City Experiences

What City Experiences does

City Experiences is the experiences division of Hornblower Group, operating as a multi-brand travel and experiential tourism platform across 25+ cities in North America, the United Kingdom, Europe, and Australia. The company's portfolio encompasses three core product lines: water-based experiences under the City Cruises umbrella (including Alcatraz City Cruises, Statue City Cruises, Niagara City Cruises, and City Ferry/NYC Ferry transit operations); land-based guided walking tours under the Walks brand in major European cities; and culinary experiences under Devour Tours across the US and Europe. The platform holds rights to operate cruises at several high-traffic, iconically branded destinations including the Statue of Liberty, Alcatraz Island, and Niagara Falls, representing significant barriers to entry in those specific markets.

The underlying technology is a transactional e-commerce booking platform with SSL-encrypted payments, mobile-accessible booking, multilingual support (10 languages), and integration with Affirm for pay-over-time financing on orders above $50. Supporting features include a City Experiences Rewards loyalty program with 2X point incentives, Ticket Assurance refund/rescheduling protection, digital gift cards valid across all sub-brands, and dedicated group/private event booking workflows. The platform is accessed through cityexperiences.com, supplemented by phone reservations, online chat, and physical ticket booths at 15+ port locations.

Revenue is generated primarily through one-time ticket sales (cruises, walking tours, food tours), complemented by private charter and group event bookings (quote-based), ferry transportation services (NYC Ferry and City Ferry routes including Potomac Water Taxi), gift cards, and onboard enhancement add-ons such as beverage packages and celebration packages. Pricing is unit-based across consumer offerings, with group rates for parties of 20+, military and senior discounts, and custom quotes for charters. Go-to-market is primarily direct-to-consumer via the website and physical booths, with a secondary sales-led motion for corporate events, weddings, and educational groups. The company was assigned a new President, Len Wolin (ex-Sonesta International Hotels), in January 2025 to unify strategy across the three sub-brand pillars.

Name

City Experiences

Legal name

City Experiences

Website

https://cityexperiences.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

City Experiences, a division of Hornblower Group, is a multi-brand experiential tourism platform offering cruises, walking tours, and food tours across 25+ cities in North America, Europe, the UK, and Australia, serving individual tourists, corporate groups, and event hosts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Tourism and Experiential Services

NAICS

Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (48721), Inland Water Passenger Transportation (483212), Tour Operators (561520), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (487210)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Water Transportation (4400)

akta.pro primary industry

Tourist & Sightseeing Cruise Operators (Day Cruises) (TLAFALAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Tourist & Scenic Passenger Ferries (Non-Cruise) (THAIAJAH), Luxury Yacht & Small-Ship Expedition Cruises (THAEABAF)

Keywords

• Sightseeing cruises
• Walking tours
• Food tours
• Ferry transportation
• Water experiences

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Cruise Ticket Sales: Primary revenue stream from selling tickets for various cruise experiences including dining cruises, sightseeing cruises, whale watching, holiday cruises, and special events. Tickets are sold at varying price points based on cruise type, duration, and inclusions.
2. Walking Tour Bookings (Walks): Revenue from guided walking tours in major cities including Rome, Florence, Venice, Paris, London, and other European destinations. All-inclusive tours with advance tickets and reservations.
3. Food Tour Bookings (Devour Tours): Revenue from culinary tours featuring local cuisine, food tastings, and cultural experiences in cities across the US, UK, Europe, and beyond.
4. Private Events and Charters: Revenue from chartering vessels for private events including corporate events, weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, bachelor/bachelorette parties, and other celebrations. Pricing varies by vessel type, event type, group size, and enhancement packages.
5. Gift Cards: Digital gift cards valid on all City Experiences, City Cruises, Walks, and Devour Tours experiences in the US and UK. Cannot be redeemed for onboard/in-experience purchases.
6. Ferry Services: Revenue from NYC Ferry and City Ferry transportation services providing water taxi and commuter ferry services.
7. Onboard Enhancements: Additional revenue from beverage packages, celebration packages, food enhancements, flower bouquets, and guaranteed window seating purchased as add-ons to cruise experiences.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

City Experiences operates a portfolio of paid tourism and experiential services spanning water-based cruises, walking tours, food tours, and ferry transportation across 25+ cities in North America, the UK, Europe, and Australia. It sells tickets through sub-brands such as City Cruises, Walks, Devour Tours, City Ferry, NYC Ferry, Alcatraz City Cruises, Statue City Cruises, and Niagara City Cruises, with a separate group/private event charter business.

