Beautiful Sunset Cruise, But Inconsistent Hours at the Gift Shop We had a lovely time aboard the Southern Belle for their Sunset Cruise. When we boarded, we made our way to the middle deck, front of the boat--and found the perfect little spot with a private table and chairs. It felt like our own peaceful corner of the river. No crowd, just a quiet, relaxing ride with amazing views of the Chattanooga skyline and surrounding scenery as the sun set. Absolutely gorgeous. After docking, we decided to eat at the restaurant above the gift shop. It was a great way to end the evening--the food was tasty, and the river views from the deck made it even better. We asked the staff what time the gift shop closed and were told 9:00 PM, so we waited until after dinner to pick up souvenirs. Unfortunately, by the time we finished eating (maybe 10 minutes later), the shop had already closed. Kind of a bummer. Since then, we've tried to return twice while driving through Chattanooga--hoping to grab some mementos--but no one answers the phone, and the gift shop hasn't been open either time. Their posted hours on both the website and Google are clearly off, which has made it pretty frustrating. All in all, we loved the cruise and highly recommend it, especially if you can snag a quiet spot on the deck. Just don't count on the gift shop being open--even if you're told otherwise. Buy your souvenirs before dinner just to be safe! read more

A nice midday diversion in the heart of Chattanooga. NOTE: The day before our trip, the venue called to say there would be 152 middle schoolers on the boat with us. They offered to move us to another date or refund, but we were coming from out of town and had no more availability, so we kept our booking. Location and Parking Located right on the riverfront, parking is available in a paid lot across from the dock. Venue and Atmosphere Enter through the gift shop, which is a replica of the boat. After we checked in and got our tokens and complimentary moon pie, we headed upstairs to the full service restaurant and bar. They have happy hour (BOGO free beers) all day Monday-Friday, which came as a pleasant surprise to us. The charcuterie board was delicious, colorful, and filling as well. All of the restaurant food here can be taken onto the boat, so off we went to enjoy a late lunch on the deck. The middle school group corralled on the first floor, so we enjoyed the second floor completely to ourselves. I must say this was the most welcome surprise of the day. The live narrator was knowledgable with a soothing voice. A few time he had to stop to get the kids under control or remind a chaperone to come ot the deck, but kids will be kids I guess. Service Service was prompt, courteous, and efficient; and we had the sweetest bartender. Food and Beverages We had two Angry Orchard Ciders and a charceuterie board. Everything was delicious! Verdict I'll be back for the sunset cruise one day! read more

Southern Belle Riverboat - Tours Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

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Bait and Switch. We paid for a sunset cruise on the Southern Belle at full price and when we arrived we told the Southern Belle was now booked for a closed event. We would be put on a pontoon boat without a bar or entertainment for our sunset cruise. We asked for a refund and were told it was just a misunderstanding. I would call it fraud. These people are quite happy to cheat you and keep smiling. read more

Great ride for 3 hours with awesome views! On the way back the announcer kept talking nonstop when there were times he shouldn't have been and let us enjoy the scenery. read more

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Over Labor Day weekend, I took my Mom on a riverboat cruise on the Southern Belle. It was such a delightful experience! Felt like we were in another time, sitting on the deck watching the birds fly over the river as we sipped cocktails and listened to live music. Everyone was friendly. And we got to see a beautiful sunset over the river too! A great, low price for such a high quality life experience. read more

Southern Belle Riverboat - Sunset from the boat deck - Tours Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

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What a wonderful ride we had yesterday on the Southern Belle! We were lucky enough to get a nice table on the upper deck and therefore shaded from the sun. We went up the gorge and it was beautiful. We were blessed to see six bald eagles on the trip. The captain really makes the ride enjoyable. He has a great personality and shares a lot of history about the river and Tennessee. They need help when it comes to lining up to go on the boat. I think they should organize it so that all the elderly are boarding first. And help making sure the line stays organized. It was a hot mess yesterday. It reminded me of concerts in the 70's with open seating. A little scary. Again, the Captain makes the trip!! read more

Southern Belle Riverboat - View from the Southern Belle - Tours Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

