Hornblower Cruises & Events is once again hosting a series of John Wayne Birthday Dining Cruises aboard his famous yacht, the Wild Goose to commemorate Wayne's May 26 birthday.  With three decks of gorgeous woodwork, priceless paintings, intricate carvings and unique amenities, the Wild Goose was once the private playground for the legendary actor and famous Newport Beach resident. 

It was aboard this 136-foot former WWII Navy minesweeper from that Wayne would cruise the waters off Balboa Island or play bridge with famous friends that included Dean Martin, Bob Hope and Sammy Davis, Jr.  

Cruise Highlights:  Passengers will be transported back in time as they enjoy a variety of cruises aboard the Wild Goose, between  May 18 and June 18, meet Wayne's Captain, 83-year-old Bert Minshall, who will be on board to share stories as well as autographing the book On Board With Duke and chat with other John Wayne fans. Guests will also have the opportunity to capture a picture with the wax version of John Wayne, the iconic figure on loan from Madame Tussaud's Hollywood.

In addition, Hornblower will cruise-by the location that was formerly John Wayne's 10-bedroom, 7-bath waterfront mansion where he and his family lived and Wild Goose was docked for many years. Passengers will enjoy their cocktail cruise, 4-course dinner or brunch in a historic setting and will have an unforgettable front seat to the glorious sights and sounds of Newport Beach harbor, with views of beautiful beaches, towering luxury yachts and sprawling celebrity mansions. Informal tours of the Wild Goose will be available by the Hornblower crew during the cruise.  Guests can also enjoy drink specials made with “Duke Bourbon.” Additionally, a portion of the ticket sales will benefit the John Wayne Cancer Foundation in support of John Wayne's final wish – to find a cure for cancer. Learn more about the John Wayne Cancer Foundation at www.johnwayne.org.

More About The Wild Goose:  For 15 years of John Wayne's life, he spent leisure time on board the Wild Goose, a 136-foot converted World War II US Navy mine-sweeper and sister ship to Jacques Cousteau's Calypso.  It was where he traveled the world, relaxed, entertained a list of Hollywood's  “who's who” of the time, including Dean Martin, Bob Hope and Sammy Davis, Jr.  The Wild Goose was Wayne's most prized possession and is listed on the National U.S. Register of Historic Places.  The ship is currently the star of Hornblower Cruises' Newport Beach fleet of charter yachts located at 2431 W. Pacific Coast Highway.

Reservations Are Now Being Accepted:

All cruises depart from Hornblower south, 2431 West Pacific coast highway   JOHN WAYNE'S BIRTHDAY COCKTAIL CRUISE Departs from Hornblower South, 2431 W PCH Dates: Thursday, May 18; Wednesday, May 24; Thursday, May 25; and Wednesday, May 31 Boards at 5:30pm and Cruises from 6:00-8:00pm Price is $40 per person What's Included:

2-hour yacht cruise 

Complimentary appetizers

Relaxing background music

Wine, beer and cocktails available for purchase

JOHN WAYNE'S BIRTHDAY CHAMPAGNE BRUNCH CRUISE Departs from Hornblower South, 2431 W PCH Dates: Saturday, May 20; Saturday, May 27; Sunday, May 28; and Monday, May 29 Boards at 11:30am and Cruises from Noon-2:00pm Price is $69.95 per person What's Included:

2-hour yacht cruise

Brunch buffet

Free-flowing champagne or cider

Complimentary soda, coffee, tea and water

Wine and cocktails available for purchase

Relaxing background music

Private table

JOHN WAYNE'S BIRTHDAY DINNER CRUISE Departs from Hornblower South, 2431 W PCH

Dates: Friday, May 19; Saturday, May 20; Sunday, May 21; Saturday, May 27; Sunday, May 28

Boards at 7:00pm and Cruises from 7:30-10:30pm 

Price is $92.95 per person

What's Included:

3-hour yacht cruise

4-course dinner

Boarding glass of champagne or cider

Complimentary soda, coffee, tea and water

Wine and cocktails available for purchase

DJ entertainment and dancing

Private table

To purchase tickets:  Call 888–Hornblower or visit the Hornblower Cruises website at John Wayne Birthday Cruises. Taxes and service fees are additional. Discounts are available for children, groups, seniors and the military. 

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Hornblower Cruises & Events has been the leading charter yacht and public dining cruise company in California for 36 years. The company operates 49 vessels, including the three largest dining yachts on the West Coast, in San Francisco, Berkeley, Sacramento, Long Beach, Newport Beach, Marina del Rey, San Diego, and New York City. Two Hornblower subsidiary businesses, Alcatraz Cruises and Statue Cruises, are National Park Service ferry concessioners to Alcatraz Island and the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, respectively. This year, Hornblower began operating the third subsidiary, Hornblower Niagara Cruises, out of Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. For more information visit: www.hornblower.com.