{"id":1082,"date":"2026-04-17T15:08:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-17T15:08:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chicagoboatcompany.com\/blog\/?p=1082"},"modified":"2026-04-17T15:08:01","modified_gmt":"2026-04-17T15:08:01","slug":"cheers-to-15-years-celebrating-chicago-boat-company","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chicagoboatcompany.com\/blog\/cheers-to-15-years-celebrating-chicago-boat-company\/","title":{"rendered":"Cheers to 15 Years: Celebrating Chicago Boat Company"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

On April 15, 2026, Chicago Boat Company officially kicks off its summer season at Marina City\u2014and this year, it\u2019s more than just Opening Day. It marks 15 years of cruising the Chicago River, celebrating a journey that started with just a couple of boats and a big idea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n\n\n\n

From 4 Boats to 45<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Back in 2012, Chicago Boat Company began with just 4 boats and 700 reservations for the entire season. Fast forward to today, and we\u2019ve grown to a fleet of 45 boats across five locations, welcoming over 10,000 reservations in a single season.<\/p>\n

What hasn\u2019t changed? The mission. From day one, it\u2019s been about creating a fun, accessible way for both Chicagoans and visitors to experience the city from the water\u2014no boating experience required.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n\n\n\n

\n
\n \n \n <\/svg>\n\n <\/div>\n\n
\n
\n \n \n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n
\n \n \n <\/svg>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n

A Front-Row Seat to a Changing River<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Over the past 15 years, the Chicago River has transformed\u2014and we\u2019ve had a front-row seat. The development of the Riverwalk has completely reshaped the waterfront, bringing new energy, restaurants, and life to the river. It\u2019s also cleaner, busier, and more vibrant than ever, with more recreational boaters and visitors exploring it each year.<\/p>\n

In 2012, our boats cruised an estimated 23,000 miles. By 2025, that number had grown to 350,000 miles\u2014a reflection of just how much the river (and our community) has grown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Boats That Keep Chicago Cruising<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Among our fleet, the City Winery Retro Boats have become a fan favorite. These vintage-inspired electric boats offer a one-of-a-kind cruising experience right from the Riverwalk\u2014and they stay busy. Each retro boat heads out around 500 times per season, making them one of the most popular ways to get on the water.<\/p>\n

Whether it\u2019s a laid-back afternoon cruise, a BYOB Cycleboat outing, or a cozy ride in a Heated Duffy during colder months, Chicago Boat Company has continued to expand experiences for every kind of boater.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Celebrations on the Water<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Over the years, our boats have been the backdrop for thousands of unforgettable moments\u2014from birthdays and corporate outings to family reunions and date nights.<\/p>\n

And yes, even love stories.<\/p>\n

Since 2012, there have been an estimated 185 marriage proposals on board (with only one \u201cno\u201d\u2014we\u2019re still thinking about that one).<\/p>\n

Our busiest day on record? July 5, 2025, with 130 reservations in a single day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Powered by People<\/h3>\n

Growth like this doesn\u2019t happen without an incredible team. From 13 crew members in 2012 to over 60 seasonal crew and 11 full-time staff today, Chicago Boat Company has employed more than 430 people over the years\u2014each playing a role in creating memorable experiences on the water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Welcoming Chicago\u2014and the World<\/strong><\/h3>\n

While many of our guests come from the Chicagoland area, we\u2019ve had the pleasure of hosting visitors from all 50 states and countries around the world, including Canada, Mexico, the UK, and France.<\/p>\n

No matter where you\u2019re from, there\u2019s something special about seeing Chicago from the river.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s to the Next Chapter<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Fifteen years ago, this all started with a simple idea: give people a new way to experience Chicago. Today, that idea has grown into something much bigger\u2014but at its core, it\u2019s still the same.<\/p>\n

As we celebrate this milestone and kick off the 2026 season, we want to say thank you\u2014to everyone who has cruised with us, celebrated with us, and made Chicago Boat Company part of their story.<\/p>\n

Cheers to 15 years.
\nWe can\u2019t wait to see you back on the water. \ud83d\udea4<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1090,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[193,191,192,190,26,4,31,5,6,10,65],"class_list":["post-1082","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-15-years","tag-191","tag-anniversary","tag-before-the-riverwalk","tag-boats","tag-chicago","tag-chicago-river","tag-chicago-riverwalk","tag-chicago-summer","tag-chicagoland","tag-duffy-boats"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chicagoboatcompany.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1082","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chicagoboatcompany.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chicagoboatcompany.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chicagoboatcompany.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chicagoboatcompany.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1082"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/chicagoboatcompany.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1082\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1101,"href":"https:\/\/chicagoboatcompany.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1082\/revisions\/1101"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chicagoboatcompany.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1090"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chicagoboatcompany.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1082"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chicagoboatcompany.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1082"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chicagoboatcompany.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1082"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}