Niagara City Cruises

A trip to Niagara Falls is not complete without a signature ride on the great Niagara City Cruises (formerly operated by Maid of the Mist). Whether you’re traveling with family, your significant other, or friends, this famous Niagara Falls boat ride is a “must-do” while visiting the area.

Experience the refreshing mist on your skin as you take a 20-minute magical ride along the Niagara River. Niagara City Cruises departs from the Canadian side of the Falls and pass by the Great Gorge, American Falls, and Canadian Horseshoe Falls.

* Thanks to our classic Canadian winters, this cruise operates seasonally. While exact dates vary annually, it typically runs from April or May until late November.

Best Time to Visit

The cruise is seasonal, running from April or May until late November, so it's recommended you visit during these months to experience the best views of the city on a scenic cruise! The exact dates change every year so make sure to keep an eye out for the dates and times during which the cruise operates.

What to Know

Hornblower Cruises is the official boat tour supplier to Niagara Parks offering a 20-minute "Voyage to the Falls" boat tour that will be the best 20 minutes of your life! The cruises set sail from the Canadian side of the Niagara River and will take you through some great scenic adventures including the panoramic vista of Niagara Gorge, American Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, and Canadian Horseshoe Falls. You'll have access to two ships here, Niagara Wonder and Niagara Thunder, both with a capacity to seat 700 tourists!

How to Get There

Hornblower Niagara Cruises is nestled at 5920 Niagara Parkway, Niagara Falls, Ontario, L2E 6X8. You can easily spot the entrance in Queen Victoria Park if you take a short walk from the bottom of Clifton Hill. The best way to reach this spot is by booking a guided tour that departs from the Canadian side of the Falls, passing multiple points of interest such as the American Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, Canadian Horseshoe Falls, and the Great Gorge. A helicopter tour of Niagara is a bonus with this 20-minute cruise along the scenic Niagara River!

Highlights

Being an official supplier, Niagara City Cruises is located in Niagara Falls, Canada, making it one of the things you don't want to miss out on when you visit this picturesque city! Be mesmerized by the serenity around you as you feel the thunderous roar of the cruises departing from the Canadian side of the beautiful Niagara River! Enjoy spectacular views of the Niagara Gorge, American Falls, Canadian Horseshoe Falls, and Bridal Veil Falls! Be dazzled by the illumination of the Falls as the sun dips into the horizon! Relish the light mist experience on your skin as the night wraps itself around you! See the brilliance of sparkling lights on the Falls Fireworks Cruise!

Features

A Niagara Falls Boat Tour is a must if you're visiting this gorgeous city! There's no other way you can get up close and personal with the famous Canadian waterfalls than by setting sail on the great Hornblower Cruises. As you depart from the waters of Niagara River, you'll see a spectacular vista spread out before you: the majestic Horseshoe Falls, American Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, and the Great Gorge all waiting for you to take in their beauty! 

Aside from the 20-minute Voyage to the Falls boat tour, another tour popular among sightseers is the Falls Fireworks Cruise. See the whimsical starry night lit up with fireworks and the illumination from the Falls on this 40-minute cruise! Whether you prefer sailing during the day to admire the natural beauty of the waterfalls or cruising around the Niagara River at night to see the illuminated Falls juxtaposed with the darkness of the horizon — Hornblower Cruises has it all!

History

Hornblower Cruises commenced its journey in 1974 on the waters in Berkeley, California with just two ships. By 1980, the course of its operation shifted a bit when it was sold by the original owner, Ward Proescher, to P. Michael Watson and Terry MacRae while starting a competitor company in the Bay Area. But by 1989, Hornblower had expanded quickly by annexing other charter yacht businesses active in San Diego, San Francisco, Newport Beach, and Marina del Rey. The headquarters of the company were (and still are) nestled on the historic Steel Electric-class Santa Rosa ferry anchored at Pier 3 in San Francisco. 

When Terry MacRae solely owned the company in 1992, it was renamed Hornblower Cruises & Events to reflect that the cruise wasn't just operating for businesses but for special events as well such as film shoots, weddings, parties, and more! Fast forward to 2019, this enterprise acquired Entertainment Cruises doubling the number of ferries and locations where they operated. Today, Hornblower's fleet consists of over 80 ships and sails from 19 different ports — quite a leap from the 2 ships the company started from!

Just recently, the Hornblower Canada Company started operating the Niagara Falls Cruises by the name of Niagara Falls Gorge Boat Tour from the Canadian side of the picturesque Niagara River near the great Niagara Falls. These cruises were previously operated by the Maid of the Mist, which now sails out of Niagara Falls, New York on the American side of the Niagara River. Niagara Falls Cruises have two ships with a capacity to seat 700 passengers each — Niagara Wonder and Niagara Thunder.