Diamond Jack’s Detroit Riverboat Tours | 12.02.18 Blog Entry

December 2 2018

December 2018 Newsletter

Diamond Jack's Detroit riverboat tours offer many breathtaking views of the city's skyline.

Gift Wrap a Detroit Experience. Give The Gift of Fun!

Although we are sad that our boats have migrated south for the Winter, there is a lot to look forward to in the upcoming 2019 season. We are offering some excellent discounts for you and yours this holiday season.

Our biggest discount is our Stocking Stuff Special! Get a special Holiday price when you buy tickets for your 2019 Sightseeing Tour. When you buy 4 Tickets for $18, Get 2 Free!

That means instead of buying 6 Adult tickets for $126 dollars. You can get 6 Adult tickets for $72 dollars. That’s a savings of $54 dollars!

Pricing is available from 11/16/18-12/19/18. You must call our office to receive promotion. Please mention the “Stocking Stuffer Special” and mention the special to receive this rate. Tickets will then be sent to your home from our office via postal mail. Office will be available for calls Monday through Friday 9AM-4PM. Call our office in Detroit at (313) 843-9376.

Get ready for Summer fun by spreading the holiday cheer. Get your friends or family for your favorite boat tours in Detroit.

Sightseeing Tours 2019 Schedule

Want to get a preview of what you’re going to see on the tour?

Check out this detailed list below of major sites on your tour of the Detroit River.

The 1:00 PM Wyandotte Dock tour will sail past many industrial sites, big ships headed for large-bodied waters (Great Lakes, Atlantic Ocean) as well as:

  • Wyandotte Waterfront
  • Mud Island
  • Zug Island
  • Nicholson Terminal & Dock
  • Morterm Terminal & Dock
  • LaFarge
  • Detroit Fireboat
  • J.W. Westcott II Post Office Boat
  • Historic Fort Wayne
  • Ambassador Bridge
  • Ojibway Salt Dock
  • Grassy Island
  • Marinas
  • Dieppe Park
  • Aggregate Docks
  • ADM Elevators
  • USS Ecorse
  • Fighting Island

The 3:30 PM Wyandotte Dock tour is our Bob-Lo Tour where you’ll see the remains of the Bob-lo Amusement Park, an array of private waterfront properties along with:

  • Bob-Lo Amusement Park Pavilion Building
  • Bob-Lo Island Marina Resort Community
  • Livingston Shipping Channel and Light
  • James Vernor & Charles Fisher Homes
  • Grosse Isle
  • Yacht Clubs and Marinas
  • Fort Malden Historic Site
  • Amherstburg Riverfront
  • King’s Navy Yard Park
  • Stony Island
  • 1906 Grosse Isle Lighthouse
  • Canadian Coast Guard Station
  • Canadian Shoreline and Wetlands

Our Detroit Dock tour has a beautiful view of the skyline of Detroit including spectacular views of iconic landmarks like the GM Renaissance Center and the Ambassador Bridge. Bask in these sights and more including:

  • Cullen Plaza – formerly Rivard Plaza
  • GM Renaissance Center
  • Belle Isle Bridge
  • Hart Plaza & Dodge Fountain
  • Ambassador Bridge
  • Historic Warehouse District
  • Tri-Centennial State Park & Harbor
  • Peche Island
  • Stroh River Place
  • Cobo Center
  • Joe Louis Arena
  • Kid Rock’s House
  • Detroit Boat Club
  • Detroit Yacht Club
  • J.W. Westcott II Post Office Boat
  • Downtown Windsor
  • Manoogian Mansion (Mayor’s Residence)
  • Water Works Park
  • Bayview Yacht Club
  • Detroit Fireboat “Curtis Randolph”
  • Canadian Club Plant
  • Windsor Hum
  • Historic Fort Wayne
  • Dossin Great Lakes Museum
  • Hiram Walker Distillery
  • Detroit People Mover

You might notice that each tour is a little bit different. We do this to give you the richest Detroit experience possible. Learn about the history of the buildings and Detroit itself. Every time you tour with us you have the option to get a new perspective of the city.

Our Wyandotte boat trips at 1:00 and 3:30 feature different sights depending on the departure time. So if you’re looking for a fun Wyandotte or Detroit experience, take the Sightseeing tour in 2019. Tours start on June 6th and end our season on September 1st. Let us show you Detroit in a way you haven’t seen it before. We guarantee you won’t have the same experience with us twice.

