NORFOLK, Va. -- The inaugural sailing of the Spirit of Mt. Vernon will take place Friday, August 12, replacing the Spirit of Norfolk following a fire earlier this summer.
The Spirit of Mt. Vernon joins the Freedom Elite to officially welcome the Norfolk community back on the water. This will be the first sailing for the Spirit of Mt.Vernon in the Norfolk region since operations were paused this past June as a result of The Spirit of Norfolk fire incident.
“Over these past two months, we’ve heard countless personal accounts of experiences aboard the Spirit of Norfolk from locals and tourists alike, all reiterating the fact that she was not just a local landmark, but a beloved destination," said Jolene Price-Thompson, general manager, City Cruises Norfolk. "After the overwhelming amount of support from loyal guests, local businesses, industry partners, and the community at large, we are thrilled to get back on the water with The Spirit of Mount Vernon and The Freedom Elite as we continue to create amazing experiences.”
The Spirit of Mt. Vernon is a part of a fleet of vessels from City Cruises Washington D.C. and the Freedom Elite hails from Norfolk. According to a spokesperson, guests can cruise the Elizabeth River, and see sights like the largest Navy base in the world, while enjoying food and drinks.
On June 7, 2022, the Spirit of Norfolk was involved in a marine incident as a fire broke out on the vessel. There were 89 school children on board. All 108 passengers and crew were evacuated off the vessel onto another tourist boat, the Victory Rover, and no injuries were sustained.
“We extend our deepest thanks to our Crew, the Norfolk Navy Station, the Coast Guard, the local fire departments, and the Victory Rover, all for working so quickly together to ensure that all our guests and crew made it safely ashore during the incident aboard the Spirit of Norfolk,” said Christine Metivier and Dan Russell, co-chief operating officers, City Cruises US. “The Spirit of Norfolk will always hold a personal connection in the hearts of the Norfolk community as her legacy lives on."
Over the past ten years, the Spirit of Norfolk welcomed nearly 4 million total guests, hosted over 3,000 reunions, toasted over 2,500 weddings, celebrated more than 1,500 proms, and served more than 400,000 students.
