are seeing and changes in history. The sites themselves were actually pretty depressing. As someone who grew up here and came down to visit the floating McDonald's, eat or shop in Laclede's landing it was very bleak. Lots of unhoused person encampments, a rotting casino dock. You cruise up the river for 30 minutes and come back down for a total of an hour. They had food and drinks at the dock, as well as restrooms. It wasn't a terrible experience just sad if you remember this area in it's former glory. read more

The experience itself was a blast! I can not take away from that. I enjoyed the adventure and what it was suppose to be. Maybe I had higher expectations because of how it is viewed on the page and how it's described. It gives a better image than I received in my experience. The service was well understood for the hot conditions they were working in. The whole staff did exceptional with how warm the cruise was throughout the entire experience. Unfortunately, this was a reschedule of a reschedule and we were not warned or notified the AC was out. A lot of the guest were hot, seemed sick, complained all about the quality of food. The inconsistency of the food given to guest and much more. We tried to muster through the best we could but once the meal came it was unbearable to sit and enjoy our meal. I might have taken a bite of each item to experience it but quickly joined more than half of the guest outside to have some type of fresh air. We wish we were given the opportunity to choose to attend or reschedule due to the AC being out. Thank goodness for the name cards and being able to use them as fans. Again, great job to the staff and band for working in such rough conditions. read more

Gateway Arch Riverboats - Seafood dish & steak dish. - Tours Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

On our trip to St. Louis we decided to ride this riverboat along the river and it was such a fun experience! The riverboat was really big and had lots of seats for people to sit and relax in... but it really didn't help that it was a pretty humid day, but we were prepared beforehand. As we cruised down the Mississippi River, we got to see so many cool things such as historic sites and landmarks. There were big bridges that we went under, and we even saw some big cargo ships that were carrying all kinds of goods. We also saw some wildlife, like birds and fish jumping out of the water. The best part of the cruise was when we got to see the Gateway Arch from the river. It looked even bigger and more impressive from down below! The captain of the boat also told us lots of interesting facts about the history of St. Louis and the river. Overall, I would definitely recommend the Gateway Arch Riverboat cruise if you're ever in St. Louis. It's a great way to see the city and the river from a different perspective, and it's a fun and relaxing way to spend an afternoon. read more

Gateway Arch Riverboats - View right before we went under the bridge. - Tours Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

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We did the dinner cruise. Definitely not our jam, but other people were having fun. Very B- food and music. Dinner was super salty. The live music was incredibly loud and hard to escape, as it was amplified everywhere. The boat is old and not in very good shape. Service was hit or miss. read more

The Riverboats at the Gateway Arch: we did the Tom Sawyer riverboat cruise. Actually took it as part of the Arch ticket. The margarita by the bartender was really good. Some history is narrated throughout about the bridges etc seen while sailing on the Mississippi River, but the cruise is just too slow; and the speaker had this crackling sound while announcing, didn't feel like listening to it. Super hot as well. Overall didn't feel worth the money. We went at 4.30 pm. Don't know if they have a better experience at other times. read more

The staff and trip were great. It was a calm ride and we learned a lot of cool new information.

Ehh... This really isn't a "must do." The Mississippi River water is pretty disgusting and the sights around aren't that spectacular. The approximately one hour narrated tour (by a park ranger and also the captain) seemed to be a little strapped for fun facts around the area. read more

Went for a noon riverboat cruise with family from out of state. Pros: -tour guide was very knowledgeable -checking in/boarding was easy -top deck is pretty nice for the ride if the weather is cool enough (it was for us!) Cons: -food at the dock was pretty pricy and not very good taste wise -cruise was shorter than expected and we spent less than 40 min doing the actual cruise although it is advertised as 1 hour -seating is limited on the different decks so if you have a larger group like we did (of 8) you may not be able to sit together Overall a good activity to try something different! read more

Gateway Arch Riverboats - Tours Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

