St Lawrence River Cruises 2021

Cruising The St Lawrence River With Uncle Sam Boat Tours

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New York is home to many beautiful waterways, but few, if any, can rival the beauty of the St. Lawrence River. And, for those wanting to see this scenic river, sailing with Uncle Sam Boat Tours is a great option.

The St. Lawrence River connects Lake Ontario to the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Atlantic Ocean. Along a little over 100 miles of the rivers length, it forms the border between New York and Ontario, Canada.

This stretch of the river is known for its immense beauty and forms the Thousand Islands region of New York. However, this region is actually home to over 1,800 islands.

Alexandria Bay, New York is a common jumping-off point for exploring this region, and its where you can hop aboard Uncle Sam Boat Tours.

Uncle Sam Boat Tours runs a variety of tours from their dock in this quaint village and has been operating since 1926. During the season, which runs roughly from April to October, they offer five different tours, as well as a few dining cruises.

I already had planned to tour Boldt Castle, a once-abandoned island in the middle of the river, and, since I needed a way to get across the water, I decided to book a tour with Uncle Sam.

While I could have simply taken their quick shuttle to and from the island, I opted to take their Two Nation Tour, a roughly two-hour tour that takes you on a guided trip through both American and Canadian waters. No passport required!

Day : August 24th: Trois Rivires Montreal Lachine

06:30 Depart Trois Riviéres bound for Montreal / Shipboard activities

15:15 Disembark at Port of Montreal for a 2 hour guided tour via motorcoach

18:30 Depart Montreal to enter the Seaway Lock system and overnight at Lachine

Evening Fun-loving entertainment

Meals Provided: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Islands Houses & Lighthouses

We comfortably drove from Gananoque past Wellesley Island down the Saint Lawrence River. Everywhere you can see the many small islands, some uninhabited, some built with beautiful wooden or stone houses. Unfortunately the weather wasnt that nice that day, but we still really enjoyed the view.

The drive also takes you past Millionaires Row, a series of islands bought and built on with grand mansions by Golden Age industrialists such as George Boldt of the Waldorf Astoria, George Pullman, Frederick Gilbert Bourne and William O. Wyckoff . The region is dotted with castles such as Bold Castle, Castle Rest or Singer Castle.

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Day 3 Prescott 1000 Islands & Morrisburg

It was another hot overcast morning as we left Brockville on our way to Morrisburg with a stop in the town of Prescott.

We passed a group of three small islands with partially constructed bridge peers. The captain told us that construction was abandoned because one of the very wealthy homeowners successfully opposed the building of the bridge.

The islands are now inhabited by large trees and cormorants that have stripped away all the foliage from the trees.

One of three islands with bridge footings for a bridge never constructed. * Photo: Judi Cohen

Due to COVID restrictions, we were unable to enter the largest blockhouse, a reinforced fort, in Canada accommodating 120 to 130 soldiers and their families. Still, from the outside, it was easy to imagine life in the fort at that time and the strategic significance of its location and construction.

We had two outstanding passionate guides, Cassie, a 63 female basketball player, and Katie who was dressed in a Canadian Rifle Regiment uniform from around 1843.

They each shared stories and interesting information about Fort Wellington and Katie demonstrated marching and shooting her Brunswick Percussion Rifle drawing cheers from all the passengers!

A Fort Wellington guide in period garb. * Photo: Judi Cohen

Iroquois Lock. * Photo: Judi Cohen

The lock and the impressively large dam beside it play a major role in the entire St. Lawrence Seaway.

St Lawrence River Cruise Itineraries

Saint Lawrence itineraries vary depending on the type of ship: mainstream, midsize, expedition, river and coastal. In addition to hybrid St. Lawrence River/Atlantic coastal cruises to ports in New England, small ships have the advantage of being able to extend itineraries into the Great Lakes.

