Vermont Discovery Cruises is a division of Green Mountain Boat Lines. Green Mountain Boat Lines was founded in 1984 by Mike Shea with a 149-passenger paddle wheeler named the Spirit of Ethan Allen. For 11 years, the boat operated offering scenic, dinner and charter cruises on Lake Champlain. In 1995 a new 500-passenger the Spirit of Ethan Allen II began offering a wider variety of cruises and a larger capacity. In 2002, the new Spirit of Ethan Allen III began operations in Burlington, Vermont. The Spirit of Ethan Allen II was renamed the Spirit of Plattsburgh and moved to Plattsburgh, NY. In 2005, the Spirit of Plattsburgh was sold, and now operates as The Islander, serving Alcatraz Island.

Lake Champlain’s history is rich with ships that offered overnight passage around the lake. Mike desired to bring back the past when he purchased The Bonny Blue, an overnight cruise boat sailing in Virginia. In the summer of 2007, he brought her to Lake Champlain and renamed her The Moonlight Lady. Mike renovated the Lady by adding the Sky Deck dining space and open kitchen, constructing a beautifully appointed Pilot House, redesigning the interior spaces and redecorating the cabins. The Moonlight Lady began her inaugural season on Lake Champlain in the summer of 2008.