Went Saturday, 5/27/2023 at 5p.m. Beautiful weather and ride. Enjoyed the facts told and the humor during the ride. The young ladies at the check in where very polite and pleasant. When leaving, the dinner/cruise that was waiting to board after we left, over crowded the check in/gift shop area. I think management should utilize the scanners they don't use to help their staff get customers checked in more efficiently. The 2 young ladies were doing a great job and their best with juggling people checking in and those trying to buying tems. read more

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Yesterday, 3/21/2024, I booked the 7pm Sunset Cruise. I paid for an upgraded gold package. We came from GA to celebrate my Mom's 65th bday. Upon arrival, I was surprised to find our seating was bumped out of the upgraded window seat, moved to the 3rd level deck, due to a private party on the 1st & 2nd floor. I was told we were called and a voice-mail was left, which definitely didn't happen. The staff was nice & courteous, and although disappointing we accepted the 3rd level seating. Thankfully the weather was nice. Before boarding we wandered the gift shop, bought several items, went to the upper level bar & had a drink. Soon it became clear the 2 lower decks were reserved for some type of field trip. As the hoards of kids packed into the gift shop, I can only guess it was around 300 young teens. It became very clear we were NOT going to have a relaxed sunset cruise & frankly it was disturbing. We went along, tickets already purchased, having driven from GA for my Mom's birthday. At least the hoard would be downstairs, we thought. The loud DJ they had for the event completely drowned out our live musician. It was impossible to use the bathroom. The teens were wild, disruptive, & intimidating. Soon they wanted to explore 3rd deck. That was the end of my patience. Absolutely not acceptable. Top deck had several tables that paid for upgraded seating who got bumped up. We all paid hard earned money for a relaxing evening on a sunset cruise which wasn't provided. While the staff was excellent & full of grace trying to provide an enjoyable evening, the massive group of teens was a nightmare. Moving forward, my suggestion to the establishment would be, if a group of 300 kids rent the 2 levels, they should just rent the whole boat. Don't even accept bookings from additional guests. Charge the fieldtrip for the entire charter. I would have preferred to have been canceled, refunded, & spent money elsewhere. It's, in my opinion, a massive disappointment to have had this experience. Not in anyway what was expected. The ball was dropped yesterday. The entire top deck was cruisers that were bumped out of their premium packages, we all booked expecting relaxation, romance, or quality time with family & friends. It's mindblowing the establishment expected us cruisers to accept being overrun by 300 unruly teens. It's clear Southern Belle only cared about the extra revenue vs the experience of its guests. read more

Food was divided into who had paid and at what level. We paid $75 and did not get fancy charcuterie board and we got plain cheesecake while those paid more got special toppings. Band was ok. Nothing special. Didnt get to see sites of chatt at night Stayed in dining room. This is not worth the money. read more

Bar and food are great Shelly is awesome loved this outing lol Shelly did an amazing job serving drinks for us. She went above and beyond anything we could have asked thanks for the great experience. read more

Southern Belle Riverboat - Tours Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

Staff have major attitudes. Left food behind before a prepaid large party to where not enough food was available and then did not attempt to genuinely make it right. Do not recommend! read more

