Welcome Back Diamond Jack Family!
We had a great start to the season in May. Thank you everyone for turning out for a sightseeing tour on the Detroit River! We are so grateful for our loyal fans and customers for making our start to the 2021 season so great.
June is here and so is summer! Hot days in Michigan are best spent on the water, so come on down to the Detroit Riverfront and hop on a Diamond Jack boat! As COVID-19 restrictions ease throughout Michigan, we are able to host more people on our tours.
June Tours Update
We kicked off the year earlier than ever before in May to great success! June is only getting better. We are now offering our 1-hour sightseeing tours on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays through Labor Day!
Regular season ticket prices come into effect starting this month. Tickets for our tours cost $18 for adults, $13 for seniors 60+, $10 for children 6-12 and $5 for kids 5 and under. If you’re looking for a fun day out seeing some of Detroit’s most famous sites, come on down to The Cullen Plaza Dock in Detroit and sail with us!
Once again, this year we’ve made the tough decision to not use the Wyandotte dock for sightseeing tours. We decided it was the best decision due to government capacity limitations and staffing issues.
As a consequence of Canada government restrictions, our tour route has slightly changed. Since the U.S.-Canada border is still closed, we’ve had to adjust accordingly. We will still depart from the Cullen Plaza dock but need to remain out of Canadian water, so we will not travel around Belle Isle or under the Ambassador Bridge. You will never need your passport, however, to enjoy a Diamond Jack River Tour!
Detroit River Sightseeing Tours
Since June 3, we are offering tours departing from the Cullen (Rivard) Plaza at 1340 Atwater Street, Detroit, MI, every Thursday through Sunday at 1 p.m., 2;30 p.m., 4 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. This year, our season will go through Labor Day.
Remember, we don’t take reservations for our sightseeing tours, just pay right on board the boat as your board. We suggest you arrive early, find parking, and make your way to the dock at least 30 minutes before the tour is scheduled to leave to get a place in line. Don’t worry! We rarely turn people away, and the next tour is in just 90 minutes.
Parking for Sightseeing Tours
Parking can be tricky in downtown Detroit. For Diamond Jack’s Sightseeing Tours, though, luckily you have a few options!
While there is always free parking on Atwater Street and surrounding streets, our guest’s most popular parking option is a surface lot at Atwater Street and Rivard Street, which is part of the Detroit RiverWalk and it is FREE, but since it is free it’s not always available.
Garage parking is available at the Beaubien Place Garage on Atwater and Beaubien, as well as in the Port Atwater Parking Structure, which has entrances on Beaubien and St. Antoine. These parking options are paid, however. Rates are dependent on the day you are parking.
We suggest giving yourself at least 30 minutes to find parking and walk to the Cullen Plaza Dock before your tour leaves. That way, you’ll arrive with plenty of time to spare before the boat leaves.
Private Boat Charters
As always, our private charters are available all summer from Detroit. If you need a one-of-a-kind venue for your event, sail with Diamond Jack! You get fantastic access to the Detroit River on one of our beautiful boats.
Sunset on the Detroit River
We’ve hosted many events in the past – family reunions, office parties, charity events, and more, so we know how to meet your needs, including an extensive catering menu. Make your special event one to remember with Diamond Jack.
If you have any questions or to book now, call us at (313) 843-9376. We’ll answer your questions as quickly as possible.
Featured Tour Site: Renaissance Center
Each month in this newsletter, we’re going to highlight some of our favorite sites seen on our river tours. This month, we’re highlighting the GM Renaissance Center.
The highlight of Detroit’s skyline is the “RenCen,” which is actually a group of seven connected skyscrapers. Owned by General Motors, the auto giant’s headquarters are located in the buildings.
The central tower of the building is the Detroit Marriott, which is the second tallest all-hotel skyscraper in the entire Western Hemisphere! It is the tallest building in Michigan.
The rest of the towers house a shopping center, restaurants, brokers, banks, and more. First opened in 1977, the RenCen’s construction brought renewed interest and attention to city architecture in Detroit, and was the brainchild of Ford Motor Land Development Corp.
To this day, the RenCen has been renovated and expanded, and totals over 5 million square feet, making it one of the world’s largest commercial complexes.
The RenCen is located directly on the Detroit Riverfront, and opens up directly onto the GM Plaza Promenade and the Riverwalk, where visitors can relax and hang out on sunny summer days in downtown Detroit.
Ask the Captain a Question
Question: What do you enjoy most about your job?
Answer:The most enjoyable part of our jobs as Captains on the vessels is meeting all the nice people and different people. We have met everyone from brides and grooms to movie stars.
Question: Do you prefer to sail during the day or night? Why?
Answer: As far as sailing day or night, not much preference, you see a little more action on the waters during the day hours. At night, it’s more about looking for the various lights of other boats and the lit up navigational aids.
Have a question for the Captain? Submit it here!
Jack’s Happenings
As we head into July full steam ahead, the Diamond Jack crew are preparing for the Independence Day holiday!
Diamond Jack will be open and operating on Sunday, July 4th. Our tours will leave at the normal times: 1 p.m., 2:30 p.m., 4 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Be sure to head to the dock early to make sure you get a spot on the boat!
There will be no fireworks to enjoy on July 4th this year, but that doesn’t mean that celebrating the 4th of July on the water will be any less fun! Sail with Diamond Jack and make this year’s Independence Day one to remember.
If you have any questions about our tours, or to book a private charter, call us at (313) 843-9376.
All aboard Diamond Jack’s River Tours!