Entertainment Cruises Acquires Mariposa Cruises
US cruise operator Entertainment Cruises has acquired Toronto-based Mariposa Cruises.
The transaction extends the company’s footprint into Canada for the first time, boosting its operation to 48 vessels serving upwards of 2.3 million guests across 11 city locations in North America.
“As a highly regarded business with an established reputation for quality on-water experiences, Mariposa Cruises perfectly complements Entertainment Cruises’ portfolio. This is a natural and exciting step in our expansion strategy beyond the US,” said Kenneth Svendsen, CEO of Entertainment Cruises. “Both companies share a commitment to excellence and are deeply rooted in the guest experience, and together they will be better able to achieve their combined vision in the Canadian market.”
Mariposa Cruises has served the city’s waterfront and Lake Ontario with dining cruises, sightseeing and private charters since 1987. The business will continue to operate under the Mariposa Cruises brand and will remain headquartered in the heart of the Toronto Harbourfront at the Queen’s Quay Terminal Building.
“Entertainment Cruises’ commitment to extraordinary experiences and relentless focus on quality is a great cultural and commercial fit for our business,” said Jim Nicholson, president and CEO, Mariposa Cruises. “We will benefit from a level of scale and scope that supports our ambitions, and better equips us for the future – more so than if we had continued to pursue a standalone path. I feel excited for Mariposa under their leadership.”
Kenneth Svendsen will lead the newly merged company. With immediate effect, Nicholson will step down and Cindi Vanden Heuvel – the current vice-president and a 27-year veteran of the company – will step into the vice-president/general manager position.
