Reviews

See what makes us a 5-star favorite.

4.8

Connie Murray

Connie Murray

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5.0

A lovely 3 hour excusion from South Lake Tahoe to Emerald Bay that included the tour of Vikingsholm! We enjoyed our time on the the lake!!!!

Kyle Mcsparron

Kyle Mcsparron

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5.0

We had an awesome time with my parents and four year-old on a classic wooden boat! We had a great time in Emerald Bay and we learned a lot about Vikings home in the teahouse!

Faith Mcsparron

Faith Mcsparron

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5.0

We had a perfect day on the water! The booking process was easy, the boat was immaculate, and the views were spectacular. We even saw a bald eagle! Our captain, Ed was very knowledgeable and shared history of Vikingsholm and the tea house and after we swam in whiskey cove. Highly recommend to anyone visiting Tahoe in the summer.

Lisa Mcsparron

Lisa Mcsparron

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5.0

Cruising on the Tahoe today was a magical experience! This beautiful vintage boat has everything- comfort, class and a very capable captain who showed us all the awe inspiring sights the lake has to share.

Amanda W.

Amanda W.

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5.0

Had the opportunity to go out on the Tahoe and boat into Emerald Bay for the Vickingsholm tour (without the steep mile uphill hike). Highly recommended! They had some complimentary drinks and a charcuterie board for refreshments. Aaron and Stacy were both excellent guides. We’re very happy with the excellent experience.

Kate Elder

Kate Elder

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5.0

Amazing cruise around Tahoe. The crew and staff were very attentive and fun. Highly recommend

James Damato

James Damato

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5.0

My wife and I had a fabulous Emerald Bay cruise. Adam and Stacy were great hosts and tour guides. They were friendly, knowledgeable and gracious. The boat was very comfortable, and the sights breathtaking. I highly recommend this company.

Stacey Choat

Stacey Choat

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5.0

This was a great cruise. The crew were so friendly and welcoming. The small setting is awesome!

Jaime Pirozzi

Jaime Pirozzi

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5.0

I’ve been out with Cruise Tahoe several times and it’s always a really good time. It’s super relaxed, fun, and honestly one of my favorite ways to see Lake Tahoe.

The crew is always friendly and easy to talk to, and they’re generous with drinks and the food spread, which makes the whole thing feel laid back from the start. The captains are great too! Fun to hang out with and they share cool bits of history as you go.

Going through Emerald Bay is always the highlight for me, especially seeing Vikingsholm. If you want a chill, memorable way to get out on the lake and just enjoy it, this is an easy one to recommend.

Alex Silgalis

Alex Silgalis

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5.0

I’ve done a few tours on Lake Tahoe over the years but Cruise Tahoe’s is by far the best. Even though it’s a group boating experience Cruise Tahoe goes “overboard” on service to make it feel like a private charter. From having snacks to the positive welcoming invite in the charming marina… and then when you finally get to your destination which was for us the Vikingsholm Castle we had our own private guide to take us through the Castle! It made you feel VIP without the VIP pricing. Biggest Value on the lake that’s for sure. I will hopefully make this an annual tradition.

Chelsea Downing-Larick

Chelsea Downing-Larick

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5.0

We have used this company multiple times and will continue to do so! Great service, great cruises, super friendly and knowledgeable team. Would give more stars if I could! 10/10!

Carrie & Pat

Carrie & Pat

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5.0

We had an incredible experience with Cruise Tahoe and couldn’t recommend them more!

We did both a group tour on the Cruise Tahoe and a private tour on the Alpenglow, and both experiences exceeded expectations in completely different ways. The group tour was a fun, social way to take in the lake, while the private tour felt more personalized and relaxed, which was perfect for soaking it all in at our own pace.

The staff and tour guides were outstanding. They are friendly, professional, and extremely knowledgeable about Lake Tahoe’s history, landmarks, and hidden gems. You can tell they genuinely love what they do, and it made the experience that much better.

The views are simply unmatched of crystal-clear water, incredible mountain backdrops, and perspectives you just can’t get from land. And the boats themselves are absolutely beautiful, which makes the whole experience feel special and unique.

We truly couldn’t have asked for more on either tour. If you’re visiting Lake Tahoe, highly, highly recommend!

Tim Barabe

Tim Barabe

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5.0

We have cruised 3x with Cruise Tahoe and loved every cruise. We cruised to Thunderbird Lodge, to Vikingsholm, and also hosted a large group tour just cruising the beautiful coast of Lake Tahoe. We love the antique wooden boat itself and we enjoyed Captain Stacie sharing all the history and sights. Get out on the water and enjoy a different perspective of beautiful Lake Tahoe!