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Definitely an experience. Great sights to see once onboard. Would I do it again? No. But it is a cool thing to do once. Wish the experience was a bit more upscale but it was cool for what it was. Food could have been improved on flavor and temperature. But on a riverboat, it was serviceable. Again, cool experience and pretty organized but could def use some renovations and improvements on the customer experience. Temper your expectations. read more

Gateway Arch Riverboats - Tours Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

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Whether you're visiting St. Louis or you're looking for some fun, family-oriented activities for a staycation, Gateway Arch Riverboats are the perfect way to experience the Mississippi River. After five years of calling St. Louis home, I had never taken a ride on the Riverboats, and much like when I lived in Jersey City, the best way to see a skyline of a city is to be across the river (i.e. go to Hoboken or Jersey City to take in the most amazing views of Manhattan... but I digress.) After boarding the boat with our crew, we headed north on the river and got to learn about the electric plant that was built to power the 1904 World's Fair, and still continues to function today! There were great views of the graffiti walls along the river, and it was interested to watch a barge being loaded. These are things you really can only see with an uninhibited view from the Gateway Arch Riverboats. The boat we were on was three massive levels, offering both indoor and outdoor seating. While we started on top of the boat, the heat and clear sky prompted us to find a bit shadier spot, which was a bit of a challenge with a group of 21 people and the light was constantly moving. We made due by purchasing plenty of ice cold adult beverages from the bar on the second floor. When in St. Louis, EVERYTHING is a drinking tour. I was actually very impressed by selection. Would have thought they'd only stock Anheuser-Busch products, but they also offered 4Hands and Urban Chestnut. Gateway Arch Riverboats is such a great view of the city and for budding photographers and wannabe-influencers (much like myself) it offers a sweeping view to capture the perfect shot. Also keep an eye out for special events like Rock the Dock. These offer a great way to hangout in a socially distanced way and still enjoy drinks and live music. read more

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Over priced. Food was not what it was advertised. Medium steaks were well done. Hot as an oven as there was no air conditioning. Not one wait staff member acknowledged us, said good evening or asked how our meal was. P/A system was unintelligible. Not sure what the announcement was As we cruised down the river, no one narrated what the different buildings were. Probably for the best as the P/A system was static filled and you couldn't understand a thing that was said. Save your money and go to a nice restaurant instead. read more

The idea of riding a historic riverboat down the mighty Mississippi River sounds idyllic, but sadly the actual experience fell short for me. I cruised with a private group as part of a conference. One boat stayed docked for the night, the other went along the river for about an hour. We got in lines depending on which boat experience we wanted. The boats are spacious with lots of different vantage points. I got a drink and settled down in a chair on the rooftop deck. The ride itself was so enjoyable - wind in my hair, sunny and breezy night, views of the Arch. The banks of the Mississippi are very industrial and not super pretty to look at, but it was a fun trip anyway. Where things fell flat for me was customer service and the dinner portion. The waiter told us to find a seat and dismissed our tables one at a time but barked orders at us re: where to go and lineup. It felt kind of odd. The food was okay and they ran out of things as we went through the buffet line, which caused a backup. The gruff and annoyed staff left a bad taste in my mouth but I savored the moments cruising in silence along the Mississippi. read more

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My wife and I were on a long weekend in St. Louis and we got the river boat cruise with The Arch tour. We were scheduled for a 1:30 tour, but we had some time before and the guy at The Arch got us on the twelve PM tour. I ordered some toasted raviolis at the Arch Cafe and they were really good and we meandered down to the river. We had about twenty minutes before the cruise and they put you on about 20 minutes before it is set to go. I wanted a beer, but they only had one bartender. I went down three times and the line just kept getting longer and longer. That was one star off. Our captain was pretty funny and it was a nice day. You do about 25 minures upriver and then about 30 down river past the dock. The whole thing was about 70 minutes. It was very cool and we sat on top. I would recommend it. You can get lots of beers by the nearby stadium. Good time. read more