2026 Mount Washington Cruises

[Bear Guy]

News from the Mount Washington Cruise company:
https://cruisenh.com/blogs/news/moun...dule-expansion

My summary:
-Winni Belle is back, homed in Meredith
-Winni Spirit heavily serving Center Harbor
-Mount Washington focused on Weirs and Wolfeboro
-no Alton service, but stay tuned?

[TomC]

Years and years ago, in the late 60's/early 70's, I recall there were always a bunch of kids swimming around the Mount at the dock yelling to the tourists "Throw a coin! Coin, please!" - then they would dive down into the crystal clear water to retrieve it...

Anyone else remember that?

[Descant]

Weirs and Alto n Bay. Don't remember CH or Wolfeboro, but maybe I just wasn't there at the right times. I think 50's and 60's. By the mid 60's swimming off the docks was prohibited at the Weirs. I worked at the Weirs summers of '66 and '67, Miss Winni driver.

[pondguy]

Originally Posted by TomC

Years and years ago, in the late 60's/early 70's, I recall there were always a bunch of kids swimming around the Mount at the dock yelling to the tourists "Throw a coin! Coin, please!" - then they would dive down into the crystal clear water to retrieve it...

Anyone else remember that?

One of those kids was me in Alton Bay in the mid 60s thats how we got money to go roller skating and play mini golf at the Blue Jay.

[TomC]

Originally Posted by pondguy

One of those kids was me in Alton Bay in the mid 60s thats how we got money to go roller skating and play mini golf at the Blue Jay.

Awesome...

[fatlazyless]

Locating the Winni Belle, a 65' twin wheel, old river boat steam ship replica at the Meredith town docks in sight from the passing automobile traffic on Rt 3 could become a very popular cruise venue for people wanting a fun way to tour the big lake. Will it become a very popular new cruise 65' boat run by the Mount Washington Cruise line? Wait and see? Yeah, this seems like it will become a very happening boat ride tied to a dock in a high visibility Lake Winnipesaukee location.

Hey, just look at that steamship boat ...... just look at that ...... never saw that before ..... where did that come from ..... never saw that here in Meredith before ...... now that looks like a very fun ride ...... at 65' is not too big and not too small, but just right for the big lake with an upper and lower deck ...... toot-toot!

Five years ago, summer 2021 ...... 65' and up to 150-passengers ....... M.V. Winnipesaukee Belle ..... www.facebook.com/reel/533403961798200 ..... in Wolfeboro bay and now in summer, 2026, a new home in Meredith bay. Will it keep that bow mounted gangway? I don't know and do you think the blue, green and white colors in this video have been artificially enhanced?

While the 225' Mount Washington stops in Meredith once a week on Mondays, this will be the first time in a long unknown time that Meredith has been home port to a 65' cruise boat like the Winni Belle. This spot seems like a totally super-duper fantastic location for the Winni Belle docked close to pedestrians, restaurants, hotels, easy parking and busy state travel roads. Today is April 10 and I am guessing the Winni Belle will show up to its new home dock in Meredith sometime later this month of April for the April through October six month, Lake Winnipesaukee season.

$48/passenger is the price this year for a M.S. Mount Washington 2.5-hr narrated ride all around the big lake, and the M.V. Winnipesaukee Belle evening cocktail cruise price is 90-minutes for $42, food & beverage not included. Is all too much money for me to be paying but no doubt there will be plenty of paying customers for this new ride, the M.V. Winnipesaukee Belle.

So, where will it go? It can go anywhere on the big lake it wants to go and I'm guessing based on what I don't know that the Winni Belle will go down Meredith Bay, past Governor's Island, around Mink and Mark Islands, and then back up Meredith Bay to Meredith town dock but that's just my guess. Could be it refuels on same $6-diesel as the Mount Washington at Weirs Beach or something?

[icg56]

Originally Posted by TomC

Years and years ago, in the late 60's/early 70's, I recall there were always a bunch of kids swimming around the Mount at the dock yelling to the tourists "Throw a coin! Coin, please!" - then they would dive down into the crystal clear water to retrieve it...

Anyone else remember that?

Been there, done that back in the day....

[JayR]

I can almost remember the daily summer schedule, it was so predictable and didn't change year to year. All through the 80's, into the 90's. This is close to it:

Weirs 9:00, 12:15, 3:30 every day
AB 10:15, 1:30 Tues-Thurs-Sat-Sun
CH 9:45, 1:00 Mon-Wed-Fri
Wolfeboro 11:00, 2:30 every day

That 3:30 didn't officially stop anywhere to the best of my knowledge, but maybe it did and wasn't listed. And the second stop was only for high summer - May, early June, September to Columbus Day only had that first cruise of the day.

Being right in between Locke's and Ellacoya, we could see every leg of its trip and you had to call out "Mount 1" if you saw it first. And we were on the beach all day all summer if it wasn't raining. I had thousands of "Mount 1's"

Man, do I miss it (this schedule)(and being a kid)

[chachee52]

Originally Posted by JayR

I can almost remember the daily summer schedule, it was so predictable and didn't change year to year. All through the 80's, into the 90's. This is close to it:

Weirs 9:00, 12:15, 3:30 every day
AB 10:15, 1:30 Tues-Thurs-Sat-Sun
CH 9:45, 1:00 Mon-Wed-Fri
Wolfeboro 11:00, 2:30 every day

That 3:30 didn't officially stop anywhere to the best of my knowledge, but maybe it did and wasn't listed. And the second stop was only for high summer - May, early June, September to Columbus Day only had that first cruise of the day.