Deon Pearson

Deon Pearson

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5.0

Awesome bespoke boating experience and service. Brought family in from out of town, who got to enjoy the very best Tahoe viewing adventure. Our Captain (Ed) was incredibly patient and accommodating while managing kids & their fears; which he helped them get over!

10/10 experience, recommended to anyone looking to enjoy the very best of what Lake Tahoe has to offer!!

Victoria Lynn

Victoria Lynn

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5.0

We took “The Tahoe” across Lake Tahoe to attend The Concourse Wooden Boat Show last summer with some friends and had such a better experience than simply driving.

Crew was fun, professional, knowledgeable and the food was great!

There’s nothing better than spending a day on a boat, well worth boarding pass!

Lauren Lear

Lauren Lear

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5.0

I’ve taken several friends on boat tours with Captain Ed on his boat Radiance. I’ve learned something new about the Tahoe area each time I’ve visited. It’s one of the best ways to experience Lake Tahoe from the water. Plus Ed and his team are super friendly and knowledgeable about the area. I highly recommend as a must do to anyone in the area.

5.0

Misty J

Misty J

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5.0

We did the east shore tour with Thunderbird Lodge. Amazing tour. The 2 man crew was great. Very knowledgeable about the area and the Lodge. Told us about many former residents of the houses along the shore. The tour at the lodge was wonderful and very informative. I learned a lot. We ate lunch on the grounds with amazing views all around. The sites from the boat were amazing.

Tyler R

Tyler R

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5.0

A beautiful boat and a fun crew to take you to a very historic location full of cool history all the way back to the early settlers of the west and gold rush. Drinks on board and a great way to see the lake.

Larry G

Larry G

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5.0

We have been to Tahoe numerous times and wanted to tour Vikingholm. This year we went on the cruise and home tour. The boat is a nice wooden one which takes about 17 people on it. The size of the group adds to the experience. Our boat left from the near by Hill top resort beach/pier. Our boat Captain, Stacy, was friendly and informative. On the cruise to Vikingholm, they serve beverages, after the house tour, they serve a substantial appetizer plate. At Vikingholm, you tour the grounds with a guide who tells about the property’s history. Photos are ok, but without flash. After the tour, you reboard the boat and cruise back to your launch point. This was a very enjoyable trip that I would highly recommend. One piece of advice, it is a small boat and bobs on the water accordingly. If you are susceptible to sea sickness, take a few meclazine (ingredients in Dramamine II) to avoid getting ill.

Valerie R

Valerie R

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5.0

Tahoe is a beautiful boat and the 2 member crew were amazing. There were just 8 passengers on our cruise.

Lynn R

Lynn R

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5.0

Best tour ever! The cruise to Vikingsholm castle was amazing! They made us feel like a million dollars! Kept offering us drinks and then snacks after the tour of the castle. It was absolutely the best! We only wish we had more cash on us to leave a tip. Thank you Cruise Tahoe! You made our week!!

Ron M

Ron M

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5.0

My wife and I have been to Lake Tahoe many times, but we’ve never actually toured Vikingsholm Castle in Emerald Bay. Cruise Tahoe is one of the few vendors who can provide a boat trip to Emerald Bay and provide a tour of the castle by a docent. Besides that, the trip, handling about 16 people, included drinks and appetizers on this afternoon excursion. Stacy and Brad were great hosts.

Samantha S

Samantha S

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5.0

Awesome day on the water and touring Thunderbird Lodge. The staff were so informative, I learned so much history and facts about Tahoe. They seemed to love their job and the area they work. Cruise was relaxing and so great to see all of the East coast while enjoying my coffee and breakfast. It is a long tour and the website was right that comfortable shoes are a must. About an hour of walking the property with steps and an underground tunnel. Made for a great day! The lunch was homey and delicious.

specialklc

specialklc

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5.0

This is an excellent way to spend a portion of the day. A beautiful boat trip from Zephyr Cove to the incredible Thunderbird Lodge. Along the way you will get a narrated tour of the Lake Tahoe coastline. The Lodge is beautiful and extremely interesting. The walking tour will take you through the property and give you the history of George Whittell. We were offered a continental breakfast on the boat and a nice lunch at the lodge. Your guides are fun, interesting and informative. This is a really good tour. Highly recommended.

TulipMom

TulipMom

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5.0

We took the 5 hour tour to Thunderbird and it was awesome. Our Captain was so good with my kids and gave an interesting tour. Lunch was great in an idyllic setting. It was expensive but considering the length of the stay and the tour, we felt it was well worth it.

vickilevi

vickilevi

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5.0

We had it out on a perfect day with eight others on an antique large Chris-Craft boat with a cover. Nice and clean with two crewmembers, and coffee, donuts, and muffins were served to start us out. We cruised out of Zephyr Cove and paused in front of several magnificent mansions. We were given a history of the famous people who lived there including Harrah from Harrah’s Casino, Larry Ellison, and the owner of Costco. Wowza! We continued on to the Thunderbird house and had a full tour of the grounds, house, ending with a wonderful lunch served on the back terrace. We then cruised back, and drinks were served. Would highly recommend this to see the lake, some of the wonderful houses and history of Tahoe.

