Frequently Asked Questions

Reservations can be made online or over the phone at 973.663.5000.

We accept all major credit cards & gift cards. Unfortunately, to make a reservation we do not accept cash or checks; however, if you are submitting payment for private events; we will accept one check. Upon boarding the boat, however; we do accept all major credit cards and cash.

No, we do not hold reservations. Payment is required upon reservation & tickets are final sale.

Gift cards can now be purchased directly through our website.  If you purchase one through the website, the recipient will be able to use it when processing their payment through our website.  If you have an actual plastic gift card, you will need to call our office to use that one to process your payment.

We don’t have physical tickets. You are not required to print out your confirmation or bring it with you. You just need to arrive with your entire party. Each Captain is equipped with our Guest Manifest via an iPad. Guests will simply state their last name and number of guests in the party to our captains. Upon boarding, a server will be able to assist you to your pre-assigned table.

Walk towards the water! Please utilize the stairs, located to the right of the golf course kiosk. Those stairs will take you down to the boardwalk where Miss Lotta is docked. We also offer a wheelchair ramp located within the miniature golf course that can also take you down to where Miss Lotta is docked.

The parking lot is located across the street from the Lake Hopatcong Miniature Golf Course.

Yes! We offer dock slips for all of our guests. They are shared with the Lake Hopatcong Golf Course & Alice’s. They are located in the marina near the boarding area of Miss Lotta.

Miss Lotta cruises rain or shine. If the guest fails to show up for the activity due to weather preferences, they will not be able to obtain a refund or reschedule. We have a climate controlled/enclosed dining room. All activities run regardless of weather conditions. In the event of severe weather, the cruise will be cancelled. We will notify all guests via email or telephone up to 2 hours before the event. If Lake Hopatcong Cruises cancels an activity, the ticket holder will be able to obtain a refund for tickets purchased or he/she will be able to reschedule for another date — subject to availability. For more information about our policies, please visit our policies page.

Yes! We offer a Child’s Buffet Ticket for half of the adult ticket price. It includes the two-hour tour and food from the buffet. If there is not a Child's Buffet Ticket available on your selected cruise, it is because certain cruises are for guests 21 years and older (i.e. Happy Hour Cruises).

Note: While purchasing your tickets, please select the number of children three and below. It is required for us to have a head count for every guest, no matter the age.

All cruises leave on time. Late arrivals will miss their cruise. No refunds will be provided. Please plan on arriving 15 to 20 minutes before departure time. 

Our dress code is casual. We suggest bringing a light jacket on board, as it can get a bit breezy on the upper deck! Guests who arrive for their cruise without any shoes will be prohibited from boarding our vessel.

Boarding typically begins 30 minutes prior to your cruise departure time. Boarding time is occasionally adjusted based on the manager’s discretion. We want to ensure that our dining room and buffet area are in perfect condition to meet your expectations on the cruise.

No, smoking or vaping is prohibited aboard Miss Lotta.

No, our cruises are not narrated. Our Captains will point out important locations around the lake. If you are looking to learn about the history of the lake, we do offer a two-hour Historical Excursion with historian Marty Kane.

Yes, each reservation will have a table labeled by the last name of the party in our main dining room. Unfortunately, without notice, we will not be able to ensure that all guests will be seated by the party they prefer. If you would like to sit with your friends or family that have a reservation under a different name, please send us an email or call the office 48 hours in advance so that we can set the tables accordingly.

Yes! Gratuity is not included in the price of your ticket. It is customary to extend gratuities to the staff for their services. You will be able to leave gratuities via credit card or cash, but gratuities cannot be left with a Lake Hopatcong Cruises Gift Card. For parties of 8 or more (this includes private parties with a consumption bar) guests will be automatically charged 20% gratuity on their bar bill.

We do our best to ensure that each guest is comfortable at their table with their own party; however, due to limited space in the main dining room, we occasionally seat multiple parties at one table. The upper deck is first come, first serve. If you would like to spread out and enjoy the view of the lake, we suggest heading to the upper deck as soon as you board.

Yes, Miss Lotta is equipped with 2 bathrooms.

Yes, Miss Lotta has a fully stocked bar. We accept all major credit cards, cash and Lake Hopatcong Cruises gift cards.

Lake Hopatcong Cruises is handicapped accessible, but Miss Lotta is not ADA compliant. Our vessel can accept wheelchairs that do not exceed 27” in width. The bathrooms on board are limited in space and are not handicapped accessible. Our staff will do their best to accommodate everyone that is handicapped or in a wheelchair and our crew is always happy to provide additional assistance.

Yes, we do have life jackets. We supply enough life jackets for every passenger on our vessel, but adults are not required to wear them during the cruise. All children under the age of 13 must wear a life jacket and be accompanied by an adult on the upper deck.

Unfortunately, we are not permitted to stop at any other locations other than our home port.

The Miss Lotta is equipped with a gyro-stabilization system which ensures for a smooth sail. However, if you are sensitive to motion and get sick easily, then we suggest renting one of our seasickness bands that you can wear for the entire trip on the water. It’s easy! All we need from you is a $10 placeholder at the beginning of the cruise, and once you return the band, you get your money back!

No.

No

Yes, most food allergies can be accommodated by the catering restaurant if we are notified at least 48 hours in advance via phone or email.

No, outside food/beverage is prohibited on board.

Cakes are prohibited on our public cruises. If you are renting the vessel for a private event, you are more than welcome to bring your own cupcakes or mini-bundt cakes on board; however, candles are prohibited.

We receive our food from either The Windlass or Alice’s Restaurant. Buffet items vary per cruise (i.e., dinner is different than lunch). We have no set menus due to the daily and seasonal item change at the restaurants. We offer a variety of options to meet each of our guest’s expectations. You can expect to see a mixture of hot and cold items. 

Your server will notify you when the buffet has been opened to the guests. This typically happens once each guest has received their first drink after boarding.

Beverages (Non-alcoholic and alcoholic) are NOT included in your ticket price. They can be purchased on board the boat the day of your cruise. Cash or credit is accepted.

Decorations are prohibited on our public cruises. If you are renting the vessel for a private event, decorations are limited. Any sort of decorations must be approved by the manager before the day of the cruise. If decorations are not approved, they will not be permitted on board. We ask all guests to begin cleaning up decorations brought on board 30 minutes prior to cruise ending.

Cakes are prohibited on our public cruises. If you are renting the vessel for a private event, you are more than welcome to bring your own cupcakes or mini-bundt cakes on board; however, candles are prohibited.

If you are celebrating something special, please send us an email or call us in the office to notify us. We will make a note in your reservation and the captains will make an announcement over the loudspeaker.