Booking choice: The General Jackson lunch or dinner cruise, from $112 per person. Check dates Compare the options below
The General Jackson sells a lunch cruise and a dinner cruise, and both come as a package: boarding, a Southern meal, a live show and about 2.5 to 3 hours on the Cumberland River. The Viator version adds a round-trip ride from select downtown hotels, which matters because the boat docks by Opry Mills, not downtown.
Prices below are from the live Viator listing in October 2026. They move with the date, so the checkout price is the one that counts.
The quick answer
The Viator ticket is from $112 per adult (12 and over), with a lower child rate for ages 4 to 11. It includes the cruise, lunch or dinner, the live show, taxes and hotel pickup from select downtown hotels. Cocktails, extra food and tips are extra, and you can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before.
How much is a General Jackson Showboat ticket in 2026?
On Viator, the lunch or dinner cruise with hotel pickup is from $112 per adult, with a separate, lower rate for children 4 to 11.
Adults are 12 and over; infants 3 and under are listed separately at checkout. The price is the same package whether you pick the midday or the evening sailing, and the exact figure shifts with the date, so check your day before you plan around it.
| Ticket band | Who | What you pay |
|---|---|---|
| Adult | 12 and over | From $112 |
| Child | 4 to 11 | Lower child rate, shown at checkout |
| Infant | 3 and under | Listed separately at checkout |
Have a date in mind? The ticket includes the meal, the show and the ride from downtown.
Check dates for the General Jackson lunch or dinner cruiseWhat does the ticket include?
Boarding, a Southern lunch or dinner in the Victorian Theater, the live show, all taxes and round-trip pickup from select downtown Nashville hotels.
Tea and coffee come with the meal. At lunch the show is Nashville LIVE!, an eight-piece band playing 75 years of country hits; at dinner, Southern Nights adds vocalists and dancers to a full live band. Before and after the meal you are free to walk the outdoor decks.
What costs extra on board?
Cocktails, beer, wine and any extra food, gratuities, souvenir photos and the Captain's Table upgrade.
Drinks are the big one. Guests report about $24 for a cocktail in a souvenir cup you can keep, and one couple paid $62 for two double cocktails. Tips are not included either, and several guests say staff push for them, so budget for a gratuity. Photos from the on-board photo shop are sold separately.
Is it cheaper to buy direct or on Viator?
We could not verify the box office's own prices, so compare on your date: the Viator ticket's advantages are the hotel pickup and free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
The General Jackson also sells tickets on generaljackson.com and by phone (615-458-3900), and upgrades such as early boarding and the Captain's Table are sold by the operator. One guest notes that the Viator booking seated them in the main dining room, with no option to pick another area. If you are staying downtown without a car, the included pickup usually decides it. See where the boat docks for why.
Staying downtown without a car? The ticket includes the round trip to the dock.
Check dates for the General Jackson lunch or dinner cruiseWhat are early boarding and the Captain's Table?
Early boarding is $5 per person and lets you on 15 minutes before general boarding; the Captain's Table is a paid upgrade with a pilothouse tour and extras.
Early boarding opens at 11 am for the lunch cruise and 6 pm for dinner, instead of 11:15 am and 6:15 pm. The Captain's Table adds a table-side greeting and pilothouse tour from the captain, an upgraded dessert, and a souvenir specialty drink and shirt. The operator does not publish its price online, so ask when you book.
Can you cancel a General Jackson ticket?
Yes: on Viator you can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the cruise.
That matters more than usual in 2026. When mechanical problems kept the boat at the dock this summer, the operator offered guests a discount or a full refund. If your date is close, check the day before; read the details in is the General Jackson worth it?.
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before: lock in a date now and check the boat the day before.
Check dates for the General Jackson lunch or dinner cruiseLunch or dinner: which ticket gives better value?
The price is the same package, so choose on timing: lunch is shorter and brighter, dinner has the bigger show and the lit-up skyline.
The midday cruise runs about 2.5 hours, the evening one about 3 hours. The full comparison, with both menus, is in lunch or dinner cruise?.
What can you add nearby on the same day?
The Grand Ole Opry House is right beside the dock, so a lunch cruise and an evening Opry show fit into one day.
The Grand Ole Opry show ticket is from $62, and the backstage tour from $40. Both start at 600 Opry Mills Drive, with free parking at Opry Mills.
Making a day of it? Pair a lunch cruise with a night at the Opry House next door.
Explore a Grand Ole Opry showFrequently asked questions
Are drinks included on the General Jackson?
Tea and coffee come with the meal. Cocktails, beer and wine are extra; guests report about $24 for a souvenir-cup cocktail.
Is the tip included in the ticket?
No. Gratuities are not included on the Viator ticket, and guests report staff ask for them, so budget a tip for your server.
Is hotel pickup included?
Yes, from select downtown Nashville hotels only. Be in your hotel lobby by 10:30 am for the lunch cruise or 5:30 pm for dinner.
Do children pay full price?
No. Adults are 12 and over; children 4 to 11 have a lower rate, and infants 3 and under are listed separately.
Ready to book
Choose your cruise
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
General Jackson Showboat Lunch or Dinner Cruise
- Cruise ticket on the General Jackson Showboat (lunch at 12 pm or dinner at 7 pm)
- Plated Southern lunch or dinner in the Victorian Theater
- Live show: country hits at lunch, a band, singers and dancers at dinner
Narrated Cumberland River Cruise
- Two-hour river cruise with live narration from the captain
- USCG licensed captain and deckhand; up to 38 guests
- Restroom on board; snacks and drinks for purchase
