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Public Riverboat Cruises in Knoxville, TN
Experience an unparalleled view of Knoxville during our public cruises! Enjoy a delightful lunch, brunch, or dinner cruise. We offer a range of public cruises for your friends and family on Knoxville’s only luxury yacht! From sunset dinner cruises to sailgates in Big Orange Country, Volunteer Princess Cruises is truly special for any event. Browse through our cruise offerings below to begin your jaunt along Knoxville, Tennessee’s beautiful riverfront!
- Most Popular!
Sunset Dinner Cruise
Searching for a unique date night? Celebrating something special? Or just want a night out on the water? Our Sunset Dinner Cruise is just for you!
Brunch Buffet Cruise
Looking for a new Sunday brunch spot? Join us on the Volunteer Princess and enjoy brunch on the water!
Sailgate Cruise
Tailgate in style aboard the Volunteer Princess, and be a part of the Vol Navy!
Fall Foliage Cruise
Knoxville’s beautiful riverfront comes alive with the colors of fall during this lunch cruise!
Afternoon Sightseeing
Cruise the waters of the Tennessee River in air-conditioned or heated comfort and luxury with our sightseeing tour. Relax in the sun on the front deck or find comfort.
Lunch on the Lake
Whether you’re on vacation, celebrating a special occasion, or just looking for a wonderful meal in a beautiful setting, you’ll thoroughly enjoy your experience on our lunch cruises. Relax in
Sunset Sightseeing
Pints & pizza cruise.
Experience a fun night on the Tennessee River! Grab a slice of pizza and a pint of beer, and enjoy a two-hour cruise around Knoxville!
Italian Night w/ Strolling Violinist
Experience a taste of Italy on our fantastic Italian Night Dinner Cruise. Take a seat at your private table, enjoy a two-hour cruise around Knoxville and indulge in a four-course.
Knoxville's riverboat, the Star of Knoxville, offers lunch and dinner cruises, party cruises, late night party cruises, and sightseeing cruises on the Tennessee River. Live music. Charters available. The Star of Knoxville is an authentic paddlewheeler with a capacity 325 passengers. The main deck seats 144 passengers and is fully enclosed, air conditioned, and heated for year-round comfort. The vessel is equipped with two (2) bars, a dance floor, band stage, and is exquisitely decorated for the most elegant dinner and entertainment available. If you don't feel like having the black-tie event, the atmosphere is functional as a jeans and shorts type of place for the family reunions and football parties. Live entertainment on dinner cruises includes Gospel, Country, Murder Mystery, Contemporary, easy listening, or DJ. Dance floor is available after dinner. Lunch and sightseeing cruises include a captain's commentary and history of the Tennessee River as well as the "star of Knoxville", live entertainment may be scheduled on lunch cruises with over 50 passengers. A cash bar is available on all public cruises, except Gospel. tnriverboat.com
Cuisine: American Serve: Lunch, Dinner Hours: Call for departure times Location: Waterfront Map & Directions Features: Reservations Required River Cruises Night Themes Weddings Private Charters Wheelchair Access
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Emilie Stooksbury
The star of knoxville: a look inside.
When we sat down with Bailee Bridwell to learn more about The Star of Knoxvill e riverboat, we figured this thing you’re reading now would be about said boat. After all, it is one of only four authentic paddlewheel riverboats in the USA, right on the Tennessee River in good ole downtown Knoxville. Cool, right?
Very cool, yes. BUT y’all, > this family. They are precious. Settle in for the cutest story. (And then, once you’ve fallen in love with the Cheek/Bridwell fam, we promise we’ll tell you all about how you can bring your very own pizza and wine to deck of the boat. Cross our hearts.)
THE (ADORABLE) STORY:
Let’s start with the parents. Bailee Bridwell’s father, Mike Cheek, started working on riverboats in Nashville at the geriatric age of fifteen years old. (We assume he liked it okay, because he’s now been in the riverboat business for a mere 43 years.) After spending a few summers as a deckhand, in walked a new boat photographer: Tammy.
Because this is the cutest story ever, Mike and Tammy obviously fell in love, got married, and started a little family. (*sob*🥺💛)
Awhile later, this little family moved to Knoxville from Nashville so Mike could be the General Manager of, you guessed it, the Star of Knoxville. Mike made the trip in 1988, but get this: When the owners decided to move the riverboat in 1994, Mike offered to buy her so she could stay in our sweet Knoxville. Tennessee. (We could hardly contain ourselves when we heard this tidbit of information. Is this not a Hallmark movie waiting to happen?? Romance, risk, rivers – this story has it all!)
Okay, back to the story.
Bailee and her brother were just babies when the Cheeks moved to the Scruffy City, so they basically grew up on The Star of Knoxville. They went on all the cruises. They knew all the crew. They even ended up being on the crew as teenagers. (As a little kid, the “Boomsday Cruise” was her favorite. The boat would be so close to the fireworks, they’d all end the night covered in ashes. KNOXVILLE FREAKING GOALS.)
After college, Bailee left for a few years to gain experience on other boats (one of the biggest riverboats in the country in Savannah, to be exact), and when she finally came back to Knoxville in 2019, her parents handed her the keys.
This family affair has come full circle now. Bailee’s dad, brother, and husband are all captains – but it gets even cuter. You know how Bailee and her brother grew up on the boat? Well, if you see a stroller in the corner or some precious babies being passed around by the crew, you’re more than likely on a cruise with Bailee’s own sweet twins who are all set to grow up on the same boat as their mom and uncle. Some members of the crew have literally seen two generations of kiddos grow up on the boat. (*pause to sob from cuteness*)
Image by @tennesseeriverboat
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KUB Fiber is Here!
Have you heard? KUB Fiber has landed in Knoxville! Serving both businesses and residential so you can enjoy the fastest WiFi from your favorite coffee shop or the comfort of your home! Click below to see if it is available at your address yet!
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