Review Highlights
“I enjoyed the scenery of the extraordinary Ohio River and the welcoming and fun environment of other families.” in 16 reviews
“If you're visiting Louisville, I highly recommend a cruise of the Belle of Louisville be on your agenda.” in 36 reviews
“We had beautiful weather and were able to spend a lot of time on the top deck and watch the shore line.” in 6 reviews
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Linda H.
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Ask the Community
Q:
I have reservations for 5 on the 23rd boarding at 7. Will we be getting on board for a round trip from louisville to madison and back? (or) boarding at madison to louisville and then have to figure a way home?
A:
You will board at the river just past the Galt house & The Belle will cruise up river and then back down and arrive three hours later at the same place you boarded. There is a public garage right across the street from the river so you can park… more
Kathy F.6 years ago 3 people found this helpful
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- Nat A.Riverview, FL0138294Nov 19, 2023
First time cruising. A narrated tour.
Katie was extremely knowledgeable about all things river, Louisville and Jeffersonville. Shared a lot of info and answered all of my questions. She was easy to understand and personable.
Tom volunteered on our sailing. He was also friendly and helpful.
Bought a lunch in advance and a few concessions on board. I'd encourage them to offer non-chocolate items for guests who don't/can't eat chocolate.
It was a brisk day for our cruise. Perfect sailing weather.
Not sure I need to experience another sailing, but it's something different for locals and visitors to try.Helpful 1Thanks 0Love this 1Oh no 0 - Brianna P.New York, NY2192119Oct 7, 2023
I booked an Edgar Allan Poe cruise not really knowing what to expect. Turns out, it was acting vs poetry reading and it was pretty neat! If you like spooky season things, you'd like this.
They have a lot of selections for alcohol if that's your thing. The wine wasn't good but who cares! I am on a boat cruise, not a wine tasting.
But really the highlight of our cruise was the accidental tour of some of the workings of the ship. During intermission of the Poe stuff, we went exploring and we got to talk to a lot of folks who work on the ship and it was SO INTERESTING! The staff was very kind and answered all our questions and showed us how the boat works. It's not necessarily an advertised thing, but the folks on the ship were great and this was such a cool, accidental experience. If you're on a more crowded boat, they might not be able to show you around, but if it's not too crowded, go down to the lower level of the ship and look around. Such a cool piece of history and engineering.Helpful 0Thanks 0Love this 0Oh no 0 - Mar 14, 2024
Belle of Louisville is a must-see for locals and visitors to Louisville. We have taken several trips and tours through the years and plan to return this season to enjoy it again. Easily accessible with several parking lots nearby. Tour choices are available on their business website and include simple cruises, lunch and dinner options, educational excursions, live music and dancing. Great for family fun or as a memorable date. They also offer special events that periodically access a downriver trip through the MacAlpine Locks and there is also the exciting annual Great Steamboat Race in late April leading up to the Kentucky Derby.
Helpful 0Thanks 0Love this 0Oh no 0 - 104115841867Nov 6, 2022
There's something about life changes that will make you revisit your personal history. As I've been reflecting upon childhood in recent months, I decided to revisit one of the happier icons of my childhood - Louisville's Belle of Louisville.
The Belle of Louisville was built in 1914 and is the only remaining authentic steamboat from the American packet boat era. It's the most widely traveled steamboat in American history and a National Historic Landmark. It's easily one of the true icons of the Louisville waterfront area and it's difficult to imagine anyone spending any time at all on the Louisville waterfront without eventually immersing themselves in the history of the Belle of Louisville.
It's worth noting that the Belle of Louisville is now an actual organization and includes a sister boat, the Mary M. Miller - named after the first woman steamboat captain in the U.S. who also happened to be from Louisville.
My father is from Kentucky and my mother and I used to do a lot of religious conferences in Louisville. Belle of Louisville was one of my happy places. I've tackled the boat on both crutches and in a wheelchair and both are doable as a passenger (there are definitely areas that are not accessible - The Mary M. Miller is likely better in terms of access as it's a more modernized boat).
The Belle of Louisville offers a variety of types of cruises - sightseeing, a four-course dinner, live music excursion, sunset cruises, school programs, dining cruises, kids cruises, and even private events.
The Belle of Louisville was launched in 1914 under the name The Idlewild. In 1931, it began spending time in Louisville by offering excursions to Rose Island and Fontaine Ferry amusement parks. By 1934, it was staying it Louisville and did so through World War II. In the 1940's, it offered moonlight, big band cruises and was a USO night spot in support of the war efforts. In 1948, Idlewild's master made a death-bed wish to rename the boat Avalon and this was granted. In 1949, the boat was bought by Cincinnati investors and relocated. In 1962, it was retired and bought in auction for $34,000 and returned to Louisville. This was when it was named Belle of Louisville. After significant rehab, it was brought back to life in 1963 by participating in the Great American Steamboat Race against the Delta Queen.
The Belle of Louisville has an elevator lift to help with wheelchairs and provide access to the Ballroom Deck, however the Texas and Hurricane decks are not accessible. I've never had difficulty accessing the Belle of Louisville either on crutches or now as a wheelchair user. I've consistently found employees to be helpful, enthusiastic, and kind.
