3-Hour Fairport Cruise Through A Lock

Afternoon Lock Cruise runs through Colonial Belle. Rated 4.2 across 53 reviews. Runs 3 hours. From $44.

Overview

The Colonial Belle casts off from Packett's Landing in Fairport, for three hours on the Erie Canal, narrated in English from departure to return. The lock passage is the headline. This is the operator's longer afternoon option, distinct from a shorter afternoon cruise that runs without going through a lock at all.

The trip suits families and anyone using Rochester or the northern Finger Lakes as a base; the operator places its home dock on the northern edge of the Finger Lakes region. Children are welcome, though the youngest passengers may find three hours a long sit. For them, the operator also runs a shorter Sunday family cruise without a lock passage.

The practical shape of the day is simple. No hotel pickup is included, so you make your own way to Fairport, where parking at the dock is free and boarding opens 15 minutes before departure. Departure days and times shift across the week, themed or event cruises take over some dates, and the base ticket covers the boat and narration alone, with an optional lunch package on certain weekday sailings.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Meet at Packett's LandingThe Colonial Belle departs from Packett's Landing in Fairport. Parking on site is free.
2. Board the Colonial BelleBoarding opens shortly before departure, and reservations are suggested. The first deck is listed as accessible.
3. Cruise the Erie CanalThe boat travels the canal with live narration in English throughout the ride.
4. Pass through the lockThe boat goes through a working canal lock, the feature that separates this cruise from the operator's shorter afternoon trip that skips the lock.
5. Return to Packett's LandingThe cruise ends back at the Fairport dock where it began.

What To Expect From The Tour

Most of what catches people out here is logistical rather than nautical. The listing spells out the details below.

• Getting there. Hotel pickup is not part of this cruise, so plan your own arrival at Packett's Landing in Fairport. Parking on site is free. Boarding opens 15 minutes before departure, and reservations are suggested.
• Schedule quirks. Departure days and times vary across the week, and themed or event cruises replace the standard trip on some dates. School field trip charters can affect spring availability. Check the live booking page or call the office before committing to a specific day.
• Deck access. The operator lists the first deck as accessible. Nothing in the listing covers the other decks, so travelers with mobility needs should call the office ahead of booking.
• Food and drink. The standard ticket covers the boat and narration only. Certain weekday departures offer an optional lunch package at an extra charge, and meal packages on the Sunday lock cruise are limited to groups of 25 or more.
• Weather and cancellations. Cruises can be cancelled for inclement weather, mechanical problems, or an insufficient number of passengers. The operator states that notification is made when possible and that terms are subject to change. Reading the policies page before you book saves surprises.
• Late bookings. Online booking may shut down less than 24 hours before departure. After that, phone the office at (585) 223-9470; it is staffed 10 am to 2 pm daily from May through October, excluding holidays.

Common issues. There is no hotel pickup, and the cruise can be cancelled for weather, mechanical problems, or low passenger counts, with notification made when possible. Themed or event cruises substitute for the standard trip on some dates, and spring availability can shrink when school field trips are booked. The operator lists the first deck as handicapped accessible. Online booking may be unavailable less than 24 hours before departure, which can push late planners to the phone.

Choosing Your Erie Canal Cruise