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Feb

Get Your Tickets for Saturday’s Snow Day on Spectacle Island!

Looking for a family-friendly outdoor activity to keep the kids entertained as school vacation starts? Then Boston’s Best Cruises next Winter Cruise, Snow Day on Spectacle Island, is the perfect wintry adventure!

This Saturday, February 18th, bring your hiking shoes (and weather permitting) snowshoes or cross-country skis and join the Boston Harbor Islands staff to explore Spectacle Island. The visitor’s center will be also open for guests to discover the history of Spectacle Island along with crafts for the kids to enjoy and everyone will love the beach campfire! Not only will the whole family have a great time on the island, but the boat ride offers spectacular views and Boston’s Best Cruises triple-decker ferry includes plenty of outside viewing space as well as two heated indoor cabins and a fully stocked galley with chili, chowder, snacks, coffee and hot chocolate!

The cruise will have two morning pick-ups, first in Quincy at 10:00 am and second in Boston at 11:00am. The cruise ends in Boston at 2:00pm and Quincy at 2:30pm. Tickets are $20 for adults, $17 for seniors and $14 for children – purchase tickets now. To view the complete winter cruise schedule, click here. You can also call (617) 770-0040 for more details.

Posted in Boston Harbor Islands, Special Cruises | Tagged Boston Cruises, Boston Harbor Island, Boston School Vacation, Boston's Best Cruises, Boston's Best Cruises Triple-Decker Ferry, Explore Spectacle Island, February Vacation, Snow Day on Spectacle Island, Winter Cruise, Winter Events Boston | Leave a comment

Feb

Whale Watch Season Is Quickly Approaching – Pre-Order Tickets Today!

From Melissa Rocha, Lead Naturalist

With whale watch season approaching, I have been busy getting ready for another great season, and am very excited to share so many new things I have learned over the winter break with passengers! People may wonder how us naturalists keep busy and on top of the ever-expanding knowledge of whales and marine life, both during the season and in the off-season. Well, for lots of us, we attend workshops and conferences and are members of different societies email groups.

First though, I am Melissa Rocha, and I am the Lead Naturalist for the Voyager III. This will be my ninth season, and my fifth as Lead Naturalist. I along with many other naturalists from around New England attend a Naturalist Workshop every spring were we are able to hear from experts in many different fields that can answer questions and offer perspectives on situations we may experience on our trips – this helps us all be on the same page and have the most up-to-date information for our passengers. In addition to attending this workshop, I am a member of the Society of Marine Mammals and was able to attend their 19th Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals this past year. This conference was a great experience; I was able to meet and hear from people around the world working with every type of Marine Mammal there is!

I also attend a lot of talks on research being done right here in the Stellwagen area, which has helped me to expand my knowledge of what is happening on the waters of Stellwagen. I recently attended an Education workshop where I learned how other naturalists from around the world do their work and research as well as exciting new ways to get passengers more involved with the trips we go on! I am looking forward to a GREAT Whale Watching season and if you join us on one of my trips, feel free to ask me about any of this information I have mentioned! I look forward to seeing everyone out on the water!

Click here to pre-order tickets for the New England Aquarium Whale Watch!

Photo by M.Rocha

Posted in Whale Watch | Tagged 19th Biennial Conference, Biology of Marine Mammals, Boston's Best Cruises, Lead Naturalist, Melissa Rocha, Naturalist Workshop, New England Aquarium Whale Watch, Society of Marine Mammals, Stellwagen Area, Voyager III, Whale Watch Season, Whales and Marine Life | Leave a comment

Feb

Explore with Boston’s Best Cruises, Water Taxi and Geocaching!

From Boston’s Best Cruises Principal Mike McGurl

As we run our businesses, The Fort Lauderdale Water Taxi and Boston’s Best Cruises, I enjoy exploring slices of our demographics and the wide variety of special interests of our guests. Recently, I became aware of a fantastic hobby which is practiced on every continent including Antarctica. It is called “Geocaching”. Essentially this is a worldwide treasure hunt where there is no actual treasure but small stashes or (caches) in which you will find logs books signed by previous hunters and small low value tokens and things to trade. By signing up at geocaching.com, you can see a list and hints to find geocaches no matter where you are in the world. There are more than 1,600,000 caches in place at this time and more than 5,000,000 people participate in the hobby. To sign up is free, but you can also get a premium membership for $30.00 per year. My suggestion is to try the free version and if you like it, then sign up for premium membership and get access to more caches and more services from geocaching.com. All you need is the membership and a GPS OR a Smartphone with internal GPS.

If you are traveling to Fort Lauderdale soon, we invite you to board our Fort Lauderdale Water Taxi and spend the day exploring the area and finding geocaches. Below is a list of geocaches that are between 15’ and 3,500’ from our Fort Lauderdale Water Taxi stops!

