Parking and Other Cruising Tips

People often ask for parking and other cruising tips as they plan a trip on the Amelia River Cruises, so I thought I would share a few of those tips with you here. First, even though our paperwork suggests you arrive 20 minutes prior to your departure, I recommend you arrive 30 minutes early. Since you want your trip to be fun and stress free, giving yourself a few extra minutes will make it easier for you to park, find our ticket booth, pick up your boarding passes as you check-in, and get in line so you can pick out your favorite place to sit on the boat. If you are coming from the south end of Amelia Island such as the Amelia Omni Resort or the Ritz Carlton, you should plan an additional 30 minutes to get out of the resort and to our historic, downtown Victorian village, which is where we are located. Once you arrive downtown, simply drive to the end of Centre Street and over the railroad tracks directly into the parking lot with our Shrimper Monument, the Anchor Trolley, and where our American and POW flags fly high above the public parking lot. At this time, Fernandina Beach does not charge for parking. (That doesn’t mean the powers that be don’t continue to try from time to time, but we can save that for a story on another day.)

The only time you may find it difficult to park, is if you are booked on a Family Friendly Sunset Cruise or the Adult BYOB Twilight Tour, both of those cruises depart during the dinner hour and Fernandina Beach has some very good restaurants, so there is a big demand for parking at supper time. As you wind you way down Centre Street, go ahead and pull into the first available spot you see. Those are three hour spots, and you won’t be out on the water for more than an hour or two. Another great option is to drive into downtown Fernandina Beach between 4:00 and 4:30 PM and have an early dinner before boarding our cruise boat. Parking will be easy and you won’t be starving while you are out on the boat.

On Thursday, Fridays, and Saturdays, our summer morning tours can also increase the old blood pressure looking for a parking spot if you are running a little behind on time. We offer two different 10:00 AM cruises; weekends and holidays are busier than other days of the week. So this tip, prepare to arrive 30 minutes early, is great advice for all of our cruises.

Another great tip is to bring your own food and beverage onboard. We will have cold, bottled water available for a $1.00 donation, but we do not sell food or other beverages. Our two hour and two and one half hour tours may leave a grumble in your tummy if you don’t come prepared. Our crew, as well as other passengers, would rather you not be “hangry” while on our tours. So, eat first, or bring a snack… by the way, all of our boats have a full-sized bathroom onboard.

Special needs, babies, and pets are always welcomed aboard the Amelia River Cruises. We keep a wheelchair in our ticket booth for those who are uncomfortable with the pitch of the ramp during low tide. Pets are welcome aboard, too, and if the cruise is not fully booked, you can bring a stroller or your baby’s car seat. Let us know in advance and our captains and crew will happily assist you onto and off of our boats. There is no charge for children three and under, however, they are required to have a boarding pass. These can be reserved online, at our ticket window, or if you call the office to make your reservation.

“Which side of the boat should we sit on?” This is a question I hear at least once a week. This is a personal choice for the most part. If you are red-headed and have a fair complexion like me, then you already know that we may explode in the sunlight and should sit under the shade. About 80 to 85% of our boats are covered and we never book so many people on our tours that we cannot get all who wish to be out of the rain or sun, out of the elements. If you sit on the bow of the boat, you will be in the sunlight, but if you have forgotten your sunscreen, bug spray or binoculars, we do try to keep these well supplied on all of our boats. The majority of our tours head north. This puts the land on the right, or starboard side, of the boat. As our captains point out landmarks or wildlife on the shore, this side of the boat is closest to the land. However, when we return south back to the harbor, the opposite side of the boat will be closest to the shore. Wildlife in the water can show up anywhere! Our captains will turn the boat to give all passengers the opportunity to see the manatee, dolphins, fish, sea turtles, and other magnificent creatures. Have your camera or cell phone’s camera ready to snap those fabulous shots! All said, every seat on the boat is a good seat.

We provide life jackets for people of all ages and sizes, however, we do not supply life preservers for your pet. You are welcome to bring your own onboard.

My final tip is to be prepared to leave a tip. Our staff and our musicians are in the service industry. If you like our service, the history, the scenery, or the musicians, it is customary to leave a 20% cash tip… we call it, “Feeding the shark.” You will see why once you take a cruise with us. Venmo is also available for tipping. If you truly enjoyed your time spent with us, please feel free to leave a review on Tripadvisor, Yelp, Google, Facebook, or any other review sites you like to use, as word of mouth is our best marketing. If you didn’t enjoy your trip, well, please tell us what went wrong at the ticket booth, but otherwise, you are welcome to keep that to yourself.

I hope these tips make your trip with us comfortable, fun, and memorable!

Categorised in: Tips & FAQs