If you don’t find answers to your questions about private charters aboard the Fremont Avenue, please contact us.
How do I book a private charter? Contact us by email with your plans, we will confirm your date and time. We then send you a charter agreement for signature. If you departure is more than 60 days out, we take a 50 percent deposit of the fees with the remaining 50 percent due 30 days out. If your departure is within 60 days, we ask for full payment at booking.
How many passengers can you carry? Our Coast Guard Certificate of Inspection limits us to a total of 42 passengers (not including the crew). These passenger counts include all individual people, no matter their age or size, and also include any caterers, bartenders entertainers or other helpers you bring along.
Where do you go? The route is up the host, and based on the time we have and the distance we can travel averaging 5.5 knots. All fresh water charters will take us through the Lake Washington Ship Canal and out to Lake Washington, with the time spent on the lake depending on the departure point and the length of the charter. We can also go through the Ballard Locks to Elliott Bay, on the Seattle waterfront, but no further than that on the saltwater.
Where do you depart from? Our base is at Fishermen’s Terminal, at the south end of the Ballard Bridge, and the great majority of our charters depart from there. Fishermen’s Terminal has ample free parking and easy access to the boat for guests and caterers. We can depart from Lake Union Park, but this involves additional fees, and potential scheduling conflicts at the dock. Other departure points, involving higher additional fees, include Carillon Point in Kirkland, Southport in Renton and Bell Harbor on the Central Waterfront.
What if we need to cancel? We understand that plans can change, but hope that you understand that our booking slots are a perishable commodity. If you cancel more than 60 days from your departure date we will refund your deposit, less a fee. No refunds within 60 days, unless we book your exact time with another customer, in which case your fees will refunded.
Can I reschedule? If your plans change and you need to reschedule we will try to find a solution that works for both of us. More than 60 days out we can move you to any new slot that is available. Within 60 days we can offer slots less in demand, or a prime slot late in the season.
What is the weather is lousy? The weather in Seattle is. . .variable. The only weather that we cancel and provide refunds for are lightning, severe fog or severe smoke. The cabin is heated and there is lots of indoor space and covered outdoor space if the weather turns less than ideal. There are lots of sheltered places we can go if the wind kicks up.
Do you have free parking? There is ample free parking at Fisherman’s Terminal. All of the other departure points noted above require paid parking.
What if we are not ready to depart on time? On-time departure is the biggest challenge for most groups. The host decides when we depart, and if any late people get left behind. The arrival time back at the dock is the time written on the charter agreement, not the elapsed time from actual departure..
Do you have restrooms onboard? We have two restrooms on the main deck.
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.
Will I have time to set up before the charter? We generally allow 30 minutes for you to set up catering and decorations and for your guests to board. Schedule permitting, we can allow for additional set up time. This time does not count against your cruising time.
Can we bring out own catering? You are welcome to bring any food or arrange any catering you would like, and we have guidelines for what works best on a boat.
Do you have cooking facilities? No. You will need to bring prepared food. The galley has hot and cold water, and we have some freezer space (we are the ice cream boat!) but no refrigerator space. We have limited 110 volt power on board, so you can bring small appliances like warming trays or crock pots.
Can we bring alcoholic beverages?. Yes. But you must have a state banquet permit which is easy to get online. This establishes that you are responsible for complying with all applicable laws.
Can we smoke on board. No. State and federal laws prohibit smoking of anything or vaping while on board a passenger vessel.
Who takes care of cleanup and garbage? We will take care of all cleanup and garbage. You just need to assemble any leftover beverages and catering you would like to take with you, as well as any decorations, meeting materials, swag etc.
Do you have a music system? Yes, we have a music system on board that you are welcome to use. We have speakers in the main cabin and on the upper deck. You can use your own device to connect to the system by Bluetooth. If you want to bring your own DJ equipment you must clear that with the captain ahead of time.
Can we decorate? Yes, we encourage you to decorate the boat for your occasion. Just keep in mind that all decorations must be easily removed and we can’t have anything that might fly off the boat.
Can we swim? No. our insurance does not allow for swimming off the boat. Jumping off a charter boat is a federal offense.