Welcome to the Julia Belle Swain

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 Type Price Legend

Cruise Type	Color Legend	Price	Cruise Type	Color Legend	Price
Private Charters		Varies	Casual Lunch Cruises		$45.00
Group Rates Available		Varies	Red Carpet Dinner Cruises		$59.00
Sunset Cocktail Cruises		$22.00	Breakfast Cruises		$35.00
Casual Dinner Cruises		$45.00	Scenic Excursions		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, past & present. High water in the 1860s (top), and below, the Julia Belle Swain steams into Winona again this season, on its schedule of special overnight excursions.

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.

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	Above, the excursion boat J.S. "Deluxe" steams away from the Prairie du Chien landing in the 1920s.

	The Julia Belle Swain docks at the Prairie du Chien landing (above), only yards away from the historic Victorian mansion The Villa Louis (right).

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 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.

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*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 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.