**8A Is a whistle stop at the Riverside Hotel. Ask Water Taxi Captain to drop you off; wave the next boat down to get picked up again.
**9A is a whistle stop in Christmas Tree Park. Ask Water Taxi Captain to drop you off; wave the next boat down to get picked up again.

Posted in Explore | Tagged Boston's Best Cruises, Fort Lauderdale Water Taxi, Geocaches, Geocaching, Geocaching.com, GPS, Smartphone, Treasure Hunt, Water Taxi | Leave a comment

Jan

Wednesday Night is Now Date Night with Sel de la Terre’s Wine Wednesday

Did you know, every Wednesday, you can enjoy a fun night out with a fantastic four course meal with a selection of wines inspired by changing seasons, wine regions or varietals at Sel de la Terre just steps from our Ferry Center? Wine Director Erik Johnson leads an engaging, informal talk touching on the highlights of the evening’s wines. For only $44 per person, this Wednesday, January 25th at 7pm, enjoy “It’s Summer Somewhere: Argentina.” Call 617.720.1300 to make your reservation.

First Course: Steamed Prince Edward Island mussels with saffron, shallot, apple and grilled scallions
Wine: 2011 Crios de Susana Balbo, Torrontes, Mendoza, Argentina

Second Course: Thyme roasted pork tenderloin with currants, red grapes, black quinoa and lardons
Wine: 2009 Carelli, “Latitude 34°”, Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina

Main Course: Grilled hanger steak with garlic roasted fingerling potatoes and chimichurri
Wine: 2009 Ben Marco, Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina

Cheese Course
Wine: 2009 Jean Bousquet, “Reserve”, Malb Pangato Valley, Mendoza, Argentina

Posted in Boston Events, Cruise & Play | Tagged 2009 Ben Marco, 2009 Carelli, 2009 Jean Bousquet, 2011 Crios de Susana Balbo, Boston's Best Cruises, Cheese Course, Cruise and Play Partners, Four Course Meal, Grilled Hanger Steak, Sel de la Terre, Sel de la Terre Wine Wednesday, Steamed Prince Edward Island Mussels, Thyme Roasted Pork Tenderloin, Wine Wednesday | Leave a comment

Jan

My Profession Reflects My Passion

From Boston’s Best Cruises Principal Mike McGurl

I have had the opportunity to see many harbors around the country over the years; however, there are few harbors that can compare to Boston Harbor. As an avid sailor and former Merchant Marine, I have spent time in many ports along the entire eastern seaboard as well as many foreign ports but there is nothing quite like my home port, with its diversity of sights; from the natural, unspoiled beauty of the Boston Harbor’s outer islands to the spectacular Boston Skyline with its mix of classical and contemporary.

Last Saturday, I did the 8:00am round trip on Boston’s Best Cruises T Harbor Express Ferry. As one of the owners of the company, I do this often, but I never tire of the experience. On a winter Saturday morning the harbor and city are very quiet and you have the opportunity to absorb all that the experience has to offer, without the hustle and bustle that is present later in the day. A particular treat is the scenery, with the winter morning low sun angles and dry crisp air that provide great contrasts and vivid colors.

With my cup of coffee and ginger bread cookie, I sat at a table by the window, ventured out on deck with my camera phone to take a few photos, and stood on the upper deck as we slowed our speed and made our way back to the Quincy dock. For me, this is as close to a religious experience as you can get without actually being in a house of worship, and I know I am fortunate to have my profession reflect my passion.

Posted in T Harbor Express | Tagged Boston Harbor, Boston Scenery, Boston Skyline, Boston's Best Cruises, Eastern Seaboard, Merchant Marine, Mike McGurl, Quincy Dock, T Harbor Express Ferry, Winter in Boston | Leave a comment

Jan

Go Wild January 16th with Our Winter Wildlife Cruise

From 10am-2:45pm on Monday, January 16th, take the family to explore the great outdoors at the outer Boston Harbor Islands, Hingham Bay and Weir River Estuary. Part of the Winter Cruise Series, Boston’s Best Cruises Winter Wildlife Cruise combines adventure and learning, perfect for both kids and adult. Join park rangers and experienced “birders” as they narrate the cruise and inform passengers about the wildlife they are viewing. You can purchase tickets by clicking here.

Throughout the winter, enjoy monthly trips to the Boston Harbor Islands including Spectacle, Georges, and Peddocks Islands as well as nature-oriented excursions this season with Boston’s Best Cruises. Don’t stay indoors this winter – bundle up and explore the wonders of Boston! Click here for the Winter Cruise schedule and fares, and you can also call (617) 770-0040 for more details.

Posted in Boston Harbor Islands, Special Cruises | Tagged Boston Harbor Islands, Boston Winter Activities, Boston Winter Cruises, Boston Winter Events, Boston's Best Cruises, Georges Island, Hingham Bay, Nature-Oriented Excursions, Peddocks Island, Spectacle Island, Weir River Estuary, Winter Cruise Series, Winter Wildlife Cruise | Leave a comment

Dec

Thank You for a Wonderful 2011 and We Look Forward to 2012!

