Our boats are tucked away for the winter, but the best Ottawa experience gift you can give this holiday season is already waiting on the river: 90 minutes aboard a floating tiki bar next summer. Nobody needs another candle or another mug. A cruise on Moana or Lilo is something to look forward to all winter long, and it turns into a real day out with the people they love.
Things get used up, stored or re-gifted. Experiences get talked about. A Palapa cruise is the kind of gift people screenshot, plan around and bring friends to: island music, a thatched palapa roof overhead, a licensed bar on board and Ottawa’s skyline sliding by from the water.
It also solves the classic gifting problem of “what do you get someone who has everything?” They don’t have a summer afternoon on the Ottawa River with their best friends booked yet. You can fix that. Here’s how Palapa gift cards work, who they’re perfect for, and a few tips so the person you’re spoiling gets the most out of it.
Two kinds of Palapa gift cards
Our booking system offers two options, so you can keep it flexible or make it a surprise with a date already locked in:
- A monetary gift card. Pick an amount and they put it toward tickets whenever they like. Any leftover balance can be spent at the bar on board, so nothing goes to waste.
- A gift card for a specific cruise on a specific date. Perfect if you already know the plan: a birthday weekend, an anniversary or a summer reunion.
Both are bought online in a couple of minutes, which makes them a great last-minute gift too. You can buy a Palapa gift card here.
How much should you put on the card?
A few reference points from our current price grid (all prices in CAD) to help you choose an amount:
- $55 per person for our best-value sailings: 11 AM and 1 PM, Sunday to Thursday.
- $65 per person for 3 PM and 5 PM, Sunday to Thursday.
- $70 per person for evening cruises at 7 PM and 9 PM, Sunday to Thursday.
- $80 per person on weekends (Friday from 5 PM and all day Saturday).
- The whole boat for up to 12 guests costs the same as 10 tickets, starting at $550.
So a gift for two on a weekday afternoon starts at $110, and a weekend evening for two is $160. Going big for a milestone birthday or a team thank-you? A private charter gives them the entire boat for their crew. Our full price grid lives on the home page, and live times show up when they book.
Who it’s perfect for
- Couples: a golden-hour evening cruise makes an easy anniversary or date-night gift. See our date night and anniversaries page for ideas.
- The birthday person who’s hard to shop for: pair a gift card with an invite for their friends and you’ve planned their summer party for them. More on birthday cruises in Ottawa.
- Your team or best clients: a charter is a thank-you people actually remember.
- Parents and grandparents: comfy seats, shade under the palapa roof and the views come to you.
- Families: daytime sailings welcome all ages, and lifejackets are on board for every guest.
Tips for the lucky recipient
Tuck a little note in with the card so they know what they’re in for:
- Season: we cruise from mid-May to mid-October, with departures from 11 AM to 9 PM.
- Book early for Saturdays. They’re our busiest day and they sell out. Sundays offer the same cruise with more elbow room.
- Check the age rules. Daytime sailings welcome all ages; the 7 PM cruise has no children under 12; the 9 PM cruise is 19+.
- Pick a dock. When booking, they’ll choose the Canal Locks (our main dock at 1 Canal Lane), the Canadian Museum of History or The Wharf. Arrive 10 to 15 minutes early.
- Bring snacks, not drinks. Guests are welcome to bring their own food, cake included. Drinks are available from our licensed bar, as outside drinks aren’t permitted.
- Rain or shine. The Palapa boats are covered. If the captain cancels for wind, chop or storms, guests get a reschedule or a credit with no rebooking fee.
Bonus: every guest takes home a souvenir cup, so the gift keeps on giving long after the cruise. Got more questions? Our FAQ covers docks, parking, weather and everything else.
Give the gift of island time
Ottawa winters are long. A Palapa gift card is a promise of warm evenings, cold drinks and the river glowing at sunset. Grab one in a couple of minutes, slip it into a card, and let them count down to summer.
Already know your date? Head to our booking page to see live times and grab your seats.
