About Our Boat
The Victorian Princess is a three-level paddle wheeler that is certified to hold up to 120 passengers with two climate-controlled enclosed salons for dining or celebration. It has an open third deck that is great for those warm summer days out on the lake. The bow of the boat is a wonderful place to look out on Lake Erie and see everything it has to offer. We’ll see you soon aboard the Victorian Princess.
History
The Victorian Princess was built in La Crosse, Wisconsin in 1986. The boat’s dimensions of interest are as follows: Approximately 50 tons weight, overall length 107 feet, draft 4.5 feet, 3/8 steel hull, two Cummings six cylinder diesel engines, and two 35w Cummins generators, and the boat is paddle driven by two 14-paddled wheels with a cruising speed of 4.5 to 6 knots.
The Princess has three decks. The first deck has dinner seating for 72 passengers, buffet service, a full-service bar, and two restrooms. The second deck seats 50 dining patrons and has another bar. The third deck is open and can hold 45 patrons with a live music space. The boat has a three zoned sound system with wireless microphone. We also have five televisions for video as well.
The boat’s first stop after Wisconsin was Marco Island, FL. It was first named The Rosie O’Shea and was privately owned. The top deck was without rails and was a helicopter landing pad. The boat was purchased and brought to Erie, PA in 1998 and was renamed the Victorian Princess. From 1998 to 2011, the boat was owned by a three-member partnership: Dan O’Neill, Gary Liebel, and Tim Sedney. From 2011 to 2015, the boat was owned by Dan O’Neill. Duryea Gette purchased the boat in April 2016. The boat has had a half million dollars worth of infrastructure improvements at Don Jon boat dock over the winter and will continue to be upgraded moving forward by the motivated new ownership.
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We do not cancel due to weather; the only thing that affects the boat going out on the bay is high winds or lightning. If weather is not permitting we stay dockside and continue the meal. Cancellations for public cruises MUST be received within 36 hours of the scheduled cruise. There will be no refunds after this time. We need 15 passengers to sail. If we have to cancel due to the minimum number of passengers not being reached, you will be fully refunded or upgraded to any cruise of your choice.
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For passenger comfort, all enclosed areas have been designated as non-smoking areas. Smoking is permitted on the outside and third deck.
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Cars are welcome to park along Dobbins Landing and State Street. Do not drive buses to the boat because the road does not allow you to turn around.
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We carry Pepsi products and have a full-service cash bar. Soft drinks are not included in the ticket price, while alcohol is extra.
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Reservations are required one day prior to cruise. Full payment is also required at the time of the reservation. We accept cash, checks, and all major credit cards. If you miss your boat cruise, we’ll move you to another cruise of equal value for a $15 charge or you can receive up to a 60% refund.