Being right in between Locke's and Ellacoya, we could see every leg of its trip and you had to call out "Mount 1" if you saw it first. And we were on the beach all day all summer if it wasn't raining. I had thousands of "Mount 1's"

Man, do I miss it (this schedule)(and being a kid)

LSP still calls Mount 1. We used to have it all the way around the park, man, there were times that number got high depending on who was down at the beaches that day. I do remember that once the adults saw the Mount come around Governor's Island in the afternoon, they would all go back to camp because it was time for a beer/drink. Now I am torn on when I can start drinking

[fatlazyless]

Thirsty Thursday's Cruise plus Fri, Sat, Sun, Mon, Tues, & Wednesday (every day-)

New this summer, is the Winnipesaukee Belle two hour cruises ..... www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQXYdtIQdjc ..... starting July 1st, a very welcome NEW addition to Meredith and Weirs Beach town docks.

A.k.a. ...... the Winni Belle! ...... 65' with two decks, one bar, & three rest rooms ......

[BroadHopper]

Originally Posted by chachee52

LSP still calls Mount 1. We used to have it all the way around the park, man, there were times that number got high depending on who was down at the beaches that day. I do remember that once the adults saw the Mount come around Governor's Island in the afternoon, they would all go back to camp because it was time for a beer/drink. Now I am torn on when I can start drinking

I lived on the Lake off Terrace Hill Road. During the 60s and 70s, we would know what time it is when we see the Mount! It was always on time! LSP reminds me of the teen dances at The Pavilion! Seems like there were more girls than guys!

[hilltopper]

Originally Posted by fatlazyless

Thirsty Thursday's Cruise plus Fri, Sat, Sun, Mon, Tues, & Wednesday (every day-)

New this summer, is the Winnipesaukee Belle two hour cruises ..... www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQXYdtIQdjc ..... starting July 1st, a very welcome NEW addition to Meredith and Weirs Beach town docks.

A.k.a. ...... the Winni Belle! ...... 65' with two decks, one bar, & three rest rooms ......

Does that seem expensive to anyone else? $42 for a 2 hour cruise up Meredith Bay to The Weirs and back. And it sounds like that $42 doesn't pay for any food or drinks. So $84 for tickets for the wife and I plus what we spend for any food or drinks for a 2 hour McMansion sightseeing cruise. Yeah, no thanks.

[fatlazyless]

Doesn't the Winni Belle have an incredibly good 3-instrument & singer, boat band playing on every cruise ....... that famous Winni Belle Band!

[retired]

My great grandparents and grandparents had cabins on long beach at LSP. We spent two weeks there every summer since I was born up until around 1970 when the final cabin was sold. In the early 60s we would know it was time to go in for lunch when the mount came around big pier. We called mount one then. Not sure who started it, or when. It was 1959 or so that I remember it. We still play the game today.

[Winilyme]

Originally Posted by hilltopper

Does that seem expensive to anyone else? $42 for a 2 hour cruise up Meredith Bay to The Weirs and back. And it sounds like that $42 doesn't pay for any food or drinks. So $84 for tickets for the wife and I plus what we spend for any food or drinks for a 2 hour McMansion sightseeing cruise. Yeah, no thanks.

I’m sure there’s no expectation you’ll pay for this cruise. Geared to tourists who would enjoy seeing the lake from the water including the McMansions.

My concern continues to be dilution of interest in the Mount given these more targeted cruises on smaller boats. For a boat that must cost a hefty amount to operate, the Mount often seems quite empty on its excursions around the lake.

[Descant]

I think the Tiki boats are $50-$60 for a 90 minute ride. One hour on the Millie B is $48.00. Sounds like the two hour ride is a bargain. Each ride has its own set of special memories.

[steve-on-mark]

Originally Posted by Descant

I think the Tiki boats are $50-$60 for a 90 minute ride. One hour on the Millie B is $48.00. Sounds like the two hour ride is a bargain. Each ride has its own set of special memories.

Mid week 90 minute Tiki Hut boat specials are 400 bucks for up to 10 people. The atmosphere is a lot looser than other cruises, you can stop for a swim , bring your own cost effective drinks, and raise hell with me or the other captains. Best deal on the lake in my opinion!

Sent from my Pixel 10 Pro XL using Tapatalk

[TheVoiceOfReason]

Originally Posted by hilltopper

Does that seem expensive to anyone else? $42 for a 2 hour cruise up Meredith Bay to The Weirs and back. And it sounds like that $42 doesn't pay for any food or drinks. So $84 for tickets for the wife and I plus what we spend for any food or drinks for a 2 hour McMansion sightseeing cruise. Yeah, no thanks.

Fuel, labor, and maintenance costs are all on the rise. It is a for-profit operation. They have to pass some of those cost increases on to the consumer or else they will go the way of the dodo bird.

[JayR]

We all know the one way to keep the beautiful Mount afloat for years to come, right?

In my heart, I am against this. I think.

[John Mercier]

You might as well give up the idea to keep promoting casinoes.

We have a casino in Belmont, and it can't even afford its property taxes.

[retired]

Who needs casinos when we have online gambling.

[John Mercier]

That is the major problem.

Years ago, we would trade futures contracts.
Then computerization and the internet led to day trading exploding in volume.

Now with predictions markets and endless access to online gaming, the purchase becomes a scratch or lottery ticket due to convenience, or an experienced-based format that is broader.

Pretty hard to make Monaco on Lake Winnipesaukee.

The Mount could up its game on the experience.
I have to go to a business event next weekend, and I dread it. That should not be the case.