I've been on the Southern Belle once before in 2015 but things have really gone down hill since then. We went on 4th of July weekend and expected it to be busy but boy, we did not expect this level of tardiness and mismanagement and rudeness from the staff. It's a pretty telling sign what when you buy your tickets online, there are at least 4 reminders that they don't do refunds. Hell, it was even printed on the tokens/tickets needed to board the ship. Our boat ride was scheduled for 7:00pm and they told us to come an hour early. Little did we know that we'd wait until after 8:00pm for us to even start boarding the ship. The poor guests behind us in line had bought 2 buckets of beer cans (with ice) that I watched slowly turn into a bucket of beer cans and water before we even got onboard the boat. There was no announcement for the delay as we stood in a line that zig-zagged across the gift shop, blocking exits, check-in lines, and cashiers, since there was no guidance on where to line up from any staff. Upon arriving early, we ended up browsing the gift shop and finding out that all of the registers process check-ins but not all of them can do purchases, so it might take a while if you want to buy something. We actually ended up waiting in line to buy something only to be told to get in another line. I don't recall seeing any way to differentiate which ones were check-in only so this may be my fault but I definitely saw a number of other people make the same mistake as us. I know COVID restrictions have become getting lifted but there were no mask recommendations, staff weren't wearing masks, and social distancing was definitely not enforced we were packed in like sardines waiting for the boat. Additionally, people from the previous boat ride deboard directly into the gift shop which resulted in 200+ people standing elbow-to-elbow at some point as people leaving had to weave past the disorderly line mentioned above. Once we finally were able to board, any semblance of a line was lost, as people started funneling towards the door to board the ship. Our group got split up multiple times during this as people from all directions cut and shove in. Upon boarding the ship, staff members directed everyone to the top deck, even well after it was at capacity, forcing families to climb all the way up and then back down the stairs on the opposite side, including those with strollers like the family ahead of us. We ended up doing the same and finding some seats at the side of the ship on the second level before others came down to do the same after disappointingly realizing there was no space up top. The boat ride itself isn't anything special since there isn't a guided tour and the scenery is mostly the backs of peoples houses. But I will admit it's a bit different from other attractions around here in that it's not every day you get to sail down a river at sunset. Upon finally getting back to shore after our ~1hr 30min boat ride, we were rushed off the ship. Literally. As people from the top level were pouring down the stairs, my group and I remained seated in hopes of not having to squeeze in with everyone when a staff member literally yelled at us to get off the ship as if we were setting up camp for the night. Mind you, we weren't the last people off the ship and there was still maybe 1/2 to 1/3 of the ship that still needed to deboard so there was no rush. Using our delay as a reference point, they were probably already an hour late anyways. I can say without a doubt that I will never visit this establishment again. It was that bad. read more

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Awesome captain, funny and informative. The PA system was shoddy but the captain included the kids in tid bits and even let them honk the horn/blow the whistle. You get a cute mini moon pie upon boarding. The views were great and you don't feel crowded. We also had a drink which was decent. We didn't try any food. read more

Southern Belle Riverboat - Tours Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

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Had a great day with some friends in Chattanooga the other day and while there we decided to take a river boat cruise. It made for a relaxing and enjoyable adventure on the Tennessee River. They offered a lunch aboard which we didn't have because we'd already eaten beforehand. That said the cruise was lovely and gave us time to relax and enjoy the sights on a warm summers day. I would recommend to anyone interested in something different while visiting Chattanooga read more

Southern Belle Riverboat - Tours Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

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This pleasant cruise was the capstone to a phenomenal week on our first mother-daughter vacation, decades in the making. We took the sunset cruise and unapologetically hogged the lower front deck. We marvelled at American eagles, at "million-dollar" homes, at a golf course, and at the sunset. We just plain lived in the present with no expectations. (Shout-out to the nice bartender.) The cruise is exactly what we needed--just memories lived and made by us. Lastly, the captain's caps made the moms giddy. read more

Southern Belle Riverboat - We're on a boat! - Tours Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

Road trip to Chattanooga and easily bought the tickets online. Parked nearby and went inside the building where we got our tickets (tokens) & checked out the gift shop. At 4:30 is when we were supposed to check in for boarding, but we started to wait at the boarding spot inside around 4pm. It wouldn't have been an issue, but it was very hot inside (they had some fans) and I was choosing to wear a mask (crowded) so that made it a bit worse waiting. Once we boarded (be one of the first to get on so you can get a good spot on the 3rd level), it was fine because there was a nice breeze. We really enjoyed the ride and wish it had been longer. They had a musician Garry (spelling?) who played a guitar and sang some classic rock songs. He did a great job and it made a nice ambiance. Enjoyed the boat ride! read more

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Scenery is fantastic. I would give it a 5 on the scenery but I could give it a 1 based on the onboard entertainment. They seemed like really nice people. But the singing was off and I winced a few times. I know I can't sing a lick and would not even attempt it as a hobby or career. But they are believers In their craft - I guess that counts for something. Again / the cruise would be out of site if not for that. Also if you sit up top there is a pungent and constant smell of hotdogs. I envisioned perhaps 30,000 franks thawing in a large container and stored in the kitchen. The return trip was pleasant as the "entertainment" stopped and the captain shared a wealth of knowledge on the River. My wife and daughter played bingo on the main deck. read more

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Spent the first 35 min in the one line for a bar on the top floor bc of the other floors didn't have a bar. Very crowded on top floor probably bc that's where the bar is. Cheap lawn chairs to sit on, smells like catfish. read more

Southern Belle Riverboat - Me waiting on my husband in line , but after 30 min the credit card machine quit working so waited for nothing - Tours Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

