Grande Caribe in the Erie Canal, Photo: Blount

Covid-19 has claimed its first U.S, flagged cruise operator. Citing the pandemic, Blount announced that it is ending its cruise operations and is selling its three small overnight cruise ships. The family will focus on its shipbuilding activities. 

“It was really just the requirement that all the cruise lines had to shut down for Covid, and at this point, we decided not to start again,” said Marcia Blount, president and CFO of the Warren, R.I., company. “What we really decided was to focus on building.”

Workboat reports that Blount Small Ship Adventures, the cruise business, was started in 1966 by company patriarch and small ship pioneer Capt. Luther H. Blount, who founded the yard in 1949. An engineer and innovator, Blount, who died in 2006, received patents for a number of designs including retractable pilothouses, bow ramps, adjustable pitch props and water-conserving marine toilets. The retractable pilothouse design enabled them to cruise under low bridges where others might not be able to go.

The 98-passenger, Grande Mariner is listed for $6 million, the 100-passenger sister ship Grande Caribe for $5.6 million, and the 76-passenger,  Niagara Prince for $2 million. Built by Blount in the 1990s and renovated in 2009 and 2010, the U.S.-flag vessels are at Blount’s docks. For additional information contact Blount Boats.