Do I have to make reservations? What if I need to cancel?Reservations are necessary for all dining cruises and highly recommended for non-meal cruises as we frequently sell out in advance. We do require prepayment at the time the reservation is made.
Reservations are regularly non-refundable but are transferable with 72 hours notice of the cruise time. With a minimum of 72 hours notice, we can transfer the reservation to a different date or give you future credit with us. Once within 72 hours, reservations are non-refundable and non-transferable.
When booking, you have the option of adding Cruise Protection for a 15% additional fee. With Cruise Protection, your reservation becomes refundable if you need to cancel with a minimum of 48 hours notice. (Cost of Cruise Protection and any booking fees are not refundable)
The boat does not wait for tardy guests so please make sure you arrive a minimum of 15 minutes prior to departure time. No-shows will not be rescheduled or refunded. |
When should I make reservations by?As soon as you know for sure what date you would like to come, we recommend you make your reservations. Some of our cruises sell out weeks prior to the date and most do sell out prior to cruise date. Those that wait for the weather forecast and call last minute are often disappointed. |
What if it rains?Our cruises sail rain or shine. Our main deck dining area and upstairs Captain's Club areas are fully enclosed and equipped with heat and AC so we can handle just about anything Mother Nature throws at us. In cases of severe weather, the Captain makes a decision at the time of departure on whether or not to sail. No decisions are based on a forecast. If the captain does decide it is too threatening to sail, non-meal cruises will be rescheduled. For dining cruises, the meal is served on board while boat is dockside and you will receive a rain-check voucher to come back for a cruise. |
Where do you sail from?We sail from 275 Ganson St., Buffalo, NY 14203.
This is right next door to Buffalo RiverWorks and across the street from ADM Milling. |
Is the boat handicapped/wheelchair accessible?Please inquire about handicap accessibility at the time the reservation is made as it depends on the particular individual's needs. In general, we are not able to accommodate those in motorized or oversized wheelchairs. Please be aware that we do board onto the second deck of the vessel and the main dining area, bar, and restrooms are located down below on the main deck. |
Where do I get our tickets?We do not use tickets. At boarding time, simply come down to the boat and give your name at the gangplank. For larger groups, we may issue boarding passes to the group leader to be distributed to members of the group. |
What is the dress-code?While we have no formal dress-code, we classify how most guests dress as “resort-wear casual” or “dressy-casual”. We also suggest you bring a light sweater or jacket with you as even the hottest summer days can become cool evenings on the water.
We do not recommend wearing high heels. |
Can I smoke aboard the vessel?No. The Grand Lady is a non-smoking vessel. We ask for all passengers cooperation. |
Can I bring my own food or beverages?No. All food and beverages consumed aboard must be purchased from Grand Lady Cruises or our approved caterer. The only exception made is for cakes for birthdays or other celebrations. Arrangements for this must be made ahead of time. |
Where does the cruise go?Cruise duration and weather conditions dictates the course taken by the vessel and the Captain will make necessary adjustments to cruise route in order to stay in calm waters. From our dock, we travel up the Buffalo River first to Elevator Alley. After turning around, we will cruise out the Buffalo River to the entrance of Lake Erie. From there the route will include some of the following: Buffalo Outer Harbor, Erie Basin Marina, Black Rock Canal near the Peace Bridge, depending on length of cruise and the wind conditions that particular day. |
Where is your office? When is the office open?We have a seasonal office adjacent to the boat dock. Office hours vary depending on cruise schedule so please call for office hours or to make an appointment to see the boat. Winter hours vary so please leave a message and your call will be returned as quickly as possible. |
How is seating assigned for the plated dinner cruises? Can we get a table for two?Seating for our plated dinner cruise is assigned in such a way as to accommodate the most number of guests on board. Most tables are meant to seat 6-8 people so we do often ask smaller groups to share tables. Seating assignments are made prior to boarding based on seating requests and the order in which reservations were made. In our opinion, there really isn't a bad seat on the boat!
If there is a group of you with separate reservations, just let us know ahead of time and we can seat you all together. Once we begin boarding a cruise, it is very difficult for us to make seating adjustments. |
I have a food allergy. Can I get a special meal?Please let us know of any specific allergies at the time the reservation is made. For our buffet dining cruises, we are not able to accommodate individual portions, but our caterers will be made aware of the allergies so they can advise our staff of any items to stay away from. For plated dinner cruises, Salvatore's is able to send individually plated meal to meet your needs.
In both situations, food is prepared in a large, shared cooking space so the possibility of cross contamination does exist. Please call before booking if you there are severe allergy concerns. |
Where do we park? Is it free parking?We have our own designated parking area by the boat dock at 275 Ganson St. Please follow the signs when pulling in. It is free to park for the duration of your cruise.
Please note we share a driveway with the overflow parking lot for our neighbor, Buffalo RiverWorks. When they are hosting large events, they typically utilize this driveway and have parking lot attendants collecting money for parking. YOU DO NOT NEED TO PAY TO PARK. Please simply just tell the parking attendants you are there for Grand Lady Cruises and you will be waved through. Continue straight back towards the water to our designated parking area within the yellow chains. |
Are dogs/animals allowed on board the vessel?Not usually. For the comfort of all of our guests, we allow only certified service dogs on board the boat. Under normal circumstances this does not include emotional support animals. Please inquire before making your reservation if you would like more information on this policy. |