The Belle of Louisville offers both a food and bar menu. Prices are surprisingly affordable considering this is a tourist attraction. The full menu is on the Belle of Louisville website.
The Belle of Louisville cruises rain or shine. If the National Weather Service predicts sustained winds 25 mph or more or gusts of over 30 mph, then cruises will be cancelled. Similarly if the U.S. Coast Guard issues a storm or lightning alert, then a cruise is cancelled. However, the Belle of Louisville has both open and covered areas and cruises in rain are actually quite lovely (and yes, I've done them).
The Belle of Louisville offers discounts for active military and veterans (with ID).
Strollers are allowed onboard, however, they must be carried between decks if one goes to multiple decks. It's important to note that the elevator is used only for wheelchair users.
If you're expecting the Belle of Louisville to offer up something like a Disney cruise, you'll be disappointed. The Belle of Louisville is a historic landmark that is over 100 years and the experience is more about history than it is about luxury. I love this experience and revisiting it recently allowed me to reminisce about childhood and to also enjoy some of the updates made since my last cruise. I'll likely always be a fan of the Belle of Louisville and my recent visit made me realize how much I absolutely love this low-key, chill, and truly enjoyable experience.Helpful 19Thanks 0Love this 15Oh no 0 - D.J. B.Tacoma, WA155498Jun 18, 2023
Spend some time with your family, loved one or alone on this steam run, antique paddle boat ride. The 2 voyage takes you down the Ohio River and back up before returning to downtown Louisville. There are light concessions and drinks on board (for a price) as well as a souvenir stand.
On the 1st floor of the boat is the steam room/museum. You get to see the history and inner workings of the boat.
On the 2nd floor is the grand ballroom. This is where they have the buffet dinner and entertainment. We did not do the buffet but from others i heard from on the boat - skip it and eat elsewhere before the boat ride.
The 3rd floor is the observation deck. You can sit either under cover or in the air. Either way, the view is spectacular!!!
If you are in Louisville and want to ride the Belle, take the opportunity to do so. You will not be disappointed!!!Helpful 1Thanks 1Love this 0Oh no 0 - Shavie J.Gaithersburg, MD356153May 28, 2023
Leisure Cruise
Relaxing experience cruising down the Ohio River, enjoying views of KY and IN.Helpful 0Thanks 0Love this 0Oh no 0 - Kate C.Boston, MA716152210Jul 15, 2023
I wasn't sure what to expect but this steamboat cruise was a great way to see Kentucky from the river. The cruise takes about two hours and you get to see Kentucky and Indiana. There are snacks and drinks onboard, as well as a small museum section.
Unfortunately, you can only access the second floor with AC if you buy a ticket for dinner. It was 97 degrees at 7 pm in July, so we were definitely a little hot on the outside deck!Helpful 0Thanks 0Love this 0Oh no 0 - Tony S.Louisville, KY04015Aug 26, 2023
My wife and I went for a cruise one beautiful Summer night and we had an absolute blast. Captain Mark Doty is the bomb!
Helpful 0Thanks 0Love this 0Oh no 0 - Jul 8, 2022
We throroghly enjoyed a 2 hour boat ride down the Ohio river in an official, vintage steam paddle boat built in the 1870s and continuously restored for modern comfort. The interior was air-conditioned, had plenty of restrooms, and a dance floor "ballroom" deck where people danced to a DJ spinning 80's classics for 80's night. They had a concession area for snacks, burgers and drinks and a little gift shop. My husband also spent time in the boiler room taking a tour and talking to the mechanics on how they maintain the vessel. I even got a nice picture of the sunset right before we deboarded. Good time and I recommend this as a stop on your visit to Louisville.
Helpful 2Thanks 0Love this 2Oh no 0 - Lauren O.Louisville, KY25194395Aug 5, 2022Updated review
I will always love the Belle of Louisville! My husband and I go on it every year for our anniversary as a tradition. Sometimes we do the dinner cruise, which is decent food! Sometimes we do the booze cruise, fun music and drinks.
But no matter which cruise we take, we always have a good time! The staff is always friendly and kind. We usually purchase our photo, which is a pretty inexpensive souvenir.Helpful 1Thanks 0Love this 0Oh no 1Mar 5, 2018Previous reviewOverview: Great for people new and old to Louisville. You can go for site seeing or for dinner. The dinner is kind of pricey but the food is buffet and very good. Riding a boat down the river is a great way to relax and enjoy the sites.
We go here every year for our Anniversary. You have the option of just doing site seeing or doing a dinner cruise. The price is a little bit expensive if you do the dinner cruise, but not terrible for what all you get. The buffet is great, it's all you can eat and the food is delicious. You don't know what they are serving specifically until you get on the boat but the website has a list of the different things they might be serving. We have had the roast beef and the fried chicken. Both were juicy and flavorful. There is usually two entree options and tons of sides.
Once the dinner is over they clear the room and there is a DJ so you can dance. You can also go up top of the boat, which I recommend in the summer because the breeze is nice and cool on the river and with the sun it gets hot inside the boat even with the air conditioning.
There is concessions that you can get which is a great option for those who choose to just do site seeing and not dinner. They take a commemorative photo that you can buy for pretty cheap. The site seeing is really pretty especially as it gets darker and you can see the city start to light up.