1000 Islands Cruise Gift Certificates for Christmas 2026

1. Rockport Cruises: a flexible gift with Boldt Castle views

Best for: a couple, family or friend who wants to see the central Thousand Islands, and Boldt Castle in particular, on a 2027 visit.

Rockport, Ontario, sits east of Gananoque on the 1000 Islands Parkway. Rockport Cruises runs several sightseeing routes and castle trips from its dock at 20 Front Street, Rockport. Its one-hour Heart of the 1000 Islands cruise (4.6★, 128 reviews, from $30) is a good first trip for someone new to the area: the route passes Boldt Castle, Millionaire’s Row and many smaller islands.

The operator’s gift certificate shop lists:

• One-hour Heart of the 1000 Islands Cruise: a short sightseeing trip with Boldt Castle views but no landing.
• Two-hour Palaces & Palisades Cruise: a longer scenic route past the International Bridge and Boldt Castle.
• Three-hour Two Castle Cruise: a non-stop trip past Boldt and Singer castles. Bring cash for the onboard bar and snacks.
• Four-hour Boldt Castle Tour: a trip that lands on Heart Island for a visit to the castle.
• Six-hour Two Castle Tour: a longer castle day; the listing asks for a passport or NEXUS card, and lunch is chosen on the booking form.
• Two-hour Sunset Dinner Cruise: a meal on the water, on its own departure calendar.
• Gift certificates for a set amount: C$50, C$75, C$100, C$150 and C$200.

You can book most of these cruises as dated tickets on GetYourGuide through the Rockport 1000 Islands and Boldt Castle sightseeing cruises listing, which suits a gift only when you already know the date. Every certificate in the shop is marked “Expires: Never”. That protects the value but does not reserve a seat on the day the recipient wants. Rockport’s homepage says the 2026 season has closed and the boats return in spring 2027, and each booking depends on that cruise’s calendar and free places. The cruise certificates also say the parking fee is waived with the ticket when spaces are available, and the shop does not take American Express.

Should you buy a named cruise or a dollar amount?

Buy a named cruise certificate when you know what the recipient wants. The one-hour cruise, for example, suits someone who likes a scenic boat trip but would not want to spend half a day on the river.

Buy a dollar amount when you want to leave the choice to them. A C$100 certificate gives a couple or family room to pick a short cruise or put the value toward a longer one. Ask whether a leftover balance carries forward and whether the certificate can be combined with another payment.

Rockport’s gift terms say its certificates are not valid at Cornwall’s Pub or the Boathouse Country Inn. If your gift is a meal, buy the Sunset Dinner Cruise certificate and check what it includes.

Seeing Boldt Castle or landing there

Rockport sells two different experiences:

1. See Boldt Castle from the boat. On the non-stop routes you stay aboard, and you do not need a passport to cruise past the castle.
2. Go ashore at Boldt Castle. The stopover tours land on Heart Island, which is in the United States, so the recipient needs suitable travel documents and must meet US entry rules. Some packages include castle admission; check the one you buy.

A surprise stopover certificate causes problems if the recipient has no valid passport, or lacks a visa or entry authorization their nationality needs. If you do not know their document situation, give a non-stop cruise or an amount instead.

Our guide to passports for a Boldt Castle tour covers the documents in detail, and the 1000 Islands boat tour routes compared shows what each route passes.

Buy or check details: Rockport Cruises gift certificates · Rockport FAQs

2. Kingston 1000 Islands Cruises: for a city break or a dining cruise

Best for: someone who lives in or visits Kingston and wants a gift they can combine with restaurants, historic sights or a weekend away.

Kingston 1000 Islands Cruises sails from Crawford Wharf, 1 Brock Street, in downtown Kingston. Its gift certificates cover a sightseeing cruise, a dining cruise or a Kingston Trolley Tour.

That allows several kinds of gift:

• A sightseeing cruise for two: an easy summer date, with river views and a downtown walk before or after boarding.
• A three-hour island cruise: the Kingston: Heart of the Thousand Islands Riverboat Cruise (4.3★, 1,139 reviews, from $51) suits someone who wants more time on the water than a short harbour tour gives.
• A lunch or dinner cruise: a special-occasion present for parents, a partner or a couple’s anniversary. These are sold direct by the operator and are no longer on GetYourGuide.
• A trolley tour: the Kingston: Trolley City Tour (4.5★, 146 reviews, from $33) suits someone who enjoys history more than boats.

