Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

• Can I bring a purse or bag on board with me?

  Small purses are allowed but cannot be bigger than 5"x7"x1". Diaper bags or bags that are required out of medical necessity are allowed. All bags/purses, regardless of size, are subject to search.

• Can I bring food onto the boat?

  We do not allow any outside food or beverages to be brought onto the boats. All of our cruises have a bar available with soft drinks and alcoholic beverages for purchase. We offer a number of cruises that have food included with the ticket price. We are also located in the middle of downtown with an array of restaurants that you can patronize before or after your cruise.

• I'm celebrating a birthday on your boat. Can I bring a cake?

  We do not allow any outside food or beverage to be brought onto the boats.

• Am I required to wear a mask?

  Masks are not required at the present time. However, Edelweiss Cruises and Boat Tours operates in the City of Milwaukee and follows all ordinances set forth by the City and its entities. Edelweiss also believes in community safety and respect, therefore we may update our policy at any time to reflect any changes in the City of Milwaukee's public health status.

• What measures has Edelweiss Cruises taken to ensure safety to staff and passengers in regards to the current pandemic?

  Updated 04/14/2022

  •     .      Limited cruise capacities to less than our full U.S. Coast Guard capacity, which will ensure that all passengers can keep safe distance between each other on the boats.

    2.       Any staff that is serving food or beverages will be behind plexiglass barriers and wearing gloves.

    3.      We are taking more time in between cruises to allow for more thorough cleaning procedures.  While our boats were always cleaned between each cruise, we feel that allowing more time will ensure that every precaution is taken and risk will be minimized. This has resulted in a limited number of cruise offerings along with different departure times than normal, so please pay attention to the new times and new cruise details listed on the website.

    4.      Hand sanitizing stations will be available on all boats for staff and customer use.

• What are the closest parking locations to your dock?

  RECOMMENDED PARKING:

  1024 N. Doctor Martin Luther King Jr. Drive -Vern’s Parking. –1 block South of Edelweiss Dock on the South side of Usinger’s

  130 E. State St. - Marcus Center Parking Ramp - This parking ramp is on the East side of the Milwaukee River. Take the Highland Ave. walking bridge to the West Side of the Milwaukee River, where you will find our boats.

  There is also street parking available on Highland Ave. and N. Doctor Martin Luther King Jr. Drive

• How early should I arrive for my cruise?

  Customers should plan to arrive 30 minutes prior to departure to allow time to park and to check in at the ticket booth at 205 W. Highland Ave. Boarding will begin approximately 10 minutes prior to departure time.

• Are your vessels wheelchair/handicap accessible?

  Our vessels can accommodate manual wheelchair boarding from our Highland Ave. dock. We recommend giving our reservations office a call so that we can give more specific information about departure time and accommodations for a wheelchair, walker, or handicap boarding. Weight restrictions and the width of our doorways prevent us from being able to accommodate motorized wheelchairs or scooters.

• Are there restrooms on the boat?

  Yes, all of our boats have restrooms on board.

• What ages are eligible for the Child's Price on the Historic Narrated Boat Tour?

  Passengers that are 12 years or younger are eligible for the Child Price.

• Do you offer group rates for your cruises?

  We feel that it's fair to keep our ticket prices affordable for parties of all sizes. Therefore, the prices of our cruises are the same for any size group.

• I'm planning a large party. What's the best way to organize my party and how do I purchase tickets?

  As the group organizer, you should be the first person to purchase your tickets for the cruise of your choice on the website. You will have the opportunity to create and name your group and then invite your guests through a link that will be emailed to you. You will also have the opportunity to publish your group name so that friends can easily join your group through the website for your specific date only or you can choose to keep it private where your group is only accessible with your group link that will be emailed to you.  An even simpler way is to have 1 person purchase all of the tickets in one order. Our cancellation policy is 72 hours prior to the cruise date, so the purchaser has until 3 days before the cruise to cancel and be refunded for any tickets that they don't need.

• Is there a way to reserve tickets in advance without paying for them?

  The only way to reserve tickets is to purchase them in advance. We do have a 72 hour cancellation policy for all of our reservations, which allows you to cancel and be refunded or reschedule your cruise as long as it is done 3 days prior to your cruise date.

• I'm celebrating a birthday and want my friends to join me on a cruise, but I don't want to pay for everyone's ticket. How can I organize my group?

  As the group organizer, you should be the first person to purchase your tickets for the cruise of your choice on the website. You will have the opportunity to create and name your group and then invite your guests through a link that will be emailed to you. You will also have the opportunity to publish your group name so that friends can easily join your group through the website for your specific date only or you can choose to keep it private where your group is only accessible with your group link that will be emailed to you.

• Can someone under 21 attend The Fiesta Cruise?

  We are happy to announce that The Fiesta Cruise is now an all ages cruise. You no longer need to leave any members of your party behind!

• Do you cancel your cruises if it's raining?

  If it is raining we do not cancel our cruises. Our vessels have large enclosed cabins that allow passengers to be inside and covered for the duration of the cruise.  In the case of severe weather (which is rare) and we are told by the Coast Guard that it is unsafe to leave the dock for a cruise, then we cancel our cruises and provide our customers with a full refund or rescheduled cruise if they prefer.

• How do I receive my tickets that I ordered online or over the phone? Will they be mailed to me?

  Tickets are not mailed out in advance. Customers should plan to arrive 20-30 minutes prior to departure to allow time to park and to check in at the ticket booth at 205 W. Highland Ave. to receive boarding passes. Boarding will begin approximately 10 minutes prior to departure time. All customers will receive an email confirmation for their records, but that is not required in order to check in.

• Can I smoke on the boat?

  Smoking is allowed on the back/rear deck of Edelweiss II and Harbor Lady only. Smoking is allowed on the front/bow of Miss Wisconsin only. There is no smoking in any interior cabins of the vessels. Please be mindful of other passengers, especially children, if you choose to smoke during the cruise.

  Milwaukee River Cruise Line does not allow any illegal substances to be smoked/consumed during any public or private cruises.

• What is your concealed carry policy?

  There are no weapons or firearms of any kind allowed on our vessels.