Ebel's Voyageur Houseboats

Our first time driving a 9 ton houseboat and thanks to Heather and Bill and the crew at Ebel's it was a success. What a wonderful way to see Voyageurs! If the weather would have cooperated it would have been the perfect vacation. We still managed to do just fine. Clean boat, great instructions and maps. The houseboat spots in the park are gorgeous. Highly recommend!

Our family recently completely a 3-night trip with Ebel's and would highly recommend it! We've never done an experience like this before and had our fair share of both excitement and nerves as we went off on this adventure. The team at Ebel's was great to help us feel comfortable and confident in a new experience, learning how to navigate the waters, and operate everything on the houseboat. The vessel was clean and operated fantastic. Our family of 5 (including three kids ages 17, 13, and 10) all had a wonderful time! If you're even the least bit thinking about 'maybe' taking a trip with an Ebel's houseboat, nudge yourself off the fence and do it! You'll be glad you did!

We had an absolute blast at Voyageurs National Park renting the Vista 61’ from Ebel’s for three nights with our group of 9. From start to finish Ebel’s was communicative and helpful in planning our trip. I am so glad we went with Ebel’s for this trip. The boat had many details that made our experience so great. Heather and Derrick were so helpful and friendly. Thank you Ebel’s for all the work you do to make these trips great!

This was our first time on a houseboat and we had the best time!! We went the weekend before Labor Day and thought it was a great time because it wouldn’t be as busy. It was a little chilly the first couple days but it was actually really nice because once the weather got above 70 on the last day the mosquitos finally came out. We had no experience driving such a large boat but the Ebels crew was great at showing us what to do and how to read the maps. The hummingbird nav system was super helpful. The crew was also super responsive to any of our questions via radio! The houseboat had everything you would need in the kitchen even though we also brought disposable plates and plasticware so we didn’t have to wash as many dishes. That was just a personal preference with a large group, but the dishwasher was an amazing bonus. We cannot wait to come back and I will be recommending this so anyone who wants to see the national park!

From boat selection and reservations till the very end leaving the parking lot, the experience was phenomenal! Tom helped load our belongings onto the boat and gathered ice and bait for us. Then he taught us how to captain our ship! Ebels was on top of their game while we were on the water-we overheard them problem solving and answering questions on the marine radio-never a doubt they would come out to us if needed. They helped to unload the boat at the end of our voyage and helped load our personal boat onto our trailer. The houseboat was spotless and fully stocked with dishes. They clearly take pride in how the boats are maintained. Top notch!!!!

The boat was clean, had a lot of amenities, and was easy to operate. The crew at Ebel’s was outstanding. They carried all of our gear on board, took the time needed to show us how to operate everything, then helped us unload upon our return. The park was beautiful with lots of spots to choose from. Highly recommend Ebel’s and their highly qualified staff!

We had the BEST 4 days on Ebels Houseboat! The boat was spotless and ready to go when we arrived. Our orientation with Billy was informative and super helpful. He helped us load all our stuff on the boat when we arrived. Our boat essentially had a full kitchen with stove, oven, freezer, and fridge. The double bed was very comfortable and linens were provided for the pull out love seat. The map they provide we used every day to scout our next site if we wanted to move. Us Floridians did need the heater a couple nights. The motor boat that came with the rental was much bigger than expected. Great for fishing and exploring the waterways. The fact that we could bring our fur babies with us was great! We were definitely sad to pull back into base. The crew was ready to help us unload and they got straight to work cleaning for the next family taking out boat 20 layer that day.Voyageurs National Park is lovely. We definitely will be back!

