Cruising the Mighty St. Lawrence River Aboard St. Lawrence Cruise Lines’ Canadian Empress

Small Cruise Line Review: St. Lawrence Cruise Lines’ Canadian Empress

By Judi Cohen

Updated Nov 2024 (though the context of Judi cruising during the COVID pandemic in 2021 remains intact in this review, most of the ship and port details remain relevant today).

As we’ve had a moment of calm in the pandemic storm, I’ve finally been able to start traveling again. I’ve been reluctant to go far from home, so we’ve been determined to experience as much of Canada as possible on small ship cruises.

One of a handful of such cruises (which operate within driving distance of our home in Toronto) is St. Lawrence Cruise Lines, operating the Canadian Empress along the St. Lawrence River between Quebec City and Kingston, Ontario.

I had the opportunity to do a 4-night/5-day round-trip cruise with my husband Lawrence, from Kingston to Upper Canada Village and back to Kingston, to revisit an area I had not seen since childhood.

Subscribe to our monthly small ship cruise email

Subscribe to QuirkyCruise.com for monthly curated newsletters highlighting our top small cruise ship reviews, round-ups & offers!

As I cruised on St. Lawrence Cruise Lines’ Canadian Empress, memories flooded in of stopping at Gananoque and visiting Upper Canada Village with my public school and then with my parents on our way to Expo ’67 in Montreal.

The 4-night “Rediscover the River” cruise route. * Photo: Judi Cohen

Over the five days, St. Lawrence Cruise Lines’ Canadian Empress cruised north roughly 350 kilometres (218 miles) round-trip, an average of 70 kilometres per day (or roughly 45 miles).

So, here’s my story of our journey on the mighty St. Lawrence River aboard the 66-passenger Canadian Empress.

Canada’s St. Lawrence River

The St. Lawrence River is of vital geographic, hydrologic and economic importance to Canada and the United States.

It starts at Lake Ontario, connecting the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean, hence I saw many “lakers,” ships that carry cargo along the way.

We cruised through American and Canadian waters as we passed the 1000 Islands and enjoyed cruising under international bridges, including the 1000 Islands Bridge connecting Ivy Lea, Ontario to Wellesley Island, New York, and the Seaway-Skyway International Bridge connecting Prescott, Ontario to Ogdensburg, New York.

VIDEO: Cruising under the 1000 Islands Bridge, below.

And we also passed through the first lock on the St. Lawrence Seaway known as Iroquois Lock with a massive dam.

Considering the river is quite wide at some points, it was quite calm for cruising; all but when another ship passed that created soft waves.

INSIDER TIP: Be certain to turn off data roaming on your cellular phone, or make sure you have a US-Canadian package, to avoid unexpected charges as you are cruising on different sides of the border.

St. Lawrence Cruise Lines’ M/V Canadian Empress

Built in 1981, the 66-passenger M/V Canadian Empress has three passenger decks accessed by stairs in the centre of the ship, and no elevator.

There are a total of 32 cabins on two decks, all with opening windows.

St. Lawrence Deck has 24 cabins, 20 of which have twin beds, sink, toilet and shower, and four cabins are larger. Two cabins can accommodate three passengers.

Canadian Empress also has a small gift shop on this deck.

Ottawa Deck has eight slightly larger cabins, the Grand Saloon lounge and dining room, small library, plus forward and after outdoor seating areas. At sunset, protective screens were added around the aft lounge area to keep the mosquitos at bay. Fortunately, there were fewer mosquitos than I expected and we got no bites.

The screened-in Aft Lounge. * Photo: Judi Cohen

Over the past four years renovations to the ship were undertaken including replacement of all the windows as well as a complete overhaul of the Grand Saloon that I loved with its fresh look and feel and bright white finishes.

Cabin upgrades included mirrored cabinets over the sink in each cabin providing ample storage space for toiletries and small items, as well as two large wood drawers under each bed.

While our cabin was compact (unlike cabins on larger cruise ships), it was well-designed with shelving and hooks above the beds as well drawers under the beds.

Everything I brought was neatly organized during our cruise.

The attractive interior of the Canadian Empress. * Photo: Judi Cohen

The Sun Deck, with plenty of deck chairs and loungers, was our favourite place to relax and watch the scenery as we cruised. The shuffleboard was well-used by many guests including me! An after-dinner challenge with wine in hand was always fun.

