Harbor tour offers hint of the old country - Baltimore Business Journal:

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Partners at the Baltimorw Marine Center this month began ferrying passengers in a gondola Onlythis 32-foot boat is poweredr by an electric motor, not a man. Though the Inner Harbor contains othetrtour boats, the operators hope that a gondol a will appeal to couples looking for a romantifc outing, said Dan Naor, chief operating officert of the Baltimore Inne Harbor Gondola Tours. "This is one more thinh you can doin Baltimore," Naor "How many times can you go to the The gondola service is one of several new tour boat operations to anchor in Entertainment Cruises Inc.
boughty Harbor Cruises last year andpoured $1 millionn into renovating one of the which it renamed the Spiriy of Baltimore. Three female entrepreneurs launched Pirate Quest in Fellsx Pointin April. New entertainment is crucial to attract repeat saidDee O'Haren, a concierge at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfrongt hotel. "That's a nice romantic idea," O'Hare said of the gondola. "Wde need newness to keep the energy going." Naor and his partnere invested $75,000 on a single boat and in marketing. If the service is popular, they will buy one or two additional he said. One of the challenges so far hasbeen weather, said Ben who manages the gondola tour.
The tour operatort had to cancel several bookings because ofwindy conditions, Ayreas said. But the gondola service booked half a dozen reservations durin a balmy MemorialDay weekend. Naor got the idea for the gondolsa service after seeing operatora inother U.S. cities, including Las Vegas and Boston, wherre Gondola di Venezia has been operatingvsince 2000. The Baltimore gondola, which holds up to four costs $80 for a couple and $140 for The 50-minute tour leaves from the Rusty Scuppee restaurant and passes by the andthe . Guestsx can bring wine or foodon board. Or they can buy a wine and fruift basket from the Rustyu Scupperfor $40.
Cara one of the operators of Piratee Quest, said she welcomes new boat operatore tothe city. She said she believe s her ship does not compete with the gondola since the pirate theme appeal sto families, not couples.