How to choose a Thousand Islands cruise that’s right for you

Whether it’s your first or your thousandth time visiting Ontario’s Thousand Islands region, taking a cruise is an absolute must. It’s the easiest way to get a feel for this section of the St. Lawrence River and the many islands that make it so special — 1,864 islands, to be exact!

Thousand Islands cruises sail from five different ports across the region, so deciding which one to take can be overwhelming. In this article, we draw on our first-hand experience to compare the options at all five ports and weigh the advantages of each, from the types of tours offered to the cost, parking options, accessibility, and more. With this information in hand, you’ll be ready to choose the Thousand Islands cruise that’s the best fit for you.

A Thousand Islands cruise is a fantastic activity to enjoy on a road trip along the Thousand Islands Parkway. Regardless of which tour you choose, we highly recommend booking reservations as far in advance as possible. Cruises are very popular in the Thousand Islands and they often sell out, especially on summer weekends.

The Thousand Islands region is a stop on our Kingston to Montreal road trip. Have questions about planning your own road trip to the Thousand Islands? Join our Facebook community!

Presented in partnership with 1000 Islands Tourism

Kingston 1000 Islands Cruises

The closest Thousand Islands cruise to the Greater Toronto Area is Kingston 1000 Islands Cruises. This cruise line sails from Crawford Wharf at the foot of Brock St. in downtown Kingston, Ontario.

Kingston is at the westernmost point of the Thousand Islands near some of the region’s largest islands such as Wolfe Island and Howe Island. Cruises that depart from here therefore take longer to reach the part of the river where many smaller islands are clustered together, which is what many people think of when picturing the Thousand Islands.

If that’s what you’re hoping to see, book one of the three-hour tours such as the Heart of the Islands Cruise, the Brunch Cruise, the Lunch Cruise, or the Sunset Dinner Cruise. All three-hour tours include on-board live entertainment, and dietary restrictions can be accommodated on dining tours if the cruise line is notified in advance.

The shorter one- to two-hour tours such as the Discovery Cruise and the Shipwreck Cruise focus on the Kingston waterfront and don’t enter the Thousand Islands region.

As of 2025, costs for the three-hour Thousand Islands cruises vary from $58 before tax for a basic ticket in the off-season to $169 per person for a premium waterside table on a Sunset Dinner Cruise. Discounts are available when you book a tour with a Kingston K-Pass.

Kingston 1000 Islands Cruises is operated by Kingston Destination Group, a family-owned Canadian business that also operates Kingston Trolley Tours and other attractions in downtown Kingston.

Parking: Paid (at lots throughout downtown Kingston)

Accessibility: Offered for guests who use wheelchairs or other mobility devices, including complimentary tickets for support persons when space is available at time of registration

Choose Kingston 1000 Islands Cruises if:

• You’re visiting Kingston and won’t be going further east
• You’re looking for a dinner cruise suitable for a special date, anniversary, etc.
• You want Kingston city views to be part of your experience
• You’d prefer to support a locally owned business

Are you a Hip fan? If so, check out our self-guided Tragically Hip Kingston tour >

City Cruises Gananoque

City Cruises Gananoque sails from its Water St. Gananoque dock, located beside the 1000 Islands History Museum and Heritage Village. The Gananoque Inn and Comfort Inn & Suites Thousand Islands Harbour District are both within walking distance, as are attractions such as the Thousand Islands Playhouse, 1000 Islands Kayaking, and Joel Stone Heritage Park.

Three tours are available out of Gananoque. The one-hour tour sails through the nearby Admiralty Islands group and stays within Canadian waters. The three-hour tour navigates through several smaller groups of islands and around Hill Island, then enters American waters to circle around Heart Island, home of the famous Boldt Castle. On this tour, you’ll see the castle from the river, but you won’t stop at the island or tour inside the structure.

The five-hour 1000 Islands Boldt Castle Stopover Cruise from Gananoque follows the same path as the three-hour cruise, but it also allows you to disembark at Heart Island and tour Boldt Castle on foot. If you choose this option, you’ll need to bring your passport. Heart Island is in the United States, and you’ll go through a border crossing to gain access to the island and Boldt Castle.

Fireworks cruises are also offered on Canada Day (July 1) and American Independence Day (July 4).

As of 2025, prices for Thousand Islands cruises from Gananoque range from $35 for a one-hour cruise to $80 for the five-hour Boldt Castle Stopover Cruise (which includes the castle’s admission fee).  

City Cruises Gananoque is owned by Hornblower Group, which operates throughout North America and Europe and is headquartered in Orlando, Florida. While it’s not a locally owned business, City Cruises regularly contributes to and is actively involved in the Gananoque community.