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Weeklong Cruise: A typical seven-night cruise might embark from New York, Boston or Portland and conclude in Montreal or Quebec City . Like many European river cruises, these do not return to the initial port of embarkation.

Longer Cruise to Eastern Canada: Many luxury lines and small ships offer longer, 10- to 14-night cruises that combine a traditional seven-night itinerary with lesser-visited Canadian coastal ports of call like Summerside, Prince Edward Island, and Corner Brook, Newfoundland, as well as additional stops along the St. Lawrence River . Expect to find Baie-Comeau, Gaspe, Saguenay, Sept-Iles, Magdalen Islands, Trois-Rivieres and Havre-Saint-Pierre sprinkled onto the itinerary. Excursions at these ports often involve natural scenery and visits to smaller communities.

Cruises to the Great Lakes: A handful of small ships has been bundling St. Lawrence River cruises with the Great Lakes by transiting the scenic region between Montreal and Lake Ontario. These cruises last about two weeks, often call on the 1,000 Islands on the St. Lawrence , and offer departures from Toronto and Chicago.

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Hub Island The Smallest Inhabited Island In The World

Hub Island , which is often just called Just Room Enough Island, is said to be the smallest inhabited island in the world at 310 m². The island was acquired by the Sizeland family in the 1950s and features a house, tree, shrubs and a small rocky beach.

Hub Island the smallest inhabited island in the world

Day : August 22nd: Quebec City Ile Dorleans & Montmorency Falls Board Cruise Ship

We start the day with a stop at Montmorency Falls, Quebec`s greatest waterfall which stands even taller than Niagara Falls! Explore the walking trails and bridge over the waterfall. After lunch, we explore nearby Ile D`Orleans, a time capsule into an era of traditional vegetable cellars, ancient farms, bread ovens, and sugar shacks. Riddled with old stone houses and with all of its pristinely preserved land, this Island just 5 km from the city centre is truly a cant miss! Enjoy the afternoon sightseeing on the island. A stop will be made at a traditional winery for a guided tour & tasting. Later, we also stop at the Chocolatier of the island, where the group will be able to pick-up a souvenir box of chocolates before returning back to the city to board the cruise ship.

17:30 Passenger boarding commences at Quebec City

18:00 Captains Punch & Cheese Reception

18:30 Captains Welcome Remarks Safety Instructions & Crew introductions.

18:50 Depart the harbour to cruise the Citys waterfront

19:30 Empress Class Roast Prime Rib of Beef Buffet Harbour cruise, Montmorency Falls and the beauty of Quebec City at night, complimentary liqueurs will be provided

22:00 Return to port piano music on the player piano & lounge services

Accommodation: M/V Canadian Empress

Meals Provided: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

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Islands Lighthouses And Castle Tour Along The St Lawrence River

Join us for an intimate narrated boat tour as we travel along the St. Lawrence Seaway Shipping Channel in the Heart of the 1000 Islands

This tour weaves among many of the islands, as our tour guide shares the history, mystery, legends and lore of the region. View Rock Island Lighthouse on Rock Island, Sunken Rock on Bush Island, Boldt Castle on Heart Island, magnificent million-dollar summer homes, millionaires row, and so much more.

This is a two hour continuous tour and does not stop.

2021 Schedule

May 15 October 11, 2021 / 3:00pm Daily

Our Campsite Ivy Lea Campground

We spent the night with our camper at the Ivy Lea Campground, which is located directly at the foot of the Thousand Islands Bridge. The campsite offers 146 pitches and 4 camper cabins. Showers, a launderette, Internet access, a dumping station and shopping facilities are available. We paid CAD 72.76 for one night for our pitch with electricity and water. A map of the campground can be here.

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A Boat Tour With City Cruises Gananoque

In order to explore the Thousand Islands, we decided to take a boat trip with City Cruises in Gananoque. The 3-hour Depths & Discovery of the 1000 Islands cruise, which costs CAD 44.50 per person , passes many old shipwrecks, Millionaires Row, the Bold Castle, the Thousand Islands Bridge and the St. Lawrence statue.

