Princess to host hospitality cruise Tuesday
Hospitality employees take notice. It’s time to prime up for ‘season’ and forget those recent slow summer months aboard one of the newest boating sensations to dock on Fort Myers Beach.
Next Tuesday (Jan. 11), Capt. Gene Becker and members of his staff invite interested qualifiers to experience an “entertaining and relaxing evening” aboard The Fort Myers Princess, when they honor the hard-working service industry folks with an inexpensive Hospitality Cruise from 6 to 9 p.m. The cruise will be offered monthly.
For $5 per person (if booked online at www.fortmyersprincess.com) or $10 per person (the day of the event), hospitality industry employees (including restaurant, hotel, bar, service staff) can enjoy a one-hour dockside party and a two-hour cruise aboard what trip advisor rates as the fourth best attraction on Fort Myers Beach.
“The first one we did in November was very successful,” said Capt. Becker, who stated the December cruise was cancelled due to 40-degree windy weather.
From 6 to 7 p.m., the party is dockside on The Fort Myers Princess at 645 Old San Carlos Blvd. (under the Matanzas “Sky” bridge behind Nervous Nellie’s at Snug Harbor Marina) before moving into the Back Bay and the Gulf for sailing from 7 to 9 p.m. DJ Mikey from Lani Kai Island Resort will be entertaining guests throughout the night.
There will be dancing under the stars, drink specials from a full service bar and socializing with other hospitality industry employees. Proof of industry employment may be required. You must be 21 years old to climb aboard.
“We usually give everybody about an hour to arrive at the dock to deal with parking and prevent rushing,” said Capt. Becker. “The bar will be open, and music will be playing. We will be cruising the lower part of San Carlos Bay. We do a circle around where the shrimp boats are and proceed back underneath the sky bridge. Then, we go out into Matanzas Pass and head over towards Sanibel Lighthouse.”
The Fort Myers Princess is a modern 75-foot double-deck tour boat with a large open deck with overhead enclosure. The vessel is USCG Certified to carry up to 149 passengers, which features seats for up to 70 passengers in the enclosed climate-controlled lower deck and many more on the open-air upper deck. Capt. Becker says the hospitality cruises carry 100 passengers at a time.
“I think it’s great to allow some of the hospitality staff to let their hair down and enjoy being on a boat where they can let loose because they don’t have to worry about who’s walking through the door,” said Capt. Becker. “It’s also good to give back to the community.”
If interested, go to the website or The Fort Myers Princess ticket and sales office is on the Northeast corner of the resort building at the end of Old San Carlos Blvd overlooking Matanzas Pass. Daily dolphin tour and sunset party cruises are also offered for the right price as well as private parties and buffet dinner cruises.
Future Hospitality Cruises will be held Feb. 8; March 8; April 12; and May 10.
Additional info can be found online at www.fortmyersprincess.com or by calling Capt. Becker at 322-7323 (especially if weather is questionable).