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Few experiences are as quintessentially Swiss as a ride on an old-time lake steamer. Although possible in several locations around the country, the most impressive boats and scenery are found on Lake Lucerne. Assiduously maintained by the Lake Lucerne Navigation Company (abbreviated as SGV in German), the historical steam vessels are complemented by modern boats on lovely Lake Lucerne. Still, for steamboat buffs, nothing beats a trip on Uri, Schiller, or Stadt Luzern to watch the engines working and paddle wheels turning.

Lake Lucerne Navigation Company Stadt Luzern starboard side.

For simple rides to take in the stunning alpine scenery from the water, there is excellent value for money in purchasing a day ticket that allows unlimited trips on the entire SGV network. Passengers can cover a lot of ground, or in this case water, in a day with an early start to explore the furthest areas of Lake Lucerne, reaching toward Brunnen and Flüelen, two of the most spectacularly scenic towns in Switzerland. For something more than simple boat rides, Lake Lucerne Navigation Company offers variously themed culinary cruises for the very special experience of enjoying a gourmet dinner on a three-hour steamboat ride on the lake. White linen and silver service may be laborious in restaurants on land, but the tradition of gracious hospitality continues on the water.

The evening begins with champagne and hors d’oeuvres followed by a three-course, fixed-menu dinner menu served in First and Second Class dining rooms. Passengers are free to promenade on the decks during the cruise, enjoying the fresh mountain air and the spectacle of the steam vessels’ mechanical wizardry that seems impossible to replicate with today’s technology. Everyone on board, including the captain and staff, appears in high spirits throughout the evening, appreciating their good fortune to have this unique dining experience or work on board the boat.

Lake Lucerne Navigation Company candlelight dinner view of the lake.

The candlelight dinner cruise is perhaps the most formal option of Lake Lucerne Navigation Company’s culinary cruises, though formal attire is certainly not required. Other options include breakfast, brunch, lunch, fondue, and fajita cruises on alternating dates. Most take place during the warmer months, but there are spring and autumn options and special excursions at other times, such as New Year’s Eve.

Being the scenic country it is, Switzerland attracts visitors in every season. Lucerne is bustling with crowds in its most famous places as in other parts of Europe, but remains surprisingly calm, even slightly off the beaten path. That includes the water; the regular ferry rides can get crowded, but the culinary cruises limit the number of passengers, making the waterborne experience more exclusive and enjoyable. The Swiss revere Switzerland’s lakes as essential elements of their national identity; even for Swiss people, rides on the lakes can be considered exceptional experiences. Lake Lucerne Navigation Company’s various cruise options go beyond the transport and culinary cruises and include packages that provide boat travel paired with train, funicular, museum, spa, and mountaintop experiences to add to the time spent on the water.