Excursion options at Essex Steam Train and Riverboat have gotten a bit bigger. Kevin Dodd, president of the Valley Railroad Company and Essex Steam Train and Riverboat, recently announced the acquisition of Lady Katherine Cruises, adding a second (and larger) vessel to its fleet.

“They are a part of the Connecticut River Valley and part of the entertainment venues,” said Dodd. “We had started talking to them about trading leads which just led to negotiations. It was a very natural fit for us.”

The purchase was made through the Valley Railroad Company’s subsidiary Connecticut River Events. With the purchase, the Valley Railroad will operate the Mystique as well as its existing riverboat Becky Thatcher.

“We’d get calls for events larger than the capacity of the Becky Thatcher, and they would get calls for smaller parties that didn’t make sense for them. It just made sense,” said Dodd of the sale. “They will continue running private and public charters. It’s an established brand based out of Charter Oak in Hartford and Harbor Park in Middletown.”

The new boat is technically named the Mystique, but frequently is called The Lady Katherine and has become known by both names. It seats 180 comfortably for a sit-down dinner—or 160 for a lobster bake, though that number is determined by how many lobster the boat can carry. The total capacity of the boat is 340.

“It’s quite a boat, with quite a crew,” said Dodd. “Most of its schedule is based out at Middletown. The riverfront there is growing and we want to be a part of it. They do a lot of themed cruises, private events, corporate events, weddings, and proms, even Christmas cruises.

“They’ve developed a great brand. It’s not like we were buying some distressed company. There’s been an expanding demand for both public and private cruises. We bring a lot of marketing experience,” Dodd continued. “It makes sense to market both companies. There are mutual synergies to be gained.”

For more information on the Lady Katherine’s cruise options and events, or to find out more about events at Essex Steam Train and Riverboat, visit ladykatecruises.com or essexsteamtrain.com.