Island Queen vs Island Star: Which Kingston 1000 Islands Cruise Boat Is Better?
The two Kingston cruise boats compared — the triple-deck Island Queen paddlewheeler against the glass-topped Island Star — and the weekday rule that lets you pick which one you sail on.
If you’re booking a Kingston 1000 Islands cruise, two boats come up again and again: the Island Queen and the Island Star. They are very different vessels. The Queen is a traditional-looking triple-deck paddlewheeler; the Star is a modern panoramic boat with a glass-topped canopy and 360-degree views. Both work the same Kingston dining route, and — this is the part most comparisons miss — the operator publishes exactly which boat sails on which day, so on the dining cruises you can choose your vessel by choosing your weekday. Here is which one suits which trip.
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Quick verdict
Choose the Island Queen if you want:
- classic river-cruise atmosphere
- a traditional multi-deck vessel
- open-deck sightseeing
- brunch or lunch
- a visually distinctive boat
Choose the Island Star if you want:
- dinner
- panoramic seated views
- an enclosed cabin in poor weather
- a modern, restaurant-like atmosphere
Best for sightseeing atmosphere: Island Queen
Best for dinner: Island Star
Best traditional experience: Island Queen
Comparison
| Feature | Island Queen | Island Star |
|---|---|---|
| Style | Triple-deck paddlewheeler | Panoramic glass-topped vessel |
| Advertised capacity | About 250 | About 180 |
| Main character | Traditional sightseeing | Modern dining |
| Indoor seating | Yes | Yes |
| Open-air deck | Yes | Yes |
| Panoramic glass cabin | No | Yes |
| 360-degree views | No | Yes |
| Best use | Sightseeing, brunch, lunch | Dinner |
| Dining cruise days | Mon–Tue | Wed–Sun |
| Wheelchair on main deck | Yes, 88 cm gangway | Not published |
| Accessible washroom | No — stalls may be too narrow | Not published |
The triple-deck paddlewheeler styling, the glass canopy and the 360-degree views are the operator’s own descriptions. The capacity figures are advertised approximations rather than published specifications, and the accessibility row is covered properly further down — the short version is that the Queen’s limits are documented and the Star’s are not.
The boat does not determine the route
This is the most important point, and it is where most people go wrong.
The cruise product determines where you go. On the dining cruises, the Queen and the Star run the same three-hour Admiralty Islands route on different days of the week — so a passenger on a Tuesday and a passenger on a Saturday see the same islands from different boats.
Do not book the Island Queen because you assume it goes to better islands. Choose on:
- onboard atmosphere
- dining setup
- weather
- accessibility
- seating style
One genuine exception: the three-hour Kingston: Heart of the Thousand Islands Riverboat Cruise (4.3★, 1,057 reviews, from $51) is listed as sailing aboard the Island Queen, not the Star. If you specifically want the paddlewheeler for daytime sightseeing, that is the booking.
What is the Island Queen?
The Island Queen is Kingston’s most recognizable traditional vessel — styled as a Mississippi paddlewheeler, with three decks, carrying roughly 250 passengers by advertised capacity.
It feels like a classic excursion boat, and it is particularly attractive for:
- daytime cruising
- open-deck sightseeing
- photographs
- families
It is the vessel on the Heart of the Islands sightseeing route, and it takes the Monday and Tuesday dining departures.
What is the Island Star?
The Island Star is a modern panoramic dining vessel. Its large glass canopy gives 360-degree views and makes the interior feel like a floating restaurant.
Key features include:
- advertised capacity around 180
- a glass-topped canopy
- 360-degree indoor views
- an open-air upper deck
In 2026 it carries the sunset dinner cruise on Wednesday to Sunday in summer and on its Friday-to-Sunday spring and fall evenings, plus the Wednesday-to-Sunday lunch cruises from May 9 to October 12.
Which is bigger?
By advertised passenger capacity:
- Island Queen: about 250
- Island Star: about 180
The Queen is therefore the larger vessel — worth knowing if a busy boat is something you would rather avoid, though a fuller boat on a three-deck vessel spreads out more than the numbers suggest.
Which has better views?
From your dining seat
Island Star. The glass canopy is specifically designed for panoramic visibility, and the operator advertises 360-degree views from under it.
From an open deck
Both are good, but the Island Queen gives more of a traditional multi-deck sightseeing feeling — three levels to move between, each with a different vantage.
Which is better for photography?
On a good-weather sightseeing day, the Island Queen has the edge: open decks, no glass between you and the islands, and the boat itself is photogenic from the shore.
On a rainy or cold day the Island Star becomes much more attractive, because you keep panoramic views while sheltered. Shooting through glass costs you some clarity, but it beats not going out on deck at all.