With no sun-protection, the best time to enjoy the Sun Deck was early morning or late afternoon.

Judi on deck enjoying the ride! * Photo: Lawrence Cohen

What’s Included on a St. Lawrence Cruise Lines’ Canadian Empress?

The price of the cruise includes:

• house wines, domestic beer & soft beverages with lunch and dinner
• all admission fees & guides, including gratuities

Premium wines and mixed alcoholic drinks were available at a nominal charge.

Tipping of ship staff was optional and an envelope was provided in our room. A guideline of $10-15 per day per guest was suggested.

Fellow Passengers

All 24 passengers on our sailing were Canadian, the majority from Ontario with four passengers from western Canada. (For 2021, Canadian regulations limited the number of passengers to 50.)

St. Lawrence Cruise Lines will evaluate if they can return to 66 passengers next year based on directives from Transport Canada and provincial health authorities.

The ship had a quirky old school vibe that felt warm and welcoming.

The folks on board. * Photo: Judi Cohen

While Americans typically comprise more than 50 percent of passengers, the border restrictions in place between Canada and the United States prevented Americans from traveling to Canada

I read that the ship clientele was typically retirees, however, it was nice to see a mix of guests ranging in age from their mid-40’s to 95, and all guests were mobile and active.

The cruise line makes it very clear that it is necessary to be able to climb three flights of stairs without an elevator.

We all shared a passion for casual adventure travel. Most passengers were well-travelled in Canada and abroad, so we shared lots of stories about our travel memories and our dreams for the future.

Daily Routine aboard St. Lawrence Cruise Lines’ Canadian Empress

Our charming Cruise Director Trevor provided a daily briefing note that was slipped under our cabin door each evening. He spoke to us at every meal about our upcoming adventures.

Our cheerful Cruise Director Trevor. * Photo: Judi Cohen

Breakfast was served from 7:00am until 9:00am daily, lunch at 12:30 and dinner was at 6:30pm. When the ship is at capacity, there are two sittings for dinner at 5:30pm and 7:15pm. (During the Pandemic years, we were required to wear masks while moving around the indoor public areas of the ship.)

Once seated in the Grand Saloon for meals and entertainment masks were not required, nor were they necessary on the Sun Deck.

While we were off the ship for most of the day on morning and afternoon excursions, evening entertainment was provided three nights of our cruise, and we played shuffleboard and enjoyed drinks on the top deck the other nights.

Throughout the cruise, passengers participated in a trivia contest with prizes on the last day. The competition was pretty intense. I was disappointed about not winning anything at trivia!

Dining on St. Lawrence Cruise Lines’ Canadian Empress

All meals were served in the Grand Saloon, adjacent to the lounge and galley.

All meals were served in the Grand Saloon. * Photo; Judi Cohen

The Grand Saloon was sun-filled with its panoramic windows during daytime. In the evening, it transformed into a more formal atmosphere with tablecloths and candles (battery powered) on the tables.

Guests were very casual, even for dinner, sporting shorts, polos and jeans.

On the last night a few guests dressed up a little. I even got dolled up in a printed silk top and white pants.

Judi all dolled up on the last evening of the cruise. * Photo: Lawrence Cohen

At breakfast, we were offered a choice of fruit and juice followed by the feature dish of eggs, pancakes, omelettes, bacon, and toast.

A hearty breakfast! * Photo: Judi Cohen

Every meal had fresh-baked bread and buns with butter.

Lunches typically included soups, salads and a sandwich or quiche with a dessert choice daily.

We were asked at lunch what our preference for dinner was from two options, and it was quite acceptable to ask for both, as we did a couple of nights.

Dinners included delicious comfort food such as tender roast prime rib of beef with horseradish, Duck a l’orange, salmon and sirloin steak, and even turkey dinner with all the trimmings.

Roast prime rib of beef for dinner! * Photo: Judi Cohen

Turkey with all the fixins! * Photo: Judi Cohen

Pumpkin pie for dessert was a big hit.

I liked all the food choices, but I admit I looked forward to dessert the most at lunch and dinner.

