Former Blount Ships Find New Homes

Grand Mariner

The former Blount Small Ship Adventure ships have found new homes after spending nearly five years sitting in limbo.

Out of service since early 2020, the Grande Mariner and the Grande Caribe have found new opportunities.

Originally built for coastal service in the United States and the Caribbean, the 88-guest sister vessels are now operating outside the overnight cruise market.

The Grande Mariner is in Manhattan with NYC Water Cruises and is now operating dinner cruises and sightseeing tours.

According to its new operators, the 1998-built vessel can accommodate up to 575 passengers for day cruises and offers a 9,000-square-foot entertainment area.

The Grande Mariner is also available for full ship charters and is ideal for weddings, according to NYC Water Cruise.

The vessel’s schedule is highlighted by one-and-a-half to five-hour tours to landmarks in the Big Apple, including the Statue of Liberty, New York Harbor and the Hudson River.

After leaving the U.S. East Coast earlier this year, the Grande Caribe is currently serving as a floating hotel at Norwegian Cruise Line’s Great Stirrup Cay.

The 1997-built ship is believed to be serving as workforce accommodation for teams working on the private island’s enhancement project.

The Grande Mariner and the Grande Caribe were put up for sale in early 2020 when Blount decided to shut down its cruise business.

Built at Blount Boats, the U.S.-flagged vessels offered itineraries to the Great Lakes, New England, the Chesapeake Bay, the Intracoastal Waterway and the Hudson River, as well as the Bahamas before being withdrawn from service.

The American-built ships were designed to reach bodies of water and destinations that cannot be accessed by larger vessels, with project highlights including a retractable bridge, a shallow draft and a bow ramp for beach landings.

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