This cruise was fantastic. My wife and I had taken the luncheon tour. Between the scenery being beautiful, the meal was just as exceptional. Captain Brian kept us informed about the lore of the river, (without having a need to keep talking just to say words), while Stacy kept our glasses full and Steve, our bellies. read more

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The cruise is okay but unpleasant. We had sat underneath on the 1st level, it gets hot down there very fast. Tons of bugs flying throughout the boat. Food is subpar. read more

Well that certainly was fun! Perfect day in the sub, with the breeze off the river. Life is good! Captain Brian told us all sorts of things about the river. He was very friendly and personable. The cruise was just so relaxing and perfect. Not crowded. And best of all, totally affordable! We'll do this again, for certain. read more

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Not sure how luncheon cruises work as this will be our first and last. The boat was jammed packed both upstairs and the main level. We found 2 seats at a table for 8. We were arms length from the food buffet station. All of a sudden there was a lineup of passengers the length of the boat lined up for the buffet. By the time we were able to even make it to the back of the line some of the food items like mashed potatoes were gone and there were no more in the kitchen. Was this poorly managed or just a passenger free for all? I had a chicken wing that was so over cooked it was inedible as was husband's chicken drum. He also had a piece of beef that he said was good. We all paid the same price for the luncheon. Some of us did not receive what we paid for. read more

It was a bit breezy but the crew handled everything perfectly. Tables were a bit crowded, but it's always like that on these types of cruises. read more

The American Lady Happy Hour cruise was disappointing. There was no narrative of any of the sites we passed or any history. Lines for the drinks were so long that you would have to wait in line almost the entire cruise to get anything. We tried getting drink at least 3 times but the lines never let up until the last 1/2 hour when we finally got a drink. My husband doesn't drink so just wanted a Pepsi, but but by then they were out, so he got a glass of water. I got a margarita(had to pay for) which I had to drink as I was getting off the boat since it took so long to get it. The chicken nuggets were alittle easier to get but we had to eat them with nothing to wash it down. I would suggest handing out the free drinks as people board to alleviate such long lines. The price was reasonable though, so that is the best part. I just don't understand why there wasn't any narrative along the way which would have made it much more enjoyable. Looking at some other reviews, it looks like some other captains do a narration, but ours didn't-(June 21, 2025 Happy Hour cruise@ 3:30) read more

this used to be a fun time. Not anymore!!!. not enough chairs for the tickets they sold. Stood in line for 45 minutes to get a drink and they were out of what we wanted. Advertised as all you could drink for free. They were out of the free and due to the line you could only get 1 drink. read more

The captain was very informative. The meal was delicious, and it was wonderful that they offered a vegetarian meal for my sister.

The lunch cruise was wonderful. The staff was excellent! Our ladies group had a great time. The only issue I have is the quality of the food. I do not eat meat, but do eat fish/shrimp, so it would be nice to offer that. Also the potatoes were very dry. It would be nice to have butter and also dinner rolls. Other than that, it was such a relaxing, pleasant couple of hours. read more

Our family had a great time on the 90-minute American Lady Happy Hour cruise! We thoroughly enjoyed our leisurely trip on the historic Mississippi River. We were pleased with our drinks and were pleasantly surprised with the delicious chicken tenders. The onboard staff members were friendly, welcoming and helpful. We especially enjoyed watching the scenery and boat traffic from the rear of the upper deck. Gorgeous! This was a lovely way to spend a Sunday afternoon! read more

Got lucky to get the last public cruise of the season to check out all of this years Fall beauty on the mighty Mississippi River. They are docked in Debuque near the Casino and Have A great restaurant/brewery near the port area. The staff were friendly and accommodating and the boat was cool, skipped the lunch buffet but it looked great...American fare at it's best; fried chicken, roast beef, mash potatoes & gravy, rolls and mac salad. We brought our local breakfast sandmes for a lighter munch soo I tried a couple of the brews; "stout" was a little cloudy "like the days weather" the "cher ry ale" was better! all in all it was about a nice couple of hours cruising the river for the views, landmarks, local history, and visiting with loves ones. Another good investment for a special day of getting away!!! read more

