St. Johns Rivership Co. introduces breakfast cruises

The Saint Johns Rivership Company has begun holding Sunday morning breakfast cruises, providing all-you-can eat pancakes, sausage, and a trip up the scenic St. Johns River in an authentic paddle wheel boat.
The breakfast cruise hosts up to 200 guests, and it’s recommended to call and reserve seats beforehand. Tickets are $25 for adults and $20 for children six and under. Included is a two-hour cruise along with pancakes and sausages, prepared fresh on the ship. Coffee, ice tea, water, and orange juice are also provided.
The Rivership Co. has been holding lunch and dinner cruises for the past several years since its shift in ownership, and has recently introduced the breakfast cruises. This past Sunday, June 5, was the third one held, and they are proving to be successful.
“The response has been great. The people that have come on the cruise are just really enthusiastic about it. The river’s very different this time of day,” described John Sternberg, who co-owns the Rivership Co. alongside his sister, Debby Maloney, and his brother, Billy Maloney.
“The wildlife is just kind of waking up, everybody’s kind of waking up,” continued Sternberg. “The river’s very peaceful, not a lot of boat traffic out there. And it just has a completely different feel to it this time of the morning versus during our lunch cruise.”
In fact, this is not the first time that the breakfast cruises have traveled down the St. Johns River. Sternberg’s parents owned the business from about 1980 until 2000, operating six different boats. Upon his parent’s retirement, the company was sold to another family who operated it for about 11 years. Now in the hands of the second generation, Sternberg and his siblings intend to continue the traditions of the past.
Visitors arrive sometimes from hours away to enjoy the cruises down the historic river. The Rivership Barbara-Lee is an authentic 105-foot stern wheel paddleboat that was built in 1986, and refurbished before its operation in Sanford. The ship is a replica of the traditional stern wheel style boats that ran on the St. Johns River back during the mid to late 1800s.
Several staff members are family, or those who have been working on the ship for more than 30 years, described Sternberg. Some guests have also enjoyed the company’s continued traditions; one gentleman rides regularly and just enjoyed his 70th cruise last Saturday night.
Along with time-honored cruises, the Rivership Co. aims to appeal to a broader audience by offering new venues and entertainment. Among the events are “Rock on the River” with a mix of country, folk, and blues performances, “The Return of Dixieland Jazz,” and Donna Moore, presenting her “Diva Legends Show.”
The next breakfast cruise will be held on June 19. Boarding occurs at 7:45 a.m. and the cruise is held from 8 to 10 a.m. To reserve seats, contact the Rivership at 321-441-3030.

Aida Lashinsky, Herald Reporter, ALashinsky@MySanfordHerald.com