Frequently Asked Questions
General Cruise questions
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.
What are the closest parking locations to your dock?
Recommended Parking
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.
1024 N. Doctor Martin Luther King Jr. Drive -Vern’s Parking. –1 block South of Edelweiss Dock on the South side of Usinger’s (After 5pm & weekends only)
There are other paid parking lots within a 1 block radius of our dock.
There is also street parking available on Highland Ave. and N. Doctor Martin Luther King Jr. Drive
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.
What ages are eligible for the child's price for tours?
Passengers that are 12 years or younger are eligible for the Child Price.
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.
Vessel Specifics
Can I bring food onto the boat?
No, 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 an occasion, can I bring a cake?
We do not allow any outside food or beverage to be brought onto the boats.
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 you guarantee the specific boat my cruise will be on?
No, we don't guarantee any specific vessels for our public cruises due to the fluid nature of capacity needs. The boat will be assigned day-of.
Are your vessels wheelchair/handicap accessible?
Our vessels can accommodate manual wheelchair boarding. 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.
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.
Group ordering/Large ticket quantities
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. However, if you're looking for more of a private experience, read about our private charter tours here.
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. All of your guests/people in your party should reference your name in the field provided on the cart and we can adjust the rollcall sheets on our end as best we can. An even simpler way is to have 1 person purchase all of the tickets in one order and settle up offline. 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?
No, 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.
Site/Ordering Specifics
How do I create a group?
The new site allows for group notes to be added in the cart. If you are purchasing tickets for someone's event or organizing an event for multiple people, please make sure to add their name in the notes section of the cart and we will do our best to combine parties.
What if I can't make the cruise?
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. Please call our direct line at (414) 276-7447 for more information.
How do I use a paper gift certificate to buy tickets?
With the introduction of our new egift cards, we've discontinued issuing paper gift certificates. If you have a physical gift certificate in your possession, please call (414) 276-7447 to redeem. We will work to reserve tickets on a cruise using your gift certificate information.
Do egift cards or gift certificates expire?
No, they do not expire.
How can I see past cruises I've booked?
If you created an account when you first purchased, you can log in and see your past cruises (cruises prior to May 1, 2023 will not be visible). If you did not, make sure to create an account the next time you book a cruise and it will connect. You can always call (414) 276-7447 to get past order information if needed.