Frequently Asked Questions
What is your cancellation policy?
If notification is made 48 hours prior to your scheduled cruise, a reservation can be transferred to a new date and cruise. Any difference in cruise value will be returned in the form a gift certificate. We do not offer any monetary refunds unless you purchase ticket assurance.
What is ticket assurance?
Ticket assurance offers you a full refund of your ticket price up until cruise departures. Ticket assurance costs 10% of your pre-tax price and allows a 100% refund minus the price of assurance in the event you are unable to make your cruise for any reason. Ticket assurance must be purchased at the time of reservation and cannot be added after the reservation is finalized.
How far out should I make reservations?
We recommend making reservations as soon as you know you want to cruise with us at BB Riverboats. Our cruises sell out quite often, and if you don’t make reservations early enough, you could be left out.
Does the boat sail in inclement weather?
We sail rain or shine. In the event of severe weather or dangerous river conditions, the captain of the boat makes that decision. Storms can roll through the river valley and cause a cruise to be delayed, but that is usually only for a short amount of time. If we are unable to cruise, we will arrange an in-dock event.
What ages are considered children and infant?
Infants are ages 3 and under. Infants 3 and under are free but do need a ticket. Every passenger must be accounted for. Children are ages 4-12.
What is considered a group reservation?
A group is considered 15 or more adults. A group reservation requires one person to be the point of contact and make one payment for the group. Group reservations with 15 or more adults receive a 10% discount per person.
What does your price include?
The price listed on our website includes all fees and taxes with the exception of ticket assurance. Included in that price is an 18% Food Service Fee and 6% Sales Tax. The food service fee is a fee for your food service that is split between everyone that has something to do with providing the meal. Gratuity is not included in any additional purchases made on board.
Do you have a dress code?
We do not have a dress code. Our customers dress in everything from casual to formal. We encourage everyone to dress based on the event you are celebrating.
Are you handicapped accessible?
The boarding ramps and main decks of each vessel are accessible by wheelchairs. The Belle of Cincinnati is handicapped accessible and is outfitted with a passenger elevator that allows access to the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd decks. The fourth deck of the Belle of Cincinnati is accessible by stairs only. The main deck of the River Queen is handicapped accessible.
Where will we go on our cruise?
It all depends on the length of your cruise. A typical lunch or dinner cruise will go up river about 5-7 miles. A sightseeing cruise will stay mostly in the downtown area. All of our cruises provide the best viewing possible of the Cincinnati area.
Is smoking allowed on the boat?
Smoking is allowed on the outside decks only. No smoking is allowed anywhere on the interior cabin of the boat.
Are drinks included with a dining cruise?
Coffee, tea, iced tea, and water are included with all dining cruises. A bar is available to purchase soft drinks and alcoholic beverages on board.
Where do we park?
Parking is available for free in front of our dock on Riverboat Row on a first-come, first-served basis. If our parking lot is full, there are surrounding parking lots and parking garages to park but there is a fee.
Are there nearby hotels that we can stay in?
Yes, there are quite a few hotels in the Newport, KY area for you to choose from.
What are your office hours?
Our office is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. year-round. During our regular season (May – September), those hours extend to 7:00 p.m. and move to seven days a week. If we have a public cruise sailing, our office will be open.
Do you offer any discounts or coupons?
I am on my way for my cruise, but I am running late. Can you hold the boat for me?
The short answer is no. Every cruise has a stated boarding and departure time. You can board the boat at any time during the window. For most of our cruises, we offer a full hour to board, while a select few cruise types have 30-minute boarding windows. Please refer to your cruise confirmation for information regarding your specific boarding time. Our goal is for every one of our cruises to leave at its scheduled departure time. Extenuating circumstances sometimes arise, and in those cases that are deemed to be outside the control of a large number of our guests, departures will be held for up to 10 minutes. We urge you to arrive early and to leave plenty of time for traffic and parking. The Newport area can get very congested, especially on the weekends in the summer. Per our reservation policy, any reservation not transferred to a new date and cruise 48 hours prior to the cruise or any reservation without ticket assurance does not receive a refund.
Would BB Riverboats be willing to donate to my organization's event?
BB Riverboats donates tens of thousands of dollars every year to numerous organizations in the Greater Cincinnati area. We receive around 10 donation requests a day; sadly, we cannot afford to fulfill all of them. To request a donation, you must mail a letter and include a self-addressed stamped envelope to our donations department. The requests are looked over and the donations are sent out if they are approved. If your donation is not received within 4 weeks, we regret that we are unable to donate.
Attn: Donations
BB Riverboats
101 Riverboat Row
Newport, KY 41071
Phone call requests will not be honored.
What does your bar have to offer during a cruise? Do you have a bar menu?
Yes, we have a very extensive bar menu. You can view it by clicking this link.