FAQ & Policies

Policies and Frequently Asked Questions

PLEASE CHECK IN AT OUR TICKET OFFICE WHEN YOU ARRIVE. Plan to arrive 15 minutes prior to departure.
All participants are required to have tickets for this event but you do not need to print it out. Check in with the name of the reservation and we will give your a boarding pass. The Evening Star is United States Coast Guard documented for a certain amount of passengers and we cannot exceed the capacity, so all passengers including the free infants and toddlers must have a ticket reservation and boarding passes in hand to board the boat. Please do not descend the ramp until called by the Captain or Crew.
BOARDING TIME: Boarding will begin 5-10 minutes before departure time. Please wait in the grassy are of the park for the Captain to begin boarding. Do not block the sidewalk in the park while waiting as it causes a hazard to walkers and bikers on the path.
WHEELCHAIR ACCESS: We have limited handicap accessible. If you plan to board with a wheelchair please advise our ticket office in advance so we can prepare for your arrival. We may not be able to accommodate a wheelchair without prior arrangements. The restroom aboard the boat is not handicap accessible due to the limitations of our historic vessel. Motorized wheelchairs can not be accommodated.
WEATHER POLICY: Cruise may be cancelled in cases of severe weather. Tours usually run in light rain and other moderate weather conditions, but we may cancel a cruise in the event of severe or unsafe weather conditions. If we are forced to cancel the cruise, ticket-holders will be allowed to reschedule tickets (subject to availability) or receive credit for a future event. It is up to the Captain's discretion to determine if a cruise will be cancelled. If the cruise goes as scheduled in light rain and you choose not to attend you forfeit your ticket.
TICKETS ARE NON-REFUNDABLE: Once purchased, tickets cannot be refunded. You may reschedule your ticket if you contact our office 48 hours prior to the cruise date. You cannot be rescheduled the day of the cruise because your space is being guaranteed for the event. If an emergency arises please contact our office to discuss rescheduling options.
WHAT TO WEAR: We recommend dressing for the day's weather since we are an open-deck, canopy-covered boat and there is no interior seating. (i.e., hat, sunglasses, sunscreen on warmer days and a light-jacket/layers, hat and scarf on cooler days) Shoes or sandals are required
WHAT TO BRING (or not bring!): Feel free to bring a picnic lunch or snacks, but no outside alcohol is permitted. If you wish to purchase alcoholic beverages onboard please bring a valid 21+ ID. Snacks and beverages are available for purchase in our ticket office and on the boat but keep in mind there is a $10 minimum on credit card purchases so bringing cash is encouraged. A camera & binoculars are highly recommended!
PARKING: There are linear parking spaces along the road near the dock. Some are free and some are numbered/metered for commuters. You must pay for the numbered spots if you park there on a weekday, but not on a weekend. The meter kiosk is at the north end of the parking spaces, closer to the train station and accepts credit cards. There are a few spots at the end of the road in the circle by the Peekskill Yacht Club that are also free when available. There is also a large free parking lot by the playground, just a short walk from our dock. A large public restroom is by that lot near the big gazebo. There is only a porto-john by our ticket office.
ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES: The Evening Star has a NY State Liquor License. We serve beer and wine aboard the boat. You must be age 21+ to purchase and consume alcoholic beverages. You can not bring your own alcoholic beverages aboard. No exceptions.
FOOD: You are welcome to bring along your own food aboard our cruises. We recommend bringing a lunch on our 11am Sightseeing Cruise. There are snacks available in our ticket office for you to purchase to bring along on the cruise. There are a few snacks available for purchase on board but more options are available in our ticket office. Guests often bring along cheese and crackers or snacks on the Sunset Cruise.
COMMENTARY: The Captain or a crewman will provide commentary on our 11am Sightseeing Cruise during the cruise north to West Point. Please keep in mind that passengers are interested in the commentary, so please avoid loud conversations during the commentary. Once we make our turn at West Point the commentary is finished. This is a good time to break out your lunch if you've brought it along and visit with family, friends and other passengers. There is short commentary on the One Hour Boat Ride. There is NO commentary on the evening Sunset Cruise.
REST ROOM: There is a small restroom aboard the boat. It has limited access since it is down a steep ladder into the crew quarters below. Anyone with limited mobility who would have difficulty climbing a ladder would not be able to use it. I would recommend a shorter cruise for anyone not able to use the restroom. There is a portable restroom on shore to use prior to our departure. For those able to use the restroom onboard, a crewman must descend the ladder ahead of you each time you go down the stairs - company policy.
WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION: It is never safe for a boat to be unevenly loaded. We will sometimes ask groups of people standing at the rail to spread out or move to a different side of the boat to even out our weight distribution. It makes the boat easier to steer and safer in all conditions if we are evenly loaded. We arrange our chairs to ensure that our passengers will be evenly spaced, so please do not re-arrange the chairs without permission from the crew. Our chairs are constructed of hard plastic and are rated to accommodate passengers up to 300 lbs.