If you don’t find answers to your questions about the Ice Cream Cruise, please contact us. (And, yes, those kids in the photo are totally fake)
How do I book tickets on the Ice Cream Cruise? On the main Ice Cream Cruise Page you will see an online ticket window. First select the number of adult and child tickets you wish to purchase, and then select the date from the calendar. You will then be shown the sailings and deck levels available for your group size. Then follow the prompts to finalize your ticket order, buy ice cream and other concession scrip, and pay for your tickets.
How many passengers can you carry and why are tickets separated by decks? Our Coast Guard Certificate of Inspection limits us to a total of 42 passengers . It also restricts us to no more than 20 passengers on the upper deck at one time. The upper deck tends to be a bit more popular, so we charge a small premium for upper deck tickets. There are, of course very nice spaces to enjoy the Ice Cream Cruise from the lower deck.
Is ice cream included in the ticket price? Ice Cream and other concession items are not included in the ticket price. We have thought a lot about this, and concluded that it makes most sense to keep ticket prices low and allow our guests to make their own choices about what to get at the concession.
What kinds of ice cream to you have? We serve packaged ice cream products at two price levels. We encourage you to pre-pay for concessions when you get your tickets.
$3.00: ice cream sandwiches, plain ice cream bars, creamsicles, Jonny Pops (non-dairy), Dogsters (for your pup)
$4.00: Haagen-Dazs bars, drumsticks, Outshine bars (non-dairy), coconut bars (non-dairy)
We also have soft drinks, water and chips, all for $3.00.
Where does the Ice Cream Cruise go? Our narrated tour takes us from Fishermen’s Terminal, along the upper part of Salmon Bay, through the Fremont Cut to Lake Union. And then back. You will get views of the Lake Washington Ship Canal that you can only see from the water, and you will also get nice views of the downtown skyline from Lake Union. We pass by fishing boats, tug boats, barges, floating homes and yachts. We also pass under three bridges, two of which open often. We pack a lot into your 45 minute tour.
Where do you depart from? We depart from Dock 9 at Fishermen’s Terminal. (Please don’t go to our old home at Lake Union Park!!). Gather at the head of the dock near our tent. When you are checked in and the boat is ready for boarding you will walk to the end of Dock 9. Click here for directions to Fishermen’s Terminal.
When should we arrive? We strive to leave right on time for each of our sailings, so please get to Dock 9 in plenty of time. We start checking in and boarding about 10 minutes before departure, so plan to arrive at our tent at least 15 minutes before your sailing time and you can have a relaxed stroll down the dock to the boat. Don’t worry about being too early–Fishermen’s Terminal is a delightful place to hang out if you have extra time.
What if we miss our sailing? Tickets for the Ice Cream Cruise are not refundable. If you miss your sailing we may be able to accommodate you, subject to space available. We do often sell out our sailings in the summer, so if you miss a sailing, you may or may not be able to get on the next run. While we will do our best to fit you on board, please allow ample time to get to the boarding area so you can join the sailing you signed up for.
Are dogs allowed? YES. Not just allowed, but welcomed. Just make sure they have taken care of their personal needs on the grass behind the parking area before boarding.
Do you have free parking? There is ample free parking at Fisherman’s Terminal. Follow our signs to a parking area near the West Wall Building.
Is the boat ADA accessible? We do not meet ADA requirements for accessibility, but we make every effort to accommodate people with varying mobility needs. See our page on accessibility. If you have guests with limited mobility, please arrive early so everyone has enough time to walk down the dock.
Do you have restrooms onboard? We have two restrooms on the main deck. There are ADA accessible restrooms in the Fishermen’s Terminal building between the Bay Cafe and the barber shop.
Can we smoke on board. No. State and federal laws prohibit smoking of anything or vaping while on board a passenger vessel.