For Immediate Release

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Theodore, Alabama – All sightseeing cruises at Bellingrath Gardens and Home have been cancelled for the remainder of the summer - effective Monday, June 21, 2010.  Alabama Cruises, owner and operator of the Southern Belle, has been recruited by BP to help with the recovery effort on Dauphin Island, Alabama.  The U.S. Coast Guard Certified vessel that can carry up to 150 passengers will be ferrying clean-up crews to and from the west end of the island.

Bellingrath hopes to resume river tours in mid to late September, 2010.  The river tour is a 4 minute cruise that departs from Bellingrath Gardens between March and November and offers visitors a relaxing and educational tour along Fowl River.  Unique wildlike and birding habitats can be witnessed on teh river, as well as a wonderful view of the Bellingrath Home.

At this time, all tours of the Gardens and the Bellingrath Musuem Home are available for visitors.  We will continue our normal hours of operations from 8AM to 5PM daily.  Bellingrath will continue to work closely with the Mobile Bay Convention & Visitors Burea, the Alabama Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau and the other area attractions to disseminate timely information to tourist who plan to visit Bellingrath and the Gulf Coast.

To contact Alabama Cruises call 251.973.2214.  For more information about Bellingrath, other tour options, to make reservations or groups with reservation, call 251.973.2217 .