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We decided to go with a fall cruise hoping to see the change in the fall colors unfortunately things are slow turning this year, we left at 6:00 PM which did not leave much for daylight so there really is nothing to see, sometimes at night the bridges have lights very dark, on this cruise there just is not anything to see for scenery even if we had chosen to cruise in the daylight I do not foresee much for scenery. Food was pretty good very congested with the one line and one employee trying to serve. If you are looking for just a relaxing evening on a boat in the dark this is for you. Just a suggestion maybe a sound system could be added for a little music in the background. Thank you for the opportunity. read more

Wonderful photo ops! Friendly crew, nice way to spend a couple of hours on the Mighty Mississippi without spending a ton of money. read more

American Lady Cruises - Boat Tours Near Me - Dubuque, Iowa

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We joined the happy hour cruise and enjoyed it so very much! The crew was super nice and accommodating and the captain could not have been better about talking with the passengers and explaining the trip. Definitely a must for a trip to the area. Next time we will do the full dinner cruise. read more

We had a beautiful September day for our cruise. The luncheon of fried chicken and roast beef was delicious and the Captain's commentary was very interesting. Would love to take this trip again when the leaves are colorful in the fall. read more

We got a late start due to a battery issue on the boat. I was on this boat two years ago and they had a water pump issue. Seems like I near get a full cruise on this boat. The man bringing our bowls didn't wear gloves and then I saw the dirty hot pads touch some of the chicken as they were getting things ready. read more

The weather was beautiful! The boat was clean and spacious, the crew was very helpful. Wonderful way to spend an evening

The food was okay, but by the time I got through the waiting line, the salad was all gone. The green beans were disgusting, overcooked and obviously canned. The dinner service itself was chaotic. If you're not going to have enough food, then you should have pre measured amounts to make sure guests get equal amounts. read more

We had a lovely time on the American Lady Cruise! We opted for the lunch cruise on a Sunday with our kids and it was a great choice for us! The kids were excited and impressed with the experience. I will say a little more clarity on what to expect and proper announcements would be nice. When lunch was announced everyone just kind of crowded on the lower level in a line for the buffet-- and I think our kids were the only ones masked up. I'm going to hope the adult passengers were also vaccinated as my husband and I are. Perhaps announcing for one level at a time would have been helpful. Also, it's a buffet, but they serve the meat. We were unsure if it was an all-you-can-eat situation. I'm sure the kids would have liked another piece of chicken or such, but it was unclear if that was part of the plan. An announcement stating everyone was served, and the buffet is open would have been appreciated. There is no assigned table seating and just four or so tables on the outside upper deck-- which we were able to score! I don't think our kids would have been nearly as thrilled with the experience if we were inside. So get there early and hope they notice and let you in as one of the first to board. We would recommend this cruise! The boat was in nice shape, the food was quite delicious- except the rolls which were just a weird texture and cold. Clean and nice bathroom facilities. The temperature on the inside area was cool and comfortable. The tour isn't extensive, but it's certainly a fun experience! It was $133 for a family of four and found that priced fairly. read more

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I had a great experience on the American Lady for the dinner cruise. The food was fantastic, and the workers were awesome. I would recommend it to anyone who loves to be on the water and cruise the Mississippi. read more

Our afternoon was the most relaxed we have felt in months! The drinks, food, and stunning scenery was perfect! Thank you!!!