We had a fantastic experience overall. This was our first time being on a houseboat. Tommy was very thorough in showing us how to operate all the equipment on board and how to operate the boat itself. We were confidently on our own in a short amount of time. The boat was very clean and everything operated optimally. The kitchen was well-appointed. Loading and unloading was very easy. The deck crew is incredibly helpful, fast, and efficient. We absolutely loved our experience and highly recommend Ebel’s. Helpful tidbits: We came in September. That means no peak season crowds, great weather, no bugs. The water was not cold and we did indeed enjoy the slide. You have to keep the boat running a few hours to keep the batteries charged up. Time this around when you want quiet time. While we didn’t think it was loud, it can interfere with listening for animals or other sounds you’re hoping to hear. If you like photography, we found the boat stable enough to take pictures of the night sky. Of course, that’s weather dependent. They reassured us we had plenty of fuel and said it was unlikely we would run out. We did not run of fuel. The houseboat comes with a small motor boat that is used for “running around” in after you’ve moored up. Super handy and fun! We used it a lot more than we expected to. You will want to know if the mooring you are considering is a sandy one or a rocky one. Purchase the National Geographic map for this information. The map provided by Ebel’s does not have this information. Sandy moorings are much easier, especially if you are new to houseboating. You’ll definitely need to bring binoculars for spotting bouys and moorings, and a flashlight for general use. On our last day, the weather was a bit choppy. We heard two calls of distress. Ebel’s responded to them immediately and was able to send help within minutes. You can feel reassured that help is quick.

It was our first time staying in a houseboat and our experience with Ebel company was great. We felt comfortable working with Katy, Justin, Justin's wife, Dennis and Garvin. Our family has been in some national parks but the whole family all agrees that this trip to Voyageurs National Park on is one of the best. The main reasons are that we stayed on Ebel's houseboat, did motorboating, kayaking and some camping. Before this trip, we didn't know much about operating boat. But Dannis explained everything in details and went extra mile helping us on our first day. On the 3rd day something unexpected happened and we needed urgent help. Justin and Katie responded quickly and efficiently solved the problem. They truly care about their customers and we really appreciated their help. We highly recommend Ebel.

This was our second adventure spending a week traversing Voyageurs National Park on a houseboat from Ebel's and we have only positive things to say!! They are so welcoming, friendly, and go above and beyond to help!! We had a flat tire on our boat trailer about 6 miles away from them and they went above and beyond to help us!! The houseboats are truly the adventure of a lifetime. Talk about having all of the amenities in the middle of nowhere...there is truly nothing quite like it. We had the vista series this trip and it was amazing! We loved the solarium front of the boat and the hot tub on the upper deck! Thank you to Katie, Justin, Heather, and the rest of the Ebel's crew for a great time!

This was our first time renting a houseboat and Ebel's was recommended by my friend. We were not sure what to expect and we were extremely pleased on how everything was handled from the check in to loading the boat to giving us instructions on how to use the boat. The people we encountered were very pleasant and helpful!! I will definitely go back and I will recommend them to everyone. We had an excellent vacation!!

Our first time renting a houseboat! This trip was amazing! Super nice people, the houseboat was fantastic. The Voyageurs National Park is just stunning. We have a boat and camper, so that knowledge came in very handy with operating this houseboat. We rented the Vista 44. It had a king size bed and a 2 person hot-tub on top. We saw several Eagles, heard Loons calling at dusk and saw a little bit of the Northern Lights. If your looking for something different in a getaway vacation, this is it, you'll love it!

Overall our experience was fine. The houseboat was nice, clean and easy to operate. Not worth getting a hot tub, doesn't warm up even after running the generator for many hours. The staff are helpful with loading/unloading the boat, but they are not friendly and make you feel like an inconvenience.

I have rented boats from several establishments before renting from Ebel's. I now only rent from Ebel's. The following is why I have and will continue to return every year. 1. There is never a hassle - period! A lot of boat rental outfits will provide dirty, worn out, or down right broken boats and equipment. Not Ebel's. Everything is clean, well-maintained and with everything in working order. I have heard many calls over the radio reporting issues. I don't recall a single issue that didn't end up resulting from the operator being unfamiliar with the equipment. This brings us to 2. After years of dealing with customers that would drive me to the looney bin, Ebel's staff is always courteous and appreciative of everyone that walks in the door. The best thing I can say is: you show up, they have the boat ready when they say they will (sometimes even early), you sign the rental agreement, and you start your vacation. When you get back they are HONEST & courteous. This is a rare experience in houseboat rentals. In my experience, the owner typically tries to charge for something that was broken when you received the boat or the rental price suddenly changed. Not with Ebel's. They have been totally hassle free and flexible. Just remember to hold the mic button down for 3 seconds and return the boat on time.