belle cincinnati riverboat

3 of the Best Cincinnati Riverboat & Dinner Cruises

Take to the Ohio River and see Cincinnati in a different light on one of these excellent riverboat tours and dinner cruises.

(Photo: Getyourguide.com)

The great city of Cincinnati sits on the north bank of the Ohio River, which splits it from the state of Kentucky. The best way to appreciate the cityscape on either side of the river is by floating along it. Taking a traditional riverboat along the Ohio, complete with a paddle wheel and open decks, is a fun and traditional way to go. Throw a dinner into the mix while watching the setting sun for an enhanced cruise experience. Here are three top options.

Cincinnati Historic Sightseeing Cruise

The Queen City, as Cincinnati is known (as well as ‘The Athens of the West’), was first settled in 1788 and the city’s skyline is best viewed from the Ohio River. On this 90-minute riverboat cruise, your captain will provide commentary about the buildings you pass and their relevance to the city’s past and present. You will also learn much about the parts of northern Kentucky visible during the trip. This tour is usually available at 3pm on Tue-Thu and Sat-Sun. From $26 per person.

Book at Getyourguide.com

Sunset Cruise on the Ohio River

The stunning River Queen is part of the BB Riverboats fleet of old-timey paddleboats. This charming white and red boat plies the Ohio River for two hours at sunset, as the lands of Kentucky and the Ohio city of Cincinnati are daubed in the warm glow of the fading light. There is also live music on board, setting a jolly tone as you explore this lovely stretch of water. There’s a cash bar on board for drinks and snacks. From $29 per person.

Cincinnati: Dinner Cruise on the Ohio River

Aboard the Belle of Cincinnati, you will find ample space on the decks and inside the cabins to sit and enjoy the river views. But the highlight of this two-hour tour is the dinner and dessert included in your cruise price. There are a number of different cruise options to choose from, including the captain’s and admiral’s dinner cruises, with the latter offering more dining options, including carved turkey, ribs and vegetarian pasta dishes. Alcoholic drinks can be purchased from the onboard bar for an additional fee. From $57 per person.

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Belle of Cincinnati Summer River Cruises

July 25, 2021 @ 12:00 pm - 9:30 pm.

Come join BB Riverboats’ Belle of Cincinnati on its summer tour of river cities. We will be stopping in Huntington WV, Portsmouth OH, Gallipolis OH, Ashland KY, and Maysville KY offering lunch, brunch, dinner, and sightseeing cruises! Come ride the boat and enjoy one of Cincinnati’s top attractions during this annual tradition! The following are times and prices for the Huntington, WV cruises on Sunday July 25, 2021.

Lunch Cruise Boarding 11am Sails 12 pm – 2 pm

Adults General Admission   $42.44 Children Ages 4-12   $26.41

Sightseeing Cruise Boarding 3pm Sailing 3:30 pm – 5 pm

Adults General Admission   $25.47 Children Ages 4-12   $19.81

Dinner Cruise Boarding 6:30 pm Sailing 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm

Adults General Admission    $56.60 Children Ages 4-12   $39.62

Make a reservation online at bbriverboats.com or over the phone 1-800-261-8586 For Portsmouth, Gallipolis, Ashland, and Maysville times, locations, and bookings please visit https://bbriverboats.com/cruises/summer-tour

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Belle of Cincinnati

“This is going to be something to see in person and will bring back many memories of the years surrounding the Tall Stacks event held here in Cincinnati,” says Captain Alan Bernstein, owner of BB Riverboats. 

Captain Bernstein added that he has a history with the American Duchess, “Their ownership had me arrested by their security officers two years ago in Louisville and missed my cruise.”

The race will start at the Purple People Bridge and head up river just below St. Rose’s Church and conclude back at the Serpentine Wall. 

“People along the riverbank on both sides will have great views of both vessels,” comments Capt Bernstein.

With the history of the American Duchess’ crew, Capt Bernstein stated, “there will be rules in place for this event.”