If you plan on going with a large party, make sure to go to our Discounts page and check out all of our 2019 promotions before they disappear.

Visit our website and follow us on social media to get updates on special discount coupons!

Highlights on the Tour: Renaissance Center

If you have been on a Diamond Jack’s River Tour in Detroit then the Renaissance Center will be one of the most notable sights you will view in Detroit Skyline. Built in 1977 the Renaissance Center consists of 7 different buildings all built inside one larger campus. 4 of the buildings: the RenCen Tower 100, the RenCen Tower 200, the RenCen Tower 300, the RenCen Tower 400 all surround on 4 corners the largest of the buildings, The Detroit Marriott. The other two buildings: the RenCen Tower 500 and the RenCen Tower 600 are built on the other side of Beaubian street a few hundred feet down Jefferson Avenue. The 500 and 600 towers were completed a few years after the others in 1981.

The center was originally conceived by Henry Ford II in 1970 to help revitalize Detroit and place Ford Motor Company in the heart of the city. The goal was to make the Renaissance Center “a city within a city.” Henry Ford II’s effort lobbying efforts eventually proved successful to community leaders and the Detroit alike. In 1971 construction began under principal architect, John Portman. When Phase 1 was finished in 1977 the center generated over $1 billion in economic growth for downtown Detroit over the next year.

Unlike other large buildings in Downtown Detroit the Renaissance Center is the only building that is formerly on the Detroit Riverwalk and in turn on the Detroit River. This gives viewers from the International Riverfront and Windsor the distinct impression that the Renaissance Center towers over the rest of the Detroit Skyline. However, this is not too far from the truth.

The main tower of the Renaissance Center, the Detroit Marriott is the tallest skyscraper in Detroit (727 feet.) and the second tallest skyscraper in the Western Hemisphere. In fact, the Renaissance Center dominates the Detroit skyline. The Renaissance Center has 5 out of the 8 tallest skyscrapers in Detroit’s skyline since the RenCen Towers 100-400 all have an equal height of 509 feet. In fact, the 100-400 Tower only made the cutoff to be labeled a “skyscraper” by 17 feet since “skyscrapers” is a title reserved for buildings taller than 492 feet (150 meters.)

Although it is known formally as the Renaissance Center; it was nicknamed by their current owners, General Motors, as the “GM RENCEN.” General Motors bought the building in 1996 and now uses it as their world headquarters. In that time since there have been restaurants, convenience stores and more placed inside the center for the enjoyment of visitors and employees alike. General Motors borrowed the name from the established nickname “The RenCen” that most Detroiters currently use today.

The Renaissance Center is situated near many iconic and Detroit Staples including The Cobo Center, The Spirit of Detroit, the Detroit Windsor Tunnel, Hart Plaza, The People Mover (along with its own dedicated stop) and the Detroit Riverwalk.

Ask the Captain a Question

Do you have questions for the Captain? We have answers! Submit your questions to info@diamondjack.com. Whether you’re curious about the inner-workings of a boat or have any other sailing-related inquiries, we’ll provide you with answers straight from one of our captains. Each month, we will pick 5 winners and publish those questions (with the answers) on our next newsletter during the Sightseeing Tours and on our website! The winners will receive two free tickets for a scenic cruise with Diamond Jack’s River Tours!

Charter Season 2019

20% off Your Private Charter when you pay in full by 3/1

Diamond Jack’s River Tours is grateful that we get to serve so many wonderful events this year on our Private Charters. Whether we are hosting a work event or a school field trip we love how much young and old enjoy the sights on the river. We have hosted a range of events including, but not limited to:

  • Corporate Parties
  • Family Reunions
  • Weddings
  • Birthday Parties
  • Organizational Events
  • Fraternity/ Sorority Mixers
  • Business Gatherings
  • LGBTQ Events
  • Promotional Parties
  • Churches/Religious Organizations
  • Employee/Staff Parties
  • Freshman Orientations
  • Prom Parties
  • Corporate Mixers

To encourage you to let us cater your next big party we are offering an additional 20% discount to your Charter cost if you reserve and pay before March 1st, 2019.

If you are interested in renting out a space for an event with family, friends or co-workers then our private charters are the perfect spot. We have 3 different boats that can accommodate anywhere from 70 to 225 people! We have an excellent catering menu and an available catering staff.

So why wait any longer to reserve your planned event in 2019? Call Diamond Jack’s now at (313) 843-9376 to place your reservation on our calendar so you can get your party on board.

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