AMAZING stopped in Kingston & Gananoque to visit the 1000 Islands. In particular, we wanted to go on the 2.5 Hour boat tour and loved the beauty, history and the locals enjoying the water too! The second portion was visiting the Famous Heart Island where George C. Boldt, millionaire proprietor of the world famous Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City, set out to build a full size rhineland castle in Alexandria Bay, on picturesque Heart Island.  The grandiose structure was to be a display of his love for his wife, Louise. The structures on the island were amazing! I personally LOVE architecture and history so this was a fantastic experience! Had it been Pre-Covid times, we would have been able to disembark from the boat and explored the island, as the Americans were doing. But because it is technically on the American side of the St Lawrence River, and because of the pandemic, we could only admire it from afar. We can't wait for warmer weather so we can go back and visit! read more

Gananoque Boat Line may operate with an impressive fleet of five triple-decker vessels, but the BEAUTY OF THE ISLANDS CRUISE did not deliver what was promised. The company states on their website of the following: "Join us on a 1-hour cruise taking you closer than any other cruise available in the 1000 Islands." Roughly six years ago my mother and I had the opportunity to visit the 1000 Islands through a traveling agency. I cannot recall the company we had used to sail the 1000 Islands, but I' am carefully assuming it was Rockport Cruises. I may be completely wrong. This summer my mother and I were excited to bring the rest of my family to explore the 1000 Islands. The rest of my family members have never been to the islands. My mother and I were completely unsatisfied with the tour and how Gananoque Boat Lines website descriptions were misleading. Rockport cruises took us closer than Gananoque Boat Lines to the 1000 Islands. Gananoque Boat Lines 1 hour cruise only goes around, and not into the heart of the 1000 Islands. I would strongly advise travelers to avoid the BEAUTY OF THE ISLANDS CRUISE. Such a shame. read more

Gananoque Boat Lines - Tours Near Me - Gananoque, Ontario

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Took the one hour cruise around the 1000 Islands (turns out there are over 1800 Islands). The boat is three stories with plenty of seating areas. You can sit inside and outside, depending on the weather and all that. The tour guide is somewhat monotone, but the information is pretty interesting (presented in both English and French), plus you get to see the random homes on all the different islands. Not super exciting, but a very relaxing hour. read more

I don't know how you could not like one of their pleasure cruises. I guess if you're easily sea sick, but it's not the sea, so.....You get to see countless islands, some with castles and it's one of the most relaxing and pleasant experiences you could have in this region. read more

We took a relatively short boat cruise, maybe 30 minutes to an hour long around the 1000 Islands. It's so pretty! It was a drizzly kind of rainy day though, so it wasn't very pleasant to stand outside to see the view. But when you're really here only once, you want to stand outside. It's kind of like those open top sightseeing buses. Everyone wants to sit on the top so they can see everything not through the window, even if it's the worst kind of weather day. The boat was nice and the view is awesome. read more

Lovely cruise trip to Boldt Castle with this agency. Ports are easy to find. Lots of seating on the ship. Really well organized and efficient. Totally recommend. read more

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First time visiting Thousand Island area. We booked the 2 1/2 tour and it was a truly delightful experience. Comprehensive history with insight into the creation of the Canadian/American community. Went twice around Boldts castle. Overall amazing value for the money would recommend read more

Gananoque Boat Lines - Tours Near Me - Gananoque, Ontario

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Gananoque Boat Line never cease to impress me! This year I brought my mother and my little sister along my husband. We decided to go for the 2.5hour boat tour. We used a coupon to save 2$ our tickets, the cashiers were extremely courteous and helpful, we asked a couple of questions about the tour (we were not 100% if we should go for the 2.5h tour or the 5h). The tour departed on schedule at 12:30pm and others amazing. The tour is fully guided and everything was explained, the windows are big and you can open them up and appreciate the view. The boat goes around Boldt castle twice so people get the chance to snap pictures. The weather was fine and the boat wasn't too full, we enjoyed ourselves very much. Next year, we'll visit Boldt castle read more

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When purchasing tickets, I specifically asked if there was still availability for a particular cruise, and was told yes. When my party arrived at the scheduled time, we were told that the boat was full. When I returned to the ticketing office to inquire, I was told for the first time that the purchased tickets weren't for a specific date or time, as if tourists should automatically know this. Several other groups in the same situation came in behind us, obviously angry and confused, and were told the same thing, word for word, no doubt due to a significant amount of practice, coaching, and/or experience. My group traveled 3 hours to visit this business. However, no effort is made to inform walk-in customers that purchasing a ticket does not guarantee a spot on the boat for the day and time that they're purchasing a ticket for. This is contrary to what a customer would reasonably expect. There is no need to hide this from customers, as the business is aware of the capacity of their boats and how many tickets they're selling. We ended up exchanging our tickets for a later, shorter cruise, for which we had to drive 15 minutes away. The actual cruise itself was fairly enjoyable. The pre-recorded audio is at times a bit cheesy, and is presented in English, French, Chinese, and German. As a result, there's only about 15 minutes of worth of audio during the 1-hour cruise. read more

