Captain’s Log

Step aboard the Belle of Louisville Riverboats for the 2026 season Following a challenging 2025 season, a triumphant return begins April 5 with fan favorites and new adventures LOUISVILLE, Ky. (March 25, 2026) – Following a 2025 cruise season cut short by historic flooding events and unexpected repairs, the Belle of Louisville Riverboats are full steam ahead and ready to welcome guests back aboard Louisville’s iconic vessels. Beginning April 5, the Belle and the Mary M. Miller invite locals and visitors alike to step aboard and experience the river once again. There’s nothing more quintessentially Louisville than a cruise along the Ohio River and every voyage provides a front row view to the city’s charm. Glide past historic landmarks, soak in golden sunsets and enjoy a journey that only the Belle of Louisville Riverboats can offer.  “Following a challenging 2025…

The S.S. Skibladner, the oldest operating paddle steamboat in timetabled service. Photo: Wikimedia Commons We often refer to the Belle of Louisville as the world’s oldest operating Mississippi River-style steamboat. We’re in really good company. Authentic steamboats are rare, and there are a few boats that are older or different than us.  Let’s meet them! …

Thunder Over Louisville 2024. Photograph by crew member Andy Zimlich After a disappointing turn last year, when Thunder Over Louisville was canceled for the first time in its history due to flooding, we are thrilled to have Thunder return as the opening event for the Kentucky Derby Festival in 2026! One of the parts of…

Holiday cruises aboard the Mary M. Miller run Halloween through New Year’s Eve, beginning Oct. 25 LOUISVILLE, Ky. (October 16, 2025) – The Mary M. Miller is setting sail into the holiday season with a lineup of themed cruises, offering festive experiences from Halloween through New Year’s Eve. From ghosts and Krampus to Cookies…

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (August 29, 2025) – The Belle of Louisville will end her 2025 cruise season by participating in a historic celebration upriver in Cincinnati, OH. The iconic steamboat along with her sister vessel, the Mary M. Miller, will journey 133 river miles north in early October to participate in one of the first official…

My name is Woods Martin and I am currently a college student. I was born in Louisville, Kentucky in July of 2004. I am currently studying history and political science at Bellarmine University. I am going into my junior year and am also currently interning with the Belle of Louisville Riverboats. Did you know that…

As told to Heather Funk Gotlib, Outreach Manager If you’re here, you probably know about the steam calliope. It’s a REALLY loud organ-type instrument that steamboats would have back in the day in order to announce their presence before the Internet. They’d start playing when they got close to a destination, and you can hear…

Photos of Chet from his collection. Courtesy of the family of Chester Foster.  At the end of June, Belle of Louisville Riverboats was gifted an album belonging to one of the first engineers of the Belle era, Chester “Chet” Foster. We were so excited to get the chance to digitize this collection, which spanned fifty…

The Belle is Back in Time to Beat the Heat! Louisville’s beloved steamboat returns to the water June 26 for her first cruise of the 2025 season LOUISVILLE, Ky. (June 25, 2025) – As temperatures soar across the region, the Belle of Louisville is cruising back just in time to offer a breezy escape on…

Photo: Attendees disembarking from the Idlewild. Courtesy of Grand Ole Opry Archives The Grand Ole Opry on the Belle of Louisville In the summer of 1946, the Grand Ole Opry broadcast their show to over 130 NBC radio stations across the country from the Belle of Louisville – then known as the Idlewild – on…

We can’t help noticing the weekend nights when groups line up, dressed to the nines and equipped with veils and sashes. It looks like the secret is out: Belle of Louisville Riverboats is the place to go for one of the most unique bachelorette party experiences you can have in Louisville! Planning a bachelorette party…

Steamboats were a popular place for entertainment throughout the years that they ruled America’s rivers. From the raucous showboats of the 1800s to the floating USO nightclubs of the World War II era, one of the best options for live music was on the water. The Belle of Louisville (and the Mary M. Miller) were…