Tickets can be purchased for the Belle of Cincinnati by calling BB Riverboats at 1-800-261-8586.  The tickets on the American Duchess are sold out. 

BB Riverboats operates two sternwheelers – the 1,000-passenger M/V Belle of Cincinnati and the 500-passenger M/V River Queen – from its riverfront wharf at 101 Riverboat Row in Newport.

BB Riverboats began operation in Covington in 1980 with cruises on the M/V Betty Blake, a 400-passenger sternwheeler operating from the Mike Fink Restaurant. BB Riverboats moved its operations to Newport in 2005.

In addition to riverboat cruises, Current Catering, formerly known as Benson’s Catering, started in 1981 out of Covington. With the third generation of the Bernstein family firmly implanted in the day-to-day operations, the company is primed for a vault into the future. 

For more information, visit BB Riverboats where you can purchase tickets to be on the Belle of Cincinnati for the big race.

American Queen Steamboat Company (AQSC), a leader in U.S. river cruising based in New Albany, Ind., was founded in 2011. The company’s fleet of U.S. flagged riverboats sail America’s heartland and the Pacific Northwest on itineraries from six to 23 days.

AQSC’s flagship vessel, American Queen, launched in 2012 and offers authentic and timeless experiences inspired by the palatial Mississippi steamboats of the Mark Twain era. In April 2014, AQSC christened American Empress to sail the Pacific Northwest with the same opulence and grandeur, followed by the American Duchess, a unique boutique paddle wheeler in the U.S., which set sail in August 2017. The new American Countess, currently under construction in Louisiana, will debut in April 2020, joining the American Queen and American Duchess on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. 

For more information on American Queen Steamboat Company or to book a cruise on the American Queen, American Duchess, American Empress and upcoming American Countess, please visit the website .  

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Set sail on a tiki-themed party boat this summer in cincinnati.

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Looking for fun summer plans?

You can set sail on a tiki-themed party boat with friends and family this summer along the Ohio River.

Cincinnati Tiki Boat is setting sail along the Ohio River starting Memorial Day weekend.

The two-hour boat tour sails along the Ohio River and can fit up to 16 people.

Riders can bring their own food and drinks. Music is provided through a Bluetooth speaker aboard the boat.

The bar features a wraparound bar counter with spaces to put drinks and snacks.

The tour starts and ends at Rivertowne Marina and stops halfway for bathroom breaks.

The tours run seven days a week, starting Memorial Day weekend through mid-October, pending weather.

The company also has a Cycleboat, a pedal wagon that floats along the Ohio River. The boat has a motor, so riders won't have to do much of the work. The boat also sets sail on two-hour tours starting Memorial Day weekend.

Riders can book a tour cincinnatitikiboat.com

Tugboat frees freighter after it runs aground in Detroit River near Belle Isle

A freighter longer than two football fields and loaded with about 20,000 metric tons of rock salt was freed Wednesday afternoon, several hours after running aground in the Detroit River near the east end of Belle Isle, not far from the Dossin Great Lakes Museum.

"Working with the U.S. Coast Guard and with the assistance of a tug, the vessel was able to back away from the bank and get underway," the ship's owner said at about 12:45 p.m., in a statement it emailed to the Free Press. "The crew will continue to assess the vessel and work to determine the cause of the incident." 

Interlake Steamship Co., the family-owned and operated company based in Middleburg Heights, Ohio, said that the freighter was passing Belle Isle at about 7:30 a.m. from Cleveland, bound for Milwaukee, when there was a sudden loss of power and maneuverability.

What suddenly crippled the Mark W. Barker , the company said it did not know, but was eager to find out because the power outage — and subsequent grounding — of such a relatively new and large vessel was especially unusual and a cause for alarm.

The ship was christened just last year and is the first large bulk carrier built on the Great Lakes since 1981.

