This summer we went on an Ontario road trip with stops in Kingston, Gananoque, and Ottawa. One of my “must-do” activities was the 1000 Islands Cruise. We actually planned our itinerary around when we could get tickets for this and our visit to the Kingston Penitentiary (check out my Kingston Itinerary here). This was definitely one of the highlights of our road trip. Since it was during Ontario’s stage 3 of reopening, there were lots of changes in place. Below I’ll share my review of the cruise and you can take a look at my cruise vlog to see what our experience was like.
New Regulations
As part of the new regulations, masks had to be worn at all times while on the boat – with the exception of very small children. Social distancing was also in effect so that cruisers could remain spaced out while on this cruise. Unfortunately, that also meant that they removed a number of the benches and roped off some prime seating on the top deck of the boat.
My Experience
We cruised with the Gananoque Boat Line in August 2020 and purchased our tickets online. We originally sat on the upper deck, but didn’t arrive in time to get prime seating. Once the boat was on the move we were able to roam around freely and we were able to find some lawn chairs at the back of the boat. This allowed us plenty of distance from other people and great views as we cruised the 1000 Islands. Wearing a mask didn’t bother me, but we were only on the cruise for 1-hour. If it was a longer cruise, or we went during peak sun hours, it might have been more uncomfortable.
The boat played a narration as it cruised through the 1000 Islands to tell you more about the area and the history. This made the cruise much more interesting and we learned some interesting information. The 1-hour duration was the perfect length, and the scenery was incredible. I’d definitely recommend it!
Tips for Planning Your 1000 Islands Cruise
If you’re thinking of planning a 1000 Islands Cruise, here are some things that might be helpful for you.
- Determine if you’re going on a day trip, or staying somewhere in the area. If you’re staying in the area, check to make sure there are both hotels and cruises available during your planned visit before booking your accommodations. You may need to be flexible, as there are limited tickets sold for each cruise.
- Arrive early. This is always a tip of mine, but as they say the early bird gets the worm… and in this case the early bird gets the best seating! Since seats are limited now, the earlier you get there, the more likely you’ll be able to get seats with a good view.
- The top deck is extremely windy. Even though it was about 28 degrees out, it was still chilly on the top deck due to the wind. If you prefer a more sheltered viewing point, you can sit on the second deck under full cover. The windows here can be opened or closed.
- Parking is $4 in the lots, or you can get free 2-hour parking on the street. We ended up paying, but could have easily done the 2-hour parking since we were only on the 1-hour cruise.
- Pick the right cruise duration. They had different tour lengths available ranging from 1 to 5 hours. The 5-hour cruise made a stop at Boldt Castle (I did this when I was a child and it was very fun!). If you have small children, I’d recommend the 1-hour cruise as there’s not much to do on the boat except watch scenery pass by.
- Bring sunscreen! My husband forgot his and he got a sunburn since we were sitting up high with no shade coverage for the full cruise.
- Stay hydrated. Especially if you are cruising during the peak summer heat or an afternoon cruise. We cruised at 10am so we had our coffees and water with us. Their website said they don’t allow outside food or drinks, but no one said anything about us taking them onboard (other people had drinks too).
1000 Islands Cruise Summary
Be sure to do your research and planning in advance. The cruises typically only operate from April to October. Overall, I really enjoyed this activity and would recommend it to families with older children and adults. Have you ever cruised the 1000 Islands?