Everything about our sunset cruise was perfect, fed the ducks on the drawbridge walking in, spent plenty of $ at the gift shop that can only be described as A game stuff for sale, found the staff to all be very nice and engaging, enjoyed going out on the cruise with a few rum slushies and pretzel bites, the guitar player at the front of the boat was excellent music for the cruise, the weather and view was perfect, and the folks on the cruise with us were all very nice and worthy of light conversation!!!! Work this trip in and enjoy something different! read more

It's the only option if you want a riverboat ride in Chattanooga. It's not bad, but it's not awesome either. I wish there were another company that would compete with this one to help raise their standards. It's old and dreary inside. You just have the feeling that the workers are going through the motions and don't really care. For all the info on their website I thought I understood what to expect, but it clearly wasn't thorough enough. Why can't they tell you in advance when you buy the tickets online that you'll need to check in at the registers inside the gift shop and get a token to board the boat? Would that really be so difficult? They tell you online that you can visit their bar or check out their gift shop while you wait to board, but they don't mention that everyone will be lining up to board more than a half hour early in the most unorganized way possible, so NO you really need to spend that time waiting in line. We went on the July 4th fireworks trip at 9pm. It was what we expected. Had some live music which was good. We chose not to purchase anything from the on board bar/snack bar. It would've been nice to have some indication of what side of the boat you would be able to see the fireworks from and what time the fireworks were expected to start, but besides that it was a nice ride and a great fireworks show. read more

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We saw this place walking on the waterfront.. 3rd deck is bar and burger joint so we figured hey stop for drinks check it out!! It's a pretty cool place! First floor has bathrooms and gift shop. 3rd floor you get off elevator and up few steps and it's tables In middle and couches and chairs along both sides.. we bought bucket of beers and some fruity drinks in souvenir cups that change colors.. those cups empty or with soda are 4.99 but of course not me.. got a Malibu rum drink in cup! They have a riverboat tour with a boat on the other side of this one that runs almost for 2 hrs for right around $30. We didn't go cause we took lot of tours today plus it had just poured rain when we sat down with drinks. Our bartender was the sweetest! Her name was Shelly! She was more than helpful .. the boats a little musty and old but that's what gives it charm! There's darts and ping pong tables in rooms just behind bar on the permanent boat.. it seems like if you had group you could have pretty good time just drinking and playing games. A local said the burgers are really good but we weren't hungry just yet and wanted to venture around waterfront after rain see what else there is. I'm glad we stopped read more

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Came to Chattanooga for the weekend, chose the Southern Belle Riverboat for a Dinner Cruise. It was beautiful, cool evening. The staff was attentive. Dinner was a slice of prime rib, grilled chicken, red potatoes, green beans and rice. Food was good, no exceptional but good. Lemon pound cake for desert was soft and moist. Atmosphere was the best, we went up to the top deck to enjoy the cruise down the river. Great live music, beautiful views! All in all it was a good night. Got to relax and enjoy some much needed time with my wife! Would recommend! read more

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Although the boat was nice, If you do plan on going on this boat, just pay the normal price. My friend and I wanted to get seats by a window and paid $211 for that and it also included a charcuterie/cheese plate with a bottle of wine. We were told there would be live music, a 'big' cheese and meat tray and a Good time. We were escorted to our seats that already had a very sad looking charcuterie and cheese plate. Only a couple of fruits, literally planters peanuts, basically string mozzarella cheese, one slice of Gouda, and two slices of cheddar and meat that had looked as if it had been sitting out for a while. The live music was two floors up so we had no entertainment and the bottle of wine was worth 9.00$ for the bottle according to google. Again, I am sure the people who paid 39$ a piece had a MUCH better experience than us, who paid 106$ a piece. Was very disappointed. read more

Terrible. It is a stretch to call this "a tour ". No one explained anything. They pack as many people onto a boat as possible. It took 25 minutes to get a drink at the bar because the lines were so long and the boat was overstaffed. Restrooms were completely overflowing with urine. Stay away. read more

Southern Belle Riverboat - Tours Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

It was a glorious day on the Southern Belle! The staff was accommodating and friendly! We enjoyed our adventure very much!