Mark M

Mark M

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5.0

On our 30th Anniversary I was treated to a trip to South Lake Tahoe as part of our Membership orientation for Diamond Resorts. The captain, mate and deckhand were all amazing. The trip in was just fantastic and the water that day was as smooth as glass, so it made handling my mimosa much easier. 😉 I really enjoyed the fantastic views you can only see from the water and traveling in an oversized paddleboat does not give you the same intimate “water level” experience as on a smaller boat. We were served a light continental breakfast that was just enough for everyone. The overall value of the trip seemed exceptional.

Jack T

Jack T

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5.0

All I can say is “WOW!”– we booked Cruise Tahoe on a whim for our wedding and it ended up being the highlight of the entire day. They picked us up at Ski Run Marina after our church ceremony and took us to our reception area at Valhalla across the lake. We were graced with Captain Stacie and a helper (can’t remember his name!) and they were just incredible. The boat was clean, the ride was smooth, and the customer service was perfect. They understood our needs, allowed for tons of great photos and overall made it a fun and memorable experience. Chris was a pleasure to work with as well during the research and booking process. I would highly recommend this company–pictures coming soon!

Kpstop

Kpstop

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5.0

I took both of their cruises. The boat is lovely. The crew, Stacey and Chris were fabulous. Both of their tours were very informative and fun. I highly recommend.

Itsallgood4me

Itsallgood4me

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5.0

Several of my friends raved about this tour that my friends and I wanted to take it. We were staying in South Lake Tahoe and opted for the boat ride to the Lodge rather than driving up to Incline Village and taking a bus to the Lodge (there is no public parking at the Lodge so these are your only options). So glad that we spent the extra $$ for the boat ride. Stacy, our captain, gave us an informative talk about the sites we saw on the way and her crew, Chris, kept the guests happy with drinks and danish on the way to the Lodge. Stacy took us on a tour of the lodge explaining the history in detail. The Thunderbird boat was quite a site. We enjoyed a nice lunch outside on the grounds. I had requested a gluten free meal and they served me a very nice lunch. The ride back was equally as nice and I got to sit up front and talk with Stacy some more. She was very sweet and gave me ideas on places to dine at and other sites to see. This is a tour not to be missed if you are in South Lake Tahoe!

BrianKSanDiego

BrianKSanDiego

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5.0

We booked the excursion that included a wonderful two hour boat ride from Zephyr Cove to the Whittlel House, and Thunderbird. Our boat captain and tour guide Stacy was top notch. She knew the story of many important properties along the lake, and took the time to share them with us and answer questions too. The tour of the property was truly memorable! It was a day well spent!!

bmvarnau

bmvarnau

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5.0

My husband and I have been boating and snow skiing at Lake Tahoe since we were both children. Over the years we’ve visited the many beautiful and informative sites around the lake (e.g., Vikingsholm, Tallac cottages, Hellman-Ehrman Mansion, Emigrant Trail Museum in Donner, Pope Estate, Taylor Creek Stream Profile) and recommend all of them. However, our visit to the fabulous Thunderbird Lodge this past July was a true highlight. Captain Stacey and first mate Chris took the time and care to make the couple hour ride to the mansion from Zephyr Cove a delight. The boat arrival was well-worth the extra time and money compared to arriving to the mansion by bus. The Tahoe cruised us past many beautiful properties and we learned much about the history of the east shore. I recommend bringing a jacket (even if the forecast calls for sun) and a good camera and wearing comfortable walking shoes. If you have time, read The Saga of Lake Tahoe by E.B. Scott to give you a greater appreciation for what you will see and a strong context of what you will learn while you’re on the boat ride and taking the Thunderbird tour.

Cathleen L

Cathleen L

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5.0

We had a wonderful captain take us on a 2 hour cruise to the Thunderbird Lodge on Tahoe’s East Shore. He was very knowledgeable of the history of that side of Lake Tahoe and made the cruise very interesting. A light continental breakfast was served on the narrated leisurely cruise.

Lisa J

Lisa J

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5.0

We took the Tahoe from Zephyr Cove up to the Thunderbird Lodge. It was about 2 hours but didn’t seem like it. The boat is beautiful, and they served refreshments and danish on the way. The captain and mate were very knowledgeable about the boat and the lake.