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 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)

For larger groups that require exclusive use of The Grand Lady, the entire riverboat may be reserved. A private charter cruise lets you customize your event. We are not able to accommodate events involving resale/markup of cruise tickets.

Prices are the same as a public Sightseeing Cruise, however, the minimum billing is for 80 adult passengers.

      • Adults 12+ $20
      • Children 3-11 $10
      • Children 0-2 free

Included with a Private Charter:

      • 2 hour cruise (approximately 10 miles round trip)
      • Decorating allowed (no adhesives or pins)
      • Custom table and chair arrangements
      • Bar service (cash bar or open bar)

Private Charter options arranged in advance:

      • Extra cruising time $600 per hour
      • Dockside time for set-up, decorating, or dockside events $300 per hour
      • Use of sound system for background music/announcements only $25
      • Use of sound equipment for live music (no DJs) $100 plus minimum dockside time of $300/one hour required
      • For children: Meet the Captain and steer the riverboat session $20

Food options:

      • Snacks and beverages for purchase at the bar
      • No outside water/beverages allowed on board
      • Caterer of your choice, or bring your own food (cleaning fee of $100 plus minimum dockside time of $300/one hour required)

Entertainment options:

      • You are welcome to organize entertainment for your guests on The Grand Lady including games and themed events. The Grand Lady welcomes the performance of live music. We no longer allow DJ music on the boat.

Reserve a date:

      • A non-refundable $500 deposit is required to secure a private charter date. The balance must be paid in full at least two weeks prior to the cruise date. If the number of passengers exceeds 80, we will collect an additional amount for each at the time of the cruise.

Email us at rivercruise@grandlady.info with any questions, and provide as many details about your event as possible.