We joined the happy hour cruise with our family a day prior to celebrating a wedding. The crew was very nice and the trip down and back was very smooth. The drink options that were included with the ticket price were very limited and not very good. read more

we had a good time although with the bright lights inside we could not see anything outside. Meal was ok. did not get the bread and butter and works have liked to have a bit of extra butter for the dry potatoes and very unflavored green beans read more

We have taken two lunch cruises on the American Lady and overall the experiences were enjoyable. Positives from these experiences: First, the interior of the boat was clean and neat. The chairs and tables were comfortable and sturdy considering the occasional sway of the boat, and there was enough room to move around comfortably. The restrooms were nicer than we expected. The ladies room was clean, comfortable and well-stocked. The staff was very pleasant. The ladies at the bar were quick and friendly. The server at the lunch buffet was also quick and helpful. I noted that the staff seemed happy to go above and beyond - from offering a birthday boy a chance to steer the boat to helping guests with advice for the rest of their vacation in the area. One area that I was pretty neutral on was the food. We were served fried chicken, roasted beef, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn and pasta salad. The chicken was tasty and cooked well, and everyone in our group enjoyed it - as well as the roast beef. The mashed potatoes and corn weren't rave-worthy, but were perfectly pleasant. The pasta salad was incredibly sweet, to the point that no one in our group ate it, but overall there was enough good food that no one in our group went home hungry. If I had to pick a few things to nitpick... Being a tour above all else, there are announcements along with the sightseeing. The first thing I'd say about the announcements is that they are incredibly loud. During my first trip (alone) on the American Lady I thought I might just have sensitive hearing, but I brought others on the second trip and my companions were literally plugging their ears during the sight seeing announcements. We tried moving around thinking we were close to a speaker, but no luck. I don't know if this is because many of the guests may be older and hard of hearing, but we all groaned when the captain came on to describe the sights. As for the content of the announcements, many of the announcements didn't feel value added. The home of a textbook company owner, the home of a guy who rents out traffic cones, a campground that someone wants to turn into condos - a lot of it just felt like filler. Especially considering the volume issue, I think I would've enjoyed the announcements more if they stuck to the essentials like where we were headed, the interesting train bridge, the locks, etc. I did find myself wishing for one extra announcement: to make sure that children aren't left unattended. A couple groups of parents left their 4 young children unattended at the table next to us, and they were pretty rowdy. Kids will be kids, but screaming, knocking over our drinks and running into people were more than we bargained for. This is definitely not the crew's fault, but I wonder if a reminder announcement would've helped - hard to say. read more

The boats ride was nice, couldn't hear the caption. Didn't like they changed the menu from pizza to chicken, the chicken was so spicy I started coughing immediately. Was so looking forward to the pizza. read more

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Dinner cruise was best on the upper deck after dinner! The chicken and pork were dry, but the rest of menu was ok and more than enough to return for seconds. Dessert was the best! Staff was short handed. The information shared was the most interesting! What a great area! Boat was very nice for a party of 40, more than that would have felt crowded. Was disappointed that the Captain did not take time with our grandson celebrating a 13th birthday with a special memory at the wheel once we docked. Weather of course was cool while the boat moved and air conditioning while eating was most appreciated! read more

The Cruise itself was nice, but the food was much to be desired. They had fish and pork tenderloin. The fish was good, but the pork tenderloin was extremely dry, making it tough to eat. A little gravy may have helped for both the meat and the potatoes. The gentleman serving the pork did try to get some juice on it, but was not good enough. The rest of the crew was good and pleasant. I would not recommend the dinner cruise because the food was not satisfactory. We had brought some friends from Florida for the cruise and I was embarrassed by the food quality. I love showing off Dubuque, Dubuque County and our great community. Hopefully future guests have better quality food. When I travel, I tell people we have the best quality pork in the country and then we had this disappointment. The rest of their stay was top notch. read more

Terrific staff to make an enjoyable adventure. Thanks so much. Rodney & Tamara Powell read more

