In meeting customer demand for its quality dining cruises, Waterways Cruises and Events announced the company’s new cruise venture, Lake Washington Dining Cruises, set to launch May 1. Departing from Renton’s Southport Pier and Promenade, it will include five distinct, seasonal cruises designed to inform, entertain, and showcase the area’s most spectacular features visible only from the water.
The catered cruises will operate from two of Waterways’ yachts, the MV Emerald Star, a 250-passenger, 105-foot, two-deck luxury entertainment yacht and the MV Olympic Star, a 150-passenger, 90-foot, two deck luxury entertainment yacht. Cruises include:
- Sunset Dinner Cruise – Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings; 7 p.m. departure (2.5 hours); Adult, $69; Senior/Military, $62.
- Weekend Brunch Cruise – Saturday and Sunday; 11 a.m. departure (2 hours); Adult, $45; Senior/Military, $40; Children (5 – 12), $15; Children (Under 5) Free.
- Homes & History Cruise – Saturday and Sunday; 2 p.m. departure (2 hours); Adult, $33; Senior/Military, $29; Children (5 – 12) $11; Children (Under 5) Free.
- Happy Hour Cruise – Friday afternoon; 3:30 p.m. departure (2 hours); Adult, $39; Senior/Military, $35.
- Midnight Lakes Cruise – Selected Friday and Saturday evenings; 10:30 p.m. departure (2.5 hours); Adult, $59; Senior/Military, $53.
“Lake Washington Dining Cruises is about beautiful scenery, great food, Waterways Cruises’ well known service, interesting sights, and compelling tales of the history of Seattle. ” says Waterways Cruises Founder and Chief Executive Officer Hilton Smith. “It’s about bringing dining cruises to the Eastside, being part Renton–which is unusually supportive of business, and linking the fabulous resources of a great location at Southport with Waterways Cruises’ proven track record of delivering extraordinary on-the-water adventures.”
Smith already had a thriving, private yacht charter operation based in Lake Union when a tour on the former Spirit of Washington Dinner Train inspired his new idea: dining cruises that would feature Seattle homes, history and attractions and sights one could never see from land. Smith investigated operating from Renton with Michael Christ, owner of SECO Development. There he piloted a private cruise program from Renton for several years using a dock owned by Christ and measured the full potential for an expanded cruise operation. In December 2009 the two forged a win-win moorage agreement with Alex Pietsch at the City of Renton to launch Lake Washington Dining Cruises from Southport.
In addition to the new moorage being easily accessed from I-405, with quick proximity from Seattle, the Eastside, and the Southside, Southport offers guests 1.5 acres of private park, a 5,000-square-foot dockside tent, together with parking for 600, and scenic Lake Washington waterfront views bordered by Renton’s popular Gene Coulon Waterfront Park.
Waterways Cruises was founded in 1994 and grew from a small, family, one-yacht operation into Seattle’s most upscale dining cruise and private yacht charter company. It operates three luxurious dining and entertainment yachts (Emerald Star, Olympic Star, and Destiny), accommodating upwards of 50,000 guests per year, touring Lake Washington and offering engaging cruises with a local perspective. Waterways Cruises and Events also offers an outstanding shore-side banquet and entertainment facility on Lake Union and Southport Green in Renton for private events. Learn more at http://www.waterwayscruises.com/.
Contact: Sara Latter
Wilson Public Relations
206-838-8977 or saral@tamarawilson.com
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