From the Pilot House

Start Your Summer with a Memorial Day Cruise

Looking for some fun in the sun this Memorial Day? Enjoy your relaxing weekend without the smokey BBQ and glistening sun burn. We'll be hosting brunch and dinner cruises as usual with specialty cruises in San Diego and San Francisco for a wonderful holiday on the water!  

San Francisco Memorial Day Beer Lunch Cruise

Everything you could ask for on your day off without the effort! Enjoy a two hour cruise, lavish lunch buffet, free flowing champagne and Premium & select craft beers while cruising under the Golden Gate Bridge, around Alcatraz and under the Bay Bridge with live entertainment.

San Diego Memorial Day Harbor Cruise

This is an educational experience with photo and video opportunities like no other! Enjoy a one- or two-hour narrated cruise with an up-close look at marine animals, historical information about over 50 San Diego landmarks, comfortable indoor and outdoor areas, snacks with bar and beverages, plus much more!

San Diego Memorial Day Lunch Cruise

Everchanging views under the San Diego sun! Enjoy a two-hour yacht cruise with free-flowing champange and selection of beers, full brunch buffet with seasonal dishes, a decadent dessert buffet, a narrated tour from the Captain himself, and a DJ for requests and entertainment.

Start your summer off right. Visit www.hornblower.com for more about Memorial Day Weekend Cruises in your area.

Enter your pup into our “Dog Day on the Bay” Photo Contest!

Do you believe you have the cutest dog there is? Show us a picture of your dog looking its best in our “Dog Day on the Bay” Photo Contest! The winning dog will be announced at Dog Day on June 2^nd, and its owner will receive 2 complimetnary tickets for a future Hornblower cruise.

How to enter

Submit a picture of your favorite four-legged pal(s) for a chance to win Dog Day on the Bay’s cutest pup! You can submit as many photos as you like by May 26^th.

You can enter through Facebook or Twitter and Instagram using #dogdayonthebay.

Share and vote 

Once you submit your photo(s), make sure you and your friends vote for your favorite entries! You can vote every hour up until the Dog Day on the Bay Cruise on June 2^nd so start planning your campaign! 

Crowning a winner

The dog with the most votes by June 2^nd at 9am wins. Come to Dog Day on the Bay to find out if you and your dog have won!

The Prize

The winning pooch will be announced on board Dog Day on The Bay on June 2^nd, while its owner will receive a complimentary table for 2 on a Hornblower Cruise, either for brunch with free flowing champagne and mimosas or a seated dinner complete with live entertainment. Once you submit your photo, make sure to share with your friends to vote!

Reserve your spot

Book your reservations for "Dog Day on the Bay" today. Tickets are still available and dogs cruise free! A portion of proceeds will go towards the SPCA to help prevent cruelty to animals. Looking for some helpful tips about how to capture the best photo of your dog? Check out these 12 ways to get creative with our Dog Day contest: http://bit.ly/144DnLE

A Salute to Travel: National Travel & Tourism Week 2013

Did you know that each U.S. household would pay $1,060 more in taxes without the tax revenue generated by travel and tourism? This week, we’re recognizing National Travel and Tourism Week and the importance of our industry to the economy as well as our part to help create lasting memories. Courtesy of the U.S. Travel Association and Travel Effect, check out these fact sheets about the widespread impact our industry is having on jobs, families and relationships.

Download Fact Sheet - Creating Lasting Memories

• 84% of respondents 55 or older still reminisce with their family about vacations they took years ago.

Download Fact Sheet - Travel Brings Families Closer Together

• More than half (55%) reported that “I have fond memories of vacations that I took as a child, and I want to create similar experiences for my family.”

Download Fact Sheet - Travel Strengthens Relationships

• Couples that travel together are significantly more likely to report that their relationship is more romantic, intimate and balanced.

Download US Travel - A Leading American Industry

• 1 out of every 8 U.S. jobs depends on travel and tourism.

Hornblower has been a leader in creating amazing experiences for over 32 years. During that time, we’ve attracted thousands of travellers in the 8 cities we cruise and held ourselves to the highest standard by providing excellence service and accommodations. Within the last decade we’ve expanded our role to enhance the experience at Alcatraz, Statue of Liberty, and most recently, Niagara Falls, where we will be opening in 2014.

You can follow and participate with us this week on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and From the Pilot House as we emphasize the significance of travel and tourism with fun facts and important tips. We'd love to hear some of your best memories cruising with Hornblower!

Celebrating Maritime Day: San Francisco Port's 150th Anniversary

Join us at the waterfront for Maritime Day on Sunday and celebrate San Francisco Port's 150th Anniversary! This is a family-friendly celebration with activities and events for everyone. Make sure to stop by Hornblower Landing on Pier 3, where we'll be docked for free open house tours from 10am-5pm. Hornblower and Alcatraz Cruises will also be launching low-fare public boat tours from Pier 33 for scenic outings all day around the bay.

Activities and events along the waterfront include treasure hunts, special exhibits, whale boating, bike tours, and food and beverage. Check out the official list of things to do on SF Port's home page.

Surprise Mom this Mother's Day with a Cruise!

Celebrate your mom this Mother’s Day by surprising her with the perfect gift she’ll never forget! We’re giving away 4 complimentary tickets per port for our “Surprise Mom with a Cruise” sweepstakes. What a great way for mom to relax on a worry-free afternoon with her family or 3 of her closest friends. Show your mom some love and enter today!

San Diego

~Table for 4 on one of our Sunday Champagne Brunch Cruises. Enjoy beautiful views of San Diego, complete with a bountiful Brunch Buffet, free-flowing champagne and/or bottomless mimosas, and a chance to meet up with the Captain of the Ship! Enter for a chance to win: Enter for a chance to win.

