Q. Are children allowed on cruises?
A. Of course! We do ask that adults accompany children and perhaps bring games, etc. to occupy their time on board. Ask about our other options for children as well.

Q. Are outside alcoholic beverages allowed?
A. No. Due to Minnesota State Law, we do not allow any outside alcoholic beverages.

Q. Will the boat sail, rain or shine?
A. Absolutely! Our boats can become fully enclosed and our salons are climate controlled for your comfort. We sail – rain or shine. In the case of severe weather conditions or upon direction of the U.S. Coast Guard or National Weather Service, the boats may remain dockside until weather conditions improve. Please keep in mind that weather patterns change and severe weather usually passes quickly. Also, if the day starts out bad, it may be completely different by noon or evening.

Q. How should I dress?
A. We recommend casual attire with comfortable shoes or sandals. Dress accordingly for the weather. We ask guests not to wear excessively revealing clothing or any swimsuits.

Q. Is the interior heated and/or air conditioned?
A. Yes, the upper and lower interior decks are climate controlled. Please note that on hot days, some areas of the interiors may get warmer then normal with passengers going in and out of doors, opening windows, etc. which is beyond our control. We do our best to maintain an enjoyable environment throughout our vessels.

Q. Are your vessels handicap accessible?
A. We offer limited handicap accessibility. We are able to accommodate most manual wheelchairs on board with some assistance. NOTE we are not able to accommodate motorized wheelchairs. Please note that none of our fleet meets the full state guidelines for handicap accessibility such as bathrooms, walkways or ramps according to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Our Mississippi River boats docking facilities do have ramps which vary in angle due to river water levels, and have limited gate and door openings of 32″, along with United States Coast Guard required 6″ thresholds at each exterior doorway. We do have a ramp which will provide limited access over the doorway thresholds, but unless the location is inspected prior to boarding and the wheel chair size is defined to us in advance, we cannot guarantee that we can accommodate all types of wheel chairs. Manual wheel chairs of normal size and width we are able to provide access for as we have in the past.  Our Lake Minnetonka boats have similar thresholds, and do NOT have ramps available, but we are able to accommodate most types of manual wheel chairs of normal size and width. To set up an appointment for inspection of either location prior to your cruise, or for any questions please call our office at 952.474.8058.

Q. Is there a possibility I might get seasick?
A. Lake Minnetonka and the Mississippi River have very minimal wave movement for yachts of our size. Some movement may be felt, but usually not too disturbing. Seasickness on board is rare.

Q. Is smoking allowed on board?
A. Our vessels are smoke free. Smoking of any kind or vaping is not allowed on board.

Q. What are payment options?
A. We accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover. Cash is accepted onboard the boat.

Q. When is final passenger count and payment due?  (Private Charters Only)
A. Final passenger counts are due 14 days prior to your cruise. Only count increases will be allowed within 14 days up to 3 days prior to your cruise. Final payment is due according to terms of your contract, depending on cruise type.

Q. Is sales tax included?  (Private Charters Only)
A. Sales tax is not included. Current local and state sales taxes apply.

Q. What is your cancellation policy? 
A. Cruise deposits will be refunded in full less 4% if your event is cancelled 90 days prior to the event date. Cruises cancelled after 90 days are non-refundable. See your charter agreement for complete terms. Deposits approved for refund may take up to 30 days for processing.

Q. Are reservations required on public cruises? Public Cruise Cancellation and Terms of Agreement Policy
A. Sightseeing cruises are available on a first-come basis, but reservations are recommended. Specialty Cruises and Cocktail Cruises do require advance reservations. We require a minimum capacity of 20 passengers for each scheduled cruise to depart. Reservations not confirmed until payment is submitted and you receive your confirmation/reservation number. All cruises go rain or shine. Payment is NON-REFUNDABLE and NON TRANSFERABLE within 72 hours for “Afternoon Sightseeing Cruises”. All public cruises served with meals (Dinner Cruise, Pizza Cruise, Brunch Cruise, etc.) are NON-REFUNDABLE and NON-TRANSFERABLE once reservation is made.  A 4% cancellation fee applies to all credit card refunds. If you are not present at the time of scheduled departure posted, you will be considered a no-show, and your ticket will not be refunded or rescheduled.