Which is better for dinner?
Island Star. This is its strongest category — the vessel is built around dining and panoramic visibility.
It sails the Kingston: Sunset Dinner Cruise (4.5★, 310 reviews, from $103) from Wednesday through Sunday. Our Kingston dinner cruise guide covers the meal, the price and the premium-table upgrade in full.
Is dinner bad on the Queen?
No.
The Monday and Tuesday departures on the Queen still provide:
- the three-course dinner
- the Admiralty Islands route
- open-deck access
- live entertainment
The difference is atmosphere. The Queen feels like a traditional cruise where dinner is served; the Star feels like a panoramic restaurant travelling through the islands. Neither is wrong — but if you booked expecting the glass canopy and got a Monday, you will notice.
Which is better for brunch?
Island Queen. Kingston’s brunch programme is associated with the Queen, and the traditional vessel suits a leisurely daytime meal followed by deck sightseeing.
The brunch cruise is not currently listed for booking, though it has run on the same route in past seasons.
Which is better for lunch?
It depends on your date, and the operator publishes the pattern: the Kingston: Lunch Cruise of Thousand Islands (4.5★, 333 reviews, from $78) typically sails on the Island Queen in spring and fall; in July and August it alternates — Queen on Mondays and Tuesdays, Star from Wednesday to Sunday.
So the classic lunch-cruise experience aboard the paddlewheeler is easiest to get outside high summer, or on a Monday or Tuesday within it.
Which is more romantic?
Island Star, especially for dinner. The panoramic cabin, the smaller advertised capacity and the evening dining all point the same way, and the enclosed cabin means the mood does not depend on the weather.
Which is better for families?
The Island Queen. Its traditional multi-deck layout makes the vessel itself part of the attraction.
Children tend to enjoy:
- moving between viewing areas
- the paddlewheeler styling
- watching the islands from different levels
Note that the Queen’s dining seating is on the second deck, up ten stairs — fine for most families, relevant if you are travelling with a pushchair.
Which is better for seniors?
If mobility is not a concern, either works well.
If it is, read the accessibility section below rather than assuming — the widely repeated claim that the Star is the more accessible boat is not something the operator actually publishes.
Accessibility
This is the section where the two vessels are least comparable, because the published information is uneven.
Island Queen
The operator publishes specifics. Wheelchairs are welcome on the first deck, boarding via a gangway 35 in / 88 cm wide. The first-deck washroom is not fully accessible and its stalls may be too narrow for some wheelchairs. Dining seating is on the second deck and requires climbing ten stairs — which matters enormously on a lunch or dinner cruise.
Island Star
No vessel-specific accessibility detail is published for the Star in any current listing. The dining cruises state only that they are wheelchair accessible and ask you to advise at the time of booking if assistance is required.
You will find the Star described elsewhere as the most accessible boat in the Kingston fleet, with an accessible washroom. We cannot verify that from any operator source, and we are not going to repeat it — an accessibility claim is exactly the kind of thing that strands somebody on a dock.
Island Belle
For completeness, the third vessel: manual wheelchairs, walkers and other portable mobility devices narrower than 30 inches are welcome, and the washrooms are up a flight of stairs on the second deck and are not accessible.
If step-free dining seating or an accessible washroom is a requirement, confirm your exact sailing with the operator before paying.
Hot weather
Island Star, for the enclosed cabin. On a still 30°C afternoon an open deck with no shade is less pleasant than it sounds — a complaint that turns up in reviews of the region’s open-deck cruises.
Rain
Island Star, because the glass enclosure preserves most of the sightseeing experience.
Perfect sunny day
Island Queen is especially attractive when you expect to spend most of the trip outside.
Traditional cruise feeling
Definitely the Island Queen. It looks and feels like a classic St. Lawrence excursion boat, and it is the one people photograph from shore.
Modern experience
Definitely the Island Star.
Which is better for seeing the 1000 Islands?
If both operate the same route on different days, the scenery is essentially the same. Choose on the vessel, not on a mistaken assumption about geography.
Does either go to Boldt Castle?
Not on Kingston’s regular current routes.
The lack of Boldt Castle is a fact about the Kingston route, not about either boat — Heart Island is far to the east, near Alexandria Bay. Our Boldt Castle cruise guide covers the ports that do reach it, and the three-port comparison explains why Kingston does not.
Better indoor seating
Island Star, for views.
Better open deck
Island Queen, for the traditional sightseeing feel.
Better food?
Menus depend on the cruise product rather than the boat, but the Island Star has the stronger dining-oriented design — a purpose-built dining room rather than a dining room fitted into an excursion boat.
