3-Hour Fairport Evening Lock Cruise

Evening Lock Cruise runs through Colonial Belle. Rated 4.2 across 53 reviews. Runs 3 hours. From $46.

Overview

The Colonial Belle pushes off from Packett's Landing in Fairport, for three hours on the Erie Canal with narration in English from departure to return. The centerpiece is the lock passage. The boat passes through a lock during the trip. That maneuver is the difference between this sailing and the operator's shorter midday trips, which are listed as making no lock passage.

Logistics stay simple. Boarding opens shortly before departure, parking at the landing is free, and no hotel pickup is provided, so travelers arrange their own way to Fairport. A dinner package can be added for an extra charge; without it, the ticket covers the cruise and the narration. Children are welcome aboard, and the first deck is accessible.

The cruise suits anyone staying in Rochester or the northern Finger Lakes who wants a narrated evening on the water. On some dates themed or event cruises run instead, and online booking can close within 24 hours of departure, after which the operator's office phone is the fastest route to a seat. The office keeps daily hours from May through October, and November through April is the operator's off season.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Meet at Packett's LandingThe cruise begins and ends at Packett's Landing in Fairport. Parking at the landing is free.
2. Board the Colonial BelleBoarding opens shortly before departure. The first deck of the boat is accessible.
3. Cruise the Erie CanalThe boat heads out from Fairport onto the canal with narration in English running throughout the trip.
4. Pass through a lockThe cruise is listed as a lock cruise, so the trip includes a passage through a lock. The operator's midday sailings are listed separately with no lock passage.
5. Optional dinner aboardA dinner package can be added when booking, for an extra charge, on this evening sailing. Without it, the ticket covers the cruise and narration only.
6. Return to Packett's LandingThe boat ties up back at the same landing where boarding took place, and the evening ends there.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points will help the evening run smoothly from arrival to disembarking.

• Getting there. No hotel pickup is included, so travelers drive or ride to Packett's Landing in Fairport on their own. Parking at the landing is free. The schedule advises boarding 15 minutes before departure.
• Booking early. Reservations are suggested, and online booking may be unavailable less than 24 hours before departure. The operator's office at (585) 223-9470 handles bookings and has the latest schedule information. Themed or event cruises replace the standard evening cruise on some dates, so check the date on the booking page.
• Dinner package. A dinner package can be added to the evening cruise for an extra charge at the time of booking. Without it, the ticket covers the cruise and narration alone.
• First deck access. The first deck of the Colonial Belle is handicapped accessible. Anyone with mobility limits should plan around that level for seating and movement.
• Weather cancellations. A cruise may be cancelled for inclement weather, mechanical problems, or an insufficient number of passengers. Notification is made when possible. Checking the office line or the booking page on the day of travel is a sensible habit.
• Language of narration. Narration is in English only. The lock passage carries the evening regardless of language, but the commentary will mean most to English speakers.

Common issues. Several limits are worth knowing before booking. No hotel pickup is included, and online booking may be unavailable within 24 hours of departure, after which the office phone is the booking route. Cruises can be cancelled for inclement weather, mechanical problems, or an insufficient number of passengers, with notification made when possible. Themed or event cruises replace the standard evening cruise on some dates, and accessibility is described for the first deck only.

Choosing Your Erie Canal Cruise