The ship is relatively large and offers several decks, a large outdoor area, a bistro, toilets and some TVs showing underwater footage of the many old shipwrecks in the river as you sail.

For Those Who Are Eager To Learn

The Grosse Île cruise allows you to learn more about the former quarantine station that welcomed thousands of immigrants between 1832 and 1937. Park Canada guides are on hand to help visitors discover this historic site. After this expedition, the island will hold no more secrets from you.

If you wish to have an urban experience, try one of our guided cruises departing either from Montreal or Quebec City. These cruises will teach you more about those two cities behind the province’s history. You can also enjoy a front row seat to the most beautiful view of both cities.

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Day : August 23rd: Quebec City Trois Rivires

07:00 or earlier Depart Quebec City bound for Trois Riviéres / Shipboard activities

Post Lunch Comprehensive Safety Presentation & Crew Drill

15:15-16:15 Disembark at Trois Riviéres for a brief coach tour en route to the Shrine at Cap de la Madeleine

16:30-17:15 Return to Trois Riviéres. Time permitting guests are welcome to do a self-guided walking tour of the Old City. Afterwards, return to the ship.

Evening Cruise Directors Fun with Trivia and get acquainted party

22:30-close Soft piano music on the player piano

Accommodation: M/V Canadian Empress

Meals Provided: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Small Cruise Line Review: St Lawrence Cruise Lines Canadian Empress

As weve had a moment of calm in the pandemic storm, Ive finally been able to start traveling again. Ive been reluctant to go far from home, so weve been determined to experience as much of Canada as possible on small ship cruises.

One of a handful of such cruises is St. Lawrence Cruise Lines, operating the Canadian Empressalong the St. Lawrence River between Quebec City and Kingston, Ontario.

I had the opportunity to do a 4-night/5-day round-trip cruise with my husband Lawrence, from Kingston to Upper Canada Village and back to Kingston, to revisit an area I had not seen since childhood.

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As I cruised on St. Lawrence Cruise Lines Canadian Empress, memories flooded in of stopping at Gananoque and visiting Upper Canada Village with my public school and then with my parents on our way to Expo 67 in Montreal.

The 4-night Rediscover the River cruise route. * Photo: Judi Cohen

Over the five days, St. Lawrence Cruise Lines Canadian Empresscruised north roughly 350 kilometres round-trip, an average of 70 kilometres per day .

So, heres my story of our journey on the mighty St. Lawrence River aboard the 66-passenger Canadian Empress.

Judi & her husband Lawrence board the 66-pax Canadian Empress. * Photo: Judi Cohen

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St Lawrence River Cruise Lines

Serving as a partial boundary between the U.S. and Canada, the St. Lawrence River is an important route for trade and travel. The waterway is fed by the world’s largest source of freshwater — the Great Lakes, beginning at the outflow of Lake Ontario near Kingston and flowing northeast to the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and the Atlantic Ocean. The river spans 744 miles and widens significantly near Quebec City to become the St. Lawrence estuary.

Parts of the St. Lawrence River offer dramatic scenery and calm waters, while other areas are wide enough to give a sense of ocean cruising — and they can feel nearly as turbulent. The 1,000 Islands are one stretch where passengers will want to cozy up in an observation lounge with their cameras ready, while the waters near the Gulf of St. Lawrence can experience larger waves than in other parts of the river rolling by. The majority of cruising on the St. Lawrence is through Northeastern Canada, which is home to nine dominant ports of call.

Many ports along the river — including Montreal, Quebec City and Trois-Rivieres, all cosmopolitan cities with designated historical sections — have rich histories with both British and French influences. Other smaller ports feature dramatic cliff bluffs, shorebirds, whales, brilliant fall foliage and traditional native culture.