Fortunately, Coast Guard Lt. Cameo Ulbricht told the Free Press, the freighter was not blocking shipping channels, no injuries were reported and there were no signs of pollution. In the grand scheme of things, she said, it was "the best-case scenario" of what could have been a serious problem.

When the ship lost power, Interlake said, it unexpectedly turned to port.

The captain, acting quickly, dropped the anchor before it grounded on the channel's soft bank, a move the company said that likely prevent the ship from getting even more stuck, or worse, damage that could have caused its cargo or 105,000 gallons of diesel fuel to spill out.

A livestream initially appeared to show the merchant ship, the Mark W. Barker, motionless with the bow near a grassy area with a dock, and by 9 a.m., folks on and near Belle Isle spotted the 639-foot-long vessel, which was carrying a crew of 21, and began to speculate about what happened.

The U.S. Coast Guard said that just after 11 a.m., help was on the way.

A commercial tugboat, the Pennsylvania, was headed toward the freighter, and eventually freed it.

Big ship groundings often make big news.

In March, a cargo vessel ran aground in the Suez Canal in Egypt. That ship got stuck in a two-lane area, the Associated Press reported . Traffic through the global waterway was not impacted, but it took tugboats at least five hours to refloat the Istanbul, which was twice the length of the Mark W. Barker.

Interlake confirmed what the Coast Guard also had said: No one was injured in the grounding. There did not appear to be any damage to the vessel. And the incident did not release any pollution or cause contamination on the Detroit River.

The privately-held company describes itself as the "largest privately held U.S.-flag fleet on the Lakes" that "has been carrying the bulk cargoes that have been fueling the region's economy since its founding more than 100 years ago."

Interlake also boasts being the "most efficient and environmentally responsible in the shipping industry" with of a fleet of 10 vessels. Of all its ships, the Mark W. Barker is its shortest, a spokeswoman said. The biggest one in its fleet is more than 1,000 feet long.

Interlake said it names all of its vessels after executives and their wives.

This one, the company said, happened to be named after the company's president. Mark Barker is a second-generation company leader, who, according to his online biography, previously held various positions including fleet engineer to vice president and treasurer.

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The ship was constructed at Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, and designed to carry all types of cargo throughout the Great Lakes and rivers and "ensure that it will have a low environmental impact." It was christened in Cleveland following a bit media fanfare .

Interlake described its grounded ship as having a square-shaped, flat-bottomed cargo hold instead of a traditional V-shaped angled bottom. A combination of larger hatch openings and additional cargo hold space, the company said, was designed with cargo, like salt, in mind.

The freighter also is powered by engines that generate 8,000 horsepower, turning a four-blade, propeller, and, in a twist, Interlake had touted that the ship's "forward-looking design" offered "high-efficiency propulsion and maneuverability."

The MV Mark W. Barker

Contact Frank Witsil: 313-222-5022 or  [email protected] .

Contributing: Junfu Han, Detroit Free Press

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CALL FOR RESERVATIONS

As we move into our new Newport Landing dock facility & event center, our online reservation system will be temporality unavailable. Please call 1(800) 261-8586 to book your reservation today. We apologize for any inconvenience and look forward to serving you in 2019!

Historic Cincinnati Sightseeing Cruise

About this Cruise

Sit back, relax, and enjoy the view on this 1 1/2 hour sightseeing tour on the Ohio River. Listen as the captain guides your adventure with historic, fascinating commentary of our beautiful river city. Did you know that 1 out of every 4 steamboats that were built in the United States, were built right here in Cincinnati? Find out more interesting facts on this popular afternoon cruise. Cash bar and snacks will be available for purchase.

Cruise Schedule

Wednesday December 31, 1969

Adults General Admission

$25.00 May Only! (Reg. $25.00)

Children Ages 4-12

$19.00 May Only! (Reg. $19.00)

$5.00 Childrens Tickets (Tuesdays & Wednesdays)

Every Tuesday and Wednesday is family day at BB Riverboats, providing family fun and savings off the price on children's admission.

