Hornblower Niagara Cruises Reviews

Best attraction i had at Niagara Falls, seeing the falls from so close is an amazing experience

Great experience, definitely unique. You don't realize how loud the falls are until you're right beside them. You will get wet, so remember to bring a ziplock bag for your phone, even if its in your pocket

A must do when visiting Niagara Falls!

The walk to the boat begins with a series of ramps that take you to an elevator which takes you to the area where you receive your poncho. Then another series of ramps to the boat.

The crowd was very light on our Tuesday 5pm cruise. We walked right on board with space available on the bottom rail.

It was a fun exhilarating ride; about a 15-20 minute cruise.

There is a food vendor and pavilion with tables and seats on the property. Bathrooms on property are very small with only 4 or 5 stalls, it was a long wait even though the area was not that crowded.

A tip...the part of the boat that gets the most wet is the front and bottom right, based on the way the boat turns into the falls on it's way back. That side of the boat is in the falls the longest. Even on the bottom right center we got pretty wet but the ponchos did a good job keeping our clothes dry. Tie your poncho tight to keep it on your head if you wish to keep your hair dry. It is very windy when you get close.

The boat ride is really to do to realize the size and power of the falls.
We get wet but it's really cool

Fully worth the price of $40 CDN per each adult at the time of writing this review.

Despite the appearance of long lines, everything moves quickly. You're always on the move, from the tickets line for purchasing, to down the elevator, then down the ramp, to collecting your plastic overcoat, to waiting to board. It's constant moving, you're not standing in line aimlessly.

They don't over crowd the boats, so despite thinking there's a ton of people with you, that the deck is going to be crammed, you're actually going to have a lot of room on the deck to move about freely.

The experience itself is amazing. Expect to be soaked. As if you jumped into the water and fully immersed yourself. Would recommend walking with an extra change of clothing. The boat takes you to the American falls and directly into the horseshoe, so regardless of which side of the boat you're on, both sides of the boat get to experience the waterfalls.

It's thrilling, terrifying and yet exhilarating at the same time. You see yourself disappearing into the mist, seeing no more than 3 feet ahead of the boat as you turn inside the horseshoe. At the end, everyone disembarks smiling...wet and cold! After disembarking there's a patio area where you can get food, drinks, and a place to sit and eat.

Skipping out on this experience is a regret waiting to happen.

Amazing experience, it should be in everyone's to do list.

Exactly as anticipated. Just enough time by the falls. Also windy and somewhat cold.

wonderful experience, this place is amazing
Hope we can back soon

One of the best nature sightseeing experiences of my life.

A big 5 start for the experience and the covid protocols followed. Very polite personnel.

Windy, wet, exciting and breathtaking. Great experience.

It's a nice ride. Make sure you catch a boat that departs before 7:50 otherwise you don't get close enough. Awesome ride!

It is one of the great experiences at Niagara falls.I can't forget the sound.You should take it when you visit Niagara falls.I recommend you to bring water glasses or sunglasses. :)

Must do when you are in area. Very organized, gets you out to the falls.

They did a great job of getting people onto the boats as quickly and efficiently as possible. The ride was great! A wonderful way to get up close to the falls.

awful. We told them we couldn t make it due to some complications and they were rude and kept our money.

Great experience. Do both the day time and night time tours. The night time is best with the fireworks.

Absolutely amazing, boat gets closer than I though would be safe to the falls lol, we left absolutely drenched.

Great experience... shoes will get wet so prepare for it

Had a wonderful time on this trip. Would recommend it to anyone who is in the area.

If we go to Nigara-Falls, we must do it
It is a must see in the Falls. We descend by elevators to take the boat. Everyone receives a poncho (it was pink for our period). Then we embark on the boat. It is best to stay outside to admire. We go to the US Falls to go to the most impressive water wall. Basically it is almost untenable because of the splashing water. We come out very wet, the part not protected by the poncho (dress and put on the shoes accordingly). But you have to experience it on the deck of the boat to feel this power.
Really it is to be done.
The return goes through the souvenir shops.

One word-just wow. Most amazing experience in my life. Especially when u go close to the falls/kinda under the falls.Must must go atleast once in your lifetime. Its worth it.

Yes, you can still buy tickets on the day of your visit and will not sell out except for the fireworks cruise. It will only beconvenient to go directly to the line when purchasing tickets online. But line in the ticket booth is fast, the line going down the ramp towards the elevator that brings you down to the dock is long but moves quickly. A lot of people cut in line though.I suggest take the late afternoon or night with the illumination, low crowds and will have a chance to get to the front of the boat to take pictures. Funicular rides are extra and will cost $3/person if wanted

If you visit Niagara Falls on the Canadian side, you have to take a ride on the Hornblower. You get an awesome up close experience to the falls that you can't get on the riverbank. The best spot to stand is on the top right of the boat, that will get you the best action. Also, be prepared to get wet no matter where you are on the boat.

