Stillwater River Boats

What Stillwater River Boats does

Stillwater River Boats is a privately-held, family-scale river cruise and private charter operator based in historic downtown Stillwater, Minnesota, where it has run cruises on the St. Croix River for approximately 50 years. The company owns and operates a fleet of six vessels — Anastasia (75 guests), Jubilee II (150), Showboat (225), Empress (225), Majestic Star (350), and Avalon (675, described as the largest paddlewheel boat in the Midwest) — offering enclosed, climate-controlled decks, patio viewing areas, and ADA-accessible boarding from 525 South Main St. with adjacent complimentary parking.

The business runs a dual revenue model: public lunch and dinner cruises sold direct-to-consumer through a FareHarbor-integrated website, phone reservations, and walk-up sales; and private charter rentals for weddings, corporate events, anniversaries, and other celebrations, quoted on a custom basis by vessel, guest count, and duration. Food is supplied by in-house partner Grand Catering Stillwater on a per-event basis, and onboard bars are stocked and staffed with beverages sold separately from ticket price. Operations are seasonal, typically running from early May through mid-October.

The company serves three primary segments — Corporate Events (holiday parties, team building, client appreciation), Wedding Events (ceremonies, receptions, and showers at capacities from 50 to 675 guests), and Public Cruise Customers (individual travelers and families seeking scenic dining experiences). Go-to-market is exclusively direct-to-consumer via the company website, with no third-party resellers, supported by an integrated hospitality partner network that includes Lowell Inn (lodging), Grand Banquet Hall, and Grand Pizza.

Name

Stillwater River Boats

Legal name

Stillwater River Boats

Website

https://stillwaterriverboats.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

River Cruise and Boat Charter Services

NAICS

Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (48721), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (487210)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400)

akta.pro primary industry

Boutique Small-Ship River Cruises (THAEACAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Private Charters & Yacht Experiences (Crewed, Bareboat, Day Charters) (THAJAJAB), Luxury Yacht & Small-Ship Expedition Cruises (THAEABAF)

Keywords

• River cruise services
• Private boat charters
• Wedding venue boats
• Corporate event cruises
• Scenic dining cruises

Headquarters

HQ city

Stillwater

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Public Cruise Tickets: Ticket sales for scheduled public lunch and dinner cruises on the St. Croix River. Ticket includes boat ride and meal, with beverages available for additional purchase at the bar.
2. Private Charter Rentals: Private boat charter rentals for events including weddings, corporate events, birthdays, anniversaries, and other celebrations. Pricing varies by vessel and event duration.
3. Beverage Sales: Stocked and staffed bars aboard all vessels offering drinks for additional purchase separate from ticket price.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Stillwater River Boats operates a fleet of six paddlewheel and yacht vessels offering public lunch and dinner cruises and private charters on the St. Croix River from historic downtown Stillwater, Minnesota. The fleet ranges from intimate 75-guest paddlewheelers to a 675-guest paddlewheel vessel and a 350-guest luxury yacht. Services include scheduled public cruises with included meals and stocked bars, plus private boat rentals for weddings, corporate events, and special celebrations.

Product overview

Stillwater River Boats operates a fleet of six distinct paddlewheel and yacht vessels offering public cruises and private charters on the St. Croix River in Stillwater, Minnesota. The fleet ranges from the Anastasia (75 guests) and Jubilee II (150 guests) to the Showboat and Empress (225 guests each), the Majestic Star luxury yacht (350 guests), and the Avalon (675 guests, largest paddlewheel in the Midwest). Services include public lunch and dinner cruises with included meals, and private charters for weddings, corporate events, and special occasions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Majestic Star: Luxury yacht available for private charter with 4 levels including lounge, dining, dance/entertainment deck, and sun deck.
• Avalon
• Anastasia
• Jubilee II
• Showboat
• Empress