Product overview

City Experiences is a multi-brand travel experience platform offering iconic experiences through three main product lines: water-based experiences (City Cruises, Alcatraz City Cruises, Statue City Cruises, Niagara City Cruises, City Ferry), land-based walking tours (Walks), and culinary experiences (Devour Tours). The platform operates across North America (USA and Canada), UK, Europe, and Australia with presences in major cities including New York, San Francisco, London, Rome, Paris, and Sydney. Key add-on services include the Rewards loyalty program, gift cards, private event charters, group bookings, and Ticket Assurance protection. The company is a subsidiary of Hornblower Group and also partners with NYC Ferry.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• City Cruises: Flagship cruise brand offering dining cruises, sightseeing tours, and water taxi services across North America, UK, and Canada
• City Cruises Live
• Walks
• Devour Tours
• City Ferry
• NYC Ferry
• Alcatraz City Cruises
• Niagara City Cruises
• Statue City Cruises

Products and services

• City Cruises Flagship cruise sub-brand of City Experiences offering dining cruises, sightseeing tours, whale watching, and special event cruises across multiple ports in North America, the UK, and Europe for individual travelers and groups.
• Walks Walking tour sub-brand offering guided, small-group tours of major European cities including Rome, Vatican City, Florence, Venice, Paris, and London, with skip-the-line access to attractions and all-inclusive pricing covering tickets, reservations, and entrance fees.
• Devour Tours Food tour sub-brand offering culinary experiences in cities across the US, UK, Spain, and Italy, including food tasting tours, cooking classes, and local cuisine experiences with full meals and beverages included.
• City Ferry Ferry and water taxi transportation service operating routes in the Washington DC metro area, including the Potomac Water Taxi connecting National Harbor, Alexandria, Georgetown, and The Wharf for commuter and tourist riders.
• NYC Ferry Passenger ferry transportation brand operating in New York City as part of the City Experiences portfolio, providing commuter and tourist water transportation services.
• City Cruises Live Live entertainment cruise series featuring musical artists, celebrity chefs, sports legends, and TV personalities, combined with dinner service and views of iconic skylines across multiple cities.
• Alcatraz City Cruises Specialized cruise sub-brand offering ferry tours to Alcatraz Island from San Francisco, including day tours and combination packages with Bay Discovery Cruises for visitors to Alcatraz Island.
• Statue City Cruises Cruise sub-brand offering ferry tours to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island from New York, including general admission and combination packages for visitors to these landmarks.
• Niagara City Cruises Specialized cruise sub-brand offering the Voyage to the Falls boat tour and other experiences at Niagara Falls, Canada, for visitors to the falls.
• Groups & Private Events Private charter and event hosting service for corporate events, weddings, social outings, birthdays, anniversaries, bachelor/bachelorette parties, and educational groups on City Cruises vessels, with custom pricing by vessel type, event kind, and group size.