The Kingston routes differ from those farther east. The one-hour Waterfront Discovery Cruise (4.3★, 173 reviews, from $34) covers Kingston’s historic harbour, while the longer Heart of the Islands cruise heads out among the nearby islands. Neither goes to Boldt Castle. If the castle matters, start with Rockport or a Gananoque or Ivy Lea cruise.

Check the season printed on Kingston’s gift certificate

On November 2, 2026, the Kingston gift page still says the recipient chooses a departure “during our 2026 operating season”. For a Christmas 2026 present meant for 2027, do not assume a certificate with that wording carries over to the next season.

Before buying, ask Kingston’s reservations team:

1. Can I buy a certificate now that is valid in the 2027 season?
2. Is it for a set amount, a specific cruise or a combination?
3. Does it have a use-by date or any excluded sailings?
4. How does the recipient redeem it once 2027 departures go on sale?
5. What happens if the chosen cruise costs more or less next season?

Kingston’s FAQ states that gift certificates are non-refundable once purchased, which is one more reason to settle the season and the product first.

Contact: Kingston gift certificates · 613-549-5544 or 1-800-848-0011 · info@ktic.ca

Which Kingston gift suits whom

For someone who already lives in Kingston, a dining cruise makes a better present than the basic harbour cruise. For someone from out of town, pair the cruise with a hotel night you book separately, or a walking plan for the day. Add a restaurant booking and a slow walk along the harbourfront and the gift becomes a mini-break without a long drive.

Our guide to what to expect on a 1000 Islands cruise covers ticket pick-up at the Kingston office and parking near the dock, and the Kingston lunch and brunch cruise guide explains the dining sailings.

3. Brockville 1000 Islands & Seaway Cruises: a gift for eastern Ontario

Best for: someone who lives near Brockville, Prescott or the eastern stretch of the St. Lawrence, or a traveller who wants something different from the Kingston cruises.

1000 Islands & Seaway Cruises is based at Blockhouse Island in Brockville. Its gift certificate page sells certificates for specific cruises or in set amounts.

The operator’s sightseeing cruises include the 1.5-hour Jewels of the St. Lawrence and the 2.5-hour Singer Castle Cruise. The 90-minute cruise is also sold as the 1000 Islands 90-minute Sightseeing Cruise on Viator (3.8/5 from 95 reviews, a lower score than the Rockport and Gananoque cruises). Not every cruise runs on every date, and a certificate does not automatically cover every type of trip.

Brockville makes sense when the recipient would otherwise drive a long way to Kingston. A cruise gift works best when the dock is easy to reach; a ticket is less of a treat if the recipient also has to pay for a night in a hotel.

Before buying, confirm:

• The specific cruise or amount.
• How the certificate is delivered and what the recipient shows to redeem it.
• Whether it is valid in 2027 and whether any expiry date applies.
• Whether it covers food, special-event cruises or a fare difference.
• Whether the recipient books by phone or online.

Buy or check details: 1000 Islands & Seaway Cruises gift certificates · 613-345-7333

4. Can you buy a City Cruises Gananoque gift card?

Do not count on a standard City Experiences digital gift card to pay for a Gananoque or Ivy Lea cruise. This is the easiest mistake to make when you search for a “1000 Islands cruise gift card”.

The City Experiences gift card terms say its digital gift cards are valid on experiences in the United States and the United Kingdom, and are “currently not accepted at any City Cruises experiences that take place in Canada”.

That matters because City Cruises Gananoque runs several popular Thousand Islands trips from Gananoque and Ivy Lea, including the Gananoque: 1000 Islands Cruise & Optional Boldt Castle Entry (4.5★, 5,958 reviews, from $30) and the From Ivy Lea: 1000 Islands Boldt Castle Scenic Cruise (4.6★, 1,552 reviews, from $30). The City Cruises name on those boats does not make them eligible for the company’s generic gift card.

