Date: Thursday, June 26, 2026
Cruise: Heart of the Islands
Cruise ship: Island Queen
Duration: 3 hours
Time of departure: 12:30 p.m.
Cost per person: $59.50 + HST
This was my first time on a 1000 Islands Cruise, so I am coming in with fresh eyes and a fresh perspective.
I booked this cruise as a Mother’s and Father’s Day gift for my in-laws. Four of us went, including my husband and myself. I thought my in-laws would like the history cruise, which is why I selected this one specifically.
For context, the Heart of the Islands Cruise is described on the website as, “The world-famous 1000 Islands begin in Kingston and span the St. Lawrence River for miles. Wind your way through small cottage islands of the Admiralty group featuring Napoleon’s Hat, Wanderer’s Channel, the opulent Mandalay Mansion and historic sights of Kingston on the Heart of the Islands Cruise.”
On the cruise there was a guide sharing historical knowledge, a licensed bar and canteen for purchase, an indoor and open-air deck and restrooms. On our cruise, there was a gentleman singing and playing the ukulele when the guide was not speaking.
First thing’s first, I LOVE that the ship departed at exactly the time it was scheduled to, and, to my surprise, it docked exactly three hours later, at 3:30 p.m. on the dot.
This is the map of where the ship went:
It was cool to see Howe Island, but until we got close to the 1000 islands, the cruise was a bit bland, which was worrisome knowing that we had another two hours to go.
It wasn’t a full cruise and we weren’t fighting for space. The main and second floor enclosed decks were empty.
People were walking around, checking out the scenery, grabbing food and drinks. We grabbed bottled waters, Ginger-Ale and popcorn.
The popcorn was actually really good! I found that surprising. I am not a movie theatre popcorn gal (I prefer Kernels), but I thoroughly enjoyed the popcorn they made.
Is the Heart of the Islands Cruise worth leaving the house for? Honestly, I would say take it from Gananoque. This may have been obvious for some or most Kingstonians, but I learned while on the cruise that taking it from Gananoque is the way to go.
It would have been worthwhile to drive the 30 or so minutes to Gan to save an hour and a half of time versus getting there via cruise. I hear that the cruise to Boldt Castle is quite unique.
Now, the real question is: will the Gan cruise have popcorn as good as the Kingston cruise? Perhaps we will find out!
FYI
If you’re booking a cruise and you’re not the type to read the fine print, know that you have to pick up the tickets in person at Waterfront Gifts & Apparel located (248 Ontario Street) in advance of departure! You will receive one ticket regardless of how many people are in your booking.