Welcome! Our website has a fresh new look! Planning your trip, checking schedules and booking your crossing is now easier than ever.

Passengers on a boat deck look out at a river flowing between shores with autumn trees and buildings, under a clear, sunny sky with a plane contrail.

Community

From supporting local artists and musicians to creating fundraising opportunities for non-profit organizations, we’re committed to fostering positive growth in the communities we proudly serve.

MS Chi-Cheemaun's Play for Passage

Calling all musicians, storytellers, magicians, and small-group performers: our Play For Passage program offers complimentary or reduced travel fare to approved artists in return for performing aboard the MS Chi-Cheemaun.

live entertainment

Who Can Apply?

Artists eligible to apply for our Play For Passage program may include:

  • Musician
  • Storyteller
  • Published authors reading their printed work
  • Magicians
  • Other: If your specialty is not listed above, please reach out to us, and we will assess if the skill being offered is a suitable fit.

Only those artists selected to perform will be contacted by an OSTC representative.

Woman on ferry deck

Applications

To apply, please email [email protected] and provide:

  • Dates of crossing (primary & secondary dates)
  • Contact information (first & last name, email, address & phone number)
  • Resume
  • Audio/video clips (if available)
  • Social media handles  (if available)
  • YouTube channel  (if available)

An important reminder: OSTC operates in an environment where weather or other unforeseen circumstances can impact our sailing schedule and events resulting in sailing delays, changes, or cancellations. All performances, times, and dates are subject to change and are not guaranteed. Please see our Terms and Conditions for more information.

Contact Us

Program Regulations

  • Regular sized vehicles will be comped. Motorhomes, buses, etc. enjoy a discount equal to regular vehicle fare.
  • Performers will be comped. If a solo act is travelling with a support person (e.g. operator of a merch table), up to one support person will be comped.
  • Performances must run a minimum of 45 minutes. A PA system is provided but no dedicated soundperson will be available.
  • Applications must be received a minimum of two weeks prior to the date of travel.

Please note, as it gets closer to the sailing date, vehicle passages are not guaranteed.

Community Sponsorship

Bluewater Regional Science and Technology Fair

The MS Chi-Cheemaun is proud to be the annual host for the Bluewater Regional Science and Technology Fair—one of the longest-running fairs in Ontario.

A white lighthouse stands on a rocky point, surrounded by autumn-colored trees and deep blue water, with distant houses under a cloudy sky.

Repositioning Cruises

Our annual Spring and Fall Repositioning Cruises offer a unique fundraising opportunity for non-profit organizations in the Grey-Bruce region or Manitoulin Island. The selected organization will receive a portion of ticket sales from the cruise, and have the opportunity to fundraise onboard through raffles or silent auctions.
 

A multi-decked ship with a black hull and white superstructure sails right, cutting through calm water. Smoke emits from its funnel; a Union Jack flies under a clear sky.

Our History

We’ve been sailing Ontario’s waterways for more than a hundred years, from the launch of our first ship in 1921, to the maiden voyage of the MS Chi-Cheemaun in 1974.

Learn More
A woman's silhouette, leaning on a ship's railing, gazes out at a vibrant sunset over the ocean, with the sun just above the horizon. People relax in a row of colorful Adirondack chairs on a boat deck, gazing at a large blue lake and a distant tree-lined shore under a cloudy sky. A great blue heron takes flight, wings blurred, over golden marsh grass with a vibrant autumn forest backdrop under a clear sky.