If the person you are buying for wants a Gananoque or Ivy Lea cruise:

• Contact the Gananoque team and ask whether it can issue a local gift voucher for a 2027 departure.
• If it cannot, put the promise of the trip in a card and buy the tickets once the recipient picks a date. The Gananoque and Ivy Lea cruises on GetYourGuide have free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure.
• If Boldt Castle views from the boat are the main aim and Rockport is easy to reach, give a Rockport certificate instead.

Do not buy a ticket for a random summer day as a surprise unless you know the person can travel that day and you have read the cancellation policy.

Check directly: City Experiences gift card terms · City Cruises Gananoque contact page

What is the best 1000 Islands cruise to give as a gift?

Pick the cruise that fits how the recipient lives. These ideas are starting points, and none of them promises an open 2027 date.

For couples: choose flexibility over a fixed date

A dinner cruise sounds romantic, but evening sailings and menus change. A couple with children, shift work or a home outside the region may struggle to use a certificate tied to one cruise. Ask whether they can choose from several dates, and check for exclusions.

A card saying “A summer cruise together on the St. Lawrence River” can mean more than a departure you picked at random. The operator’s certificate carries the value and the handwritten card carries the surprise.

For families: look past the headline ticket price

One adult ticket does not cover a family outing. Before you give a family a C$50 or C$75 certificate, work out how many people will go, how the operator defines a child ticket, whether infants pay and whether tax is included. Rockport’s amounts are gift values and will not cover every family’s trip.

A short non-stop cruise is usually the safest choice with toddlers. Older children can enjoy a castle day, but the entry documents and extra walking make it harder to plan. Our Boldt Castle boat tour guide compares the castle options.

For keen travellers: add a simple plan

If the recipient already plans to visit from Toronto, Ottawa or Montreal, a short plan shows them how to use the present. Pair the certificate with one of these guides:

• Gananoque vs Ivy Lea vs Kingston: which departure to choose
• The best time for a 1000 Islands cruise
• Three-hour 1000 Islands cruises

If they are driving, Rockport and Ivy Lea both sit on the 1000 Islands Parkway, so the drive along the river is a pleasant start to the day.

How much should you spend on a cruise gift certificate?

There is no single price for a Thousand Islands gift certificate: it depends on the operator, the length of the cruise and who is travelling. A dollar amount gives credit toward a future trip, and a named cruise certificate gives you a defined product on that operator’s terms.

Rockport’s fixed amounts make a useful guide:

These are gift certificate amounts, not 2027 ticket prices. To cover the whole trip, find out the ages and the cruise, then ask the operator for the total including tax, fees and any admission. Ontario’s 13% HST applies to cruise tickets, so check the checkout total against the advertised fare.

A clearly labelled “C$100 toward a 2027 cruise” often works better than guessing at a “cruise for two” that may not cover the departure the recipient wants.

When can the recipient use a Christmas 2026 cruise gift?

The region’s regular sightseeing cruises run from spring to autumn, with no sailings in December, January or February. Rockport says it has closed for the 2026 season and returns in spring 2027, and Kingston’s cruises are seasonal too.

A Christmas cruise gift is a present to look forward to. Nobody will use it over the holidays.

What about April 2027?

Kingston’s first sailings of 2026 were on April 18, but last year’s timetable does not confirm any cruise for April 2027. Rockport did not start until May in 2026. If the recipient wants an April date, wait for the operator to publish its 2027 calendar before they plan travel around it.

What about May 2027?

May is more promising. Rockport plans to reopen in spring 2027, and Boldt Castle opens on May 8, 2027. The castle opening does not mean a Canadian castle-stopover boat sails that day, though; the recipient still has to book a departure on the operator’s calendar.

Our best time for a 1000 Islands cruise guide covers the routes, the weather by month and the difference between seeing a castle and landing at one.

Is a gift certificate the same as a reservation?

No. A certificate gives value or a right to a cruise; the recipient still has to choose a date and reserve seats. Summer weekends sell out, and the longer cruises run less often. Hand over the original certificate and the redemption instructions with a note to book once their 2027 plans are set.