Desserts were a highlight. * Photo: Judi Cohen

Stops & Excursions

Day 1 — Kingston

It was a short 2.5-hour drive from Toronto, where I live, to Kingston. We arrived at the Crawford Dock just in time to board St. Lawrence Cruise Lines’ Canadian Empress at 4:30pm.

Under a tent on the dock, all passengers provided proof of full vaccination and a negative COVID-19 test result within the last 72 hours. Passengers could also be tested on the dock using a rapid test by cruise staff.

All crew and passengers were fully vaccinated.

I noticed our bags being misted with Clorox before they were taken onto the ship.

We were welcomed aboard by the captain, and then taken to Cabin 18 on the St. Lawrence Deck. With our bags on the floor, we had to walk in one at a time!  We were told how to use our wall speaker, the heating and air conditioning system, and most importantly how to use the toilet.

Judi’s twin-bedded cabin, #18, on the St. Lawrence Deck. * Photo: Judi Cohen

The toilet had a foot pedal that we were instructed to push up to fill the toilet with water and to push down to flush.

VIDEO: Judi shows us around her cabin.

INSIDER TIP: Always use the pedals correctly, making certain everything in the toilet goes all the way down to avoid a foul smell in the cabin. If you’re not sure how to work the pedals, ask the crew. Fortunately, our ship smelled fresh at all times.

At first, we were concerned that the room was too small (and it was small!), however, once we unpacked and organized everything in the upper cubby shelving, in four large under-bed drawers, a rack with hangers, and on the many hooks around the cabin, everything found its place.

The lighted vanity mirror opened and a large inside cabinet accommodated all of our toiletries. Voila!

Before we knew it, we were leaving Kingston. The sunset view of Kingston City Hall, Royal Military College, and the old CP rail car disappeared as we cruised towards the 1000 Islands.

Following dinner, I played shuffleboard with some of the other guests. And then Lawrence and I settled back in lounge chairs under a million stars as we cruised along the St. Lawrence River among the islands.

A guest asked Lawrence if he’d liked to be called Larry. He replied, “Do you call the St. Lawrence River the St. Larry River?”

Overnight, while we were anchored offshore, it became quite windy with seasonal thunderstorms, prompting the captain to weigh anchor and move the ship to the dock in Gananoque.

Luckily, I didn’t feel or hear anything since I slept so soundly in the cabin.

Day 2 — Gananoque, Thousand Islands & Brockville

When we awoke the storm had passed and the sun shone brightly. We left Gananoque port for a leisurely cruise through the western part of the 1000 Islands through Wanderer’s Channel. We returned through the Admiralty Group of Islands to the port for our first shore excursion.

Following a hearty breakfast of a cheese omelette, toast and coffee, we left on two excursions, one to the 1000 Islands Heritage Museum and the other to the 1000 Islands Boat Museum. Both were located steps away from where we docked.

This was the first day of attractions re-opening in Ontario and staff at the museums were struggling to get organized with the new protocols. Despite this, I donned my mask to enter both museums and learned about the history of boatbuilding in the area and about the Gananoque Canoe Club.

Two interesting people were at the Canoe Club when we were visiting. One was an engineer who designed the Canadian Empress, and the other was the builder of a birchbark canoe traveling across Canada as part of the Courage Canoe Project. Cool!

We returned to the ship and were cruising by 11:30am.

Passing the cottages & homes of the 1000 Islands. * Photo: Judi Cohen

We crossed over to the USA side of the river and sailed down “Millionaires’ Row” with its-over-the-top summer cottages and the Boldt Castle from the bygone days of the rich and famous.

Boldt Castle. * Photo: Judi Cohen

We also passed the large and ornate Singer Castle, built by the founder of Singer Sewing Machines as we continued through the 1000 Islands.

VIDEO: Cruising by Boldt Castle, below.

(There are actually 1,870 islands by the way, stretching fifty miles between Kingston and Brockville.)

The captain announced that we were about to pass the smallest international bridge in the world, at just 32 feet in length. Smack dab in the middle of Saint Lawrence River, the mini bridge connects tiny Zavikon Island’s two parts — a house on a tiny island in Canada connecting with the backyard on a separate tiny island in the USA.

Following a short game of shuffle board it was time for lunch, where we were treated to an authentic fisherman’s feast of perch with a hearty vegetable soup and fresh-baked bread to start.