Just to give credit where due, took the cruise on Saturday and seen no issues reported by other yelpers. Great music, cheap wine, good views along the river. read more

I wish I read the REAL Yelp reviews before I came here ... but I was blinded by a recommendation from one of my online groups, so silly ol me didnt do my due diligence. I really really really hate to sound like I am bashing, but I would also hate for other people to not know whats up and waste the best time on their vacation like we did. We were here for the weekend, and the "cruise" was for 7-830 pm, so it was prime time and we wasted it. The experience: We went with the "sunset cruise" under the assumption that this would be the more relax and perhaps romantic option. $30 + tax per person. I may as well used those dollar bills as tissue paper, and it would've served a better purpose. As soon as we boarded, we knew something was amiss. The top deck was full. Like, pre-covid type of full. So we go to the second deck. All outdoor seating were full also. We managed to find a spot on one side of the second deck ... but that also filled up quickly. By the time we set sail, we were surrounded by people and my foot has gotten ran over by a baby stroller. The "cruise" was 20, minutes late. So, we didnt get back till later, and we were struggling to find a restaurant for dinner after that. The "live" music was horrible. I mean, the guitarist was on point, but whoever was singing sang off key so much, it was painful. They also took so many breaks, I think at one point they had a very nervous and awkward passenger sang one song, and I mean, it may have been fun for them, but definitely not for us. Then ... OMG the sound system in the entire place was just as bad as the first busted stereo system I had in my old 1992 pontiac sunfire back in college. I mean, BUSTED like Charlie Sheen's career busted. I mean, BUSTED like your ex's face. Then, the playlist? The songs they sang were so old, my grandmother was still in elementary school when these songs came out. The whole time, Im like FEEEECCCKKKKKKK get me out of here! So, the first 20 minutes, we were outside. Okay, cool, yeah, theres the sunset, shoo bee doop doop ... then you realize that there's really no view. No qualms there. So it gets boring, and the music was NOT jamming, plus the temperature drops - it gets cold AND at the sunset cruise, once it is dark, there are no views. So, we went inside (on the 2nd floor). PACKED LIKE SARDINES inside. I guess everyone else decided to come in. It was depressing. There was just a bunch of bored folks desperately searching for an escape through their phones. A BUNCH of UNMASKED folks drinking from buckets of beers. So, mind you, this was only like 30 minutes into the ride. So we sat inside for another hour. There mustve been at least 100 people there with us (I legit counted), and besides me and boo, maybe two other people had their mask on. The rest has left it up to Jesus if they were to get sick or get other people sick. Carpets were so old, I think they ordered this from when they were building the hotels and casino in OLD las vegas. Im not kidding - they have the same carpet ... so that was like, oh I dont know, 50 years ago or more? The chairs and tables and everything else is probably just as old, if not older. Now, nothing wrong with the classic - but you gotta keep it clean and still aesthetically pleasing to some degree - to which, there was none of that here. And the creme de le creme of this epic ride? They played that lame ass played out song Cupid Shuffle and a couple others like it on their BUSTED ass system! BLARING it like "OOOOH HOW FUN!" Damn - my chest hurts reliving that experience. I have done a ton of river cruises and this is THE worst I have ever been to. The staff and crew were friendly, I have nothing against that - but the whole thing was not even worth a dollar. I mean, if you really must, do the Duck Tours - that's really all you would need to experience "the river". So Im sorry to the folks that work here and make their living doing this, but for us who also make a living to vacation and have good experiences in their vacation, I cannot, in good conscience, recommend this at all. What will make this better? Fix the sound system. Update/major clean up/re do paint, upholstery, tables, chairs, windows- something like that from top to bottom. Really focus and identify WHO your target audience is so you can put together a show/talent that is relevant to them. Make it more engaging by not only focusing on one side of the boat. Be more mindful of covid guidelines. Have staff walk around and check on folks periodically on this 1.5-2 hour "cruise". Brighten it up! I mean, get a professional (dare I say, millennial) event planner and interior designer. I'm sure they can bring this whole thing up to the speed of the year 2021. This whole boat cruise is such a great idea and addition to the city, but the whole things needs a major haul for it to be a true success. Word of mouth travels. It cant stay like this for too long. Best of luck! read more

