First Season Of Operations In North America Successful, Le Boat Announces Expansion Plans
Published: Thursday, January 3, 2019
A little more than one year ago, Le Boat, leader in supplying self-drive river and canal cruise holidays in Europe, announced the company’s expansion into North America, opening their first base in Smiths Falls, Ontario, Canada in 2018. With a successful season complete, Le Boat is continuing momentum in Canada for 2019 with an expanded fleet of luxury cruisers and the addition of a satellite base in the village of Seeley’s Bay, Ontario.
With 16 brand new Horizon line cruiser boats, the inaugural season welcomed travelers from around the world to experience self-drive luxury canal cruises along one of Canada’s oldest waterways and registered UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Rideau Canal.
Cheryl Brown, Le Boat’s Global Managing Director, previously commented, “Our first season of operation along the historic Rideau Canal is nearly complete. With rave reviews and 82% occupancy, we are delighted to say Canada has been an unprecedented success for Le Boat!”
For the 2019 season, Le Boat will add an additional four boats to the Canadian Horizon fleet, including the state-of-the-art Horizon 5. The largest and most luxurious in the premium Horizon fleet, the Horizon 5 is 49.17’ (14.99 m) long and sleeps up to 12 people, with five double bedrooms complete with ensuite bathrooms, and a convertible settee in the saloon. The boat offers increased space, a fully stocked kitchen with all linens, rear outdoor seating, and a sundeck with BBQ - all the comfort and convenience needed for a vacation on the water with a large family or group of friends.
Le Boat’s 2019 expansion will also include the addition of a new satellite base in the village of Seeley’s Bay, Ontario. This base will allow Le Boat guests to experience one-way cruising on the Rideau Canal for the first time.
Seeley’s Bay is a charming town located on the beautiful southern route of the Rideau Canal, surrounded by the expansive lakes. The community is 25 miles (40km) northeast of Kingston and 100 miles (160 km) southwest of Ottawa.
From Seeley’s Bay, Le Boat cruisers can choose a 3-4 night getaway or a one week cruise. Head south from Seeley’s Bay to visit the historic city of Kingston, Canada’s former capital, where the Rideau Canal meets the majestic Lake Ontario (8.5 hours away by boat). Alternatively, travelers can head north and cruise to Jones Falls with its spectacular staircase of locks and impressive dam. A one-way week’s cruise north will get you as far as the Le Boat base in Smiths Falls, in the heart of the Rideau.
Reservations are now available for Le Boat’s 2019 cruising season - May 17 - October 14, 2019. Call 1-855-734-5491 or visit www.LeBoat.ca for more information on self-drive cruiser rentals in Canada and Europe.
About Le Boat
Le Boat is the leading self-drive boating rental company, with more than 50 years of experience in the industry, operating its own fleet of 900 self-drive cruiser boats from a network of over 37 different departure bases across eight European countries and on the Rideau Canal in Canada.
This article first appeared in the Winter Issue (Jan/Feb) 2019 of Great Lakes Scuttlebutt magazine.
tags: Canada, Charter, Company Expansions, Lake Ontario
