Frequently Asked Questions

Portland Spirit (Year-Round)

Lunch*
January – November: Monday – Saturday, 11:30 am – 1:30 pm
December: Monday – Friday, 11:30 am – 1:30 pm

Brunch*
January – June & September – November: Sundays, 11:30 am – 1:30 pm
July – August: Sundays, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm & 2:30 pm – 4:30 pm
December: Saturday & Sunday, 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Dinner:
January – April & October – November: Daily, 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm
May – September & December: Daily, 7:00 pm – 9:30 pm

Happy Hour Sightseeing:
July – August: Monday– Saturday, 3:30 pm – 5:00 pm
September: Saturday – Sunday, 3:30 pm – 5:00 pm

NOTE: You may purchase a “sightseeing only” ticket on most meal cruises year-round.

*Brunch times vary for holiday cruises, including Easter, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. Due to the Grand Floral Parade, the 6/8/24 lunch cruise boards at 1:00 pm from Caruthers Landing. Visit our booking site to view the up-to-date schedule and boarding location. Schedule is subject to change.

Jetboat Adventure Cruises (July – September)

3.5 hour round-trip from Portland to Multnomah Falls on the Explorer Jetboat

Bigfoot Adventure
Wednesday – Monday: 9:00 am – 12:30 pm (boarding at 8:45 am)

7 Wonders of the Gorge
Wednesday – Monday: 2:00 pm – 5:30 pm (boarding at 1:45 pm)

Book your cruise online

Call our office: 503-224-3900

Visit our Ticket Booth at Salmon Street Springs. The Ticket Booth is open Friday – Sunday from 12 pm – 5 pm in June & September and daily from 10 am – 7 pm in July & August.

Reservations must be pre-paid and are non-transferable and non-refundable (unless ticket assurance is purchased). Walk-on guests are welcome when space is available, though you are strongly encouraged to call ahead to verify day-of cruise availability. Many Saturday and holiday cruises sell out in advance.

The following starting prices apply to standard cruises only and are subject to change. Our pricing is based on demand and will increase based on the popularity of the date selected. Quoted prices do not include tax, fees or optional upgrades.

Proceed to booking to view the current rate. It is recommended to book early for the best pricing. There are discounts for groups of 10 adults or more.

Portland Prices

Dinner: Adult from $99 | Youth (0-12) from $79
Sightseeing only: $60/Adult | $30/Youth (0-12)

Lunch: Adult from $67 | Youth (1-12) from $33.50 | $10 Infants (0-1)
Sightseeing only: $44/Adult | $25/Youth (1-12) | Infants (0-1) free

Brunch cruise: Adult from $79 | Youth (1-12) from $39.50 | $10 Infants (0-1)
Sightseeing only: $44/Adult | $25/Youth (1-12) | Infants (0-1) free

Happy Hour Sightseeing (July – September): $29/Adult | $25/Youth (1-12) | Infants (0-1) free

Columbia River Jetboat Adventure Cruises

Adult from $70 | Youth from $62 (up to age 12; not recommended for small children)

Cinnamon Bear Breakfast Holiday Cruises

Adult from $70 | Youth (0-12) from $50

Reservations do not include a service gratuity (tip) unless you add an Admiral’s package to your booking, or reserve a group of 10 or more people. You will be able to add gratuity near the conclusion of your cruise. There are suggested gratuity amounts printed at the bottom of your onboard receipt, based on the total amount paid.

If you are joining us for a tour on the Explorer Jetboat, tipping your guide and captain is not required, but certainly appreciated. It is customary to tip $5-$10 (or more) per person. Tips are split between the guide and captain.

Select holiday cruises, like the Cinnamon Bear Breakfast, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and Fourth of July cruises, do include a service charge. There is a “What’s Included” section on every cruise page that will list what is covered in the cost of the cruise. If you have additional questions, you may call us at 503-224-3900.

We offer discounts for groups of 10 or more adults.

Our email newsletter is one of the best ways to learn about upcoming events, specialty cruises and discounts. You can sign up via the form at the very bottom of our website.

All our food is prepared fresh on board in our galley and our menus change daily. For our plated meal cruises, we offer seafood, beef, poultry and vegetarian options. If you booked a meal cruise with reserved seating, there will be a menu at your table when you board. You have the option to pre-order appetizers, desserts and other items when you make your reservation.

View our sample menus.

