Canandaigua Lady At Steamboat Landing

If you don’t have a boat or a friend with a boat this is a good way to see the north end of Canandaigua Lake otherwise as a tour it is just average. It was a beautiful Friday afternoon so being out on the lake was very nice but the sparse narration on this 1.5 hour cruise was disappointing. The captain claimed he would have 40 – 45 mins of commentary but it felt more like 20 – 25 mins. We learned just a bit about the lake, the area and the history. I’ve been on a number of similar lake/​river/​canal cruises and this offered the least for the most money — $ 21 for an adult upper deck ticket. This was really expensive for what you get. Not recommended.

We did the afternoon tour. The ride was smooth and the staff was attentive. It lasted about 1.5 hours, which was just right for a pleasant ride around the lake. They have beverages and snacks on board, as well as a restroom. Everything was reasonably priced and clean, and the wood paneling in the cabin was pretty. Apparently this is the only boat on Canandaigua (maybe all of the finger lakes) actually propelled solely by paddle wheel, which was neat.

I purchased the groupon for two upper deck seats on the 2:30−4 cruise. This cruise does not serve food and I am happy it didn’t. The boat was not clean, the ceiling and the floors were dirty, the plastic windows that roll down in case of rain were filled with bugs and dirt. During the ride there were so many bugs flying around. At times people had 5 – 10 bugs crawling on them and there was no way to get away from them. The speakers closer to the back of the boat were not working so we were unable to hear the tour information. I was disappointed, this boat ride could be great. The lake is so pretty and the weather for the day was perfect, but the cleanliness of the boat was gross. I would never want to eat on it or host a party on this boat.

So fun! I went on the «dinner cruise» last night, although we opted for the tickets that just included the cruise. It was a PERFECT night to be on the lake last night: high seventies, and sunny. It was a large group: maybe everyone had the same idea we did!
The boat left promptly at six thirty, and we settled up on the upper deck towards the front. The cruise is nicely paced, we heard the calls for dinner, and during that time the crowd upstairs thinned giving those of us who weren’t eating some quieter time to chat or just look out at beautiful Canandaigua Lake. It can get loud on the upper deck when everyone is up there chatting and looking out at the lake, but I didn’t mind that. I also love that every time you pass a boat, the people on those boats smile and wave. So friendly!
I definitely recommend this as a fun activity (probably not for kids), a small event, or a nice date. I loved it, and it’s the perfect length ~ about 2 hours. Check it out, and bring your sunnies!

cumbersome and deceptive booking — we couldn’t use the upper deck at all even after being told on the phone that it would be no problem. the lower deck is loud from engine noise and smells of diesel fumes when on the bow. the food is catered on disposable plates and is second rate. staff are marginally trained and obviously minimum wage. it’s not worth the price, as the whole operation is poorly run. the other finger lakes have dinner cruises that are much better. they had trouble processing credit cards and could not do it at all while on the lake. they held the cards and returned them to you on shore.