25% OFF Souvenir Photos

Pre-order a souvenir boarding photo when making your online reservation and save on your purchase.

Customize Your Cruise

Make your cruise unique by adding table decorations, appetizers, and desserts, guaranteed window seating, souvenirs and other enhancements!

COVID-19 Info

Social Distancing Policy

BB Riverboats will operate at a much-reduced capacity as we start cruising. We will offer reserved seating on our meal cruises at an interior table. This exercise, coupled with the removal of some seating, will allow us to ensure every guest with a meal ticket has a table to sit at that properly allows them to socially distance. For guests that have purchased a sightseeing ticket or guests that choose to transit the outside decks after their meal, sanitized deck chairs will be available in stacks at locations around the outside decks. If you would like to sit outside (which we believe is the best seat in the house!) we ask you to take your own seating and place it in an area you feel comfortable with. We please ask you to keep every other guest in mind when you choose that location and adhere to a 6-foot distance between you and other guests.

Cancellation Policy

If notification is made 48 hours prior to your scheduled cruise, a reservation can be transferred to a new date and cruise. Any difference in cruise value will be returned in the form of a gift certificate. We do not offer any monetary refunds.

Food Shortages

BB Riverboats will make every attempt to deliver your stated menu. Due to the expected nationwide food shortage, some items may be difficult to obtain. If an item is not available to us, our Executive Chef will prepare a substitute item. This will be a day by day process and we may not always be able to disclose our menu until shortly prior to your cruise. If you have any food allergies, please tell us about them when you book to ensure we are able to accommodate you.

More Cruises Like This

Signature cruises.

Experience Cincinnati and the Ohio River like never before and unwind on a day or evening cruise aboard one of the magnificent BB Riverboats. We aren’t your typical cruise company. Choose from a wide variety of our signature cruises, Read More all of which include a fully stocked bar and delicious food from our buffet. Plan a date night with your loved one on our Stonebrook Winery Sunset Cruise, relax the day away with friends on our Captains’ Lunch Cruise, or bring the kids and have some family fun and bonding on our Sunday Family Dinner Cruise. Our Signature, or Specialty Cruises are offered daily throughout the season. Read Less

Specialty Cruises

Are you looking for a unique and memorable way to spend an afternoon or evening in Cincinnati? BB Riverboats cruises have plenty of options for you, whether you're looking for family fun during the day, or a way to spend an evening with friends that you'll never forget. Read More Join the excitement and take an adventure on one of our themed dinner cruises. These riverboat cruises are designed for all tastes and interests. Bring your kids to a Princess, Pirate, or Super Hero Cruise; take your husband or wife to sightsee along the Ohio River; or grab your friends and listen to live music. For a fun guy’s night out, we offer a Bernstein’s Batch Bourbon Dinner Cruise; and for the ladies, a Girl’s Night Out with Pure Romance Cruise. Tasty cocktails at our full bar and exciting entertainment compliment all cruises. Read Less

Holiday Cruises

Are you looking for a fun way to spend the summer holidays with family and loved ones? Forget the movie theatre or dinner at a boring restaurant and come aboard one of our lavish Riverboats to sail on the mighty Ohio. Read More Spend Father's Day, July 4th or Labor Day on a boat cruise that is sure to be one of the highlights of your summer! Our dinner cruises travel along the Ohio River and give you the greatest of Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky sightseeing. Whether it is dining at our extensive buffet, sipping cocktails at our full bar, or busting out your best moves on our dance floor, you are sure to make memories your family and friends will cherish forever. Read Less

BB is Back! Here's How We’re Cruising Safely

There is nothing more important than the well-being of our customers and crew. Learn more about the steps we’re taking to make sure your BB experience is safe and enjoyable.

Feds' final OK will push Brent Spence Bridge plan forward

The Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project won a critical federal OK this week, clearing the way for groundbreaking “in the coming months.” 