Quantifiable outcome

• City Cruises Live events sell out quickly with limited ticket availability

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• NYC FerrycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerNYC Ferry operates as a brand under City Experiences/City Ferry, providing water transportation services in New York City. Part of the integrated ferry network offering commuter and tourist services.
• City FerrycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCity Ferry brand under the City Experiences umbrella providing ferry and water taxi services including Potomac Water Taxi connecting National Harbor, Alexandria, Georgetown, and The Wharf in Washington DC area.
• Journey Beyond CruisesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAustralian cruise partner offering Sydney Harbour Cruise experiences featured alongside City Experiences destinations, suggesting a distribution or cross-promotional relationship.
• Cruise WhitsundaysminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAustralian cruise partner offering Great Barrier Reef and Whitsunday Islands experiences featured in City Experiences destination listings.
• Rottnest ExpressminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAustralian ferry partner providing service to Rottnest Island, featured alongside City Experiences Western Australia destinations.
• Melbourne SkydeckminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMelbourne observation deck attraction partner featured in City Experiences Victoria/Australia destination listings.
• Horizontal Falls AdventuresminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAustralian adventure tour operator offering Horizontal Falls experiences in Western Australia, featured alongside City Experiences destinations.
• Darwin Harbour CruisesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAustralian cruise partner offering Darwin Harbour experiences featured in City Experiences Northern Territory destination listings.
• Boston Red SoxflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial partner of the Boston Red Sox MLB team, providing cruise experiences for sports fans. Part of a multi-team sports partnership portfolio.
• Chicago White SoxflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial partner of the Chicago White Sox MLB team, providing cruise experiences for sports fans. Part of a multi-team sports partnership portfolio.
• New York YankeesflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial partner of the New York Yankees MLB team, providing cruise experiences for sports fans. Part of a multi-team sports partnership portfolio.
• San Diego PadresflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial partner of the San Diego Padres MLB team, providing cruise experiences for sports fans. Part of a multi-team sports partnership portfolio.
• Washington NationalsflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial partner of the Washington Nationals MLB team, providing cruise experiences for sports fans. Part of a multi-team sports partnership portfolio.
• Hornblower Group (Parent Company)coreOthersCity Experiences is a division of Hornblower Group, a maritime hospitality company. The parent company provides operational infrastructure, fleet, and corporate support.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Context Travel: Premium guided walking tours in major cultural cities globally. Directly comparable to the Walks sub-brand and to Devour Tours' guided culinary experiences.
• Big Bus Tours: Global multi-city hop-on/hop-off sightseeing operator running branded tours across major destinations. Direct comparable to City Experiences' multi-city platform model and D2C tour distribution.
• City Sightseeing: Worldwide sightseeing bus and tour franchise operating in dozens of cities. Closely comparable to City Experiences' multi-brand, multi-city tour-and-experience platform play.
• Argosy Cruises: Seattle-based harbor sightseeing and dining cruise operator. Comparable as a regional water-based sightseeing competitor serving tourists in iconic US waterfront destinations.
• Foodies Tours / Eating Europe: Multi-city food tour operator running guided culinary experiences across Europe and the US. Closely comparable to Devour Tours' guided food-tour offering.
• Entertainment Cruises (Premier Yachts): Operates dining, sightseeing, and charter cruises in major US cities including NYC, Chicago, Boston, and DC. Direct competitor in the dining-cruise and private-charter segments of City Cruises.

Broad incumbents

• Royal Caribbean Group: Major publicly listed cruise conglomerate offering ocean cruises worldwide. Broader incumbent in cruise experiences; overlaps with City Cruises' large-scale passenger cruise activity but at much larger scale and different itinerary profile.

Emerging players

• Viator (TripAdvisor Experiences): Global marketplace for tours, attractions, and experiences. Competes with City Experiences for end-customer bookings and represents a distribution channel that can both augment and disintermediate supply.
• GetYourGuide: Online marketplace for tours and activities with strong presence in Europe and the US. Directly relevant peer for booking-flow competition and supplier dynamics alongside City Experiences.

Others

• Hornblower Group: Parent organization of City Experiences providing corporate infrastructure, fleet, and other maritime hospitality operations. Included as an ecosystem participant rather than a competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CityExperiences
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCG5d5xzYVQYzj3e-LltbulQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/CityExperiences
• Instagraminstagram.com/cityexperiences
• Pinterestpinterest.com/CityExperiences
• TikToktiktok.com/@cityexperiences
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cityexperiences

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about City Experiences