Seven checks before buying a cruise gift certificate

A few minutes on the terms prevents the usual gift problems.

1. Check the operator name. Kingston, Rockport, Brockville and City Cruises Gananoque are separate businesses, and a voucher does not transfer between them.
2. Check the season and expiry. This matters most for a Christmas 2026 purchase. Kingston’s gift page still mentions 2026, while Rockport’s certificates are marked “Expires: Never”.
3. Check what the certificate buys. A dollar amount, a one-hour cruise, a dinner or a castle-stopover tour? Are meals and admission included?
4. Check the final cost. Tax, surcharges and extra passengers can take the cost above the certificate’s value.
5. Check how to redeem it. Does the recipient phone, pick a date online or show a code? Is a reservation required?
6. Check passports and access needs. A US castle landing needs travel documents, and long castle tours involve stairs and a lot of walking.
7. Check refunds and replacement. Kingston says gift certificates are non-refundable once purchased. Other companies may differ, and a lost voucher is not automatically replaced.

Do gift cards expire in Ontario?

Ontario’s consumer guidance says most gift cards cannot have an expiry date, with exceptions that include gift certificates for one specific service. So a named “2027 summer dinner cruise” certificate may not carry the same terms as a general C$100 gift card.

Read the terms attached to the product, and if anything is unclear, ask the business in writing. The province’s gift card guidance explains the difference. This is general consumer information, not legal advice.

What if you need a last-minute Christmas gift?

An experience gift still works close to Christmas, but do not expect every operator to email an instant printable certificate. Delivery methods and processing times vary.

A practical approach:

1. Choose an operator whose certificate covers the 2027 season.
2. Ask before paying whether the certificate arrives by email, by post or another way.
3. Keep the confirmation and the redemption details somewhere safe.
4. Put a printed note, a photo of the islands or a handwritten plan in a Christmas card, with the certificate or the instructions for receiving it.

If the recipient has no travel dates yet, do not buy a non-refundable dated ticket just to have something to wrap. A flexible certificate, or a promise to book the trip together later, is easier to use.

What to write in a cruise gift card

A simple message makes the gift clear without promising a date:

Your next adventure is on the St. Lawrence River! Enjoy a Thousand Islands cruise when the boats return in 2027. Pick a sunny day, bring your camera and look forward to castles, islands and an afternoon on the water.

If you have bought an operator certificate, include it and its terms. If you have not bought one yet, describe the present as a plan or a promise, and do not call the note a voucher.

Frequently asked questions

Our recommendation: give the cruise, then check the 2027 terms

For most people buying a Thousand Islands cruise for Christmas 2026, Rockport’s gift certificate shop is the place to start: it sells several routes and C$50–C$200 amounts, every certificate is marked “Expires: Never”, and its cruises pass Boldt Castle.

Kingston suits a dining cruise, a sightseeing trip or a downtown weekend, but ask the operator to confirm 2027 validity before you buy. Brockville is the closer choice for someone who lives farther east. For Gananoque, remember that the general City Experiences gift card does not work on Canadian cruises.

Buy the operator’s own certificate, keep the redemption instructions and let the recipient choose a 2027 sailing once the calendars open. If the trip falls before the season starts, our winter guide covers what is open on the river from November to March.

Sources

Checked on November 2, 2026. Gift certificate offers, terms, prices and departure calendars can change.

• Kingston 1000 Islands Cruises: gift certificates, the experiences covered and the season named.
• Kingston 1000 Islands Cruises: FAQs, the gift certificate refund policy.
• Rockport Cruises: gift certificates, the named cruises, amounts, expiry and restrictions.
• Rockport Cruises: FAQs, routes, passports and booking.
• Rockport Cruises, the 2026 closure and spring 2027 return.
• 1000 Islands & Seaway Cruises: gift certificates, Brockville gift purchases.
• City Experiences: gift cards, the exclusion for City Cruises in Canada.
• City Cruises Gananoque: contact, enquiries for Gananoque and Ivy Lea.
• Boldt Castle: visitor information, the May 8, 2027 opening.
• Government of Ontario: buying or using gift cards, gift card expiry rules and exceptions.