1000 Islands CruisesIvy Lea Scenic Cruise: Two Castles Without a Passport
Geography does the work on the Ivy Lea Boldt Castle scenic cruise. Its dock sits beside the 1000 Islands International Bridge, 13 km downstream from Gananoque, where the river narrows and the famous islands crowd together. Starting there puts Boldt Castle, Singer Castle and the tiny Zavikon bridge inside a single hour on the water, at $29, with no border stop and therefore no passport for anyone aboard. It is the best-rated sailing we compare, 4.6 from 1,348 GetYourGuide bookings, and the standing answer for families whose kids have no travel documents.
About the Ivy Lea Scenic Cruise
1 hour on the water
From $29 per adult
4.6 from 1,348 reviews on GetYourGuide
City Cruises Gananoque, guided commentary
Ivy Lea dock, beside the international bridge — not Gananoque town
Boldt Castle, Singer Castle, Zavikon Islands, all from the water
Listing at a Glance
The same fields on every tour page here, read from the operator's listing in August 2026. Prices and availability are set by the operator and confirmed at checkout.
- Tour name From Ivy Lea: 1000 Islands & Boldt Castle Scenic Cruise
- Operator City Cruises Gananoque
- Booking platform GetYourGuide
- Product ID t447252
- Starting price $29 USD per adult
- Price last checked August 2026
- Rating 4.6 out of 5
- Review count 1,348 reviews
- Review source GetYourGuide verified bookings
- Duration 1 hour
- Castle landings None — water-level sail-past of both castles
- Departure point Ivy Lea dock, 95 Ivy Lea Road, Lansdowne
- Check-in 30 minutes before departure
- Return Same dock, under the international bridge
- Transport Two-deck cruise boat, enclosed and open seating
- Group size Large vessel; seating unassigned
- Commentary Guided commentary on island history and legends
- Food and drink None stated
- Hotel pickup No — depart from the dock
- Cancellation Free up to 24 hours before departure
- Reserve now, pay later Yes
- Minimum age None stated
- Difficulty Easy — seated cruise
- Wheelchair access Yes, listed wheelchair accessible
- Passport Not required — the cruise never lands on US soil
- Season Daily, May through October
- Weather policy None stated — check the listing for your date
- Alternative Want to walk the castle? The [5-hour stopover](/boldt-castle-stopover-cruise/) lands, with passport
Check Dates and Availability
Live dates and prices for this cruise, straight from the booking platform.
Quick answer
This is the cruise for two situations: no passports in the group, or one spare hour and a wish to see the famous castles anyway. Both castles and the Zavikon bridge pass at water level inside the hour, for $29. Anyone set on walking through Boldt Castle needs the 5-hour stopover instead.
Key takeaways
- Boards at Ivy Lea, 10 minutes' drive from Gananoque town. Navigate to the dock, not the marina
- The only sub-$30 sailing that shows Boldt AND Singer castles
- No border stop, so infants and kids without documents sail fine
- Passes directly under the 1000 Islands International Bridge
- See how it stacks against the other four cruises
Why One Hour Is Enough From Ivy Lea
From the Gananoque town dock, reaching Boldt Castle takes most of an hour each way, which is why the town's castle cruises run three hours and up. Ivy Lea skips the commute. The dock sits in the narrows where the international bridge crosses, already deep in the island cluster, so the boat spends its whole hour among the sights the longer cruises travel to reach.
The route heads out among cottages and boathouses to a water-level view of Boldt Castle on Heart Island, takes in Singer Castle on Dark Island, medieval-looking and still furnished, then passes the Zavikon Islands, where a single footbridge is billed as the world's smallest international bridge, one end in Canada and the other in the United States. The return leg runs back under the road bridge to the dock.
What you give up against the longer cruises
No landing anywhere, no Seaway shipping lane, and less of Millionaire's Row than the 3-hour circuit covers. Photographers get one pass at each castle rather than a lingering stop. The trade reads clearly in reviews: passengers who wanted a scenic hour rate it near the top of everything on this stretch of river, and the rare disappointed ones expected a castle visit the listing never promised.
Getting to the Ivy Lea Dock
Ivy Lea is a hamlet on the Thousand Islands Parkway, about 10 minutes east of Gananoque and half an hour east of Kingston. The dock address is 95 Ivy Lea Road, Lansdowne, directly beside the Canadian span of the international bridge. The recurring mistake, mentioned in reviews often enough to repeat here: passengers set navigation to Gananoque and miss the boat. Set it to the Ivy Lea dock by name.
Check in 30 minutes ahead. Seating is unassigned across an enclosed lower deck and an open upper; the upper deck wins in the narrows, where the bridge passes directly overhead.
Worth knowing
- Navigate to '95 Ivy Lea Road, Lansdowne', not Gananoque marina
- A windproof layer helps on the open deck, even midsummer
- Singer Castle appears on the far side; sit starboard going out for the closest view
- Free cancellation to 24 hours if plans move
How the Hour Unfolds
-
Check-in
Ivy Lea dock
Beside the international bridge. Settle into the enclosed lower deck or the open top as the boat casts off.
-
First half
Toward Boldt Castle
Out among the islands to a water-level view of Boldt Castle on Heart Island, cottages and boathouses the whole way.
-
Midway
Singer Castle and Zavikon
Singer Castle on Dark Island, then the Zavikon Islands and their famous one-span international footbridge.
-
Return
Under the bridge
Back through the channels and beneath the 1000 Islands International Bridge to the dock.
Where It Departs
The Ivy Lea dock, beside the Canadian span of the 1000 Islands International Bridge, 13 km east of Gananoque on the Thousand Islands Parkway.
- Ivy Lea dock Departure point — 10 minutes from Gananoque town
- Boldt Castle, Heart Island Passed at water level, no landing
- Singer Castle, Dark Island Passed on the outbound leg
Ivy Lea Cruise Questions
Do I really not need a passport?
Correct. The cruise stays on the water and never lands on US soil, so no passport or ID is required for anyone aboard. Only a cruise that docks at Boldt Castle needs documents; that is the 5-hour stopover. The route-by-route passport rules cover the details.
Does it stop at the castles?
No. Both Boldt Castle and Singer Castle pass at water level without a landing. Walking through a castle takes the 5-hour stopover cruise and a passport; this hour is the view-from-the-river version.
Where exactly does it leave from?
The Ivy Lea dock at 95 Ivy Lea Road, Lansdowne, beside the international bridge, about a 10-minute drive east of downtown Gananoque. It does not leave from the Gananoque town dock, and mixing the two up is the most common way to miss the sailing.
When does it run?
Daily from May through the end of October. July and August are warmest and busiest; late spring and early autumn run quieter, with fall colour on the islands from late September. Departure times for your date are on the booking calendar above.
Is it good for young children?
One of the best fits on the river: an hour matches short attention spans, the sights come continuously, and no travel documents are needed. The 1-hour Gananoque loop is the alternative short sailing, though it skips the castles.
What Passengers Said
We didn't have passports for the kids, so this was perfect — we still saw both castles and the little Zavikon bridge, and the guide's stories were great.
Lovely relaxed cruise from Ivy Lea. Singer Castle from the water is stunning. Just note it leaves from Ivy Lea and not Gananoque town.
Booked this because we couldn't do the border crossing, and it was a highlight anyway. Beautiful scenery, comfortable boat.
Quoted from GetYourGuide reviews of this listing, as published.
Page last reviewed August 2026. Price, rating and review count read from the listing on August 2026. Prices, availability and terms are set by the operator and confirmed at checkout.
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