Ottawa Boat Cruise

By alantvuong on August 24, 2024

When booking our Ottawa trip, a friend and I were researching accessible things to do and came across Ottawa Boat Cruise. Their website did confirm that a wheelchair guest is able to go on the cruise and that they do accept the access2 card that gives a disability guest a free companion ticket.

Getting There

Staying at Hilton Garden Inn Ottawa Downtown, it was less that 20 minutes walk/stroll to Ottawa Boat Cruise Ekeau Canal departure. We did stop by the Mc Donald’s right by our hotel to get breakfast before heading to our tour meeting spot.

breakfast at Mc Donald’s right by our hotel

We were still pretty early so we had time to explore the area near our meet up spot. We had extra time to also take pictures of our boat and check out the accessibility of it too.

exploring the area nearby

Ottawa Boat Cruise

Ottawa Boat Cruise was founded in 1986 when Jean Taillefer decided to convert one of his ferryboats into a cruise boat on the Ottawa River for family and friends. As it got more popular, Jean kept adding more boats and started the company.

what the boat looks like

I actually called them to directly book our cruise and paid the one ticket over the phone. We were told that the cruise would be around 90 minutes long and that the most accessible dock would be the EKEAU Canal Tour. We were also told to arrive 15 minutes before our departure time of 12 noon and have our emailed tickets ready to be scanned.

The Boat

ramp to get on the boat

Getting on the boat was really easy as the boat was docked right against the pier. There was a sturdy flat metal ramp that made getting on the boat fast and easy. Once we got on, we were given a choice to park my wheelchair anywhere we wanted. There were removable chairs everywhere and we just picked a spot that wasn’t taken.

view of inside the boat with mini bar at the back

There was a little mini bar at the back of the boat that had small snacks, drinks and alcohol for sale. Throughout the tour, people were able to move around the boat to take pictures, but I mostly stayed in my spot while my friend took pictures.

found our spot on the boat

I was allowed to roam around the boat freely if I wanted to but the boat was not that big. It was just one level and with everyone wandering around and chairs in the way, there wasn’t too much room. Even though not listed on the website, there actually was a wheelchair accessible bathroom.

accessible bathroom at the front of the boat

The Experience

Our tour guide was great as she gave information of some of the landmarks as we pass by. She was never boring and seemed upbeat about everything. The 90 minutes went by fast as it was 45 minutes each way down the river. The float was always calm and never fast for those that might feel queasy on water.

view from boat

They do offer special themed cruises like a Canada Day cruise, fireworks cruise and country music cruise. There is even a murder mystery cruise and a serial killer themed one. I think a night time cruise with music and fireworks would be interesting.

enjoying our cruise

Final Thoughts

Ottawa Boat Cruise was a great experience. It was fun to learn some facts about Ottawa as we go down a calm and relaxing river. The boat itself was wheelchair accessible and they do offer a free companion ticket for disabled guests who need assistance. I would definitely go again but would try a specialty or themed cruise.