Once the heat and humidity, around 85 degrees, abated a bit, we walked along the lively river front passing through a park featuring an old war plane statue and a giant Muskoka chair towards the Brockville Railroad Tunnel, constructed between 1854 and 1860.

VIDEO: Walking through the old Brockville Railroad Tunnel on our St. Lawrence Cruise Lines’ Canadian Empress cruise.

The cool air and the wet floors inside one of the first rail tunnels built in Canada were a welcome relief from the 90-degree heat.

I was mesmerized by the ever-changing colours and lights along the 15-minute journey to the other end. The lighting was added as part of an economic develop to draw tourists to Brockville.

Lawrence and I then walked along Brockville’s main street from one end to other enjoying the colourful hanging flower baskets and window shopping along the way. Unfortunately, many of the shops were still closed due to the provincial restrictions.

We returned to the ship walking past graceful tall ships turning in the dock area and watching Canada geese swimming around all the small boats at the docks. We had just enough time for some wine before sitting down for our dinner of Duck al’ Orange, with vanilla ice cream and Bing cherries for dessert.

Later in the evening, a magician kept us entertained and curious in the Grand Saloon for over an hour. He mostly performed card tricks and gave us each our own cards to try the tricks out ourselves at the end of the show.

Magic show one evening. * Photo: Judi Cohen

Day 3 — Prescott, 1000 Islands & Morrisburg

It was another hot overcast morning as we left Brockville on our way to Morrisburg with a stop in the town of Prescott.

We passed a group of three small islands with partially constructed bridge peers. The captain told us that construction was abandoned because one of the very wealthy homeowners successfully opposed the building of the bridge.

The islands are now inhabited by large trees and cormorants that have stripped away all the foliage from the trees.

By the time we finished our hearty breakfast of Eggs Benedict with coffee and a grapefruit, we boarded a “yellow limousine” aka school bus headed to historic Fort Wellington, built in 1839, which played a major role in the protection of Canada against the Americans.

Due to COVID restrictions (in 2021), we were unable to enter the largest blockhouse, a reinforced fort, in Canada accommodating 120 to 130 soldiers and their families. Still, from the outside, it was easy to imagine life in the fort at that time and the strategic significance of its location and construction.

We had two outstanding passionate guides, Cassie, a 6’3” female basketball player, and Katie who was dressed in a Canadian Rifle Regiment uniform from around 1843.

They each shared stories and interesting information about Fort Wellington and Katie demonstrated marching and shooting her Brunswick Percussion Rifle drawing cheers from all the passengers!

A Fort Wellington guide in period garb. * Photo: Judi Cohen

With everyone back on board, the cruise continued down river, past the Ogdensburg-Prescott International Bridge. Then we passed through a narrow cottage-lined passage to Iroquois Lock, with the smallest lift/drop of all the locks in the St. Lawrence Seaway.

The lock and the impressively large dam beside it play a major role in the entire St. Lawrence Seaway.

We eventually docked in Morrisburg and walked along the waterfront with stately homes and friendly cottagers waving as we strolled by.

Dinner and a talented folk musician performing in the Grand Saloon brought our day to a close.

Day 4 — Upper Canada Village & Ivy Lea

We took a short bus ride to my favourite stop on this cruise — Upper Canada Village. Construction of the village began in 1958 as part of the St. Lawrence Seaway project, which required the permanent flooding of 10 communities in the area. Many of the buildings were relocated from the villages that were submerged and lost when the Seaway was opened.

As we walked along the dusty streets, it was easy to imagine English Canadian rural life as it was in mid 1800s with working horses, carriages, bakeries, mills and a printing shop.

VIDEO: Judi gives us a peek at the quaint Upper Canada Village, below.

The guides and staff were all dressed in period-era clothing and even spoke as if they were living in the 1800’s.

A step back in time at Upper Canada Village. * Photo: Judi Cohen

I learned that cheddar cheese from Canada was dyed orange so that when it was shipped to Britain everyone knew it was produced in Canada, and this practice has continued since.

I could have easily spent more time here!

Judi enjoying Upper Canada Village. * Photo: Lawrence Cohen

We docked at Ivy Lea, a small sleepy town, for our last night. A lively bar and restaurant, and a handful of small houses made a wonderful backdrop for the pink and red sunset that evening.

