Hornblower Cruises & Events

Since Hornblower Founder and CEO Terry MacRae purchased a small charter yacht business in 1980, the California-based company has focused on one mission: delivering premier, high-quality dining, entertainment and cruise experiences. Today, the company cruises from seven California port cities and New York City. It also operates two National Park Service concessions and will begin service at the Niagara Falls Gorge in 2014. Guests choose Hornblower for vacations, weddings, corporate outings, galas and more. Terry MacRae and a business partner acquired Hornblower Coach Tours in 1980. At the time, the two-yacht company was based in Berkeley, Calif., and its assets included a 75-passenger catamaran called the M/V Admiral Hornblower. Hornblowers early efforts focused on private group charters, but the company also committed to future growth by signing a long-term facility lease in the Berkeley Marina. In 1984, Hornblower moved its headquarters across the bay to San Francisco. Four years later, the company added new harbor tours and whale watching adventures in San Diego. MacRae became the sole owner of Hornblower Yachts, Inc., in 1992, and he rebranded the company as Hornblower Cruises & Events to more accurately reflect the variety of products and services offered. He also continued enhancing the charter and dining cruises available to Hornblower guests. The company bucked a nationwide recession to post a 10 percent annual revenue increase during the early 1990s. As MacRae and his team grew the business, several highlights distinguished Hornblower from its competition. The company added a number of noteworthy yachts to its fleet, including the elegant M/V Wild Goose in 1995. Actor John Wayne used the restored 1942 minesweeper as his private getaway for years, and Hornblower continues to operate the historic yacht in Newport Beach. The companys fleet topped 30 vessels in 2001, with the addition of the 2,200-passenger San Francisco Belle. It remains the largest dining yacht on the West Coast. Since then, the company has introduced the nations first hybrid ferry, Hornblower Hybrid, as well as Hornblower Infinity, a 1,000-passenger gem with private event spaces and an open-air deck set 65 feet off the water.