by Nancy Houser

Created on: January 20, 2009   Last Updated: July 19, 2010

The river cruises in Pittsburgh are associated with the growth and history of the area, mainly because without the rivers there would be no Pittsburgh. River tours are extremely important to the area, as without physically getting onto the river, one cannot really get the feel of what made the spirit of this city develop to what it is today.

With its strategic location associated with the rivers-Ohio, Monongahela, and Allegheny Rivers-landmarks line the rivers which point out its fascinating past, making them the lifeline of the region. Voted as America's Most Livable City, Pittsburgh river tours make dining and live entertainment, combined with panoramic views of this magnificent city, an unforgettable event of both past and present.

GATEWAY CLIPPER FLEET

The Gateway Clipper Fleet offers both public and private event cruises, with the family business involved with river cruises for over 50 years. Beginning as a single operation, it currently has a fleet of five riverboats which sail year round for a wide variety of cruises-dining, sightseeing, and privately charter cruises along with themed river cruises.

The Gateway was named after Pittsburgh, which was once nicknamed "Gateway to the West" with the original riverboat called Gateway Clipper in 1958. Two more fleet had been expanded by the 1960s with the addition of the Party Liner and the Good Ship Lollipop. Presently, there are five ships in the fleet: a 1,000-passenger ship called the Majestic; a 600-passenger ship called the Empress which originally called the Party Liner; the former Keystone Belle now a 400-passenger ship called the Princess; the former Liberty Belle the present 300-passenger ship Duchess; and the 150-passenger ship formerly called the Good Ship Lollipop with its historical narrator Lolli the Clown, and then the City of Champions, presently called the Countess. The Party Linger is a towboat pushed barge, not a ship as the others.

Famous for its wide-diversity of cruise types, the Gateway Clipper Fleet offers river cruises for school groups, formal dinner cruises, everyday tourists and visitors, and everyone in-between. But they also offer shuttle service to important attractions, such as the PNC Park and the Heinz Field whenever the home games are played by the Pitt Panthers, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Pittsburgh Steelers.

JUST DUCKY TOURS

The Just Ducky Tours are both land and water tours, with a wide range of downtown attractions while also entering one of the three rivers to make the trip

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