Please take a moment to look over our FAQ’s before you continue on to the schedule! We have tried to answer all of your most commonly asked questions here. Thank you so much in advance!
These questions formulate our company policy. If its here, it is the way it is. If it is not that way, then your ticket is free. So….we go from zero phone calls 10 months out of the year to calls handling over 10,000 people in July and August. This page answers 99% of your questions—if its not here–send us an email and we will make every attempt to return/answer your message in 24 hours. We cannot answer every call, we simply do not have the staff.
New to our staff is Rosie!!! An AI phone agent … she handles hundreds of calls per week in the summer season, resolving well over 50% of them successfully,…she is capable of answering many of your questions…if she cant…please leave a message…we will make every effort to text or email back to you. She is learning…please be patient, have just a little time when you call.
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Please check our website! On our homepage the message box is updated by 9am daily to make sure you have the most current schedule! If it is on the message box, we are going from that location and that time! No need to call. Your tickets also will have the designated departure location…you will be returned to this spot. Future tours can be found on our calendar by clicking on the day you would like to go!!!
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We are located at multiple docks through out the summer season. YOU MUST check our schedule or read the message box on our homepage for today’s schedule, times, and port of departure. Our different dock information is as follows:
Chautauqua Institution: We come ashore at the Miller Bell Tower, (yes that’s down on the lake) directly adjacent to the swimming beach. If you are not staying inside the Chautauqua Institution grounds we suggest you board in Mayville or you will have to pay a $30 day pass to enter the grounds of the Chautauqua Institution.
Mayville: We are located at the Lake Side Park/ Steamboat Village (78 Water St. Mayville, NY 14757).
Bemus Point: The Maple Springs Lake Side Inn, 4696 Chautauqua Ave, Bemus Pt, NY, 14712…if you turn at the end of Guppys parking lot onto Broadway, down the hill and around the curve along the Lake, 6 doors up is a big stone wall, you can drop folks off at the Lake and drive thru the gateposts, up and around to the left and park in the designated parking area…exit out the back. Our landing in Mayville is under repair, this is our our only Bemus Point landing and the main location for arrivals and departures while Mayville is under construction.
Midway State Park: We are located in Midway Park down by the Merry-go-round. (and yes that also is down by the lake, not up in the amusement park) GPS address…4859 NY-430, Bemus Point, NY 14712
Chautauqua Harbor Hotel in Celeron NY: We are located at 10 Dunham Ave, Celoron, NY 14720.
McCrea Point Park in Jamestown NY: We are located at 14 Jones and Gifford Ave, Jamestown, NY 14701
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Reservations are not required however, we suggest online reservations be made if you are coming from any distance OR want to make sure you get on your desired trip OR would like a picnic on the paddle wheel lunch. We strongly suggest making a reservation- it is the ONLY way we can contact you in the unlikely event of a weather cancellation.
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Historical and cocktail cruises are approximately 1 hour 30 mins – 1 hour 45 mins long, depending mostly on lake winds.
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All Free ticket/gift certificate/coupon questions can be answered HERE!
No! We update the message box on our homepage daily. Please check there for today’s schedule. If you do not see the date you are interested in going, please check the calendar on our website, www.269belle.com. If you are unclear about when you can use your free tickets please read the free ticket.
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Cocktail cruise passengers get the same historical tour, music and fun as any historical cruise.We have a cash bar with beer, wine on ALL trips. DRINKS ARE NOT INCLUDED IN ANY TRIP UNLESS YOU PRE-PURCHASE THEM WHEN MAKING A RESERVATION.
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Updated 2024 season:
As of right now lunches are not avalaible for individuals and can only be purchased when booking privately or with a bus group.
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No, sorry, Chautauqua Institution is a gated, private community. During the 9 week summer season there is a gate fee which we cannot collect, accordingly, we do not allow passengers to board in Mayville and disembark on Chautauqua Institution property. Passengers whom are already inside the “grounds” can purchase tickets boarding at Chautauqua Institution’s Bell Tower and are then returned to the Bell Tower, the Historical Tour is approx. 1.75 hours long.
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Yes, we have men’s and women’s restrooms available on-board the Chautauqua Belle.
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Yes, we accept all major credit cards. If you wish to use a credit card we ask that you make an online reservation. We take all credit cards through “square” — on our phones –which takes a little bit of time, so we always do credit cards at the gangway last. Our order of boarding is reservations first, followed by cash payments, followed by credit card payments at the gangway. On busy days-if you do not make a reservation, its possible we may run out of room and you will have to go on another trip.- thank you for your cooperation in advance.
