LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A historical icon in the river city is welcoming passengers back aboard after being docked for months amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

After sitting empty for months, the Belle of Louisville’s sister vessel, the Mary M. Miller riverboat is setting sail again.

Savannah Wafford, community outreach manager for the Belle of Louisville, said it's good to be back.

"We knew as soon as it was safe for us to do so and we could find a way to operate that’s what we had to do," Wafford said.

The iconic tourist attraction has been a part of Louisville for 106 years.

"We’re really excited and optimistic about this season because we’re able to get people on boarder earlier in the season and hopefully continue to run things we best know how," Wafford explained.

Wafford noted that the vessel heading up the Ohio River was a turning point for the business after a year-long halt to cruising crushed ticket sales.

From 2019 to 2020, the double-decker vessel saw an 88% decrease in passengers and a 77% dip in the number of cruises.

"The numbers of tourists have gone way down. Luckily we are seeing a bounce back already. We’re excited to get people back in the city," Wafford said.

Earlier this month, CEO Krista Snider requested $725,000 in emergency funding from the Louisville Metro Council to continue operation.

By implementing a 50% capacity, they’ve cut down the number of passengers from 400 to a maximum of 200.

"We have temperature checks as your boarding. We put up plexiglass shields at all of our concession stands and our ticket office, so there’s an extra barrier between the guests and our staff, Wafford said.

No matter what floats your boat, the Belle of Louisville cruise lineup features something unique for everyone. Ryan Galka traveled with his family from Chicago to take the trip.

"We’ve been at home, haven’t really been out much so we got a lot of family time at home. So it was time to get out and about and explore something new and different," Galka said.

For some passengers, the signature experience is a chance to unplug as the two hour tour makes for a relaxing conversation starter.

"We’ve just had a really rough week at work. We’re training a new cohort and we wanted something to relax and I said, 'Hey have you heard of Belle of Louisville?'" said Mukesha Eduige.

Overall, this memory maker hopes to make a promising comeback.

"The kids are having fun. They’re on their like sixth or seventh soda. We got the unlimited drink package so they’re having a blast," Galka said.

With the 2021 season underway, the Belle is offering a $5 daily cruise Spring Break promotion happening March 27 through April 4.

The budget committee is expected to make a decision on whether to approve the funding at its next meeting on April 15.