News Release

Golden Gate National Recreation Area Selects Alcatraz Cruises, LLC to Provide Alcatraz Passenger Ferry and Associated Services

Alcatraz Cruise passenger ferry in the San Francisco Bay.

NPS/Greg Kimmitt

News Release Date: December 18, 2018

Contact: GGNRA Public Affairs, 415-561-4732

SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- The National Park Service (NPS) has selected Alcatraz Cruises, LLC to operate the Alcatraz passenger ferry service and associated commercial services under a new 15-year concession contract within Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA).

“We are pleased to announce that Alcatraz Cruises, LLC is the new concessioner for the Alcatraz Island ferry,” said Laura Joss, Golden Gate National Recreation Area superintendent. “The National Park Service is excited to work with Alcatraz Cruises, LLC to establish a long-term Alcatraz visitor welcome area and embarkation point and continue ferry service for the 1.5 million annual island visitors.”

Since May 8, 2006, Alcatraz Cruises, LLC has operated the most recent ferry transportation contract at GGNRA. Its parent company, Hornblower Cruises & Events, has operated in the San Francisco Bay since 1980. Under a separate NPS concession contract, the company currently provides full-service passenger ferry operations at Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration. 

“Once again, we are thrilled to be selected by the National Park Service after an intense competitive bid process to provide safe and reliable ferry transportation to Alcatraz Island. We look forward to working closely with the NPS, GGNRA, Golden Gate Parks Conservancy and the Port of San Francisco to deliver amazing visitor experiences for Alcatraz visitors,” said Terry MacRae, CEO Alcatraz Cruises, a Hornblower company.

The concessioner will operate ferry and associated services from Pier 31 ½, within the Port of San Francisco. GGNRA and Port of San Francisco worked together for several years to identify a site for long-term ferry embarkation and Alcatraz Cruises, LLC will be the first operator to use the site under this long-term agreement. The site is under a 30-year use agreement between GGNRA and the Port of San Francisco with two 10-year options for renewal. 

Over the first five years of the contract, Alcatraz Cruises, LLC will invest approximately $30.1 million in PIer 31 ½ and associated waterside infrastructure. Alcatraz Cruises, LLC will provide a variety of services to the public, including passenger ferry service to Alcatraz and Angel Island, a new Park Cruise service, charter transportation, and food and beverage service on boats. The concessioner is authorized to provide souvenir photography and charter transportation to other national park locations (as approved by NPS). 

The contract is effective May 9, 2019.

For information about Alcatraz Cruises, contact Terry MacRae at 415-983-8241. Visit them online at www.alcatrazcruises.com.