The vessel’s cruising season begins next month under the ownership of longtime Saskatoon resident Stephanie Simonot, who will operate the business with friends and family and whose nephew and son-in-law will be training to be the new captains.

Simonot said she plans to run the business the same way the Steckhans have.

“Regardless of whatever the government does, the snowpack in the Rockies is very high right now. And that amount of snow, when that melts and comes down river, that’s going to flush the river valley out anyway, no matter what they do,” Steckhan said.

“So we are very confident that the ship will be sailing in its normal way this summer.”