A Cincinnati Based Company Founded By The Bernstein Family That Takes Guests On A Cruise Along The Ohio River
The Bernstein family got into the riverboat business by accident. “Our family started in the restaurant business,” Ben Bernstein, namesake of his grandfather who founded the company. “One of the most successful of those restaurants was the Mike Fink Restaurant in Covington, KY, which my grandfather opened in 1977, just across the river from Cincinnati, Ohio. It was housed in a retired steam sternwheel towboat that used to push barges on the Ohio River.”
Ben’s grandfather coined the tagline "The Romance of Riverboat Dining" for the restaurant, and business took off. But there was a problem. “Customers would call or walk in and ask when the boat was leaving for a cruise,” Bernstein says. “That was impossible because the boat's engines had been removed, but after hearing the question so many times, my grandfather decided he needed to invest in a riverboat.”
The Bernstein’s first cruise on the Ohio was in March, 1980 from the back docks of the Mike Fink Restaurant. “It was a huge success,” Ben says. “Soon after that we broke the riverboats off into their own business and started BB Riverboats. BB was for Ben Bernstein.”
The company received the exclusive riverboat contract for cruises during the 1982 World's Fair in Knoxville, TN, and its growth was off and running. “We are happy to say we’re coming off a record year and business is trending for another record year in 2017,” Ben says.
Today, the company operates two riverboats, the triple-decker Belle of Cincinnati and the smaller River Queen, both powered by diesel engines. “The Belle of Cincinnati began life as a casino boat in Jacksonville, FL. We renovated it and brought it up to Cincinnati in 1999. The Belle is equipped with 2 propellers and a large paddlewheel on the back of the boat, powered by three diesel engines,” Bernstein says. “The River Queen also has a paddlewheel, but it is strictly for ornamental purposes.”
Both boats evoke the great age of river steamboating when ships resembled floating palaces with open promenades, towering smoke stacks and spacious sightseeing decks. Cincinnati in the 1800s built many of the most elegant, as well as the fastest, steamboats making the trip from the Ohio River down the Mississippi to New Orleans. Early photos show as many as 35 riverboats at a time tied up at the city docks. In recent years, Cincinnati hosted the Tall Stacks Festival, attracting many of the remaining U.S. riverboats, an event Ben Bernstein helped organize.
“There are very few true steamboats left in the country,” says Bernstein, who, besides being a third generation company owner, captains one of the riverboats. “But the challenges of navigating riverboats have not changed a whole lot. As captains we are highly trained about river conditions, navigational markers and aids to navigation as well as continuous communication with other commercial traffic in the area. Our technology has greatly improved since the days of Sam Clemens, however, with computers and transponder systems which allow us to know where other vessels are long before we ever see them.”
The company’s two riverboats are a popular sightseeing option for both visitors and locals in Cincinnati. Kathy Grote, a paralegal at Taft Stettinius & Hollister law firm in Cincinnati, has been cruising with BB Riverboats for the past 20 years.
“It started with me taking an out of town cruise from Cincinnati to St. Louis,” she says. “Over the years, I’ve taken many of those trips, which they call River Hops. Some of the places we’ve gone are Pittsburgh, Huntington, WV, Chattanooga, Nashville and the Land Between the Lakes.”
While 96% of the BB Riverboat business involves cruises along the Cincinnati waterfront, Capt. Bernstein says his boats travel to different destinations several times each year.
For Kathy Grote, these views are the main attraction of the cruises. “I love sitting on deck just watching the world go by,” she says. “Especially on the River Hops, I love the nature views. You can see wildlife on the shores and amazing birds in the sky.”
Another favorite for Grote are dinner cruises aboard the BB Riverboats. “I’ve taken numerous dinner cruises over the years,” she says. “The meals they serve on the boats are amazing and delicious. On all of the cruises that I’ve taken, I’ve always been impressed with the quality of the meals.”
“A lot of people are surprised by how exceptional our food is,” Capt. Bernstein says. “We were in the restaurant industry prior to getting into this business so that has always been our wheelhouse.” The riverboats are popular spots for engagements, weddings and other special events as well as for special nights on the town complete with dining and dancing.
Bernstein says that evening cruises are the company’s most popular, a situation he chalks up to how beautiful Cincinnati is at night. “Many people are blown away by their first visit to our city and continue to come back,” he says.
Kathy Grote agrees: “When the sun goes down, the city views are the best. There’s nothing like seeing the beautiful Cincinnati skyline all lit up.”
Cincinnati has seen many changes since its days as a steamboat boomtown in the 1800s, including a stunning skyline and many big city amenities. Aboard the BB Riverboats, visitors catch a taste of history as well as a unique view of Cincinnati today.
Renee Wright
A graduate of Franconia College in Social Psychology, Renee has worked as Travel Editor for Charlotte Magazine and has written three travel guidebooks for Countryman Press among other writing assignments. She enjoys food and camping.
Make Sure To Check Out:
BB Riverboats, where on can sit back, relax, and enjoy the view on this 1 1/2 hour sightseeing tour on the Ohio River. Listen as the captain guides your adventure with historic, fascinating commentary of our beautiful river city.