For over 90 years, Jungle Queen has been more than a scenic riverboat tour. It has been a Fort Lauderdale tradition, a family legacy, and one of the most recognizable ways generations of residents and visitors have experienced the city from the water.
Since 1935, Jungle Queen has carried guests through Fort Lauderdale’s waterways, offering scenic cruises, dinner experiences, island entertainment, and a sense of nostalgia that has become part of the city’s identity. Alongside the Jungle Queen, the River Queen has also played an important role in the company’s story, serving as a vessel for special charters and private experiences.
At the heart of that legacy is the Faber family.
The Jungle Queen story begins in 1935. It was founded by Al Starts who at that time created a daytime marketplace, featuring the sale of the Indians merchandise and alligator wrestling. The concept was expanded to include a bar-b-que dinner cruise and show. In 1958 Earl Faber, Mike’s grandfather, bought the business and brought his Vaudeville talent to the operation. His flair for entertaining expanded the Jungle Queen operation for the next four years. His son, Jerome took the helm in 1962 after the loss of his father. Jerome continued to expand the business, and in 1971 commissioned the Jungle Queen IV, a 400-passenger vessel. Fifty-Two years go by before Mike Faber stepped in to keep the legacy alive. What began as a riverboat attraction grew into something much larger: a destination, a gathering place, and a living piece of local history.
The island has always been the heart and soul of the Jungle Queen experience. It is where a scenic cruise becomes an immersive evening of dining, entertainment, storytelling, and shared memories. The family’s relationship with the Seminole community, the historic wall of stories preserved on the property, and the island’s distinctive atmosphere have helped make Jungle Queen a uniquely meaningful South Florida experience. Over the years, the family has continued to preserve the island’s character while thoughtfully elevating the experience for new generations of guests.
Jungle Queen has also remained a highly visible part of Fort Lauderdale’s civic and cultural life, including its long-standing presence as a beloved highlight of the Seminole Hard Rock Winterfest Boat Parade.
Now, after 91 years of family stewardship, Jungle Queen begins a meaningful new chapter under the ownership of Bill Fuller.
Fuller is a co-owner of Ball & Chain, the historic Little Havana destination recently recognized as one of the best bars in America, and owner and managing partner of the iconic Mai-Kai Restaurant and Polynesian Show. His work preserving and revitalizing historically significant hospitality destinations demonstrates an understanding of the care, creativity, and respect required to guide a beloved institution into its next era.
The connection feels especially fitting. Jungle Queen, Ball & Chain, and the Mai-Kai are each rooted in history, storytelling, atmosphere, and immersive hospitality. They are not simply places people visit. They are places where generations gather, celebrate, and create memories.
As Jungle Queen prepares for its next era, the community can take comfort in knowing that one of its most beloved icons is being passed to a local experienced businessman who values legacy businesses continued one set of caring hands to another.
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