HORNBLOWER`S HISTORY: A TIMELINE

HORNBLOWER’S HISTORY:
A TIMELINE
1980
Terry McRae and a business partner acquire Hornblower Coach Cruises. At the time,
the two-yacht company - based in Berkeley, California – boasts a 75-passenger catamaran,
called the M/V Admiral Hornblower. Hornblower’s early efforts focus mainly on
private charters.
1984
Hornblower moves its headquarters across the bay to San Francisco, California
(where it remains today).
1988
Hornblower adds new harbour tours & whale watching adventures in San Diego,
and McRae becomes the sole owner of Hornblower Yachts, Inc. Shortly thereafter,
Hornblower expands into Newport Beach.
1992
McRae rebrands the company as Hornblower Cruises & Events, to more accurately
reflect the variety of services offered.
1995
Hornblower receives the Access Award from Accessible San Diego for opening
San Diego’s doors to accessible tourism.
1997
Hornblower leaders continue to charter a path to success by adding more port cities.
The company acquires Lake Tahoe Cruises, Inc., and adds ferry service across Lake Tahoe.
Durng the 1990’s despite a national recession, Hornblower Cruises & Events posts a
10% annual revenue increase. In 1999, Hornblower is named 15th Fastest Growing Private
Company in the San Francisco Bay Area by the San Francisco Business Times. The company
adds a number of noteworthy yachts to its fleet.
2001
Hornblower’s fleet tops 30 with the addition of the 2200-passenger San Francisco Belle,
the largest dining yacht on the West Coast.
2004
Hornblower acquires Adventures at Sea and becomes the largest private yacht fleet in
Southern California.
2006
Alcatraz Cruises, a Hornblower subsidiary, wins a 10-year National Park Service concession
and begins operating exclusive tours to Alcatraz Island in California. This year also marks
the beginning of developments of hybrid propulsion systems for Hornblower’s vessels.
2007
Terry McRae is named Most Admired CEO of the Year by the San Francisco Business Times.
2008
Statue Cruises, a separate Hornblower subsidiary, won another National Park Service
concession and takes over ferry transportation to the Statue of Liberty National Monument
and Ellis Island Immigration Museum. Also in 2008, Hornblower introduces its first hybrid
vessel, the San Francisco Hornblower Hybrid. It is the first hybrid ferry in the USA.
2009
Hornblower begins operating dining cruises and river tours in California’s capital city,
historic Old Sacramento. Hornblower is named Best Boat Company by Southern California
Meetings & Events.
2010
Hornblower wins two awards from Northern California Meetings & Events: Best Green
Venue and Best Boat Cruises/Charters. Hornblower is also named Top 10 Company to
Work For by Orange County Metro Magazine.
2012
Hornblower brings its private charters and public dining excursions to the Hudson River
with the launch of Hornblower New York. Also in 2012, Hornblower wins a highly
competitive bidding process and is awarded a 30-year contract with the Niagara Parks
Commission for the operation of boat tours in the Niagara Gorge.
2014
Hornblower Niagara Cruises begins tours in the Niagara Gorge with two state-of-the-art
catamarans, Niagara Wonder and Niagara Thunder, in Niagara Falls, Canada.
PRESS CONTACT
Madalena Phillips | Senior Marketing Manager
E | m.phillips@hornblower.com
D | +1.289.219.1818
OUR ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITMENT:
RESPECT THE PL ANET
Respect Our Planet® is Hornblower’s environmental and educational management program.
Hornblower companies are working in compliance with the ISO (International Organization
of Standards) by preventing pollution, reducing waste, conserving energy, and applying
alternative energy technologies.
OUR MISSION
• Showcase environmental technology and alternative energy advancements made by
Hornblower companies.
• Educate people on how to reduce their environmental impact.
• Motivate people to take action in small or large ways
• Partner with leading organizations to provide people the opportunity to make
environmentally friendly purchasing decisions.
• Use our location and company resources to educate children on conservation and
environmental awareness.
THE GREENEST FLEET OF VESSELS
• Boats in San Francisco, Southern California, and New York have been refitted with the
most fuel-efficient Tier 2 marine engines available.
• The Alcatraz Clipper and Alcatraz Flyer use selective catalytic reduction units, which
reduce harmful emissions such as NOx, SOx and CO2, making them the greenest
diesel-powered ferryboats in the Bay Area.
• Annual fuel consumption on the Alcatraz Clipper and Alcatraz Flyer has been reduced
by 235,292 gallons, the equivalent to taking 450 cars off the
road and planting 718 acres of trees.
• The Hornblower Hybrid – the first and largest hybrid ferry - uses only six gallons of
diesel fuel per hour and is built entirely from recycled materials.
• The Hornblower Hybrid will – by itself – reduce annualdiesel consumption by 29,000
gallons – the equivalent of taking 58 cars off the road permanently.
ADDITIONAL WAYS HORNBLOWER
IS HELPING THE ENVIRONMENT
• 100% combustible packaging, made from biodegradable corn
products, in all Hornblower Food & Service centers.
• XLERATOR® Hand Dryers in all bathroom facilities, whichuse
80% less energy.
• Exclusive use of environmentally friendly cleaning products
• Robust recycling program; 70% of waste is recycled.
• Low-chemical volume processing for photos.
• Boycott of rare materials or those from sensitive regions
(ie, endangered tropical rainforests).