Day 2 Gananoque Thousand Islands & Brockville

When we awoke the storm had passed and the sun shone brightly. We left Gananoque port for a leisurely cruise through the western part of the 1000 Islands through Wanderers Channel. We returned through the Admiralty Group of Islands to the port for our first shore excursion.

Following a hearty breakfast of a cheese omelette, toast and coffee, we left on two excursions, one to the 1000 Islands Heritage Museum and the other to the 1000 Islands Boat Museum. Both were located steps away from where we docked.

This was the first day of attractions re-opening in Ontario and staff at the museums were struggling to get organized with the new protocols. Despite this, I donned my mask to enter both museums and learned about the history of boatbuilding in the area and about the Gananoque Canoe Club.

Two interesting people were at the Canoe Club when we were visiting. One was an engineer who designed the Canadian Empress, and the other was the builder of a birchbark canoe traveling across Canada as part of the Courage Canoe Project. Cool!

We returned to the ship and were cruising by 11:30am.

Passing the cottages & homes of the 1000 Islands. * Photo: Judi Cohen

We crossed over to the USA side of the river and sailed down Millionaires Row with its-over-the-top summer cottages and the Boldt Castle from the bygone days of the rich and famous.

Boldt Castle. * Photo: Judi Cohen

Singer Castle. * Photo: Judi Cohen

Brockvilles main street. * Photo: Judi Cohen

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Zavikon Island The Smallest International Bridge In The World

Zavikon Island consists of two small islands in the Saint Lawrence River. The smaller island, also known as Little Zavikon Island has a U.S.-Canada Boundary Commission landmark from which, along with other coastal and island landmarks, surveys are conducted to determine the turning points of the International Waterway Boundary Line to calculate.

A popular but unfortunately incorrect fairy tale has it that the larger island is in Canada while the smaller island is in the United States, and that the footbridge between the two islands is the shortest international bridge in the world. However, Canadas Department of Natural Resources says that Zavikon Island is entirely in Canadian territory and is therefore part of the municipality of Leeds.

Zavikon Island with the smallest international bridge in the world

Day : August 21st: Quebec City Culinary Tour & Leisure Time

Best explored by foot, see hidden treasures while learning about Quebecs heritage sites , history and culture. During your 2.5 hour tour, walk through the narrow cobblestone streets, admire the views from Dufferin Terraces boardwalk and do not forget to take great selfies along the way. You will also see Château Frontenac, Place Royale, Petit Champlain. Along the way enjoy sampling local foods concocted by Quebec artisans.

Tasting includes: Poutine, maple cake, fudge, cider and a special surprise to take home

Remainder of the day is at leisure in this fascinating town that still exudes the spirit of New France.

Accommodation: Hotel Chateau Laurier, Quebec City

Meals Provided: Breakfast

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Day : August 20th: Quebec City Sightseeing

This morning, enjoy a guided tour of Quebec City, the crown jewel of French Canada. Explore UNESCO listed Vieux Quebec, with its cobbled streets, ancient city walls and colourful Victorian facades. Your tour will also pass the colonial citadel and the majestic Chateau Frontenac, as well as the imposing 19th Century parliament buildings. A one-way ride on the Funiculare, a gondola connecting Upper & Lower Town, is included.

Afternoon at leisure. Join your fellow travelers for dinner at a local restaurant within walking distance to your hotel.

Accommodation: Hotel Chateau Laurier, Quebec City

Meals Provided: Breakfast, Dinner

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Linking the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes region inland, the Saint Lawrence Seaway was inaugurated in 1959, more than 250 years after the initial construction aiming to avoid the rapids obstructing navigation in these parts. This large engineering project, which required four years of huge work, offers a unique sailing experience, punctuated by the passage of the different locks marking out this corridor, which is almost 4,000 km long.

Price is per person, based on double occupancy, based on availability, and subject to change at any time. The category of stateroom to which this price applies may no longer be available.

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