Belle of Cincinnati to set sail
Jul. 10—PORTSMOUTH — River cities, rejoice.
Beginning Thursday, July 22, BB Riverboats' Belle of Cincinnati will be resuming its' annual Summer Cruise Tour with its first stop of service to Scioto County.
Despite not travelling to Portsmouth and other nearby Ohio River towns in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Belle is ready to resume its' nearly 20-year tradition of stops during the Summer Tour.
The Belle of Cincinnati will be in Portsmouth July 22-23 with patrons able to purchase tickets today for either a dinner, lunch, or sightseeing cruise.
After the Belle's stop on the banks of the Ohio River in town, the Belle and its' crew will travel to nearby Ashland, Ky., Huntington, W.Va., Gallipolis, Oh., and Maysville, Ky. for additional tours.
BB Riverboats CFO Ben Bernstein said both the Belle and BB Riverboats were excited to resume its' annual venture eastward.
"Our Summer Cruise Tour trip to Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana is one of our favorite events each year," Bernstein said. "We unfortunately did not travel in 2020 due to the Covid 19 pandemic, so we are extra excited to get things back to normal and come see all of our friends in those great river cities."
Lunch and dinner options include grilled marinated chicken breast, vegetables, garlic mashed potatoes, salad, fresh baked butter, and desert.
Ticket prices for each of the lunch, dinner, and sightseeing cruises are found on BB Riverboats' website. Tickets for children between the ages of 4-12 will be a reduced price as compared to any adult tickets purchased.
"Customers can expect a wonderful trip on the Ohio River that will be complete with entertainment, fantastic cuisine (if you travel on a meal cruise) and a lot of smiling faces welcoming you back onboard after our year long hiatus," Bernstein said.
Customers may also pre-order a souvenir photo for 25% off before boarding the ship.
The Belle of Cincinnati began operation in 1991 as a casino boat named the Emerald Lady, operating in Bettendorf, Iowa.
The BOC ceased that after a year and BB Riverboats purchased the her in 1999. It is the largest excursion vessel to operate on the Ohio River and is licensed to hold 1,000 passengers.
The paddle-wheel does work on the ship and it is accompanied by a pair of propellers.
For more information or ticket prices for BB Riverboats' Summer Cruise Tour or the Belle of Cincinnati, visit https://bbriverboats.com/.
Reach Jacob Smith at (740) 353-3101 ext. 1930, by email at jsmith@aimmediamidwest.com, or on Twitter @JacobSmithPDT © 2021 Portsmouth Daily Times, all rights reserved