We were visiting Dubuque for the first time and decided a Dinner River Cruise might be fun. Ordering tickets online, was clear and simple, the staff when we arrived were well prepared and check in was quick and easy as well. We enjoyed a drink while we waited for departure time, Captain was greeting at boarding and we left on time. Food was great, plenty of places to sit. The cruise took us by lots of things to see, was also fun because we had been there a day or 2 and could see places we had visited from the river. Once it was darker it was very cool to see downtown lit up. There was a boat in distress in the dark, the captain and crew contacted help and remained there to ensure they would be taken care of (to shallow for the Yacht) NO ONE seemed to be coming to help, so they radioed Catfish Charlie, who put a boat in and came out and towed the boat safely. Great food Catfish Charlie and KUDOS for an awesome rescue. Jim read more

Food was great Good customer service. Would defiantly recommend to friends and family if ever in Dubuque. A great deal for the boat ride and Dinner. read more

Awesome cruise as always. Can't wait to go again. We all had a blast. Thank you for everything.

We had a wonderful cruise tonight and an amazing meal! We were pleasantly surprised! We knew the cruise would be nice. We were on a supper cruise several years ago with family and really enjoyed it. We were REALLY impressed with the quality of the food. Sunday night cruise, chicken and pork, both were tasty,tender, and juicy, amazing twice baked style potatoes,green beans, salad, and warm apple crisp! We talked about how the apple crisp is as good as we make it. Absolutely 5 Stars on the food. The food was served to us buffet style-they served us. There was plenty of spacing for Social Distancing. Everyone was respectful of others space. Plenty of outside space to view and see the scenery. I wasn't excited about getting back after dark because we would miss the view, but I forgot how beautiful the city lights are at night reflecting on the water. Captain Mike was super friendly and extremely knowledgeable! Giving a tour and history of the area while we traveled. All of the staff were efficient, knowledgeable, and very friendly. Captain Mike even gave me a co-pilot certificate. Sorry was so busy having fun and watching the scenery I didn't even think to take pictures. read more

I thought the cruise was very nice. The crew was polite and the ship was nice. The only thing was that it was difficult to find where to board and figure out the best place to park. But some people pointed it out to us. I also thought that the Captain was going to point out a few more things to us along the way. But other than that, I would recommend it and a nights stay in Dubuque to family and friends. read more

We had a great time. Most of our group were from foreign countries and really loved the opportunity to be out on the water and see all of the wildlife. The crew was great and very friendly. Our private cruise was the first of the season (2023) and I hope other people will have as much fun as we did. Barbara F. read more

We enjoyed a happy hour cruise on a Friday afternoon/evening. There was a smaller group on board which made seating and viewing from the boat easy. The draft beers available are just ok. The canned selections are not free. We did not eat any of the provided food since we had dinner plans after the cruise ended. The captain was very knowledgeable and pointed out some things we definitely would not have noticed. Our friends visiting from India loved it as well. read more

We enjoyed the cruise very much. It was a bit crowded on the deck serving food; impossible to get out of seats without having other people move. Perhaps having the sightseeing only cruise on a separate sailing, rather than at the same time as the lunch cruise. This was very inexpensive for a dining cruise; I would have paid $10-15 more for more room. Food was good, drinks reasonably priced. Narration was interesting, but sometimes difficult to hear. Overall a very nice time! read more

The beer on tap sucked, talked to a Catfish Charlie employee on the cruise and he said the lighter IPA beer that was also supposed to be available on the cruise, the keg went empty shortly after the cruise began. That should have checked and the keg replaced before the boat left the dock. Drank two glasses of the dark IPA beer and had to choke it down, it tasted terrible. IPA beer should not be the beer available for a cruise like that, it should be at least two choices of traditional beer, one light and one regular. read more

the food was ok. over all we had a good time. the staff was very helpful. I would recommend.

captain and staff were really nice and accommodating, but the happy hour cruise was underwhelming. I expected a lively cruise with music and a cocktail, which we purchased. They provided soda and two chicken tenders as a snack. It was just a "soso" excursion . read more

The boat ride was nice. The food, not so much. The beef medallions were pink pink inside. The chicken was just ok. The line for the buffet was not organized and 100 some people were packed in line without a mask in sight. It would be better if they just served one meal to everyone and brought it to the tables. Fun to do once, but not for the food. read more