About Us
101 Water St, Marquette, IA
(Below HWY 18 River Bridge)
Maiden Voyage Tours was our dream that was born out of the need to tell a story of the rich history of the Mississippi River and all of its glory. When you take a tour with Maiden Voyage Tours you will hear tales of the great Mississippi River’s past, present, and future. We aim to bring to life tales of the Mississippi’s history as well as allow you to bask in the splendor of the wilderness of the Mississippi.
As your hosts will tell you after a life spent on the Mississippi the river is the same and yet different with each new day. We firmly believe one must witness for themselves exactly how beautiful, powerful, and splendid the great Mississippi is.
Our goal with Maiden Voyage Tours is to be able to bring the river alive for our guests. We do this with stories of fishing, clamming, and trapping as well as songs of Mississippi Folklore. We wish to offer our guests the most unique riverboat tour possible. At Maiden Voyage we strive to make your experience beyond any ordinary riverboat tour. Learn more about our types of TOURS and what we have to offer. We truly have a passion for what we do and can’t wait to have you aboard. Please call 563-586-2123 with questions. We also welcome you to BOOK YOUR TOUR ONLINE.
Captain Robert Vavra
Hello, my name is Robert Vavra and I am your Captain at Maiden Voyage Tours. I live with my wife and Co-captain Deb. Together we run Maiden Voyage Tours and Andy Mountain. I am pleased you have decided to come aboard with us. We welcome you!
I grew up along the Mississippi River in Iowa. You might say being a Mississippi River tour captain is in my blood.
After high school I worked on the great river commercial fishing, clamming, and trapping. It was a way of life that I greatly enjoyed. Unfortunately, the day of the hunter/gatherer on the river did come to an end. Sadly, families that had made their living on the river for generations were forced to give up their way of life.
I followed suit and opened a restaurant in Harpers Ferry, Iowa. But I missed working and making a living on the river. My wife Deb and I eventually sold the restaurant and in 2004 we bought a small campground called ANDY MOUNTAIN.
