Photo courtesy of Hornblower Cruises
Yacht cruises, water taxis and more start Friday, March 19 from the Alexandria waterfront.
Hornblower Cruises and Events announced Monday it will restart its Washington D.C. cruising operations Friday, March 19, just in time for guests to enjoy the region’s famous cherry blossom season.
Water taxi service will resume its operations, giving guests a variety of unique opportunities to enjoy Washington D.C.’s famous cherry blossoms. Routes include connections from The Wharf to Georgetown, Old Town Alexandria (from the Alexandria City Marina at 0 Cameron St.), and National Harbor. From the water taxis, visitors can take in expansive views of the cherry blossoms aboard their round-trip experience.
To find routes specific to Alexandria, visit the website: https://www.hornblower.com/alexandria.
Additionally, beginning Saturday, March 27, Hornblower will resume its dining experience offerings with brunch, lunch and dinner cruises, just as the cherry blossoms begin to reach their peak. Hornblower’s yachts will offer specially curated cocktails and cuisines, all while taking in iconic D.C. landmarks from a whole new perspective on the Potomac River. Cruise prices start from $80* for brunch or $135* for dinner (prices per person, excluding fees and taxes).
Experiences have been adapted to ensure heightened cleanliness and to maintain social distance, which includes the wearing of face coverings on board. And with expansive decks both inside and out, there is plenty of fresh air and more than enough room on board for everyone to stay safely apart, the company noted.
To provide reassurance in the current pandemic environment, Hornblower has expanded its industry defining SafeCruise by Hornblower program, building on already stringent sanitation processes, to incorporate further health-driven measures to guard against the spread of COVID-19 and other viruses. These include, but are not limited to:
- Mandatory daily crew member health screening, and wearing of appropriate PPE
- Revised boarding and ticketing procedures to allow for social distancing
- Requiring guests to wear face masks while cruising, except while eating and drinking
- Reducing the number of guests on board, and adapting all seating and table spacing to allow for a minimum 6-foot distance between guests
- Implementing enhanced sanitation and disinfection procedures, with hand sanitizing stations available throughout
D.C. Water Taxi service offers routes connecting The Wharf to Georgetown, Old Town Alexandria, and National Harbor. For more information, visit https://www.hornblower.com/alexandria/ or call 888-809-7109
What to know before you go
- Anyone who self-reports any of noted COVID-19 symptoms or has completed international travel in the previous 14 days will not be able to join the cruise.
- All crew and all guests ages 3 and older are always required to wear face coverings while on board the vessels, except while dining or exempted by the local health authority.
- To reflect current requirements, some of the usual dining cruise elements may not be permitted or offered.
- All prices quoted are per person, subject to availability and exclude fees and taxes.
- All dining cruises feature a freshly prepared multi-course menu and include complimentary coffee, tea and water. A full cash bar is available on board.
- See website for specific details and conditions of experiences mentioned.
- Dining cruises depart from Pier 4, 580 Water Street SW, Washington, DC.
- Sightseeing and Water Taxi services depart from multiple locations. Visit our website for more information.
Visit www.hornblower.com or www.hornblower.com/washington-dc for more details on experiences available from Washington D.C. or call 866-302-2469.
