Capture the Spirit of a Bygone Era
Experience the sights and sounds of an exciting cruise on the legendary Mississippi River. Close your eyes and hear the calm churning of the paddlewheel, the hiss of the vintage steam engines and the authentic steam calliope. You’ll feel that you’ve been transported into the 1800s, and into a gentler, slower way of life.
All cruises show off the beautiful scenery of the Upper Mississippi River, and multi-day tours also include stops at historical sites. Visit Capt. Eric in the pilothouse to see the river from Mark Twain’s viewpoint, or join our performers in rousing music and celebration. Visit the gift shop, play old-fashioned games, or just walk the decks and soak up some flavor of the past. A cruise on the
Julia Belle Swain is an experience to treasure.
The
Julia Belle Swain offers a satisfying variety of cruise opportunities from breakfast, dinner, and sightseeing cruises to overnight packages visiting historic river towns, so we’re almost certain to have a cruise that meets your needs. In addition to regular cruises, the steamboat is available for private charters, and is increasingly popular as a location for weddings, reunions, anniversaries, seminars, company functions, and more. Below is a more detailed listing of our current cruise packages. For more information, contact us via e-mail at info@juliabelle.com or call 1-800-815-1005
Special Information
The Julia Belle Swain is an authentic steamboat, and, although her crew is capable, willing and helpful, there are some limitations for passengers. The vessel is accessible to standard-sized wheelchairs. Stairs lead to the Main Dining Salon on the Second Deck, and up to the third Deck and to the Pilothouse. No elevators or ramps are available. We request that you advise us of any special needs, such as walkers, wheelchairs, baby strollers, etc. so that we can take these conditions into consideration while boarding and seating guests.
Cruise Types and Prices
- Private Charters - Price Varies
- Group Rate - Price Varies
- Sunset Cocktail Cruise - $22
- Casual Dinner Cruise - $45
- Casual Lunch Cruise - $45
- Red Carpet Dinner Cruise - $59
- Breakfast Cruise - $35
- Scenic Excursions - Price Varies
Overnight Cruises
The
Julia Belle Swain operates cruises to Winona & Wabasha,, Minnesota, Lansing & Dubuque Iowa, or Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. Day cruises include steamboat passage, meals, and live musical entertainment on board; we also maintain a block of hotel rooms in each port city and can arrange shore accommodations, transfers, and activities for those who wish to remain overnight or longer. Special "extended" cruises, such as Wabasha or Dubuque, must be booked early and usually offer limited space. Call for details and prices on all cruises.
Winona Minnesota
Excursions to Winona meander along the dramatic wooded bluffs of the Upper Mississippi, providing
outstanding photographic opportunities and the excitement of locking through two locks and dams. Lunch and snacks are accompanied by live music and historical narration.
After arrival in this charming city, overnight passengers can be offered sightseeing opportunities, dinner, and a relaxing evening at a comfortable hotel. Perhaps you’d enjoy a walk around pretty Lake Winona, or a sampling of Winona’s nightlife before you call it a day.
On some trips, there is additional sightseeing available the next morning. Throughout your stay, you will take pleasure in the unique historic ambiance of the community and its remarkably friendly people. Then it’s back to the boat, for more great food and entertainment on your colorful voyage back to La Crosse.
This is a sample itinerary and is subject to change.
Sample Fares:
Adult One Way: $99.00
Children (4-12) $49.00
* groups rates lower
Hotels, transfers, sightseeing, etc rates on request, utilizing Julia Belle Swain corporate or volume discounts when possible.
Prarie du Chien
Prairie du Chien is the second oldest city in Wisconsin and retains an atmosphere of nostalgia, with ample evidence of the adventurous fur traders and explorers who were the first visitors. The trip from La Crosse is leisurely and conducive to serious relaxation. Play some old-fashioned board games, or count the leaping fish as we drift along to the splash of the paddlewheel, the calliope saluting the little river towns along the way, and the performances of our guest musicians. Great food is available on the boat throughout the day, and we will treat you to all three meals. Often we make an intermediate stop in Lansing IA for some shopping and sightseeing along Main Street.
If you are staying overnight, you will find many cozy accommodations where you can rest your head at the end of an exciting day; however, if rest is not your immediate wish, you can pop over to the Isle of Capri gaming boat, just across the bridge in Marquette, IA. On the return voyage we wind our way upriver with more tasty meals, enjoyable entertainment, and spectacular scenery.
All itineraries and fares are for example only and subject to change at any time.
Sample Fares
Adult: $159.00
Children (3-12) $85.00
Hotels, transfers, sightseeing on request and utlize our corporate or volume discounts when possible.
Special Extended Cruises
For the true riverboat buff!
The Julia Belle Swain occasionally schedules multiple-day, extended cruises to more distant river cities. Past excursions include Dubuque, IA, Red Wing, MN & Wabasha, MN). Ride along with us for a day or week, in the time-honored tradition of steamboatin' adventure. Please call our offices for more information.
1-800-815-1005
Local Cruises
In addition to overnight cruises, the
The Julia Belle Swain operates local cruises in the La Crosse area. Our week often begins on Friday with a "Casual" Dinner Cruise; Saturday may offer our signature three-hour "Red Carpet" Dinner Cruise with full service dining and live musical entertainment. On Sundays, the Julia Belle Swain hosts its popular two-hour morning Breakfast Cruise. All cruises, with the exception of the "Red Carpet" Dinner, are buffet style.
Prices:
Sunset Cocktail Cruise: $22.00 All Ages
Casual Dinner: $45.00 Adult; $21.95 Child
Lunch: $45.00 Adult; $21.95 Child
Red Carpet Dinner: $59.00 Adult; $24.95 Child
Breakfast Cruise: $35.00 Adult; $14.95 Child
Senior Citizen, Youth Fares, and Military Discounts are available on advance bookings
* A $1.50 per hour fuel surcharge can be applied to all fares at company discretion. This surcharge is not reflected in the prices above.
*All cruises are subject to navigating conditions. Vessel operations are at the discretion of managment and are always subject to changes in conditions. Minimum numbers of participants are necessary to guarantee operation of cruises.*
Charters
The
The Julia Belle Swain is available for your private party or gathering (two-hour minimum usually required) and is an in-demand venue for weddings, reunions, anniversaries, company parties, and corporate meetings. From large to small groups, simple hors d’oeuvres to full-service dining, DJ music to a five-piece band—the choices are yours to make! Assistance is available for shore arrangements such as hotels, flowers, and transportation. Contact us to get more information or to make your reservation