From Missy Walker, VP of Marketing

Seasons Greetings from Boston’s Best Cruises! This time of year we are busy planning for next year, yet one of the key steps in our planning process is reflecting on the past year, and I thought I would share some of those reflections with you.

The summer grand openings of the Harbor Island Pavilion on the Rose Kennedy Greenway, and the new Ferry Center terminal up in Salem were notable happenings for our Guests. Although both facilities opened after our season started, each offered our Salem Ferry and Boston Harbor Islands Guests many added conveniences, whether in the form of information, services or just personal comfort. We look forward to having both facilities in full swing on opening day next year!

This year we also connected Richie and Maria Currier, founders of The FA Project. Richie was diagnosed with Friedreich’s Ataxia, and we had the pleasure of getting to know Richie, his wife and their family as we raised money by donating a portion of each Boston’s Best Harbor and Sunset Cruise tickets sold. We look forward to working with the FA Project to continue to raise awareness about Friedreich’s Ataxia and funds to help with the research!

As owners and operators of the New England Aquarium’s Whale Watch, we take great pride in offering Guests the ultimate Whale Watching experience – including the ‘Dock Talk’ prior to boarding, the onboard programming, and the exceptional Guest services we provide. The New England Aquarium Whale Watch was once again named the #1 Whale Watch in Boston, for the second year in a row. A BIG thank you to all of our Guests!

Enjoy your family and friends this holiday, and as you plan for your new year, know that we’ll be looking forward to exploring Boston from the water with you!

Posted in Boston Events | Tagged #1 Whale Watch in Boston, Boston Harbor Islands, Boston's Best Cruises, Boston's Best Cruises 2012, Friedreich's Ataxia, Happy Holidays, New England Aquarium's Whale Watch, Richie and Maria Currier, Rose Kennedy Greenway, Salem Ferry, Salem Ferry Center, Season's Greetings, Sunset Cruise, The FA Project, Whale Watching Boston | 1 Comment

Dec

New Year’s Eve Fireworks Cruise

Ring in 2012 with Boston’s Best Cruises! This year, join us for Boston’s Best Cruises and Yard Rock Productions 5th Annual New Year’s Eve Cruise featuring live band “Delaware Floyd and the Energizers.” Dance the night away to their old school R&B sounds and toast to a new year with a complimentary champagne cocktail!

Tickets are $65.00/person in advance or $75.00 on the day of the cruise – price includes complimentary hors d’oeuvres and champagne cocktail. There will be a cash bar. The cruise is for guests age 21+ only. Click here to purchase your ticket and get ready for a New Year’s you won’t soon forget!

Our New Year’s Eve Cruise departs Quincy Shipyard at 8:00pm for those attending from the Quincy area and stops to pick up Boston passengers at Boston Long Wharf Ferry Center at 9:15.

Posted in Boston Events, Special Cruises | Tagged Boston Long Wharf Ferry Center, Boston's Best Cruises, Cash Bar, Champagne Toast, Complimentary Hors D'oeuvres, Delaware Floyd and the Energizers, New Year's Eve, New Year's Eve Cruise, New Years 2012, Quincy Shipyard, Yard Rock Productions, Yard Rock Productions 5th Annual New Year’s Eve Cruise | Leave a comment

Nov

Give Back This Holiday Season

This holiday season, Back on My Feet, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the self-sufficiency of homeless populations, is hosting the Back on My Feet Snow Ball at the Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel (606 Congress Street). Join Back on My Feet on Thursday, December 8^th from 6:30-10:30pm for a cocktail-attire affair. Enjoy a celebratory evening of inspiration and take part in dancing, delicious food and a silent auction. The Snow Ball recognizes the efforts of Back on My Feet members, volunteers and supporters and their ability to help people and change lives.

Tickets are $50 per person, or $1800 per table. You can sponsor a member’s ticket for $40 if you wish, and if you can’t attend, donations are always welcome. Contact bridget@backonmyfeet.org for more information or click here to purchase. For more information on Back on My Feet, visit their website. Don’t miss this fun and worthwhile evening. Support Back on My Feet as they inspire people and change lives!

Posted in Boston Events | Tagged Back on My Feet Snow Ball, Boston Event, Boston Holiday Event, Boston's Best Cruises, Charity, Charity Ball, Charity Event, Non-Profit Organization, Renaissance Waterfront Hotel | Comments Off

Nov

Half-Price Peter Pan Tickets for Boston’s Best Cruises Riders

Peter Pan fans, listen up! Whether you’ve already seen the revolutionary Peter Pan 360 show, and want to see it again, or are catching it for the first time, Boston’s Best Cruises patrons can receive 50% off Price Level 1 tickets (normally $65) for Tuesday-Thursday performances. Simply use promo code CRUISE when ordering. This offer is valid for performances until 11/22, and also from 11/30-12/22. Tickets must be purchased before 12/7. Act now, save big and enjoy a fantastic show! For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.