croisieres lachance

What croisieres lachance does

Croisières Lachance is a Quebec-based cruise excursion brand operated by Croisières AML inc., a privately held family business established in 1974 and headquartered in Québec City with operations across 10 ports in 7 regions of Quebec. The Lachance brand specifically focuses on Chaudière-Appalaches-region excursions on the St. Lawrence River, including guided tours to the Grosse-Île National Historic Site (in partnership with Parks Canada), Isle-aux-Grues archipelago visits, and Razorbill observation cruises, leveraging a two-century storytelling heritage from captains originating from Île au Canot. The fleet comprises five named vessels (AML Cavalier Maxim, AML Louis-Jolliet, AML Grand Fleuve, Vent des Îles, Lachance III) plus a new-generation 60-passenger Zodiac fleet designed and manufactured in L'Isle-aux-Coudres, all certified by Transport Canada with internal safety standards exceeding regulatory requirements.

The business runs a direct-to-consumer model with online booking, call-center reservations, and physical ticket offices at departure points (Grand Quai Montréal, Quai Chouinard Québec), supplemented by a dedicated corporate/group charter sales channel and a metropolitan river shuttle integrated into the ARTM transit network (541,000+ trips in 2025, 15%+ above 2024). Revenue is generated across 80+ cruise variants—whale watching (boat and Zodiac), dinner cruises (Souper-croisiere) at $129.99–$249.99 per adult across standard, Tapis Rouge, and Signature tiers, brunch cruises, Christmas cruises, fireworks cruises, Grosse-Île tours, secret islands expeditions, lunch and evening cruises—plus onboard F&B, AML-FLEX cancellation upgrades, gift cards, and private charters for corporate, wedding, and school group clients.

Operational differentiators include a co-founding role in the 2008 Eco-Whale Alliance with Parks Canada, SÉPAQ, and GREMM (with ~20 eco-performance indicators and a stated 99% whale sighting success rate that underpins the Whale Warranty guarantee), Biosphere sustainable development certification obtained in October 2024, and Green Marine membership since 2012. Customers are primarily individual leisure travelers, families and couples, nature and wildlife enthusiasts, corporate/MICE groups, and educational/school groups, served through a bilingual French/English website and active social presence across Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Pinterest, and LinkedIn, with promotional offers up to 40% off via newsletter subscription.

Name

croisieres lachance

Legal name

Croisières AML inc.

Website

https://croisiereslachance.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Croisières Lachance is a cruise excursion brand under family-held Croisières AML inc. (Quebec, est. 1974), operating themed boat tours and wildlife observation cruises on the St. Lawrence River across 10 ports and 7 Quebec regions, serving leisure travelers, corporate groups, and schools.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Tourism & Cruise Excursions

NAICS

Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (487210), Inland Water Passenger Transportation (483212), Coastal and Great Lakes Passenger Transportation (483114)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400)

akta.pro primary industry

Marine Wildlife & Birding Cruises (dolphins, seals, seabirds) (THAAAIAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Eco-Cruises & Small-Ship Nature Cruises (Expedition Cruising) (THAAAEAK), River Shore Excursions & Onshore Programs (THAEACAG), Expedition & Remote River Cruises (THAEACAD), Small-Ship Expedition Cruises (Under ~500 Guests) (THAEADAC)

Keywords

• Guided boat excursions
• Whale watching cruises
• River dinner cruises
• Marine wildlife tours
• Corporate cruise charters

Headquarters

HQ city

Berthier-sur-mer

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. Cruise Ticket Sales: Core revenue from sale of tickets for diverse cruise experiences including whale watching (boat and Zodiac), dinner cruises, brunch cruises, guided cruises, evening cruises, Grosse-Île excursions, Christmas cruises, river shuttles, and specialty excursions. Tickets are sold per person with tiered pricing (3-service, 5-service, Tapis Rouge/VIP, Signature). Corporate and group charters represent additional ticket revenue.
2. Food & Beverage Service: Onboard dining is a core revenue component. Dinner cruise packages include multi-course bistronomic meals prepared by executive chefs (3–5 service tables d'hôte). Beverage packages, cocktails, wine, and premium digestifs are sold separately or bundled in VIP packages. The restaurant section offers menus, wine lists, and beverage lists for sale.
3. Corporate & Group Events: Private charters and venue rentals for corporate events, weddings, Christmas parties, conventions, team building, social clubs, proms, and school groups. Revenue generated through dedicated event packages, ship charters, and custom event planning.
4. Gift Cards: Sale of gift cards (cartes-cadeaux) allowing recipients to book their own cruise experiences, functioning as prepaid vouchers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Croisières Lachance operates guided boat excursions and themed cruises focused on island visits and wildlife observation in the Chaudière-Appalaches region of Quebec. The offerings include visits to the Grosse-Île National Historic Site, expeditions to the Isle-aux-Grues archipelago, and Razorbill (petits pingouins) observation cruises on the St. Lawrence River.