Greater Los Angeles County

~Table for 4 on one of our Sunday Champagne Brunch Cruises. Enjoy beautiful views of Marina del Rey or Newport Beach, complete with a bountiful brunch buffet, free-flowing champagne and/or bottomless mimosas and a chance to meet up with the Captain of the Ship! Enter for a chance to win.

Bay Area

~Table for 4 on one of our Champagne Brunch Cruises. Enjoy views from the San Francisco Bay, complete with a bountiful brunch buffet, free-flowing champagne and/or bottomless mimosas! Enter for a chance to win.

Old Sacramento

~ 4 Tickets on our one-hour Sacramento Historic River Cruise. Enjoy a narrated history of the Sacramento River and views of Tower Bridge! Enter for a chance to win.

New York

~Table for 4 on one of our Premier Sunday Brunch Jazz Cruises. Enjoy beautiful views of New York, complete with a bountiful brunch buffet, free-flowing champagne and/or bottomless mimosas, and live jazz music! Enter for a chance to win.

 

All entries will receive a participatory discount code. Contest runs through May 6, 2013. Visit www.Hornblower.com for more information about Mother's Day Cruises in your area.

Alcatraz Cruises Celebrates Earth Day

Join Alcatraz Cruises and our local, non-profit partners as we celebrate Earth Day at Alcatraz Landing! This event will focus on sustainability, environmental stewardship and hands-on activity stations. This is a fun, family-friendly event at no cost. Bring the kids; we'll provide activities for all ages where you can draw, paint, and let your imagination run wild!

• Pedal Power – visitors can see how much power their feet will generate with a specially designed bike attached to a small generator and computer.

• Green Home Choices – a station of Legos® will be available for visitors to learn about changes they can make in their home to make it more sustainable.

• Survivor Plants – in partnership with the Gardens Conservancy, visitors will discover the life and history of the colorful plants currently on Alcatraz Island.

• Arts & Crafts – a station with art supplies will allow children to express their creativity through art.

• Discover the Bay – in partnership with the Aquarium of the Bay, a microscope with large display will explore the microorganisms in San Francisco Bay that play a critical role in our local environment.

Event Information:

• Date: Saturday, April 20, 2013

• Time: 9:00am-4:00pm

• Location: Pier 33, Alcatraz Landing, San Francisco, CA 94133

• Contact phone number: 415-438-8320.

 

Find more about Alcatraz Cruises commitment to the Respect Our Planet initiative and learn how we can reduce our impact on the environment and protect the beautiful San Francisco Bay. Call to reserve tickets today! 415-981-7625

Welcoming the 'Exploratorium' to Pier 15

Wednesday night, the Exploratorium held a private preview party hosted by the San Francisco Travel Association. Crew members from our Corporate, Alcatraz Cruises and Bay Area office made their way down from Hornblower Landing to check out the new $300 million facility at Pier 15. With over 330,000 square-feet, the new museum has three times more space than the old location at Palace of the Fine Arts. Hundreds of guests were here to check out the re-designs, exhibits and attractions, but this was much more of an interactive experience than viewing spectacle.

Guests flowed from the Forum through the West, Central, and East galleries to the Outdoor Terrace and Observatory, while enjoying live music and delicious concessions from some of the best caterers in San Francisco. Many eye-catching exhibits were on display, sparking the curiosity and excitement to participate.

Hornblower couldn’t be happier as we continue to see the piers flourish. After a 10+ year relocation process, the Exploratorium will finally celebrate their grand opening next week on April 17. Congratulations and welcome to the neighborhood!

Great New Bag Designs

Crewmembers at Hornblower are constantly on the go! We work from boats and Islands, in California, New York and Canada and we need to be able to work from all these places. We also like to look to good! That's why we love HP's new partnership with Project Runway to create the perfect work bag.

For a few more days voting is open to the public! Our favorite is the 2 (Ways) 2 (Wear) Ultrabag! We think the flexibility is perfect when you spend your days hopping from shore to boat and we know and love the designer, Camille!

Vote for your favorite!

A Taste of the Far East

Today, we see sushi as a delicacy, something accessible, but also a treat. Sushi requires boldness, with its variety of intense flavors and raw fish, making it hard to believe that it was essentially a sandwich when originally created in South East Asia.

Luckily for you, we’re big fans, and in the spirit of diversity and adventurousness, we’ve crafted a snazzy new cruise…

Introducing our sushi and karaoke cruise! What better way to get to know your coworkers or get closer with your friends than rolling delicious sushi, sipping on sake, and belting your heart out as the beautiful San Diego scenery floats by. Our experienced sushi chef will help hone your craft while you enjoy every bite, sip, and sight!

The Olympics

Unless you live under a rock, you are well aware that the Olympics are in full swing. It seems every television is tuned to the same channel, with every fan out to support their nations finest in their pursuit of Olympic gold. These are the fields, the arenas, the pools, where dreams either come true or are crushed, where a single defining moment has the power to make years of training worth it.

Historically speaking, the first Olympic games began in Olympia (surprise, surprise…), Greece, in the year 776 BC. The games were closely linked to religion, and served to celebrate athletic prowess and perpetuate peaceful relations between the city-states.

Today we use the games for a similar mission. Sure, we’re not focused on glorifying Zeus, but we do seek to provide athletes with the stage and audience to be celebrated. Additionally, the games are a diplomatic feat, bringing nations together under five rings. So, show your support and national pride during this Olympic season! Even just watching is enough.

Photo Credit: http://www.olympic.org/photos/olympic-flame-burns-bright