NIAGARA FALLS, Ont. – Hornblower Niagara Cruises’ inaugural season of ferrying passengers along the Niagara River
to experience the beauty of Niagara Falls up close has officially opened.
A ribbon-cutting event at the newly
constructed Hornblower Ticket Plaza on the Niagara Parkway, kicked off
the tour
company’s ticket sales in Niagara Falls.
Now,
Hornblower Niagara Cruises’ two state-of-the-art tour boats have
officially started taking visitors along the Niagara River up to the
base of the
Horseshoe Falls.
“We are
thrilled to finally be open in Niagara Falls,” said Terry MacRae, CEO of
Hornblower. “Our team and the Niagara Parks Commission have been
working
incredibly hard over the past two years preparing for opening day and
we couldn’t be happier with the final outcome. Our partnership with the
Niagara Parks Commission has been a true partnership, working hand in
hand to create the best possible tourism experience
in Canada.”
After an
open procurement process, the Niagara Parks Commission awarded
Hornblower Niagara Cruises a 30-year contract in February 2012 to serve
as its
official boat tour operator. Hornblower is the only company on the
Canadian side of the Niagara River permitted to operate the iconic boat
tours to the Bridal Veil, American and Horseshoe Falls.
“We are very
fortunate here today in the city of Niagara Falls. It’s Canada’s most
recognized city by far, and when you bring great brands together it
just rises the tide that rises all boats and I think that’s a
great analogy of what is about to happen today,” said Niagara Falls
Mayor Jim Diodati. “This has been a long time coming and we finally made
it.”
Hornblower Niagara Cruises made a
significant investment into the newly constructed tourist attraction to
deliver a truly once in a lifetime experience for the millions of
visitors
that travel to see the falls up close.
“Hornblower is to be applauded for the
significant investments and commitment they have made to the tourism
industry here in Niagara,” said Janice Thomson, Chair of the Niagara
Parks Commission. “We look forward to working with them in the days and
years ahead in fulfilling the exciting vision we both share for this
new boat tour service and what it means to visitors to Niagara Parks.”
As the largest passenger vessel company
in North America, also operating the official tour boats to the Statue
of Liberty and Alcatraz Island, Hornblower is pushing the envelope
in tourism offerings once again by introducing evening tours for
visitors looking for more options than just the daytime Voyage to the
Falls.
In addition to the daily trips to the
Falls, which are scheduled to begin at 7:45a.m. every day, Hornblower will
be launching a Sunset Cocktail Cruise, Falls Illumination Cruise and
Falls Firework Cruise. Now you’ll be able to watch Canada’s longest running fireworks series from the base of the Falls while sipping champagne on a warm summer night.
“Hornblower
is known throughout North America for innovative concepts and high
quality standards of excellence in everything that we do,” said MacRae.
“We know the public will enjoy the new products and services that we
will be delivering for the first time in the gorge, including private
charters of the boats.”
As well as
the evening cruise options, Hornblower is also introducing a unique way
to view the falls with the Niagara Guardian now available for private
charter and special events. The 150 passenger open-air jetboat travels
up the Niagara River to the base of the Horseshoe Falls, giving
passengers a new and unique experience that only Hornblower Niagara
Cruises can provide.
For
land-based events, the Hornblower Visitor Pavilion is available for
private events of all sizes. Located on the Hornblower docks at the
shoreline of
the Niagara River, the pavilion is the perfect spot for wedding
receptions, corporate retreats or private parties, all framed by the
incredible waterfalls of Niagara Falls.
To get
passengers safely to and from the mighty Horseshoe Falls, Hornblower
Niagara Cruises built its two custom tour boats in Canada during this
past
winter.
The two
catamarans were specifically designed to maximize the viewing
experience, featuring tiered decks for 360-degree unobstructed outdoor
viewing of
the three waterfalls that make up The Falls and dry viewing areas for
passengers who’d rather have a window between themselves and the spray
of the falls. Both boats also offer restrooms and refreshments on board.
Operating
public boat tours and charter excursions for more than 30 years,
Hornblower has earned a reputation as the most experienced, versatile
and accomplished
maritime company in the United States.
About Hornblower Niagara Cruises:
Hornblower
Canada Co., operating as Hornblower NiagaraCruises, will be the official
boat tour operator of boat tours to the waterfalls of Niagara Falls
beginning in 2014 in partnership with The Niagara Parks Commission, an
Operational Enterprise Agency of the Canadian Ministry of Tourism,
Culture and Sport. Providing early morning, afternoon, evening, falls
illumination and fireworks boat tours to one of
the world’s natural wonders, Hornblower Niagara Cruises will deliver an
unforgettable experience to its guests in Niagara Falls, Canada.
Hornblower Niagara Cruises is part of the Hornblower Family of Companies
– a leader in marine hospitality with locations
throughout North America. For more information please visitwww.niagaracruises.com.
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