Now Offering Dining, Sightseeing and Whale Watching Experiences on the Big Bay

San Diego, June 17, 2020 – Following the resumption of dining cruises last month, Hornblower Cruises and Events is reintroducing sightseeing experiences to its San Diego operations from Saturday, June 20. Guests can expect unparalleled views of San Diego Harbor accompanied by engaging, live narration about the city’s storied landmarks alongside opportunities to see marine animals and seabirds along the Big Bay.

One-hour Harbor Tours start at $30, and either sail south past the Pacific Fleet or follow a northern route taking in the sea lion colony. A 90-minute Best of San Diego Bay cruise is also available from *$35. Initially operating up to 6 departures each day, Saturday and Sunday, Hornblower plans to expand to daily cruises starting June 29. More sailings will be added, subject to demand.

The company’s ever-popular Summer Whale Watching experiences will restart June 26, giving guests the chance to marvel at pods of migrating whales plus dolphins and other sea life as they pass-by San Diego’s coastline. The half-day excursion runs Friday through Monday between 9am-1pm. Prices start at *$55.

On Saturday evenings, a NEW Sights & Sips cruise is also available, expanding to Fridays in July. Departing 6:30pm, the 90-minute cruise includes delicious hors d’oeuvres and a glass of complimentary champagne alongside background music and light narration. Prices start at *$44.

Dining Experiences

Hornblower currently offers a choice of brunch and dinner cruises featuring delicious cuisine alongside a sophisticated selection of award-winning wines, craft beers and specialty cocktails. Dining cruise prices start from *$75 for brunch or *$89 for dinner. For private groups, Hornblower Private Yachts also operates luxurious private charter experiences from the company’s berths at Hornblower Landing, or at many waterfront docks around the bay.

“We are thrilled to be able to offer an expanded range of on-water experiences from our San Diego location,” said Kevin Lorton, Hornblower’s Regional Vice President for Southern California. “What better way to take in the spectacular southern Californian coastline and marine life than from the spacious deck of one of our cruise vessels!”

With guest spaces spread over several levels, the company’s fleet of luxurious vessels offer expansive decks inside and out, providing plentiful outdoor space and fresh air. Combined with reduced guest capacity and changes to seating layout, guests can easily maintain the minimum 6-foot distance. There is more than enough room on board for everyone to stay safely apart.

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:

• Contrôle quotidien obligatoire de l'état de santé des membres de l'équipage et port des équipements de protection individuelle (EPI) appropriés
• Revising boarding and ticketing procedures to allow for social distancing and touchless entry
• 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 while they cruise
• Implementing enhanced sanitation and disinfection procedures, with hand sanitizing stations available throughout