Ticket Purchasing Terms of Agreement

When purchasing tickets either online or over the phone, customer and its guests agree to following: Paradise Companies Inc., DBA Paradise Charter Cruises and or Minneapolis Queen Cruises LLC is not responsible for consequences arising from or associated with adverse weather. In the event of rain, reserved cruise times go as scheduled. If weather precludes cruise, cruise will be held dockside until weather improves or cruise time expires. PCC/MQ is not responsible for river and or lock closures due to repair or other issues beyond our control directed by others. The cruise passengers and their guests assume responsibility for all catering and cruise costs should the group decide to cancel within 3 days of cruise time due to conditions beyond Paradise Charter Cruises control. The charter group and its guests assume all risk of personal injury and loss of or damage to personal property. It is agreed that the cruise is a “Ride at your own risk attraction” Legal Drinking age is 21 years of age.

Q. What time does boarding begin? 
A. Boarding begins 10 to 15 minutes prior to all cruise departure times.

Q. Can I work with a Cruise Coordinator to customize my cruise needs?  (Private Charters Only)
A. Your Paradise Cruise Coordinator will work with you on every detail of your event, making sure nothing is overlooked, from florist recommendations to menu selections. Our Event/Wedding Coordinators are assigned to each event or wedding event. Our Coordinators will work with you to provide you with complete knowledge of our products and services along with tours of our vessels. The average event or wedding event requires approximately 1.5 hours of coordinating services. Paradise Charter Cruises and the Minneapolis Queen will provide two hours of these services including up to 2 boat showings at no charge to our clients. If additional coordinating time is required, Paradise Charter Cruises and the Minneapolis Queen reserves the right to bill for this service at $75.00 per hour.

Please contact us at 952.474.8058 with any questions you may have.

Q. Are your buffets “All You Can Eat”?
A. No, buffets are not all you can eat. Buffets are limited to one serving per person.

Q. Are there vegetarian or special diet options available and what about food quantities and minimums?  (Private Charters Only)
A. Our chef will be happy to work with you on any menu substitutions you may need. Regarding food quantities, we do recommend that you order your food quantities for the same amount of guests in attendance. Keep in mind, that over the lunch or dinner hours, smaller orders of only appetizers can run short, as guests consume more during these times. Minimum amounts/counts may apply. Our coordinators can help you with any questions or concerns you may have!

Q. May I bring a wedding or special cake on board?  (Private Charters Only)
A. You are more then welcome to bring your own cake. We will provide plates and forks for you upon request and at an extra charge. We ask if cake is being brought on board to notify your cruise coordinator first.

Q. Are outside alcoholic beverages allowed?
A. No. Due to Minnesota State Law, we do not allow any outside alcoholic beverages.

Q. May I bring my own decorations? (Private Charters Only)
A. You may bring your own decorations with the exception of clear tapes, paper mache streamers, confetti and/or rice or other small items that may damage vacuums or air vents or intakes. Please contact us at 952.474.8058 to set up a time for decorating.

Q. May I tentatively hold a boat? (Private Charters Only)
A. Yes, we will hold a boat for you for up to 72 hours unless another party is requesting the same date and time, at which time you will have the first option to confirm your date.

Q. What are music and entertainment options? (Private Charters Only)
A. We offer many music options for your cruise. Bluetooth and satellite radio options onboard, as well as a large list of outside entertainment venues to meet your needs.

Q. What is the service charge? (Private Charters Only)
A. As an industry standard, the service charge we collect enables us to pay our staff an competitive hourly wage, provide commissions or above minimum wage to our sales staff, behind the scenes staff, etc. It is also used to maintain our staff and safety training, licensing, equipment upgrades, products, furnishings, and helps enable us to exceed our clients expectations!

Q. Food Allergens Notice
A. We make effort to identify ingredients that may cause allergic reactions for those individuals with food allergies. Items marked gluten friendly are made with no gluten-containing ingredients. Effort is made to instruct our food production staff on the severity of food allergies. Because of the number of meals served and the number of items used each day, along with food product changes from our food vendors, it cannot be guaranteed that every allergen in the food served will be identified and labeled.  The possibility that manufacturers of the commercial foods we use could change the formulation at any time, without notice also exists. Customers concerned with food allergies must be aware of this risk. We cannot assume any liability for adverse reactions to food consumed, or items one may come in contact with. We cannot guarantee that food allergens will not be transferred through accidental cross-contact. Passengers with life threatening food allergies who may need to use an epi-pen should be carrying their own. Our staff is NOT trained to administer epi-pens and CANNOT provide or administer them. In the event of a reaction, please notify our staff at once, so proper help/assistance may be contacted.