Maid of the Mist announces launch of 2021 season

First full season for ‘2021 Ship of the Year’ all-electric vessels

Electricity will be in the air 9 a.m. Thursday, April 29, when the James V. Glynn and Nikola Tesla set sail to commence the Maid of the Mist’s 2021 season – the company’s 136th consecutive year of operation. The all-electric, emission-free vessels – the only ones of their kind in the U.S. – will ferry guests to the base of the American and Horseshoe falls, providing them with an iconic experience unlike any other.

Leading maritime publications American Ship Review and Marine News both named the new vessels “Ship of the Year” for 2021.

“This promises to be another memorable year for our guests,” Maid of the Mist President Christopher M. Glynn said. “This will be the first full season for our new vessels, which move silently, taking people closer to nature. You can hear the birds; you can hear the falls without any engine noise. It is a new and thrilling experience.”

The lithium-ion batteries are recharged in seven minutes between tours while the vessels are docked.

“We literally plug them in,” Glynn said. “I think people will find that process fascinating to watch.”

A new feature of the voyage, available only on Maid of the Mist, comes on the return trip from the Horseshoe Falls, when the vessel stops again in front of the American Falls and completes a 360-degree revolution – a maneuver made possible through the bow thruster propulsion system.

COVID-19 continues to have an impact on operations. Maid of the Mist tours will operate at reduced capacity. The Maid of the Mist density reduction plan, which is extensive in its approach to health and safety, first implemented in June 2020, will remain in place. It includes:

√ All visitors will be required to wear a face covering as a condition of admission. 

√ Before arriving at the ticket window, guests will be required to orderly queue 6 feet apart unless they are with household members.

√ Only one party at a time will be permitted to approach each of the ticket booths. Hand sanitizer will be available for visitors.

√ Countertops and credit card keypads will be sanitized after each transaction.

√ All hand railings and visitor touch points will be sanitized on a regular basis.

√ Guests will be reminded about social distancing when they board the vessel.

√ Distance markers are located throughout the facility.

Since 1846 and nonstop since 1885, Maid of the Mist vessels powered by steam and diesel engines (and now electric motors) have carried millions of passengers to the base of Niagara Falls for a unique, up-close view of one of the wonders of the world.

Maid of the Mist is the longest continuously running tourist attraction in North America, operating out of Niagara Falls State Park, the oldest state park in the U.S.

Adult tickets are $25.25; child tickets (6–12 years) $14.75; children 5 and under are free with accompanying adult. Guests are encouraged to purchase tickets online at https://store.maidofthemist.com.

Hours of operation through May 21 are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekends. The ticket office closes 15 minutes before last scheduled departure.