New Year's Eve Cruises

Gateway Clipper is running New Year's Eve cruises on Thursday, December 31, 2026, departing from their dock at Station Square. The night is built around dinner, dancing, and views of the city skyline from the river, so you're getting the meal and the party in one go. If you're planning to be on the water for the countdown, it's one of the more straightforward ways to spend the night without having to coordinate a dinner spot and a separate party.

It helps to know who's behind it. Gateway Clipper is a family-owned riverboat company that's been sailing the Allegheny, Monongahela, and Ohio rivers from Station Square since 1958. They've carried more than 25 million passengers over the years, and their fleet is a mix of different eras: the Empress (1966), the three-deck paddlewheeler Three Rivers Queen (2013), the steel paddlewheeler Princess (1999), the Duchess (1975, formerly the Liberty Belle, launched for the Bicentennial), and the open-air Countess (1979), which is the fastest of the bunch.

This is part of their full holiday run, which kicks off with Halloween cruises in October and carries through to New Year's Eve. Along the way, they do seasonal dinner and dance cruises, kids' cruises with holiday activities and a visit with Santa, and private riverfront parties for up to 400 guests. They also run Game Day Shuttles to Steelers games at Acrisure Stadium, so they're around the city throughout the year, not just for the holidays.

On board, the boats are cashless, so you'll want a card, Apple Pay, or Google Pay on hand. The menu includes vegetarian and gluten-free options, which is good to know if you're coordinating for a group with different dietary needs. Tickets are $89.05 per adult, all-in, and the boats leave from the Gateway Clipper dock at Station Square, 350 W. Station Square Dr., Pittsburgh, PA 15219.