Product overview

Croisières AML operates as a unified cruise excursion platform offering multiple cruise experiences across Quebec, with Croisières Lachance operating as an acquired brand focused on Chaudière-Appalaches excursions. The core offering consists of themed cruise experiences (whale watching by boat and Zodiac, dinner cruises, brunch cruises, Christmas cruises, city tours, and island expeditions) departing from seven Quebec ports (Tadoussac, Charlevoix, Montréal, Québec, Chaudière-Appalaches, Trois-Rivières, and Ottawa). The fleet includes five named vessels (AML Cavalier Maxim, AML Louis-Jolliet, AML Grand Fleuve, Vent des Îles, Lachance III) plus Zodiac craft. Experiences are offered at multiple service tiers (standard, Tapis Rouge VIP, Signature premium) with add-on modules including Whale Warranty, AML-FLEX booking flexibility, gift cards, VIP Lounge access, and private charter options for corporate and educational groups.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Lachance III: Cruise boat operated by Croisières Lachance for Chaudière-Appalaches excursions including Grosse-Île tours.
• Vent des Îles

Quantifiable outcome

• 99% whale sighting success rate
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Alliance Éco-BaleinecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008Co-founded in 2008 by Croisières AML alongside Parks Canada, Sépaq (Société des établissements de plein air du Québec), and GREMM (Group for Research and Education on Marine Mammals). The alliance targets the highest eco-responsible standards for whale watching tours in the Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park, guided by approximately 20 performance indicators. Has become a model for sustainable marine tourism globally. Croisières AML serves as a founding member driving the alliance's standards and practices.
• Parks CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParks Canada is the federal agency managing national historic sites including Grosse-Île-et-le-Mémorial-des-Irlandais (National Historic Site). Croisières AML operates cruise excursions to Grosse-Île in partnership with Parks Canada, providing the only commercial access to this normally off-limits island. Parks Canada also co-founded the Alliance Éco-Baleine with Croisières AML.
• Green MarinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGreen Marine is the leading environmental certification program for the North American maritime industry. Croisières AML has been a member since 2012, voluntarily committing to improve environmental performance across key issues including biodiversity protection, air quality, water and soil protection, and community relations. Subject to annual external reviews.
• Destination Québec CitysupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerDestination Québec City is the official tourism organization for the Québec City region. Provided constant support to Croisières AML during the Biosphere certification process. Represents the local tourism ecosystem partnership supporting Croisières AML's market positioning and destination marketing.
• Sépaq (Société des établissements de plein air du Québec)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSépaq manages Quebec's network of national parks and wildlife reserves. Co-founded the Alliance Éco-Baleine with Croisières AML, Parks Canada, and GREMM in 2008 to establish best practices for eco-responsible whale watching in the Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park.
• GREMM (Group for Research and Education on Marine Mammals)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGREMM is a marine mammal research and education organization. Co-founded the Alliance Éco-Baleine with Croisières AML, Parks Canada, and Sépaq in 2008. Supports research, training, and education activities related to whale watching at sea, contributing scientific expertise to the company's eco-responsible practices.
• Autorités de transport régionaux (ARTM)supportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAutorité régionale de transport métropolitain manages the metropolitan river shuttle service linking Old Montréal to Longueuil and Île-Ste-Hélène. Croisières AML operates these shuttle routes as part of the public transit network. Over 541,000 trips taken in 2025 (15%+ increase over 2024), a record since integration in 2022.
• L'Isle-aux-Coudres Boat BuilderssupportingTechnology or IntegrationThe next-generation AML Zodiac vessels are entirely designed and manufactured in L'Isle-aux-Coudres, Quebec. These new-generation Zodiacs have a capacity of 60 passengers (vs traditional 12, 24, or 48), with lower noise emissions and reduced environmental footprint. Manufacturing partnership supports local Quebec maritime industry.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Lindblad Expeditions: U.S.-based small-ship expedition cruise operator with strong naturalist/wildlife focus and partnership with National Geographic. Highly comparable nature-led, naturalist-guided excursion model targeting wildlife and culturally significant destinations.
• St. Lawrence Cruise Lines: Operates small-ship cruises between Kingston, Ontario and Quebec City along the St. Lawrence/Great Lakes corridor. Highly comparable small-ship, scenic cruise model on the same river system serving similar North American leisure travelers.
• Croisières Dufour: Tadoussac-based whale watching and marine excursion operator offering Zodiac and boat cruises in the Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park. Direct competitor to Croisières AML/Lachance on whale watching in the same destination with similar target customers.
• American Queen Voyages: U.S. operator of small-ship river cruises including themed holiday and culinary itineraries. Closely comparable business model on small-ship dining/holiday cruises, though serving U.S. inland waterways.

Broad incumbents

• Viking Cruises: Global river and small-ship cruise operator with destination-focused itineraries. Comparable river cruise operating model and pricing tiering, though significantly larger and serving international markets.
• Ponant: French-headquartered small-ship luxury and expedition cruise line with global itineraries including polar and remote river cruising. Comparable small-ship expedition cruise format though at international scale and with broader geographic reach.
• Hornblower / City Experiences: Large North American sightseeing and cruise operator running dinner cruises, harbor tours, and ferry services in multiple cities. Comparable dinner cruise and harbor excursion product offering, though at much broader geographic scale.
• Hurtigruten: Norwegian expedition cruise line operating small vessels focused on nature-based and remote-destination cruising with sustainability credentials. Comparable nature-cruise positioning and ESG narrative, though at much larger international scale.

Regional players

• Oceanex: Canadian marine transportation company serving the St. Lawrence corridor. Comparable Canadian maritime operator with overlapping geographic footprint, though focused on freight rather than passenger experiences.

Emerging players

• Quark Expeditions: Polar expedition cruise specialist operating small vessels in Arctic and Antarctic waters. Comparable small-ship, expert-led nature cruise positioning though focused exclusively on polar geographies.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC-Iz_VVgEvR6RKWYJrB6Vfg
• Facebookfacebook.com/pagecroisieresaml
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/croisieresaml
• Instagraminstagram.com/croisieres_aml
• TikToktiktok.com/@croisieres_aml
• Pinterestpinterest.ca/croisieresaml/_saved

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about croisieres lachance