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Welcome to The Grand Lady

Our first cruise of the season will be May 12, 2023.

Come aboard The Grand Lady for Live Music Cruises, Sightseeing Cruises, and Private Charters on the Grand River. The Riverboat is located just minutes from downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan, at Steamboat Park. Questions about RV camping may be directed to reservations@steamboatpark.info.

FAQ

Plan Ahead

Yes, there is a men's restroom and a women's restroom on the Lower Deck and they are accessible without using stairs.
No problem, The Grand Lady seating is encloseable, so she sails rain or shine.
It's very unlikely because The Grand Lady is large, stable, and sails in the calm waters of the Grand River. In most cases, you will hardly feel the boat moving.
No. The Grand Lady is a non-smoking and non-vaping vessel. The office barge, barge restroom, and ramp are also no smoking and no vaping areas.
The Riverboat is accessible for wheelchairs on the Lower Deck. This includes the restrooms and the bar. The Upper Deck is reached by stairs only.
Pets are not allowed. Working service animals are welcome when required for a disability.
No. Except for wheelchairs and infant/toddler carseats, we are not able to accommodate extra chairs, strollers, or wagons/carts on board.
Outside beverages/water may not be brought on board. You may certainly bring water/soft drinks to enjoy while in line, no alcohol please. Passengers may bring food/snacks. No large coolers. Small coolers must be stowed at your seat/table. Beverages and snacks are available for purchase on board at the Lower Deck bar, including soft drinks, draft beer, wine, chips, nuts, candy, etc. Some cruises may allow group/family style meals on the Lower Deck only. Please check the detail page for your specific cruise.
Yes. Visa, Mastercard, and Discover are accepted when purchasing online, and for purchases made in person at the Riverboat office and bar. We will accept cash for in person purchases as well.
River scenes and wildlife: Trees, streams, flowers, boulders, a few houses (big and small, old and new), No Wake signs, boaters and paddlers, people fishing, jet skis, fish, Bald Eagles, Herons, Cranes, Ospreys, Swallows, waterfowl, turtles, islands, rv campground, public parks, driftwood, docks and ramps, deer, eroded tree roots, log jams, trees that have fallen in the water, trash traps (unfortunately), bridges, electrical towers, dead trees with woodpecker holes, every shade of green, and lots of people smiling and waving from the shore

Reservations

Reservations will require you to pay for the seats at the time of reservation. However, you may purchase seats on a first come basis at the time of the cruise.
Public cruises will be posted on the website when seats become available for purchase. Charters and reservations for groups can be made in advance. Check Groups and Charters for details.
All seating is open seating on The Grand Lady. On public cruises (Sightseeing Cruises and Live Music Cruises), the seating is available on a first come basis, no holding tables. Some Live Music Cruises will have community tables/seating.
No, all sales are final. In the event of severe weather, the Captain may elect to cancel or reschedule a cruise. At that time, all passengers will be given the option of a refund or rescheduled cruise.
There are no physical tickets for online purchases. We will prepare a passenger list by name of the purchaser. Each passenger will be checked in at boarding time. Upon arrival at the dock, if you have already purchased, you may join the boarding line. Please do not block the counter/window or the ramp.
Our phones are staffed, sometimes remotely, from 11:00am to 7:00pm Monday through Saturday, and 11:00am to 5:00pm Sunday. The regular office season is May through October. If you are stopping in at the Riverboat office to purchase seats or ask questions, please call ahead. For off-season and after-hours assistance, send an email to rivercruise@grandlady.info, or leave a message at 616-457-4837.
Yes, go to the Gift Certificate eTicket event for more information and to purchase.

Day of the Cruise

Casual attire and sensible footwear are appropriate on all cruises aboard The Grand Lady. Some groups may be celebrating a special event and may dress up according to their event.
Please arrive just before or during boarding time, which is 15 or 30 minutes prior to the departure time. The times listed on the calendar include the boarding time. Please refer to the event page for the cruise you wish to join for departure time and additional details.
There is a free parking lot directly across from the Riverboat dock.
When you come for a cruise, you will board at Boynton's Landing, which was a stop for steamboats beginning in the 1830s up through the end of the steamboat era around 1910. Along the river you can still see evidence of logging towns and riverboat landings that dotted the landscape of West Michigan in the 1800s. The Grand Lady is constructed in the style of steamboats that served the communities along the Grand River during the 1800s. Although she is a modern vessel built in the 1990s by the Boynton Family, she has many of the characteristics which made the early steam-powered riverboats so successful on the Grand. With her shallow draft, she can operate along the full length of the lower Grand. One of the main features of early riverboats was the giant paddlewheel. The Grand Lady has two identical stern paddlewheels, which may be operated independently. This allows her to be easily maneuvered in the narrow channels and sandbars of the river. The paddlewheels also allow her to operate in very shallow water (as little as 2.5 feet), where a modern vessel would be grounded. If you have questions during the cruise, please ask any member of the crew, or visit the Captain at the pilothouse.
  • Overall Length: 105 feet
  • Width: 26 feet
  • Height: 20 feet
  • Average Draft: 22 inches
  • Displacement: 70 tons
  • Propulsion: Twin Sternwheels 12 ft. diameter w/100 horsepower per wheel
  • Maximum Capacity: 144 Passengers and crew

    • Groups and Charters

    School Cruises, Groups, and Private Charters

    Thank you for considering The Grand Lady Riverboat for your event. The Grand Lady is the perfect venue for a unique experience in a beautiful outdoor setting. Our Riverboat has a maximum capacity of 130 passengers, two decks protected from weather, with beverage service, and a sound system for live music. Please review the information and links below, and then email us at rivercruise@grandlady.info with your questions and as many event details as possible.

    School Cruises: Contact our partner, Ottawa County Parks/Nature Center, at naturecenter@miottawa.org or 616-786-4847 to arrange field trips and educational outings.

    Groups of less than 20: For small groups, we recommend that you purchase seats on public Sightseeing Cruise or Live Music Cruise. Go to the Calendar to view upcoming cruises, get details, and purchase seats.

    Groups of 20 or more on a public cruise: For a group reservation of 20 or more, we will open a new date on our public cruise calendar at a time that works for your group, or you may purchase seats on an already-scheduled cruise. Seating is on a first come basis and open to the public. The remaining seats not sold to your group will be available for sale on The Grand Lady website. The cruises are two hours in length and follow the same format and pricing as our Sightseeing Cruises.

    Group reservations to open a new date must be made at least four weeks prior to the cruise date. We will add a new public cruise to our calendar, and you will then purchase at least the first 20 seats to secure the date. You may purchase more seats for your group as needed. Please keep in mind that all sales are final. For group questions and to request a date, email us at rivercruise@grandlady.info.

    Private Charters: Family gatherings, corporate and team outings, and other special events (entire boat up to 130 passengers)
    Continue reading “Groups and Charters”