Tour operator
The Culinary Adventure Co.
A family-owned Toronto food tour company running small-group tastings since 2011, best known for its St. Lawrence Market tours with peameal bacon, cheeses and smoked salmon.
Great Lakes Schooner Company
A Toronto cruise company operating since 1991, best known for public sails on the Kajama, a three-masted schooner built in Germany in 1930, from the downtown harbourfront.
At a glance
- Type
- Tall ship cruise
- Area
- Harbourfront, Toronto, Canada
- Official site
- greatlakesschooner.com
Good to know
- Licensed bar
- Day and evening sails
- Free wi-fi on board
- Private charters
Why we recommend it
Great Lakes Schooner Company has been sailing out of Toronto since 1991, when it began with the Challenge, a 96-foot three-masted schooner. Its best-known ship today is the Kajama, a three-masted schooner that offers public day and evening sails on Toronto Harbour and Lake Ontario from the downtown harbourfront.
The Kajama has a long working history. She was launched on 26 July 1930 at the Nobiskrug shipyard in Rendsburg, Germany, as the cargo schooner Wilfried, and carried general cargo until 1998. The company found her in Denmark and bought her in January 1999, bringing her to Canada for a refit. She is about 50 metres long, which the company describes as 165 feet, and carries up to 225 passengers.
A sail on the Kajama is relaxed and hands-on. Passengers are often invited to help the crew hoist the sails, and there is a fully licensed bar and a fresh food menu on board, as well as free wi-fi. The ship has also appeared in films, television shows and photo shoots.
The company also operates Obsession III, a modern motor yacht with a retractable roof, used for public brunch and dinner cruises with dining and dancing, and both ships are available for weddings, corporate events and private celebrations. The Kajama also runs educational programmes.
Public sails depart from the central harbourfront in downtown Toronto. Times and dates are published on the company's tall ship cruises website, so check the schedule before you go, as sailings depend on the season and the weather. The fleet has changed over the years. The company added a Maid of the Mist boat in 1994, later sold to a company in Parry Sound, and in 2008 it bought Cruise Toronto Inc. together with Obsession III. The Kajama herself was converted to motor propulsion in the mid-1970s while still working as a cargo ship, and today the tall ship cruises website, with the tagline Sailing Since 1930, has its own phone line, 416-203-2322, and a harbour map with directions to the boarding point. The main office can also be reached on a toll-free number, 1-800-267-3866.
A tall ship sail suits couples, families and groups of friends, and anyone curious about traditional sailing. Book through the company's website or by phone.
Great Lakes Schooner Company FAQs
What is the Kajama?
A three-masted schooner launched in Germany in 1930 as the cargo ship Wilfried and bought by the company in 1999.
Can passengers help sail?
Yes. Passengers are often invited to help the crew hoist the sails.
Is there a bar on board?
Yes. The Kajama has a fully licensed bar and a fresh food menu.
Where do sails depart?
From the central harbourfront in downtown Toronto.
How many passengers does the Kajama carry?
Up to 225.
Are there dinner cruises?
Yes, aboard the motor yacht Obsession III, which also runs brunch cruises.
How long has the company operated?
Since 1991.
Can you charter the ships?
Yes, for weddings, corporate events and private celebrations.