Absolutely loved our experice. While pricey for an adult fare we went with children under 5 so they were free. Great family fun, but be prepared to get VERY wet. The concessions were way too overpriced so I would reccomend packing some snacks and drinks of your own.z

I bought the tickets online no bad surprise quick access.

If you came here, do not miss this ride! You'll regret it for sure!

The trip to the falls was truly awesome. Amenities were just OK, but they tried at least. The boat was good and the excursion was outstanding.

Best part of visit. Stood in the top front. Wish I brought some goggles to keep my eyes open when we were right at the base of the falls.

This experience was well worth the cost.
You will get wet, so wear sneakers and clothing that dry quickly. If you have any waterproof clothing, wear them!

You don t need to pay for the funicular ride. Find the other entrance and take the elevator.

I visited this place in April, cause there was no ice buildup, and getting right by the falls was breathtakingly beautiful. Got wet and the wind was a little ferocious, but I still enjoyed getting right up next to the horseshoe falls

Great time! Great experience. Clearly they have this down to a science! From the timing of elevator doors to cattle choral ing customers to and from the boat they are doing well.
FIX YOUR COMPUTER TICKET BOOTHS! That is the only reason why it s not 5 stars. The computers are old and junky. Luckily a friend ordered online via their phone! In front of the broken computers. As for staff, wow they had a lot directing traffic! I think there is good reason due to the ignorance of many tourists with the traffic movement logistics. If there was one thing I would love you to work on is patrolling the pushy customers that butt-the-line.
Gold tip
Our research found that waiting for the next boat put us in the front of the line. The waiting was worth the front of the boat experience. Make sure you get there early and have men book-end your group to hold your spot as I find travellers do not respect personal space at the front of the boat. Kids need to be put in the middle as many later passengers try to elbow you out of your space. Perhaps the company could limit the spots at the front to prevent the crowding.

Takes you right up close and personal with the falls. An unforgettable experience not to be missed. Worth the price.

A must. The only downside is the crowd. Avoid at least crates by buying online.

The one thing you should absolutely do after seeing the falls. Remember to wear something waterproof and get a case for your phone. You will get wet no matter what you do.

We did it! The one thing I really wanted to do in Niagara.

They are individual kiosks that sell the tickets with great ease. All you need is your credit card and a poncho, which they provide on the cruise ship. So Much Fun! Enjoy!

Excellent time in Canada with a different view of Niagara Falls.

The best way to experience Niagara. We'll organized and very well run

Boat tour went great, well ran
Every 15 mins, duration 20 mins, adult $20

This a must when visiting Niagara Falls. Great experience. Poncho included in price, but you will still get a bit wet. Its not mist, more a power shower from the falls.

We both agree, this was the most enjoyed thing we did on our Niagara Falls vacation.

Pretty awesome. If you only do one thing at Niagara Falls, this should be it.

Mist doing activity for experiencing true niagra falls.

This was a fun little cruise. We did the night cruise with the fireworks.

Being out on the water at night was really nice. There was a nice breeze and of course the mist. We didn't get soaked, but we did get wet.

The fire works lasted about 10 minutes. They were really loud on the boat. It sounded like cannons going off.

My only complaint is that the boat didn't leave on time. The cruise was supposed to be 40 minutes, I think we ended up with 30 minutes. 10 minutes might not seem like a lot, but we paid for a 40 minute cruise, not a 30.

The sweetest place I visited in my life is the power and splendor of the Creator in the waterfalls

An unforgettable experience!
An adult ticket is about $35 for a 20 min. boat tour, but definitely worth the money. They take you downhill on a train and there is an area with food, drinks, and restrooms. Before entering the boat, you will be given a raincoat/poncho. Try to get on the upper deck for the best view. They drive you very close to the Falls. Great photo OPs and wonderful experience.

One of the many ways to experience the Falls up close. A free, plastic poncho will be given to you. Don't buy their $20 poncho when you enter their store.

Loved the 'Maid of the Mist' cruise into the waterfall.

Was an awesome experience which will be cherished for a very long time.

The boats were safe and well staffed.

Thank you.

When you buy your ticket you think that 40 minutes for the night cruise is better for your dollar than the 15 minute day cruise, but it does start to drag a bit once you pass by the falls the first time because you're just sailing around the same area over and over. BUT once the fireworks start it's worth it because you realize how amazing it is to be watching fireworks on a boat in the centre of a natural wonder. And don't forget to do some stargazing. We could see Saturn, Jupiter, Venus, Antares, Orion...truly magical.