Window tables
The Island Star is the more natural choice if you want a panoramic table experience. Premium upgrades may be available on dining cruises for a guaranteed window position.
Anniversary
The strongest combination: Island Star, Sunset Dinner, Premium Table — which in practice means booking any night from Wednesday to Sunday.
Can you choose the boat?
Yes, more directly than most people realise — on the dining cruises.
The operator publishes the weekday split for the Sunset Dinner Cruise (Queen on Mondays and Tuesdays, Star from Wednesday to Sunday) and for the summer lunch cruise (the same pattern in July and August; Queen in spring and fall). Pick your day and you have effectively picked your boat.
Two caveats. Operational substitutions are always possible, and the operator says as much — vessel assignments can change with capacity and season. And on the Heart of the Islands sightseeing route, the Island Queen is the listed vessel, so there is no Star option to choose. If the boat itself is a deal-breaker, verify before booking.
What about the Island Belle?
Kingston also operates the Island Belle, a smaller traditional St. Lawrence-style vessel.
She is the harbour boat rather than the islands boat, working the shorter waterfront cruises: the Kingston: Waterfront Discovery Cruise (4.2★, 162 reviews, from $34), the Waterfront Shipwreck Cruise with Guide (4.0★, 27 reviews, from $38) and the adults-only Waterfront Sunset Cocktail Cruise, which is no longer listed on GetYourGuide though the operator still sells it direct. The Shipwreck Cruise carries a thin review count and sits at 3.97 stars — the lowest on this site — so read the recent reviews before booking it.
The Belle does not run the premium three-hour dining experience, and she covers the Kingston waterfront rather than the Admiralty Islands.
Which would I choose?
Pure sightseeing
Island Queen
Brunch
Island Queen
Lunch
Island Queen, which means spring, fall, or a Monday or Tuesday in summer
Dinner
Island Star, which means any night from Wednesday to Sunday
Rain
Island Star
Wheelchair user
Confirm with the operator first — the Queen’s limits are documented and the Star’s are not
Family
Island Queen
Couple
Island Star
Pros and cons
Island Queen pros
- iconic traditional appearance
- three decks
- classic sightseeing atmosphere
- excellent open-deck experience
- memorable for families
Island Queen cons
- less panoramic indoors
- documented accessibility limits, including a not-fully-accessible washroom
- dining seating up ten stairs
Island Star pros
- panoramic glass canopy
- 360-degree indoor views
- strong dining setup
- excellent in poor weather
Island Star cons
- less traditional character
- no published accessibility detail
- travellers wanting a classic riverboat may prefer the Queen
Frequently asked questions
Which is better, the Island Queen or the Island Star?
The Queen for traditional sightseeing; the Star for dining and comfort.
Which is bigger, the Island Queen or the Island Star?
The Island Queen, at about 250 advertised capacity against about 180.
Which boat is used for the Kingston dinner cruise?
The Island Star from Wednesday to Sunday, and the Island Queen on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Which boat is used for brunch?
The Island Queen, though the brunch cruise is not currently listed for booking.
Which boat has better views?
The Star indoors, thanks to the glass canopy; the Queen for classic open-deck sightseeing.
Which Kingston cruise boat is more accessible?
The Island Queen is the only one with published detail — first deck accessible via an 88 cm gangway, washroom not fully accessible, dining seating up ten stairs. Nothing vessel-specific is published for the Island Star, so confirm with the operator.
Does the Island Queen or Island Star go to Boldt Castle?
Neither, on standard Kingston routes.
Which boat is better for children?
The Island Queen.
Which boat is better for couples?
The Island Star.
Final verdict
There is no universal winner — which is why the weekday rule is the useful thing to take away.
Choose the Island Queen for:
- classic cruise atmosphere
- daytime sightseeing
- brunch and lunch
- families
- open-deck exploration
Choose the Island Star for:
- dinner
- panoramic indoor views
- poor weather
- couples
Best sightseeing boat: Island Queen
Best dining boat: Island Star
Best for brunch: Island Queen
Best for dinner: Island Star
Best for couples: Island Star
Best for families: Island Queen
Best traditional atmosphere: Island Queen
Pick the Queen if the boat itself should feel like part of the adventure. Pick the Star if you want to sit down over dinner and watch the islands pass through panoramic glass — and remember that on the dining cruises, picking the boat mostly means picking the day.
Ready to book?
Compare every Kingston departure by boat, route and price — all cruises side by side — or read the dinner cruise guide if the Sunset Dinner is what you’re weighing up.
See the Thousand Islands From the Water
Join 5,500+ travelers who rated this cruise 4.5/5. Narrated sightseeing through the Admiralty Islands, past Boldt Castle and Millionaires' Row — free cancellation included.
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