Frequently Asked questions

Passengers are permitted to board the vessel fifteen (15) minutes prior to departure. If the vessel is ready to accept passengers prior to that time you will be told by the vessels crew that you may board. If you require earlier access due to a special events please let us know and we will do our best to accommodate you but remember, passenger safety is our number one priority, at no time will passengers be permitted until the vessels crew has completed pre departure inspections.

We will do all that we can to accommodated your needs. Let us know and we will inform our catering company and they will create a meal to suite your needs.

The Mystère is 60ft in length.
She has a beam of 17ft.
She draws approximately 6ft when unburdened and has an air draft of 18.5ft
She is double deck with a fully enclosed lower saloon and an open upper deck.
Our USCG Certificate of Inspection allows us to carry 88 passengers.
Her Tonnage is 44 Gross Tons

Generally speaking weather does not affect the vessel. However our policy is to remained tied up if sustained winds exceed 25kts or gusts are expected to exceed 35kts or when the National Weather Service issues warnings for commercial vessels. Our lower saloon is fully enclosed and is very comfortable during all weather conditions. The ships Captain is continually monitoring all weather, current and water conditions for the safety of the passengers.

We regret that refunds are not given. We cruise rain or shine May though September. In the rare event that the ships Captains prohibits cruising because of weather or other issues we will issue a voucher good for one year from the scheduled cruise date. If possible we will contact you in advance. You can reschedule a reserved seat 24 hrs prior to your cruise date.

Tickets are picked up at our dockside kiosk up-to 45 minutes prior to the cruise.

The vessel has safety rails that exceed USCG requirements and has more then the required number of life vests. Children are welcome on almost all our cruises and discounts are offered for children age 12 and under. We encourage families to bring their children along for our Saturday afternoon sightseeing cruises and special lockmaster tours. A limited number of child booster seats are available, please call ahead to reserve one if you would like one to be set aside for you. On party and late-night cruises, passengers must be age 21 or older with valid ID.

Discounts are provided for senior citizens, active duty military personnel, disabled veterans and groups of passengers exceeding 10 individuals on a single voyage. Please contact us for details.

Dinner and Bruch Cruises: For men, appropriate attire includes slacks and a polo or button down shirt. For women, nice slacks, Capri pants or a sundress is recommended. Although allowed, we strongly discourage collarless t-shirts, jeans, shorts or sneakers.
Party Cruises: Dress code for party cruises is club appropriate attire.
Sightseeing: Casual attire is fine.

We cruise the calm waters of the Erie Canal. History begins as soon as we get underway. During our cruise we pass the site of Fort Brewerton, the Brewerton Range Lighthouse and experience “locking though” through the busiest Lock on the canal system, lock 23. As we are in the Lock itself, experience the engineering of our forefathers that opened up settlements and commerce between the Atlantic Seaboard and the rest of the country. Feel free to wave or chat to the lockmasters, that are in some cases second and third generation lockmasters. Passengers are always thrilled and excited by the locking process.
Passengers are always astounded by the many bridges and get a true sense of the historical cry of “Low Bridge”. During the cruise we will pass several marinas filled with yachts from around the world and often pass tugs and their barges working their way to far off ports. You will see beautiful homes, wildlife as never viewed from shore, beautiful sunsets and the lush foliage of the area. Its common see blue herons, river otters, hawks and American Bald Eagles, flocks of waterfowl, grazing deer.
On longer cruises we’ll see the location and remains of the infamous “Bridge Battle”, see sections of the original Erie Canal and hear of desperate battles between nations, and tales of ship wrecks along the canal.

We feature New York State wines and have sommeliers aboard for wine cruises. Our bar is well stocked with the most popular liquors and mixers. Our mixed drinks start at $6, beer starts at $3, and wine begins at $5 per glass. Soft drinks are $1.50 each.

Mystère Gift Certificates are available in any amount and may be purchased by calling 315-934-4157 or bought onboard. Printed gift certificates come with a brochure in an envelope suitable for gift giving. All gift certificates are valid for one year.

The access doors of the Mystère can accommodate wheelchairs up to 27.75 inches in width. There is a ramp at the door and a ramp from the parking lot to the boat wharf. Unfortunately there are no provisions for gaining access to the upper deck via wheelchair. The restroom facilities are not specifically designed for wheelchair access.

Of course! The Mystère crew excels in personalized service and attention to detail. You can choose from a private table for two, balloons, roses, Champagne, bar packages and more.

We SRONGLY encourage reservations. The Mystère is not like a shore side restaurant where you can just wait for a table. Waiting for a table on a nice summer evening? How ordinary and boring is that? Since we bring a lot of food for every cruise we can accept a limited number of walk up passengers for dinners, brunches and party cruises but a $2 surcharge will be added and your meal options will be limited. On Saturday sightseeing cruises we also suggest reservations but no surcharge is in effect.