Our bartender, Paige, served me up an Empress Tonic, the ship’s signature drink made with Blue Empress 1908 gin, St. Germain liquor and Fever Tree Premium Elderberry Tonic Water.  YUM!!

Premium wines & mixed alcoholic drinks are available at a nominal charge. * Photo: Judi Cohen

Following dinner there was live entertainment by a singer and a guitarist performing favourites by Dean Martin, Tony Bennett and other crooner hits in the Grand Saloon.

Some of the guests danced near their own tables while others swayed to the music in their chairs.

We enjoyed the show from the screened porch area before moving up to top deck for some stargazing before bed.

Day 5 — 1000 Islands Sky Tower, Canadian Channel & Kingston

I woke up early and went up to the Sun Deck to watch the sunrise at this quiet picturesque dock in the small town of Ivy Lea. Following a breakfast of eggs any style, Canadian bacon and hash browns we again boarded our “yellow limousine” for a short drive to the 1000 Islands Tower (130 metres tall) at the Ivy Lea/Alexandria Bay border on Hill Island, Canada, between New York State and Ontario.

Once a busy border crossing between Canada and the USA, the 1000 Islands Tower used to get 100,000 visitors a year. These days, the bridges and roads were now devoid of cars, and only a few trucks were moving towards the border.

We rode an elevator to the top of the Tower, built in 1965, and enjoyed a view of the islands with great view of the Ivy Lea Bridge that opened to traffic in 1938, with panoramic views of Canada and the USA.

Judi & Lawrence on top of the 1000 Islands Tower. * Photo: a new friend

In the Tower gift shop, I found the old carnival characters that had been preserved quite intriguing and a true throwback to a bygone era. They reminded us of when 45 years ago, my husband and I worked as “carneys” (carnival operators) at the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto.

One of the Carnival characters from the old days. * Photo: Judi Cohen

Back to Kingston

As we sailed back to Kingston, we saw the manicured river front homes and cottages with fluttering flags and motor boats rocking in the wake of our ship.

Reflecting on how fortunate we were to be able to cruise in Canada, on a small ship with very few guests, at this time, I paused for a moment of silence and gratitude.

The beauty of the 1000 Islands coupled with the historical significance of the St. Lawrence River and Seaway were suddenly overwhelming.

At our last lunch aboard, Cruise Director Trevor led the closing ceremonies. Contest winners were announced and to my surprise I was given a prize for the ‘Most Curious Passenger!”

I was presented with a “Field Guide to Boats and Boat-watching on the Great Lakes & St. Lawrence Seaway” and a banner of St. Lawrence Cruise Lines’ Canadian Empress. I’ve used the book to find the pedigree of each giant laker I had seen along the way.

Upon arrival, we bid farewell to the crew and snapped some final pictures with some other guests. We agreed that we could easily have stayed for a few more days.

Judi & gang on deck. * Photo: Lawrence Cohen

As I waited for Lawrence to bring the car over and load our bags, I had the opportunity to meet the owner, Jason Clark, of St. Lawrence Cruise Lines on the Crawford Dock.

With the company’s 45th anniversary on the horizon, Jason recalled being 11 years of age back in 1981 when the ship was launched by his uncle and father who ran the company until 2016 when Jason became the proud owner and president of St. Lawrence Cruise Lines.

VIDEO: Judi talks with SLCL owner Jason Clark, below.

My Final Thoughts of St. Lawrence Cruise Lines’ Canadian Empress

I was proud to be a Canadian traveling on the Canadian Empress, and it felt like immersing myself in the history and beauty of the St. Lawrence River is something I should have done long ago.

Truly, I will no doubt return again and again to this region to enjoy the warm people, culture, food and genuine hospitality both on the ship and in the places we visited.

It would be fun to continue to explore my own backyard and cruise with St. Lawrence Cruise Lines along some other Canadian waterways including the Ottawa River and the St. Lawrence Seaway up to Montreal.

Until next time …

Don’t miss a post about small-ship cruising, subscribe to QuirkyCruise.com for monthly updates & special offers!  

© This article is protected by copyright, no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission from the author. All Rights Reserved. QuirkyCruise.com.