We were looking to do a boat tour of the Thousand Islands Seaway, and settled on Gananoque Boat Lines to take us around. The people at the counter were very nice and informative, and we were able to get tickets for a boat that departed half hour later. Our tour was an hour long, with a very informative pre-recorded speaker that described the history and the geography of the Thousand Islands, with interesting tidbits scattered here and there. Not a lot of people were on our boat so we had a lot of options in terms of boat seating. I'm sad that our tour didn't include a chance to see the island castle in the middle, and/or step off and tour it, but the tour we did get was good and the weather was perfect. read more

really informative and scenic boat tour of the 1000 islands. we opted to go to Gananoque to the take the tour as it more central to the islands plus we would get to pass by Boldt castle. the tour is in English and French. there are LCD monitors showing accompanying information to the spoken tour as well as telling you your GPS location along the way. cost was reasonable $24 pp, boat ran at a reasonable pace, it wasn't dizzy either, three levels, and bar at the bottom level for food and snacks plenty of visibility on deck and open walking areas. about 1.5hr long read more

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(I hope that I'm reviewing the right place!) It is what it is. Boat Tour of the 1000 Islands. Purchasing tickets is pretty straight forward. You can do it online - although you'd hafta ensure that you're there by a specific time OR in-person for the next available tour. Check the dock times. There are 1hr, 2.5hr, & 5hr tours, although I'm not sure why anyone would want to be stuck on a boat, seeing the same scenery over and over again, for more than 1hr!!! 1hr is plenty. Easy to find, lotsa free parking near ticket booth. 1hr tour is just over $20, so somewhat affordable if you're taking the fam/group. You absolutely CANNOT hear the recording during the tour. So you literally pay to be on a boat. Boat is 3 levels with the top level completely open. You can sit inside OR on the dock and move around the boat freely during the tour. Sorta boring, but like another reviewer mentioned it is somewhat relaxing, enjoying the breeze off the lake! Just make sure you're not near the tailpipe area. ;) read more

Wow! I had never been to the 1,000 Islands before and what an amazing tour. Even thought the tour was record audio and video they views were amazing. The crew welcomed us aboard and were quick to answer any questions we had. A very enjoyable tour. Don't go anywhere else for a tour and you will be glad you did. read more

I spent a weekend in the Thousand Islands region recently. We were based in Gananoque and I was pleased to find cruise departures from the little dock within walking distance of our weekend rental. Despite this, we ended up taking the shorter cruise that departs from nearby Ivylea because it was shorter and I wasn't sure my year old baby was up for more than an hour of cruising. It was nice to be out on the water and cruising around the lovely islands. "Captain Jack", the automated tour guide in multiple languages, was a bit cheesy, but it was a nice hour. read more

Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale, A tale of a fun afternoon trip That started from this Canadian port Aboard this mid-sized sight-seeing ship. The mate was a mighty sailing man, The skipper brave and sure. Loads of tourists set sail that day For a five hour-tour, a five-hour tour (including a stopover at Boldt Castle). This boat line is the most popular line that leaves from Gananoque. They have a five-hour tour (a five-hour tour) that included a 2 hour stopover at Boldt castle. They have two Boldt-Stopover tours a day, so we opted for the afternoon tour that left at 3:00pm for approximately $37 a person (You have to pay $8 at the castle as well, it's not included). It was really easy to purchase the tickets directly across the street from where the boats will dock. ** Your passport must be shown to purchase the tickets and also when you land at Hart island to see the castle. I liked that the Gananoque Boat Line boats have three tiers and lots of seating, including outdoor viewing areas. The first floor has a concession stand with chips and snacks, and importantly cold beer for $5.10. The tour was informative and you learn about the islands as you sail by them and also there is information about the St.Lawrence Seaway. If you really want to hear the narrative, you might want to sit closer to the inside because there aren't speakers outside. Anyways, it's about 1.5 hours to the castle and 1.5 hours back, so be prepared for a lot of sitting and/or standing! The boat line also has themed cruises and special events, so check those out! read more

There's a ton to look at in the 1000 Islands region, and the Gananoque Boat Lines is probably the best way to go about seeing them. Three hour boat cruises take you to the heart of the 1000 Islands and a stop at Heart Island to see the massive and impressive Boldt Castle (http://www.yelp.com/biz/boldt-castle-alexandria-bay), a castle that was a gift for Boldt's love of his life. This tidbit is mentioned during the tour making most women begin to catalogue the gifts they've received from their significant other. Okay, that's the only downside. The vessels are triple-decker ships with an open top of the boat allowing you to sit outside and take in the scenery of one of the nicest places in Ontario. The seaways and passages that are taken on the tour bring you staggeringly close to some of the islands and the Millionaire's Row set of properties. If you pick the right night, you can forgo seeing the islands and take an evening cruise on special nights. GBL run comedy, music, and murder mystery cruises throughout the season. Once you hit Boldt Castle, you're able to disembark and walk the property. Do keep note that because the castle is on American soil, you will require a passport in order to visit. If the presents that you've given your love don't size up well when compared to a castle, you may want to conveniently "forget" your documents at home. read more

