Indian River Queen
Indian River Queen
4.5
About
The Indian River Queen is a triple deck paddle wheel boat specialized in private and exclusively designed affairs. The Queen's room, on the main deck is air-conditioned with a full service bar, restrooms, and comfortable seating. The 2nd deck has live music, a dance floor, restrooms and a full service bar. The top deck offers spectacular views as the 'Queen' rolls majestically down the Indian River. The 'Queen' is the ideal venue for weddings, bridal showers, rehearsal dinners, anniversaries, birthday celebrations and corporate events. Once a month we offer a "Friday Night Dinner & Party Cruise" and also a "Sunday Scenic Music Cruise" for the Public. Book now - Don’t miss the Boat!
Suggested duration
2-3 hours
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listingTours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
Full view
Top ways to experience Indian River Queen and nearby attractions
The area
Address
Best nearby
Restaurants
185 within 3 miles
Attractions
38 within 6 miles
Contribute
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
76 reviews
Excellent
46
Very good
17
Average
4
Poor
4
Terrible
5
Ward D
Satellite Beach, FL2,697 contributions
Jan 2020
I am told that this cruise is open to the public only once or twice a month. Our son and daughter-in-law bought us tickets for a birthday. The boat is a 3-story facility with 1 closed deck where dinner is served and 2 open decks. Our cruise was a Saturday with a 6:30 pm departure time. They check you name off the list and you have the option of getting a professional photo taken (for free). We staked out seats at a table inside as it was a chilly night. There is a bar with a variety of choice for those that like to drink. Tea and water were free. We left the dock about 6:45 and traveled south down the river. They had chips and salsa as an appetizer. The dinner was a buffet with pork, fish, pasta and rolls followed by dessert with was a chocolate cake and something that looked like bread pudding. The staff was excellent, helpful and respectful the entire time. The food was good. The band was excellent. On our tour there was not much dancing but the songs were so enjoyable to sit and listen to it did not matter. We went to the upper decks to stretch our legs several times and enjoy the sites on the way. We returned to the dock about 9:30 pm. I definitely thought it was a wonderful experience that I would recommend to others.
Written January 25, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
glomarrone
Cocoa Beach, FL2,920 contributions
Mar 2013 • Friends
Our women’s club recently booked a Sunday afternoon cruise on the Indian River Queen Paddleboat for 30-40 members and guests. I have been on the paddleboat several times previously so I knew we would all have a great time. Unfortunately, the weather that day did not cooperate. High winds and heavy rains were in the forecast so Captain James decided that it was not safe to take the boat out on the river. We stayed dockside the entire time. While we were all disappointed, we still had a great time. Most of our group gathered on Deck 2 to enjoy the music of the Dixieland Jazz Band that played all afternoon. We sat at round tables for four and ordered drinks - wine, beer or cocktails from the cash bar. Some of us got up to dance. The music was great. Soon platters of chips, salsa, and fresh fruit appeared and we all helped ourselves to the food.
When the winds began to pick up and the rains came we were pretty well protected by the clear plastic coverings over the openings on the ship. Before long it was time to go down to the elegant air conditioned Queens Room on the Main Deck for our catered meal. The highly acclaimed Black Tulip Restaurant in Cocoa Village now exclusively provides the food served onboard. We sat at long tables covered with white linen cloths and napkins. Each table was adorned with fresh flowers in vases. There are some smaller tables, also. We dined on a buffet of garden salad with three varieties of dressings, corn medley, baked BBQ beans and pork sliders. Everything tasted great and I finished everything on my plate. The assortment of desserts was very tempting so I sampled a little bit of everything - miniature éclairs, red velvet cupcakes, iced cake squares, chocolate covered cookies, etc. There was also hot tea and coffee. We were all full by the end of the meal. As I went back for seconds, I noticed that there was still plenty of food left on the buffet. As we watched from the large picture windows, we saw dolphins swimming not far from the ship. We had a great views of the Herbert Humphrey Bridge. All too soon it was time to depart the ship. Luckily a break in the weather occurred so we didn’t get drenched as we walked down the long dock to our cars. Parking is somewhat limited at the marina so arrive early for your cruise.
