All private charters MUST be booked at least 3 weeks in advance of the event date. We do require a 50% deposit to hold your date and time. Two weeks prior to your cruise is when the final guest count and final details need to be solidified. The final balance is also due 2 weeks prior to the cruise date. Please contact our Special Events Coordinator to book your private charter.

Due to our liquor license, no outside beverages are allowed on board our larger vessels (this is not the case for the Pontiki, please see Pontiki FAQ for more details on that vessel). All beverages must be purchased on board.We do offer a full comprehensive food menu for you to choose from for our in house catering. Our Special Event Coordinator is happy to work through any dietary requirements and special needs you may have. We also now welcome outside caterers at an additional service fee. Please speak with your Special Events Coordinator to work through those procedures. 

Yes, a cake or cupcakes/specialty dessert are welcome on board. We do require all cakes be handled by the bakery and be delivered right to the boat an hour before your event. Edelweiss staff cannot store a cake in advance of your event or carry any cakes down to the boat. A $75 cake cutting fee will be charged for all cakes brought on board. Fee is subject to increase if the cake is extra large or has multiple layers.

We do not allow outside DJs to be brought on board due to our DJs being well versed in noise regulations and Coast Guard regulations on the vessels. Our DJs are extremely talented and experts on a good time! They will work with you prior to your event to ensure that your music is customized to your group/event.

Absolutely! Although we do suggest keeping things simple as the backdrop of our beautiful city serves as amazing decoration. Please note, glitter, confetti, and scattered flower petals (real or artificial) are strictly prohibited. Any decoration you wish to bring on board must be approved by the Special Event Coordinator at least 2 weeks prior to your cruise.

A maximum of 5 guests are allowed to board the boat 30 minutes prior to the event start time to set up necessary items. If more time is required, this can be accommodated at an additional cost. 

We suggest having guests arrive 30 minutes prior to departure. We will begin boarding 15 minutes prior to departure time.

Boarding takes place at our main dock location 205 W Highland Ave at Gate 2 located at the bottom of the ramp.

Although we do not have our own parking lot, there is plenty of street parking on Highland Ave. and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. and local lots within walking distance that you can utilize.
Address of Edelweiss Dock: 205 W. Highland Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53203

Marcus Center Parking Ramp: 130 E. State St.

This parking ramp is on the East side of the Milwaukee River. Take the Highland Ave. walking bridge to the West Side of the Milwaukee River, where you will find our boats.

Vern’s Parking: 1024 N. Doctor Martin Luther King Jr. Drive

1 block South of Edelweiss Dock on the South side of Usinger’s (After 5pm & weekends only)

There are other paid parking lots within a 1 block radius of our dock.

Buses should unload passengers at the Southeast corner of Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. & Highland Ave.
Since we are located in downtown Milwaukee, we do not have access to a parking lot specifically for buses. Bus drivers should return to the same place they unloaded passengers after the cruise is completed.

We cruise rain or shine, even in a thunderstorm. Our vessels offer plenty of indoor space that will allow your guests to still enjoy your cruise experience. The only weather that could side line us would be a tornado warning or gale force winds. In that case we would still board your group to the boat, we would not leave the dock until it was safe to do so. If we are unable to leave for the duration of your cruise, you would be compensated accordingly.

Yes. However, all wheelchairs must be standard sized mechanical wheelchairs. Extra wide and motorized wheel chairs will not fit through our boarding ramp.

Please see the attached list of rules and regulations that all guests on our vessels must abide by.