Wednesday - September 28, 2022
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See our Frequently Asked Questions page for more info.

Come sail with us on the beautiful and scenic St. Clair River.

The Duc d'Orleans has been a family-run business since 1979 and the boat is certified and inspected by Transport Canada and the United States Coast Guard and Homeland Security. The ship has a capacity of 192 passengers, however for a comfortable cruise we recommend not more than 150 people.

We would like to emphasize our versatility in handling any sized group and different types of functions. All of our facilities on board are movable, meaning that we can set for the occasion. We have two full decks with the upper deck able to accommodate 132 passengers and a bar and preparation area for the caterer on the main deck.

We carry a friendly and experienced crew of six who can accommodate any special needs of your guests.

The vessel charters out for $800.00 for the first hour and $700.00 for each additional hour from Monday - Wednesday and $800.00 per hour Thursday - Sunday, weddings (any day) and on holidays (Civic Holiday, Canada Day, Labour Day, Victoria Day)¹. Included in this price are the crew, the facilities, and the music and P.A. system. Should you wish to have a live band on board, this can be arranged at an additional cost. The catering is done to each group's individual needs, and ranges from hors d'oeuvres to prime rib. The cost for this ranges from $6.50 up to $35.00 per person and items can be priced on request. We are fully licensed by the L.L.B.O. and any alcohol on board must be supplied by us.

We also offer luncheon cruises², boarding at 11:30am, departing at noon, and returning at 2:00pm. The price for this cruise is $35.00 per person with a small meal on board. We also give a detailed commentary of the sights you are seeing along the way. We only accept cash or cheque (no debit or credit cards) and an ATM is available on the ship.

¹ Please note, a $500 deposit is required for charters. On the event of a cancellation, the deposit will be forfeit unless the time and date can be sold.
² Reservations required; must call office for availability.

The Ship and History

The Duc d'Orleans II was built in 1987 in Warren, Rhode Island, USA by Blount Boats. She was built specifically for carrying passengers and was originally dubbed the Spirit of Newport. She is 84' long, 29' wide, draws 5' and has a cruising speed of about 8 knots. The boat was bought by the current owners in 2005 and brought to Sarnia and rechristened Duc d'Orleans II.

 

The original boat, Duc d'Orleans, was a Fairmile built in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada in 1943 at the Mac-Craft boat building company for the second world war as a coastal patrol ship/mine-sweeper (commonly called a "sub chaser"). It was launched in 1944 and christened Q105. It's duties included convoy escorts and mine clearing. It was 112' long, 18' wide and drew 6' of water and had a cruising speed of 20 knots. It was originally outfitted with 12 depth charges, a single Hotchkiss 3-pounder gun, and a set of twin 0.303-in machine guns.

After its services were no longer required, it was decommisioned, the armorments removed and put on loan to McGill University for research and training and subsequently sold to the Quebec Waterways Sightseeing Tours Co. in Quebec, Canada where it cruised near the Île d'Orléans and took on the name Duc d'Orleans.

 

She was then purchased in 1978 and brought back home to Sarnia by the current owners where it was run until 2005 when the current boat was bought to replace her. She was donated in 2006 to a local organization for restoration to her original appearance, but the project has since been abandoned and the ship was scrapped.

 

Her original war-time appearance in 1944.

 
 
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