The triple deck ninety one foot long paddleboat was built in 1984. We did not go up to the top deck because of the inclement weather. There is plenty of seating there on nice days, though. The top deck is a wonderful place to view the spectacular scenery on your cruise The two full service cash bars on Decks 1 and 2 serve a wide variety of drinks. In case you are wondering, there are restroom facilities onboard. I strongly suggest that you make reservations for the Special Date Night Sunset Cruises for 50 couples only on select dates, $250 per couple, Friday Night Dinner Public Cruise, $49 pp and the Scenic Sunday Afternoon Public Cruises, $39 pp. I highly recommend their popular 3-hour Mother’s Day Brunch Cruise, $65pp. You received a Welcome Aboard Family photo, dine on an lovely buffet meal while enjoying two hours cruising the Indian River listening to a live music - no work for mom whatsoever. The boat is available for private and corporate charters - meetings, business lunches, charity benefits, weddings, holiday and office parties, family reunions and other special events. The ship can comfortably accommodate around 250 passengers. “Out of Time,” the movie starring Denzel Washington was filmed on the boat. Be aware that the boat does not sail daily. Island Boat Tours, the paddlewheel’s sister company, however, does offer daily Manatee and Dolphin Watch tours of the 1,000 islands from another local location.
The Indian River Queen is a wonderful way to spend time on the water. Everyone on staff makes you feel welcome. The very capable and friendly crew tries their best to serve you, engaging you in conversation when time permits. Penny Sheridan Flaherty, owner of the Paddlewheel runs a tight ship. The ship, now a landmark, has been serving the area since 2004. I recommend this river cruise to locals and tourists alike.
When the winds began to pick up and the rains came we were pretty well protected by the clear plastic coverings over the openings on the ship. Before long it was time to go down to the elegant air conditioned Queens Room on the Main Deck for our catered meal. The highly acclaimed Black Tulip Restaurant in Cocoa Village now exclusively provides the food served onboard. We sat at long tables covered with white linen cloths and napkins. Each table was adorned with fresh flowers in vases. There are some smaller tables, also. We dined on a buffet of garden salad with three varieties of dressings, corn medley, baked BBQ beans and pork sliders. Everything tasted great and I finished everything on my plate. The assortment of desserts was very tempting so I sampled a little bit of everything - miniature éclairs, red velvet cupcakes, iced cake squares, chocolate covered cookies, etc. There was also hot tea and coffee. We were all full by the end of the meal. As I went back for seconds, I noticed that there was still plenty of food left on the buffet. As we watched from the large picture windows, we saw dolphins swimming not far from the ship. We had a great views of the Herbert Humphrey Bridge. All too soon it was time to depart the ship. Luckily a break in the weather occurred so we didn’t get drenched as we walked down the long dock to our cars. Parking is somewhat limited at the marina so arrive early for your cruise.
The triple deck ninety one foot long paddleboat was built in 1984. We did not go up to the top deck because of the inclement weather. There is plenty of seating there on nice days, though. The top deck is a wonderful place to view the spectacular scenery on your cruise The two full service cash bars on Decks 1 and 2 serve a wide variety of drinks. In case you are wondering, there are restroom facilities onboard. I strongly suggest that you make reservations for the Special Date Night Sunset Cruises for 50 couples only on select dates, $250 per couple, Friday Night Dinner Public Cruise, $49 pp and the Scenic Sunday Afternoon Public Cruises, $39 pp. I highly recommend their popular 3-hour Mother’s Day Brunch Cruise, $65pp. You received a Welcome Aboard Family photo, dine on an lovely buffet meal while enjoying two hours cruising the Indian River listening to a live music - no work for mom whatsoever. The boat is available for private and corporate charters - meetings, business lunches, charity benefits, weddings, holiday and office parties, family reunions and other special events. The ship can comfortably accommodate around 250 passengers. “Out of Time,” the movie starring Denzel Washington was filmed on the boat. Be aware that the boat does not sail daily. Island Boat Tours, the paddlewheel’s sister company, however, does offer daily Manatee and Dolphin Watch tours of the 1,000 islands from another local location.
The Indian River Queen is a wonderful way to spend time on the water. Everyone on staff makes you feel welcome. The very capable and friendly crew tries their best to serve you, engaging you in conversation when time permits. Penny Sheridan Flaherty, owner of the Paddlewheel runs a tight ship. The ship, now a landmark, has been serving the area since 2004. I recommend this river cruise to locals and tourists alike.
Written March 27, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
cookie4547
Moncton, Canada45 contributions
Nov 2012 • Couples
This cruise is very good value! It is a very smooth ride even though the water may look quite choppy. The meal is a buffet and is very good. It is catered by the Black Tulip restaurant just a couple of minutes away from the dock. If we hadn't of run out of vacation we would have gone to the Black Tulip to eat in the restaurant. The live music sounded great upstairs on the boat. We met some really nice people as well. It was a great trip!!