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The steamboat runs at approximately $950 an hour. Therefore a general minimum passenger count of 30 may be required for all trips. The Captain and Owners of the Vessel reserve the right to cancel any trip if a minimum passenger count is not met. If the Chautauqua Belle cancels your trip due to weather, wind, mechanical issues, repairs, low passenger count etc a full refund will be given for your pre-purchased tickets. If you cancel/adjust your reservation in whole or part, or miss your departure time, no refunds will be issued. You can use your pre-purchased tickets for any Historical/cocktail cruise in the future. All coupons still have to be used within the date range on the coupon. Please understand when you make a reservation we are counting on you to fulfill a passenger count so the boat can run. In the simplest of terms if we cancel it’s on us, if you cancel it’s on you. Please see ‘What is your weather cancellation policy?’ for more about our weather cancellation policy.
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No, We do not offer group rates to the general public at this time.
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Yes, The Chautauqua Belle is one of the only tour boats in western NY which is handicapped accessible. Designated space is available on the main deck for wheelchair passengers and those individuals are generally given priority boarding.
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The Chautauqua Belle is an open-air vessel with no air-conditioning. It is covered to provide shade, often experiences a cool, refreshing breeze across the second deck, and has side curtains in the event of inclement weather. Most passengers find a ride on the Chautauqua Belle to be very comfortable on warm or hot days and prefer to bring a jacket along on cool days or for most evening/night cruises. Please dress accordingly.
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We offer priority seating & boarding for several reasons. Passengers with disabilities may be offered priority seating on the lower deck to circumvent any stairwells. Bus groups, group reservations, and season ticket holders may request priority reserved seating at the time of their reservation, including access to tables. We ask that all other passengers please respect crew member instructions and priority seating guidelines. We board and ticket at the gangway in the following order: reservations/ cash customers, coupons or complimentary tickets, and credit cards last.
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No, we are licensed by the Chautauqua County board of health. We kindly ask all our guests to refrain from bringing outside food or beverages on-board the Chautauqua Belle. We have a full-service bar with snacks, water, soft drinks, juices, beer, wine, & mixed drinks on-board and open during every cruise for your convenience.
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Yes, we have chips, cookies, pretzels, large deli sandwiches, chicken barbecue dinners, & your favorite soft or hard drinks.
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Please arrive 15 minutes before your scheduled cruise to allow for ticketing, boarding, and a timely departure. Remember that passengers with reservations, or those paying in cash are boarded first and have priority seating, while passengers paying with credit card are boarded last, after reservations and cash passengers. Why? We run credit cards on our phones and it takes a little while longer, this way the boarding line is not held up. If you would like to pay with a credit card we strongly suggest making your reservation online.
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It is our goal to run every trip posted. We occasionally need to delay, postpone or cancel a trip due to weather. We try to rarely do this as we are not making any money just sitting at the dock and it is certainly not very fun, we love and want to be out on the lake just like you! Please check the weather for Chautauqua before leaving NOT where you live! In general we do not go out in thunder, lightening, heavy rain, and /or winds forecast up to 20+ MPH. Safety is a number one priority for us. PLEASE— ALWAYS, check our website message box and calendar as we update both regularly! If you are coming from any distance…PLEASE…check the message box to make sure there are no anticipated weather cancellations.
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Children age two (2) and under are free. Children age 3-12 fall under the children’s rate of $10 per child. Teenagers and seniors fall under the adult rate of $32.50 per person. We do not offer any discounts on individual tickets.
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Yes, all specialty cruises require reservations. Please book online using our reservation system. Payment must be made at the time of reservation before tickets may be issued.
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Yes, we have a full-service cash bar available on-board for every cruise with a fine selection of beers, wines, and liquors. Photo identification required. No alcohol may be served before noon on Sundays.
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You can’t. the Belle runs a timed schedule, it is tight, and every minute is accounted for. Once the gangway goes up, it is very difficult to put it back down and bring the boat back in without losing 10 or 15 minutes. Sooo…. If you pull in a little bit late, you very well may have to wait till the next trip. Your ticket is good for any other historical tour. Watching the Belle as she pulls away from the dock brings all new meaning to “missed the boat”
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At the Captain’s discretion, we can allow small, well-behaved, leashed pets aboard the Chautauqua Belle. If allowed aboard, passengers must purchase a boarding pass for the pet at the $10 child rate. Pets may not be a nuisance to other guests and are the sole responsibility of the individual that brought the pet aboard. Please remember that the Chautauqua Belle is an open-air vessel. Pets must be kept from jumping off the side of the vessel, running around the vessel, or otherwise jeopardizing the safety of any person on-board. They must be fully cleaned up after by the person that brought them aboard and supplies to do so must be brought aboard along with the pet. Note that it is at the sole discretion of the Captain as to whether an animal is well-behaved, small, or generally allowed aboard. Any passengers that refuse to cooperate with the Captain will be asked to disembark the vessel at the Captain’s convenience without refund and/or return transportation to port of origin.