All You Need to Know About 1000 Islands Cruise

1000 islands cruise is a beautiful weekend getaway from Toronto. We stopped by for a night at Lansdowne on our way back from Ottawa to Toronto. It is 3 hours away from Toronto.

Thousand Islands region has been a popular vacation destination among the rich and famous celebrities of the world for ages. There are several things to do within the 1000 islands region, but we chose to take the Landmarks of the Thousand Islands Cruise by City Cruises.

The I-hour cruise gives you a glimpse of the most famous landmarks of the 1000 islands region. These include the Boldt Castle, the smallest international bridge in the world, and the statue of St Lawrence.

The cruise starts from the Ivy Lea Port in Lansdowne. We stayed at the Capricorn Royale Motel right across the road.

Ivy Lea Port is only minutes from the 1000 Islands International Bridge off Interstate 81. Ivy Lea is also accessible from Highway 401 and 30 min east of Kingston, Ontario on Highway 2.

The 1-hour Landmarks of the Thousand Islands Cruise includes:

• ·         Audio & Video Commentary available in 8 languages. To access download the City Experiences app.
• ·         Beer, wine, cocktails, and non-alcoholic drinks available for purchase
• ·         Food and various snacks for purchase

Check out the vlog about the Thousand Islands Cruise on our Youtube channel. Follow us for more videos about things to see in Canada.

All You Need to Know about the Thousand Islands Cruise Ontario

Are there really 1000 islands in the region?

There are actually 1,864 small and large islands that make up this region. The largest is Wolfe Island, which is 27 miles long by 9 miles wide and Howe Island which is 9 miles long by 3 miles wide.

To be considered an island, in the 1000 Islands a piece of land must stay above water throughout the year and support a living tree.

Why are they called Thousand islands?

Well, 1864 Islands wouldn’t have that ring to it!

Is 1000 Islands worth visiting?

Absolutely! Thousand Islands is a gorgeous weekend getaway destination to unwind. The views are idyllic and tranquil. It is an excellent destination for a peaceful retreat.

Do you need a passport for the Thousand Islands cruise?

The cruises from Ontario stay in Canadian waters. You do not need a passport for the cruise. But if you take a cruise that allows you to stop over and visit a landmark like The Boldt Castle, you need your passport as it is located in the USA waters.

What is the shortest and longest cruise length available in the 1000 Islands?

There are myriad tour operators offering several cruise tours. There are five cities from which you can opt to take the tour.

1.        Rockport

2.       Gananoque 

3.       Lansdowne [Ivy lea Port] – This is the one we took.

4.       Kingston

5.       Brockville

There are different tour operators in each of the cities. The shortest cruise is under an hour. There are sunset cruises, dinner cruises, and 3-hour-long cruises.

St Lawrence Cruise Lines offers multi-day cruises that visit a number of cities including Montreal, Ottawa and Quebec City.

What is the ticket price for the cruise?

The price depends on the duration and tour company you opt for. The one-hour-long sightseeing cruise is priced at CAD 27 per adult approx.

Are there bathrooms on board?

Yes

Do you need to book the tickets in advance?

It is highly recommended that you book online ahead of your trip. We wanted to go for the sunset cruise but couldn’t find any tickets a week before our trip.

The sightseeing Thousand Islands cruise left us mesmerized and left us wanting more. We plan to go back next year for one of the meal cruises. Have you been on a cruise? How was your experience? Let us know in the comments below. 

You can book your 1000 Island cruise tickets from Viator.