Written November 20, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
rockinstx
Melbourne, FL15 contributions
Apr 2022
I was so excited about this venue for my brother's Celebration of Life, because he loved being on the water. That excitement ended when I learned from a guest who is in a motorized wheelchair that they told him he couldn't be accommodated. They told me they could lift him manually - onto the second level! - and that it would take some time. He was unwilling to subject himself to this because he'd been before and had had a bad experience. I was unwilling to leave him out of the Celebration because he is disabled. And Indian River Queen was unwilling to give me my deposit back even though it was a couple months in advance and, really, they would manhandle him onto the boat and up to the second level!
Written August 4, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lu C
1 contribution
Jul 2016 • Friends
On July 5th 2016 my Family went on a dinner cruise to celebrate my Nana's birthday. When we reached back to the dock and parking lot my uncle witnessed the company's food van back into my aunts car which was parked in a handicap space. The driver of the van then proceeded to leave as if nothing happened. My uncle began snapping pictures of the license plate. When the driver saw him she circled around and gave her insurance information. Due to it being a company vehicle we contacted the manager Tanya who was very nasty and would not give the company insurance information claiming she heard there was no damage. My family is very unhappy with the customer service and will never patronize this venue again.
Written August 27, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
travelgirl5755
Melbourne, FL16 contributions
Jul 2013 • Couples
Very expensive but not worth the value. No drinks were served and it was hot. Big deal that the boat went around the river and showed us how people lived on the water, nothing worth the money we spent.
Written August 7, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lisa M
3 contributions
May 2016 • Friends
Way over priced for what you get. The band was great, staff was friendly, but the staff ate better than the passengers. Was enjoyable but would never recommend.
Written May 19, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Crazybritgal
Melbourne, FL60 contributions
Feb 2016 • Couples
So we went on the dinner cruise tonight, probably not a great idea as it was in the 50s and chilly for Florida but we had the tickets at $75 per head. The menu looked promising ,served buffet style with table served appetizers. It is shared seating so no cozy dinner here. The first thing that strikes you is the noise, yelling is the norm. No quiet conversation here. Then there are two bars, drinks about $8 apiece for well drinks. It is catered by a highly regarded local restaurant so we thought we were in for a treat, wrong we got two tiny bites of appetizer. Then the fun begins, in England we call it a bun and tearush. The entire boat is served from a row of six chafing dishes. A salad, a tiny roll. 4 green beans,4 undercooked potato cubes, beef tips (2) , a sliver of salmon, all rationed out by the servers, Golden Corral does a better job. This was such a disappointment, we expected good food not school lunch food. Do not waste your money, we will not go again.
Written February 13, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kelly P
Jefferson, OH1 contribution
Dec 2013 • Couples
I booked this trip well in advance like a month and a half made sure they knew I was not from the area this would be my 1st time...I am from Ohio...1st trip on 11/24/13 was cancelled...second trip 12/1/13 was given 3 sets of directions from 3 different people on their staff/payroll none of which was correct...at 1 point I had their booking agent on the phone "I am only their booking agent I am not from the area but, I will check on a map for you" I can do that myself if I had the correct address...I paid good hard earned money and never got to enjoy the trip...so sad...never again...my special outing with my boyfriend was ruined...Thanks for have such an unprofessional staff.
Written December 1, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
tjdilts
Orlando120 contributions
Jun 2013 • Couples
We went on the Sunday afternoon lunch cruise. The instructions said that they would begin boarding at 2:00 P.M. for departure promptly at 2:30. We arrived at 2:05 and got into line to board. As you board they take your photo and give it to you at the end of the cruise (already included in the price)
When we got on board there were no seats left on the second/shaded deck and there were a lot of people that arrived after we did. The first/lowest deck is for dining so no entry there for seating until called. The upper deck has three tables with 4 chairs each and the rest of the room is for folks walking about the boat. This would be a great advantage for a night cruise, but when the sun is out and its 90 degrees on a Sunday afternoon, one prefers to stand in the shade below on the lower deck than to sit in the sun on the top deck for long.
There is a jazz band of older gentlemen that plays old time New Orleans style music and they do a pretty good job- especially considering the acoustics on a paddleboat.
