Spirit of Jefferson: Cruise the Ohio in comfort
She may not be as famous or as historic as a certain other Louisville riverboat, but the Spirit of Jefferson gives passengers a very different view of the Ohio River — and does so in comfort and style.
The Spirit, sister to the venerable Belle of Louisville, offers heated and air-conditioned indoor seating as well as seating on its picturesque decks. She has a much longer season of operation — mid-February through December — than the Belle (late May until late October), and makes more cruises per week than the larger, better-known Belle.
Best of all, perhaps, the Spirit of Jefferson plies the lower Ohio River west of downtown and past the locks and dam, where the river takes on a wilder and more rugged look. From July through October, the sternwheeler departs from the Farnsley-Moremen Landing in southwestern Jefferson County.
Granted, the Spirit of Jefferson is not an authentic turn-of-the-20th century sternwheel paddleboat like the 648-seat Belle of Louisville, which has cruised the Ohio River since 1914. The Spirit is a replica made in 1963 and originally christened the Mark Twain. (The ship was bought by Jefferson County, Ky., in 1995 and rechristened the following year.)
Nor is the Spirit of Jefferson as large, having a maximum of 150 passengers. No matter. The Spirit of Jefferson is definitely worth a cruise.
Some cruises feature buffet meals. Dinner cruises are mostly on Tuesday and Saturday nights. Lunch is available mostly from Tuesday through Sunday.
Check the here for the cruise schedule. (Spirit of Jefferson cruises are in blue.) However, for the most up-to-date information, call (502) 574–2992. Prices for individual tickets depend on whether the excursion includes a meal. Check the Cruise Schedules & Fares website for fares.
The Spirit of Jefferson is available for parties, corporate events or weddings of 50 to 150. Discounted tickets are available for groups of 10 or more. Call (502) 574–2992 to check for availability and prices; you can also check prices for Grand Gatherings online, although prices drop further with larger numbers.
- by Ivonne Rovira, Louisville Reporter for HelloMetro
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