Introducing New Hygiene and Service Protocols to Ensure the Wellbeing of Everyone
Newport Beach, May 29, 2020 – Hornblower Cruises and Events will be restarting its Newport Beach operations on Friday, June 5, offering a limited choice of seated public and group dining cruises in accordance with Governor Newsom’s phased reopening plan. With guest spaces spread over several levels, the company’s fleet of luxurious vessels offer expansive decks inside and out, providing plentiful space and fresh air. Combined with reduced guest capacity and changes to seating layout, guests can easily maintain the minimum 6-foot distance. There is more than enough room on board for everyone to stay safely apart.
To provide reassurance in the current pandemic environment, Hornblower has expanded its industry defining SafeCruise by Hornblower program, building on already stringent sanitation processes, to incorporate further health-driven measures to guard against the spread of COVID-19 and other viruses.
“We welcome the opportunity to restart, and are well prepared to welcome our guests back on board,”
said Kevin Lorton, Hornblower’s Regional Vice President for Southern California. “At Hornblower, we are proud of our excellent safety and sanitation track record and always operate and maintain a rigorous process around cleanliness and hygiene. So, while our Guests can still expect the same high standards and welcoming service, we are adapting our amazing experiences to reflect the need for social distance, alongside elevated health and hygiene practices.”
Hornblower has reviewed every aspect of the guest experience journey and is taking all steps necessary to ensure the wellbeing of everyone on board. These include, but are not limited to:
- Mandatory daily crew member health screening, and wearing of appropriate PPE
- Revising boarding and ticketing procedures to allow for social distancing and touchless entry
- Requiring guests to wear face masks while cruising, except while eating and drinking
- Reducing the number of guests on board, and adapting table spacing to allow for a minimum 6-foot distance between guests while they dine
- Implementing enhanced sanitation and disinfection procedures, with hand sanitizing stations available throughout
Newport Beach Cruise Experiences Resuming on June 5
Hornblower will be offering brunch and dinner cruises featuring delicious cuisine alongside a sophisticated selection of award-winning wines, craft beers and specialty cocktails. To reflect current requirements as set out by Orange County, some of the usual elements like entertainment, dancing and a walk-up bar service won’t be permitted. Cruise prices start from $82* for brunch or $105* for dinner (prices per person, excl. fees & taxes). For private groups, Hornblower Private Yachts also operates a choice of luxurious private charter experiences.
Newport Beach will be the company’s second Californian port to reopen, joining San Diego which resumes operations on May 30. For the time being, Hornblower will be offering a choice of dining cruises only and plans to resume its full range of experiences such as cocktail cruises and special events when current restrictions are lifted.
For more information or to book a cruise experience, visit www.hornblower.com/newport-beach/ or call 800-700-0735.
About SafeCruise by Hornblower
Established over 25 years ago, SafeCruise by Hornblower delivers industry-defining standards for health, safety and security across the Hornblower Group of companies. Continuously improving, the program follows the most up to date government and industry guidelines and applies decades-long operational expertise to ensure a safe environment for guests and crew members, while maintaining Hornblower’s excellent record of safety. www.hornblower.com/safecruise.
About Hornblower Cruises and Events
Hornblower Cruises and Events is North America’s largest and leading provider of water-based dining, sightseeing, private charter and transportation experiences. 22 coveted destinations are offered in the US, Canada and the UK, where the company employs over 4,300 shipmates who operate a fleet of 157 vessels serving upwards of 9.8 million guests each year. Hornblower Cruises and Events is a division of Hornblower Group which operates the official ferry boat service to Alcatraz Island, the Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island Memorial Museum on behalf of the National Park Service as well as the New York NYC Ferry, American Queen Steamboat Company, Hornblower Niagara Cruises, Victory Cruises Lines and HMS Global Maritime. The expansive portfolio reflects almost a century of sector expertise and innovation – from pioneering the earliest river sightseeing tours and dining cruises to developing the revolutionary Hornblower Hybrid, a vessel powered by wind, solar and battery electricity. For more information visit www.hornblower.com.