Parking: Paid (dedicated lot across the street from the cruise dock)

Accessibility: All cruises are accessible on the main deck

Choose a City Cruises Gananoque Thousand Islands cruise if:

• You’re staying in Gananoque and aren’t planning to travel further east
• You have a hotel in Gananoque and can easily leave your car and walk to the port
• You have other plans such as dinner or theatre and are on a tight schedule

Find out more about the many things to do in Gananoque >

City Cruises Ivy Lea

City Cruises Ivy Lea is an outport location of City Cruises Gananoque. It departs from the village of Ivy Lea, located roughly 15 minutes east of Gananoque on the Thousand Islands Parkway.

Two tours are available from the Ivy Lea port. The one-hour cruise sails under the Thousand Islands Bridge and around Hill Island to circle Heart Island and Boldt Castle. You’ll be able to view Boldt Castle from the water but will not disembark onto the island. The new two-hour Two Castles cruise sails around Boldt Castle and Singer Castle, another stone castle from the American Gilded Age located further east on Dark Island.

As of 2025, cruises out of Ivy Lea range in price from $35 for the one-hour cruise to $45 for the two-hour cruise.

City Cruises Ivy Lea is operated by City Cruises Gananoque, which is owned by Hornblower Group.

Parking: Free on site

Accessibility: All cruises are accessible on the main deck

Choose a City Cruises Ivy Lea Thousand Islands cruise if:

• You want to see Boldt Castle on a shorter one-hour cruise
• You’re driving and prefer free parking
• You want the easiest walk from your car to the boat dock
• You’re looking for the most convenient cruise port to the Thousand Islands Bridge

Rockport Cruises

Rockport Cruises sails from the village of Rockport, Ontario, located roughly 20 minutes east of Gananoque and 25 minutes west of Brockville on the Thousand Islands Parkway.

A wide variety of cruise options is available from Rockport, all of which are centred around Boldt Castle. The one-hour tour sails around it without stopping, while the two-hour Palaces and Palisades Cruise includes a circle around Boldt Castle as well as a tour through Millionaire’s Row, a series of stately cottages each built onto individual islands. The three-hour Two Castles cruise from Rockport passes by both Boldt Castle and Singer Castle.

Rockport Cruises also offers Boldt Castle Stopover Cruises in four and five-hour lengths. The six-hour Two Castles Stopover Cruise includes disembarking at both Boldt Castle on Heart Island and Singer Castle on Dark Island. With all three of these cruises, you’ll need to bring a passport as you’ll be required to cross the border and enter the United States when you arrive at Heart Island. Admission fees for the castles are included in the ticket prices.

As of 2025, pricing for Thousand Island cruises from Rockport vary between $37 for the one-hour cruise to $154 per adult for the six-hour Two Castles Stopover Cruise.

Rockport Cruises is operated by Rockport Boat Line, a Canadian-owned company for more than 70 years.

Parking: Free (in the village; note you may need to walk a short distance on grassy hills on busy days)

Accessibility: Some cruises are wheelchair accessible

Choose a Rockport Boat Line Thousand Islands cruise if:

• You want to see Boldt Castle on a shorter one-hour cruise
• You want to choose from the widest variety of Boldt Castle cruises
• You’re driving and prefer free parking
• You want to support a Canadian-owned business

Want to see Boldt Castle? Here’s how to get to Boldt Castle from Canada >

1000 Islands & Seaway Cruises Brockville

Thousand Islands cruises out of Brockville, Ontario, are run by 1000 Island & Seaway Cruises, which depart from the city’s Blockhouse Island. Full disclosure: this is the one Thousand Islands cruise line we haven’t had a chance to try for ourselves. Once we do, we’ll update this post with more detailed information.

1000 Islands & Seaway Cruises offers a basic 90-minute tour through the eastern islands and Millionaire’s Row, and a 2.5-hour tour that also circles around Singer Castle. On top of these, lunch and dinner dining tours are available, and a tiki boat tour is set to launch sometime in 2025.

Prices start at $37 per adult for the 90-minute tour and go up to $80 for the dinner cruise (minimum two guests required) as of 2025. A special three-hour Canada Day fireworks tour is available for roughly $100 per person, and the cruise line hosts other special events throughout the summer.

1000 Islands & Seaway Cruises is a locally owned business.

Parking: Limited parking is available on Blockhouse Island; consult Brockville’s downtown parking map for other locations

Accessibility: No information available

Choose a 1000 Islands & Seaway Cruises tour from Brockville if:

• You want to see the eastern end of the Thousand Islands, where most tours don’t visit
• You’re looking for a unique experience (once tiki tours become available)
• You’re visiting Brockville and don’t plan to travel further west

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