The lunch consisted of lettuce with choice of two dressings, watermelon, pineapple, grapes, baked beans, sliced pork slider size sandwiches, and minature cupcakes. Drinks were tea or coffee only unless you paid bar prices for any other drink. Given the heat in Florida I was a bit surprised they didn't offer bottled water to guests.
The afternoon cruise tends to cater to the mid 60+ crowd. There were a few younger people on board and a few grandkids, but overall, its a quiet afternoon on the river.
The staff were incredibly hardworking and very nice. The Captain personally greeted folks coming and leaving, and everyone did their best to make it a nice experience for all.
The intercoastal is broad in this area so scenery is limited to distant views. We did see a few dolphins which was a nice treat.
This is an older paddle boat and the furnishings are quite dated. There is inadequate seating and without any coupon this is $39.00 pp. There are some discounts out there - I got mine from Travelzoo but still it was $30.00 per person. Although not well posted, the gratuity for the waitstaff is not included in the price of admission. Parking is free and no one seemed to have any problems finding a space.
In sum, you are paying for a nice boat ride with a heavy snack. My tip to you is to arrive super early to be able to obtain a table with chairs on the shaded deck.
When we got on board there were no seats left on the second/shaded deck and there were a lot of people that arrived after we did. The first/lowest deck is for dining so no entry there for seating until called. The upper deck has three tables with 4 chairs each and the rest of the room is for folks walking about the boat. This would be a great advantage for a night cruise, but when the sun is out and its 90 degrees on a Sunday afternoon, one prefers to stand in the shade below on the lower deck than to sit in the sun on the top deck for long.
There is a jazz band of older gentlemen that plays old time New Orleans style music and they do a pretty good job- especially considering the acoustics on a paddleboat.
The lunch consisted of lettuce with choice of two dressings, watermelon, pineapple, grapes, baked beans, sliced pork slider size sandwiches, and minature cupcakes. Drinks were tea or coffee only unless you paid bar prices for any other drink. Given the heat in Florida I was a bit surprised they didn't offer bottled water to guests.
The afternoon cruise tends to cater to the mid 60+ crowd. There were a few younger people on board and a few grandkids, but overall, its a quiet afternoon on the river.
The staff were incredibly hardworking and very nice. The Captain personally greeted folks coming and leaving, and everyone did their best to make it a nice experience for all.
The intercoastal is broad in this area so scenery is limited to distant views. We did see a few dolphins which was a nice treat.
This is an older paddle boat and the furnishings are quite dated. There is inadequate seating and without any coupon this is $39.00 pp. There are some discounts out there - I got mine from Travelzoo but still it was $30.00 per person. Although not well posted, the gratuity for the waitstaff is not included in the price of admission. Parking is free and no one seemed to have any problems finding a space.
In sum, you are paying for a nice boat ride with a heavy snack. My tip to you is to arrive super early to be able to obtain a table with chairs on the shaded deck.
Written June 9, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
flnurse
Palm Shores, FL155 contributions
We have done the island boat river cruises several that leave from the sunset cafe in cocoa beach. Will this boat be cruising to different areas of the Indian River than the other cruise ? Thanks!
Mark
Cocoa Beach, FL
No but the Indian River Queen paddle wheel boat in Cocoa has a scenic cruise tomorrow you will enjoy. $30 pp. Call or book online for tickets. 321-454-7414
Jacky K
Catalkoy, Cyprus24 contributions
Do you have anything planned for Christmas Eve and or Christmas Day 2015
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listingIndian River Queen - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)
Frequently Asked Questions about Indian River Queen
- We recommend booking Indian River Queen tours ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. See all 1 Indian River Queen tours on Tripadvisor
- Hotels near Indian River Queen:
- (0.19 mi) 5000 Sq Ft Cocoa Village Waterfront Townhome
- (0.36 mi) Parrish Grove Inn
- (0.39 mi) Hummingbird Cottage- on the Indian River
- (0.44 mi) Dixie Motel & Apartments
- (0.45 mi) Charming, treetop Indian River Hideaway
- Restaurants near Indian River Queen:
- (0.15 mi) Cafe Margaux Restaurant
- (0.15 mi) Ryan's Pizza & Pub
- (0.20 mi) Ossorio Bakery & Cafe
- (0.17 mi) Thai Thai Cocoa Village
- (0.16 mi) The Tulip Restaurant & Lounge
Indian River Queen Information
Excellent Reviews | 45 |
|---|---|
Very Good Reviews | 17 |
Indian River Queen Photos | 84 |