Products and services

• Anastasia A charming single paddlewheel vessel named after the last Grand Duchess of Russia, featuring an open-air covered second deck with an alfresco bar and indoor seating. Accommodates up to 75 guests for private charters and events.
• Jubilee II A classic riverboat and the oldest vessel in the fleet, featuring large windows on the second deck that bring natural light onto the dance floor and bar area. Accommodates up to 150 guests.
• Showboat A romantic double paddlewheel river boat described as the most popular wedding boat in the fleet. Features charming wood interiors, twinkling sconces, and intimate inside/outside levels with climate-controlled enclosed decks. Accommodates up to 225 guests.
• Empress An authentic paddlewheel vessel featuring Victorian decor, a horseshoe-shaped stained glass bar, and tin ceilings. Offers an outdoor third-level viewing deck or indoor first-level options. Accommodates up to 225 guests.
• Majestic Star The largest yacht in the Midwest with four levels including a first-level lounge, second-level dining deck, third-level large bar and dance floor, and a fourth outside deck for viewing the St. Croix River valley. Fully climate controlled. Accommodates up to 350 guests.
• Avalon The largest paddlewheel boat in the Midwest. Features inside and outside decks with seating for up to 500 guests on three levels, two bars, and two buffet areas. Not available on Saturday evenings. Accommodates up to 675 guests.
• Public Cruises Scheduled public lunch and dinner cruises on the St. Croix River featuring enclosed and climate-controlled levels with patio viewing decks, included meals, and stocked/staffed bars available for separate drink purchases. Tickets are bookable online through the FareHarbor-integrated booking system.
• Corporate Events Charter Private boat rentals tailored for corporate events including holiday parties, corporate anniversaries, teambuilding sessions, employee appreciation dinners, client appreciation events, product launches, and network events. Accommodates 50-675 guests across the fleet.
• Private Charter Rentals Private boat charter rentals for events including weddings, corporate events, birthdays, anniversaries, and other celebrations. Pricing varies by vessel selection, guest count, and event duration with custom estimates provided upon inquiry.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered supporting and core.

• Lowell InnsupportingOthersRecommended hotel partner with 25 historic rooms and 10 modern annexed rooms, beautiful dining patios, and private event spaces. Located at 102 North Second Street, Stillwater, MN 55082. Recommended for overnight stays for cruise guests traveling from out of town.
• Grand Banquet HallsupportingOthersEvent venue partner in historic downtown Stillwater with max capacity of 350 guests. Large dance floor, beautiful decor, marble top bar. Free showings by appointment in winter. Located at 301 2nd Street, Stillwater, MN 55082.
• Grand PizzasupportingOthersRecommended dining partner offering pizzas, pastas, and daily specials. Delivery, dine-in, or take-out available. Voted Best Pizza in the Valley by St. Croix Magazine. Located at 301 South 2nd Street, Stillwater, MN 55082.
• Grand Off-Site CateringcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerIn-house catering provider for all boat events. Grand Catering Stillwater prepares exceptional food for breakfast, lunch, breaks, dinner, hors d'oeuvres, desserts, and late night. Complete bar service available. They are the exclusive catering partner providing all food and beverage services aboard the fleet.
• Grand Catering StillwatercoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerIn-house kitchen providing all food services for the Avalon and other vessels. Specializes in private events, weddings, corporate functions, and public cruise dining. Provides complete bar service and chef's specials.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Steamboat Natchez: Iconic New Orleans paddlewheel riverboat offering daytime harbor cruises, jazz dinner cruises, and private event charters. Direct analogue in vessel type (paddlewheel) and dinner-cruise-with-meal product structure.
• Shoreline Sightseeing: Chicago-based scenic water cruise and tour boat operator running architecture cruises, dinner cruises, and private charters. Comparable as a multi-vessel sightseeing/charter brand in a major U.S. tourism market.
• Gateway Clipper Fleet: Multi-vessel paddlewheel and dining cruise operator in Pittsburgh offering public lunch/dinner cruises and private charters. Closely matches Stillwater's fleet model, public + private revenue mix, and event-hosting positioning.
• Entertainment Cruises (Spirit Cruises): Multi-city operator of dining, brunch, and private event cruises under the Spirit Cruises brand. Comparable for its premium dining-cruise positioning, scalable charter pricing model, and private-event focus.
• Pearl of the Lake (Cruisin' Minnetonka): Minnesota-based private charter and event cruise service on Lake Minnetonka. Competes with Stillwater River Boats for Twin Cities wedding and corporate event bookings with a similar boat-as-venue model.
• Padelford Packet Boat Co. Paddlewheel river cruise operator also based in Stillwater, MN, running seasonal excursions and private charters on the same St. Croix River. This is the closest direct competitor in geography and product offering.

Broad incumbents

• Viking Cruises: Global river cruise operator with a major presence on U.S. inland waterways. Not a direct competitor on day cruises, but representative of premium river-cruise demand and a benchmark for the river cruise category.
• City Experiences (Hornblower): Large-scale hospitality and cruise operator with sightseeing, dining, and charter cruises across multiple U.S. cities. Broader portfolio than Stillwater but directly overlapping in the premium event-charter and dining-cruise segments.
• American Queen Steamboat Company: Operator of overnight paddlewheel and modern river cruises on U.S. inland waterways. Larger and overnight-focused rather than day-cruise, but shares the paddlewheel river-cruise heritage and American heartland customer base.

Regional players

• Lake Minnetonka Cruise Lines: Day-trip and charter cruise operator on Lake Minnetonka in Minnesota. Same regional tourism draw (western Twin Cities metro) as Stillwater River Boats, competing for similar local leisure and event bookings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/StillwaterBoats
• Facebookfacebook.com/StillwaterRiverBoats
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stillwater-river-boats

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Stillwater River Boats