Dietary Restrictions & Food Allergies

We strive to accommodate most dietary restrictions, but please note that we have some limitations due to preparing food in a boat’s galley with limited space. Vegetarian options are regularly available as one of our entrées for plated meal cruises. Vegan and gluten-free modifications can be made to entrées and sides when requested in advance. Please note, we use extra virgin olive oil and canola/olive oil blend in our Galley.

If you have any dietary restrictions or food allergies, please inform us before your cruise date by notating it on your online reservation, calling 503-224-3900 or chatting with us through our website.

For severe food allergies requiring separation of ingredients, please add detailed notes to your booking. We appreciate your understanding and will do our best to accommodate your needs within our capabilities.

Outside food and beverages are not allowed on any of our cruises, except for the Bigfoot and 7 Wonders of the Gorge cruises; however, you may bring a personal water bottle on board with you. Please note that all carry-ons and bags are subject to inspection.

We offer a variety of enhancements for your special occasion aboard the Portland Spirit. Enhancements are not available on every cruise.

Admiral Package Additional $74 per person — Save $24 per person
Treat yourself to a truly luxurious dining experience at the Admiral’s Table with a guaranteed window table, appetizer, upgraded dessert, complimentary tea, coffee or soft drinks, a drink ticket for beer, wine or a cocktail, boarding photo and keepsake cocktail glass. Perfect for a date night or celebration with friends and family. Service gratuity also included.

Celebration Package Additional $42 per person — Save $9 per person
Put the finishing touch on your special celebration. The Celebration package includes a drink ticket for beer, wine or a cocktail, upgraded dessert, complimentary tea, coffee, or soft drinks and a boarding photo. (Service gratuity not included.)

Keepsake Package Additional $35 per person — Save $4 per person
Includes one drink ticket for beer, wine or a cocktail, souvenir glass and a boarding photo to remember your special occasion with the Portland Spirit. (Service gratuity not included.)

Guaranteed Window Table starting from $15 per person
Available on meal cruises only, your party will be guaranteed a table at the window. Limited number available per cruise.

Boarding Photo $15 each
Your visit will be captured by our photographer as you arrive. Before you leave, you will have your picture in a custom Portland Spirit frame to take with you.

Cheese Sampler Plate $30 each
A curated selection of local Northwest cheeses, chosen for flavor and presentation. Served with crostini and fruit.

Seafood Plate $30 each
Smoked lox, steelhead, seared tuna, mussels and prawns. Served with crostini, cream cheese, lemon and cocktail sauce.

Mediterranean Plate $30 each
Pre-order only. Vegan option featuring a variety of vegetables, Beyond hot Italian sausage slices, GF tortilla and house-made hummus.

Shrimp Cocktail $12 each
Five tiger prawns served with our chef’s special recipe cocktail sauce.

You may also choose to pre-order floral arrangements at a variety of sizes and prices. If you let us know, we would be glad to announce your occasion on board. Please add any special requests in the booking notes when reserving a cruise online, or let your customer service representative know when booking by phone at 503-224-3900.

The Portland Spirit, Willamette Star, and Crystal Dolphin are wheelchair accessible on the Willamette Deck (1st level), with certain restrictions. All three vessels are equipped with wheelchair-accessible heads (restrooms). We can accommodate most manual wheelchairs, and some power chairs, up to 32 inches wide. If you or your guest uses a power wheelchair, you may request a location near a power outlet. Please note that there is a 90-degree turn at the bottom of the ramp, and varying river levels may make the ramp steep, especially during the summer months.

At the Salmon Springs Dock, we use a Wheelchair CartCaddy, which attaches to the frame of the chair, to safely assist passengers up and down the ramp. While we do not have a weight limit, our reservations team may ask for additional information, including whether the patron using the chair is weight-bearing, the type and size of the wheelchair, and if the chair is equipped with a leg rest.

Please add details about your chair and any other accessibility requirements in the booking notes when reserving a cruise online, or let your customer service representative know when booking by phone at 503-224-3900.

The bow and observation deck on the Portland Spirit are only accessible via stairs; the Willamette Deck (lower level) is accessible via ramp, but is fully enclosed. You can see more information on our listing on Wheel the World.

We recommend business casual or dressy casual for our meal cruises. Our sightseeing cruises are casual dress.

We strongly recommend that people not wear high-heeled shoes and encourage people to wear solid, non-slip footwear as we are in a marine environment. We do recommend wearing layered clothing as the climate on the rivers can be unpredictable. The Portland Spirit, Willamette Star and Crystal Dolphin vessels offer fully enclosed dining decks. Cruises aboard the Explorer should be considered a thrill-type ride where weather and river conditions can vary dramatically.