The online ticket purchase is awful! The tour itself was great! We purchased tickets for four people before we went there online and when we get there they said we may not be able to go unless 15 people tour and it's non-refundable!! Um, why sell tickets online then? The front desk clerk actually said she recommends not to buy online. Again, why sell tickets online then!?! We couldn't just come another day either. We are from Dallas, Texas and heading home the next day! Luckily a group of people walked in last minute and we were able to tour. Still all that added stress! Do NOT buy tickets online people! They are not cheap and there's a possibility of you not touring unless there is 15 or more!! read more

We took the 5 hour tour to Boldt Castle in the 1,000 Islands. The boat was comfortable, the prerecorded guide narration was a bit cheesy but informative. NO WHALES ON THIS TOUR! Don't waste your time looking for humpbacks in the 1,000 Islands, apparently they are very shy here! read more

The small islands are interesting but it gets a little boring after a while. It is a relaxing cruise ride but I don't think it is worth the money and time. The audio guide that are playing through the speakers are a little bit annoying since it repeats itself in way too many different languages. You lost track of the language you try to following after some time. read more

First time at Gananoque and the views from the boat were amazing. My family and I were at the 7:00pm - 9:00pm tour and this included free pop (alcohol extra), salad as a starter, cream of mushroom fish with a potato tart, and finally a chocolate cream cake. The fish was a little too fishy for me, but the meal wasn't bad. I didn't expect to it be amazing, but it isn't the best meal you'll ever have. All in all, I enjoyed the tour as the views made up for a decent meal. read more

We took the boat tour to Boldt Castle. I'm giving this one star because they oversold and we were stuck standing for the entire boat ride there and back. I did end up sitting on the stairs on the way back. There were no seats left at all and I have a bad back, so I was not impressed at all. It also stunk so bad on the boat because there were way too many people on board. The tickets were also quite a lot just for the boat ride. read more

Took the 5 hour Boldt Castle tour. Excellent. Food was average for boat tour. Thanks to the mate who made the effort to make a twisted tea when they ran out of the bottles. read more

This was the most embarrassing cruise I have ever taken. They marketed as "mother's day lunch cruise"....My mother turned 70 in February and I booked this to celebrate her birthday with my girls who are 25 and 22 years old. The menu said it was "stuffed pork tenderloin with sausage and veggies".... when we went on board, it was bar-type tables, plastic wine glasses, and rather than a lunch service, it was a buffet style where they called out each tables to come up to serve themselves. When we went up, I noticed that the port tenderloin had sausages in the stuffing. when my daughters tasted it they said that it tasted like hot dogs cut up in the stuffing. And that was exactly what it was. Here I was trying to celebrate my mother's 70's birthday, and I paid $200 for this mother's day lunch for 4 people and we were eating freaken hot dogs cut up with carrots in the stuffing of the pork tenderloin! I was never so embarrassed and disappointed in a meal. They should be ashamed of themselves for marketing this as a "mother's day lunch". I'd rather have taken my mom to freaken McDonald's for that type of food. read more

Loved the 3 hour boat ride and we are glad we went to this small town rather than to Kingston. The staff were friendly the 3 hours were gone before we knew it. read more

3 generation family with small children and walking handicap adult. Great trip. Staff helpful and special accommodation for boarding of handicap despite large crowd. Interesting 1 hour trip was enough to see the major sights. read more

The 5 hour tour includes 2 hours at Boldt Castle. Cruise was highly enjoyable, with a variety of sites along the 1000 Islands area seen. Recorded narration that plays along the way was informative, without being intrusive. Staff was friendly and helpful, and boat was comfortable, with multiple decks to move about and a snack / beverage counter available. read more

Do NOT buy anything online from this company. They are NOT sympathetic when it comes to being flexible or making partial refunds in case you need to change plans in case of an emergency. I would go with one of the other far more professional and passenger friendly boat lines. read more

This was our first trip to 1000 islands and we were vowed by the place. We took the 5 hour tour which stops at the Boldt Castle. If you have the time, it is a good place to visit and take in lot of history. The restoration job at the castle is amazing. The boat service is very convenient and our boat was very clean. Food is available. Ride was smooth and well narrated. Highly recommended. read more

The best thing in Gananoque is the guy who has a hot dog cart there. We had a spicy sausage and it was amazing, better than the ones in Toronto we get. He was kind ,friendly and even recommended us the 2.5 tour which we enjoyed. We found him a little more friendlier than the staff on the boat but overall we loved our experience. Looking forward to come again next summer and have another sausage! read more