My husband took me here for our anniversary. He purchased the gold package for $70 per person. It came with a couple appetizers, prime rib buffet and a guaranteed window seat. What you don't know until you get on the ship is that one person sits up against the window and another person looks out the window. I'm sure this is to maximize space, but to advertise as a guaranteed window seat when only one person at your table gets to see out the window is inappropriate. The table is very small and unfortunately I had to put stuff on the floor because I didn't have room on the table. Also, the person that looks out the window has their back to the entertainment and no room to turn around to watch. The food was good, but considering the price we paid, you would have thought that we would be grouped as the first guests to go get dinner. Unfortunately, we watched everybody on the entire deck eat before us because we were second the last table on the wrong side of the boat. As for the buffet, everybody touches the same utensils and then goes back to their table and eats dinner. There was no hand sanitizer available at the buffet line or at the tables. It appeared to me nobody was washing their hands. In this day and age, all I can say is what the hell? Gross. There is one minor difference between the silver package and the gold package and that is a bottle of wine and the 1/2 view seating. Save your money and get the silver package for guaranteed indoor seating and buy a bottle of wine or bring one with you. We pretty much paid $60 more for 1/2 window-seating and a cheap bottle of wine (10 dollar bottle). As for drinks- other than available-for-purchase alcohol, you get a glass of water at your table, but good luck getting someone to refill it. I didn't utilize a waitstaff person whatsoever because I could never get their attention. I saw one woman who was pretty much manning the entire floor by herself. Then to add to my disappointment, at the end of the trip they ask you to tip your server? What server? For what??? The entertainment was a couple gentlemen playing guitars and keyboard, singing. They were okay. What you'd expect for a dinner boat, I guess. Unfortunately, there is no policing of guests and their children. As you can see in my picture, children from the upper deck came down and took over the entire dance floor. They were throwing themselves all over the floor doing the caterpillar and playing red-rover. It made it difficult for anyone to enjoy their dinner or dance because of all the squealing and yelling. No parents in sight! The table busser had a heck of a time clearing tables because he had to navigate through a bunch of kids. Unless there is absolutely nothing else to do in Chattanooga, pass on this. read more

Southern Belle Riverboat - No parents in sight. - Tours Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

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I have done this cruise twice now - once in Dec 2020 and once in April 2021. The positives: nice view, "different" vacation experience. In December, we went during the day and appreciated the tour guide's information over the PA. The negatives: OMG this place needs to be updated. Maybe so people would actually want to sit inside the boat from time to time. It is OLD and smells like 1987. My husband and I joked that the gift shop had not been restocked since about then! Also, need to have Diet drinks onboard! What the heck? read more

The boat trip was very nice and the weather was great, but the musician, Gary, that played the guitar and sang made the trip amazing. He was very personable, took requests and talked about music and artists with my daughter and another table. He played great music and that's what made this excursion absolutely wonderful and peaceful. read more

Overall, I can say that for my first experience on the Southern Belle Riverboat it was enjoyable. I personally liked the older kind of look of the boat, and even enjoyed it more when I noticed there was no smell or smoking allowed on the boat. For the views, my girlfriend and I sat upstairs in the dock boat. The place was a bit ransacked but considering a boat load of people had scavenged through some pre departures snacks and drinks, its to be expected. We toured the gift shop until it was time to take pictures, which we bought as a keepsake. After we took our pictures, we were prompted to go seat at our table. We did not select the meal option but for those interested on taking advantage of their full service, they serve variety of drinks. They serve salad, appetizers and many more. I settled with popcorn. The trip was beautiful and we got to chat with the Captain in the wheel house, that was amazing. I will definitely be going back when its not so cold out. Overall, it was a great experience. I would like to see some quality vegetarian options but overall a great Saturday night. Oh and the entertainment was a perfect volume, not too loud and not too showy. read more

I was a bit underwhelmed by this. Captain was very nice and accomodating though. We took cruise 2 days ago. We purchased tickets in last 5 minutes before cruise started on a whim. We had really just driven over to see the location, check out size of the riverboat and maybe consider the cruise for another day. Husband impromptu decided we should just take cruise. He went back to car to get jackets and I paid for tickets. Asked the girl who checked me out if the cruise was a sightseeing cruise with narration. She said yes when I described wanting to know about what we would be passing along the shore. That didnt happen. There was a nice cover band but I cod have done without it. On the bottom deck, we initially sat by speakers that was playing classic music which was fine but it was seriously competing with the band and bothering my ears to hear both at the same time. We moved to the upper deck and away from the band, toward front of boat. Overall the views are nice but there were so many questions we had about birds we saw and some abandoned docks (? We weren't sure if they wer docks or what?) We really wished we had some explanation of what we were seeing. When we were planning this trip we saw one website for this. When we got to the boat dock that day we looked again online and it seemed like there was another site we were seeing. Also dinner cruise is still being advertised online but there is no such thing. We talked at length with captain and he explained this. Wonder why its still being advertised? read more

