LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A little bit of normal will soon return to the waterfront, when the Belle of Louisville cruises the Ohio River again after the pandemic left her docked and empty for months.
Krista Snider, the CEO of the Belle, couldn't be more ready.
"We are losing upwards of a million dollars in ticket revenues from being closed during this first half of our season during COVID-19," she said.
There will be plenty of social distancing and safety measures in place as the Belle prepares new tours of the historic steamboat and the traditional cruises, according to Snider.
"One of the biggest things we're doing right off the bat is we're limiting capacity to 33% or less," she said.
The Belle will set sail Wednesday, June 17, but will do so under a cloudy future. The steamer needs cash — about $700,000 — to pay for dry-dock maintenance that must be done later this year.
Without the money, the Belle could lose its government certification, which allows visitors to come aboard.
"If the Belle were to not go to dry-dock this fall as she is scheduled to do, it's highly possible that this could be the Belle's final season," Snider said.
With funding from the city still uncertain during another tough budget year, Snider hopes the community will step up.
"I would absolutely say that now more than ever this beloved vessel needs your help," she said.
The Belle of Louisville provided this information about its upcoming season:
Our newest offering is "Home Port Adventure Days," starting Opening Day, Wednesday, June 17. This museum-style experience allows visitors to take a behind-the-scenes tour of the historic Belle to learn about the history, art and science of steamboats—all with picturesque river views and without ever leaving the wharf!
Home Port Adventure Days -- which take place every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, from 12 to 8 p.m.-- feature performances, games and demonstrations, food trucks, as well as meet & greets with the captain and crew. Tickets are just $9.99 for adults and seniors, $6.99 for children ages 5 to 14. Children 4 and under are free. Self-guided tour tickets include the new Home Port Adventure Passport, a fun booklet designed to “propel” your experience around the 200 ft. long boat.
There will also be a limited reopening excursion schedule that we expect to expand in coming weeks. For starters, on Saturdays, there will be Picnic Lunch cruises from 12 to 2 p.m. and Sunset Cruises, featuring live music, from 8 to 10 p.m. On Sundays, there will be narrated Harbor History excursions from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. For a full schedule, complete pricing and to book a cruise, visit BelleofLouisville.org. Cruise ticket prices start at just $15 per person.
Related Stories:
- Belle of Louisville announces opening day of 2020 season
- Metro council won't 'sink the Belle,' councilwoman says in criticizing mayor's proposed budget cuts
- Belle of Louisville looks for donations to stay afloat after cancelling cruises due to COVID-19
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