State and federal transportation officials on Friday said the Federal Highway Administration approved Ohio and Kentucky’s environmental assessment for the bridge work. That will allow the $3.6 billion project to move toward final design and then construction. 

Federal officials said the Biden administration’s $1.2 trillion infrastructure law is making the Brent Spence Bridge project possible.  

“This is a big step in supporting the president’s commitment to rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure,” Federal Highway Administrator Shailen Bhatt said in a news release. 

Groundbreaking dates, construction: What's next for for Brent Spence Bridge project

With the federal sign-off, Ohio and Kentucky can take “an important step forward in bringing efficiency to our nation’s supply chain,” Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said in a news release. “The project will address one of the worst truck bottlenecks in the nation by improving safety and travel on an interstate connection that carries more than $400 billion worth of freight every year,” DeWine said. 

The Brent Spence Bridge project, planned for two decades, advanced in February 2022 when the states agreed to move forward without adding tolls to the current bridge or the new one that will be built to its immediate west. It gained more momentum when Biden visited Covington in January 2023 to tout the federal government’s $1.6 billion contribution to the project. 

Over that time, the states have conducted 16 neighborhood meetings, two open houses and five public hearings to solicit public input.

“Stakeholder participation has been invaluable to the project team,” Jim Gray, secretary of the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, said in a news release.  

Brent Spence Bridge project: What the new Ohio River bridge may look like, and why its price is rising

Even with construction soon to begin, the states will continue to engage with the community and listen to feedback, added Jack Marchbanks, director of the Ohio Department of Transportation. 

The Brent Spence Bridge Corridor project will improve eight miles of Interstate 71/75, and reconfigure lanes on the existing bridge to serve local traffic while constructing the new bridge with two decks to handle interstate travel. 

California mother drowns while trying to rescue daughter from San Joaquin River: Officials

Brenda duran was watching her children play in the san joaquin river when her daughter "began having difficulties keeping her head above the water"..

A mother in California died while trying to rescue her young daughter from the San Joaquin River.

Brenda Duran, 30, was at the San Joaquin River last Thursday watching her children play in the water when her daughter, 11, "began having difficulties keeping her head above the water," the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release Friday. Duran jumped in the river to help her daughter but struggled to stay afloat herself. In response, her 14-year-old son also jumped in the river to help his mother and sister. While he was able to save his sister and the two siblings made it safely out of the water, their mother got caught in the river and went missing.

Multiple law enforcement and rescue teams responded to the 911 call for a water rescue of several people around 6:30 p.m. and launched a search for Duran's body. However, the search had to be paused around 11 p.m. "due to visibility and safety concerns," said the sheriff's office, adding that "patrol units remained at the scene throughout the night."

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Body found 2 days later

The search for Duran's body continued the next day, but her body was not found until 5:30 p.m. the following evening. The Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office said Saturday that the mother's body was found in the river, "outside of Newman by volunteers helping with the search."

An autopsy will be conducted during the week to determine the cause of the death, the sheriff's office said Saturday.

The children, meanwhile, had received immediate medical attention by medics present on the scene.

"We extend our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Brenda Duran during this time," Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office said.

'Always smiling'

A GoFundMe page set up by a Duran family friend to cover Brenda's funeral expenses and assist with other basic needs for the family, described Brenda as "a young mother full of love and laughter."

Her husband said that she was a "very thriving person, always smiling, never giving up and very compassionate.”

San Joaquin River closed for public

On Monday, the Merced County Sheriff's office announced the closing of the Merced River and San Joaquin River for recreational use. Sheriff Vern Warnke said that melting snow in the Sierra Nevada Mountains has resulted in an increase in water levels "making conditions very dangerous."

"We understand the weather is warming up, however, please do not attempt to cool off in any river, creek, or canal," the sheriff's office said. "The water is cold and moving swiftly. Please do not risk your life or ours!"

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X @saman_shafiq7.