Southern Belle Riverboat - Sunset on the Sunset Cruise on the TN River. - Tours Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

Okay, a nice boat ride down the lake on a summer evening (the "Sunset Cruise") is very pleasant and relaxing, but there must be nicer ways to do this besides this old tourist trap. Lots of up-selling for no value--over-priced drinks with little taste, a totally unsatisfying charcuterie board offered as a special upgrade, and nothing to want us to ever come back again. Some narration of the sights one observes along the cruise might have made the experience more meaningful, but frankly, some of the industrial sites ain't even much to look at. You won't miss anything if you pass this attraction by. read more

Took my wife on the Riverboat cruise. It's not a tour as some would think. It's a relaxing and enjoyable ride down the river. The band was entertaining at back of the boat. Up front is more quiet and relaxing. Can get windy so bring a small jacket. We ate at the dock bar & grill. The burgers were amazing and the fries were delicious. On the boat we learned how expensive the drinks are. A slushie is $7 bucks. A little steep. But after all, that's entertainment business. We enjoyed our visit. read more

Southern Belle doesn't care about you or your family. There were ZERO covid precautions being taken at the Southern Belle. I checked their website days in advance to see if they had any statement on their covid precautions and of course it's devoid of information. That's because there are no covid precautions because the owners care more about their money than they care about their patrons. Loading and unloading the boat was an absolute free-for-all. Only about 30% of the 50-60 patrons were wearing masks and we were asked to crush our way through a set of double doors and down a narrow gang plank with out any allowance for social distancing. Beyond the covid concerns, the food absolutely sucked. We didn't receive our food until 45 minutes after we boarded and it was all cold and dry. The live band was sort of entertaining but about halfway through they started blasting 2000s dance hall music (Cha Cha slide, Cupid shuffle) over the burnt out speakers. Overall the southern belle is an experience you can't really get many places. If they ever change ownership and clean up their act I'll be back to give them another chance. read more

Food is disgusting and service is extremely poor. Definitely a spot to try in chattanooga, but would not return. Could be much better if more detail was focused on. read more

Surprise Birthday Party. We chartered the Latitude 35/Tadpole pontoon boat for a surprise party for a 2 hour cruise down the Tennessee River. The rental also includes the Tadpole, a barge attached to the riverbank, for social hour before or after the cruise. The process of booking to the cruise itself was great. The staff were all excellent and very accommodating of requests and meeting our needs. Thanks so much to our Captain, Bar Staff and sales (Joy) for a wonderful day on the river. A big thanks to Cupcake Kitchen for the wonderful birthday cakes you baked and delivered for us. read more

Was my second time in the Southern Belle and it was alright. Really hot on this ride, but they give a lot of very good history about the area. The first time we were with other couples and children and didn't listen much. Last time we ate lunch, this time we just watched from upstairs. I'd take my little ones since they're getting older now. read more

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Horrible experience, rude staff who seemed upset to be here. I'm still on the boat and due to the horrible food and rude staff and forced 20% tip on already 500% mark up on bottom shelf gas stations nachos I would be having more fun jumping off the boat and walking miles to my car. NEVER AGAIN! read more

We went on the Fall Foliage tour - apparently green is the color of turning leaves in Chattanooga. While the tour operator isn't responsible for foliage - the boat was Crowded and there was no room for about 40% of the guests to sit outside. For $87 we had two seats inside and about 2/3 of the way through the ride - we and about 26 other guests were told to vacate our seats. Apparently they needed to set up for dinner service for the night cruise. No please or thank you - just an irritated waitress yelling at us. Plus side is the live music - there is a band on the lower floor that plays decent music. Had we gotten seats outside - this would have been a three rating. Had they warned us that all outside seating was taken before selling us the tickets this would have been a three rating. You are encouraged to browse the gift shop before you board. Don't waste your time - get on the boat and try to snag a seat. read more