No cancellations unless ticket assurance is purchased at the time of reservation. Transfers to another cruise may be possible with a transfer fee (or free with purchase of ticket assurance).

Ticket Assurance: Secure your plans with Ticket Assurance for a 10% fee. If you can’t attend your cruise for any reason, such as an illness, airline delay, traffic or accident, you’ll be reimbursed for your purchase. Enjoy peace of mind knowing that you can effortlessly transfer your ticket to another date without a fee, subject to availability and fare price difference. Or if you must cancel your reservation, you can receive a refund, less the cost of Ticket Assurance. Ticket Assurance may be exercised online up to 2 hours before your scheduled departure or within 24 hours after your cruise by calling the office. Ticket Assurance must be added at the time of reservation. This add-on also allows for partial refunds if some of the party can not attend or for the reservation to be transferred to another date/time. You will be responsible for paying the difference in price if the cruise you are moving into is a higher price.

Cruises run south (upstream) on the Willamette River from downtown Portland to Waverly Country Club (Happy Hour Sightseeing cruises), the Historic Milwaukie Waterfront (lunch & brunch cruises) or Lake Oswego (dinner cruises). The return leg cruises north, looping downtown and traveling under many famous bridges. View our cruise route and attractions on our Portland cruises page.

Our Bigfoot Adventure and 7 Wonders of the Gorge cruises on the Explorer Jetboat travel north on the Willamette River and east on the Columbia River into the mouth of the Columbia River Gorge. View the Explorer cruise route.

Please note that cruise routes can vary depending on river activity and conditions.

Please be prepared to show the QR code from your confirmation email for check-in. Your party can also check in under the last name it was booked under.

When you arrive at the dock (please check your booking confirmation for the correct address), you’ll be greeted by our captain and members of the crew. We take a required boarding photo of everyone who boards, but it is optional to purchase the printed souvenir photo at the end of the cruise.

We are U.S. Coast Guard regulated so as part of our safety and security plan, passengers 18 years of age and older must carry photo identification. The boarding photo is also required to board. However, those that are uncomfortable with a photo may request the photographer destroy the printed souvenir photo. All carry-on bags are subject to inspection.

Our cruises board at either Salmon Street Springs or Caruthers Landing. Most public cruises board from our Salmon Street Springs Dock, but boarding location and vessel is subject to change. Please refer to your booking confirmation or event organizer for the correct address. You may also view the departure location from booking section of our website. If you have a question regarding your boarding location, please call our office at 503-224-3900 during regular business hours.

Public cruises start boarding 30 minutes prior to departure and private cruises typically board 15 minutes prior to departure.

For cruises departing from the Salmon Street Springs Fountain (1010 SW Naito Pkwy, Portland OR 97204) we suggest either the World Trade Center parking garage or Smart Park parking garage on SW Jefferson. Street parking may also be available. Bicycle parking is available nearby. EV parking is located one block west on SW Salmon Street.

For cruises departing from Caruthers Landing (110 SE Caruthers St, Portland, OR 97214) we have a private parking lot available at no additional cost, available on a first come, first served basis.

Additional information here.

Smoking of any substance via any device or method, including e-cigarettes and vaping, is not allowed on any vessel.

View images, videos and other resources for each vessel via the links below.

Portland Spirit
Willamette Star
Crystal Dolphin
Explorer

We love dogs! Unfortunately, our vessels are considered a restaurant and dogs/pets are not allowed on board. Only service dogs that have been trained to perform tasks that assist disabled people are permitted.

We cruise regardless of rain or bad weather. In the case of ice or heavy snowfall, we will reach out at least 2 hours prior to the cruise in the event of a cancellation.

The Portland Spirit, Willamette Star and Crystal Dolphin have two interior climate controlled decks as well as partially covered outer decks for exterior viewing. Be sure to bring a jacket or layers, even in the summer, as it can be cooler on the water.

Children are welcome on all cruises, except for those cruises specified as limited to age 21 and over. Most cruises have a discounted child rate. Please let us know in the booking process if your party will include any children.

Please note, the entertainment on regular meal cruises caters to adults and young children may find themselves restless, particularly on a longer dinner cruise that for many kids runs past their bedtime. We recommend daytime sightseeing for families with young children or our Cinnamon Bear cruises during the holidays. If you are dining with a small child, please ask your server for crayons and a children’s activity sheet.

No. We are U.S. Coast Guard regulated, meaning it is a violation of federal policies to board any of our vessels with a concealed firearm, knife or weapon on your person.