Star Line Mackinac Island Hydro-Jet® Ferry Unveils Newly Purchased Arnold Line Passenger Ferry for 2017
Four new docks including the main dock on Mackinac Island,
five classic ferries, one freight boat added under the Star Line name;
Pirate Ship Good Fortune makes its maiden voyage on the Great Lakes
St. Ignace, Michigan (2017) – Star Line Mackinac Island Hydro-Jet® Ferry, a 39-year-old Michigan ferry boat company that services Mackinac Island from St. Ignace and Mackinaw City, Mich., has inherited 138 years of Arnold Line tradition and experience with its newly acquired Arnold Line passenger service assets. Just in time for the 2017 season, Star Line has upgraded several of the former Arnold Line passenger service assets they purchased last November. Most prominent in the purchase are five classic ferries, one freight boat, four docks including the main dock on Mackinac Island, one boatyard, along with parking lots and ticket booths in Mackinaw City and St. Ignace. Best known for its high-speed hydro-jet rooster tail boats, Star Line has also added the Good Fortune, a family-friendly pirate ship which will run excursions from Mackinaw City five times daily during peak season. Also, Star Line Mackinac Island Hydro-Jet® Ferry is making planning your trip to Mackinac Island easy with a new, discounted ticket option – the mackPASS; and will open Ship Store – a boutique store on the main dock at Mackinac Island that features Star Line merchandise, apparel, gifts and collectibles. As part of the company’s expansion, Star Line will now use the main dock on Mackinac Island and will feature double the parking in its Mackinaw City and St. Ignace locations. And, Star Line Mackinac Island Hydro-Jet® Ferry will again feature the only catamaran with the fastest and smoothest ride of any ferry service to Mackinac Island.
Additional updates visitors will notice include:
· New this year, Star Line Mackinac Island Hydro Jet® Ferry will transport the majority of the horses onto the Island for the summer
· The newly added Mackinac Pirate Adventure Tour with the Good Fortune pirate ship will feature water cannons for the kids as well as a bar for nightly cruises and will run five water tours daily
· The new mackPASS will offer visitors an easy-to-plan visit to the Island and includes a discounted roundtrip ferry ticket, a 1.5 hour narrated carriage tour, and entrance to the historic Fort Mackinac
· Star Line has updated and renamed the old Arnold Line dock in Mackinaw City and is now using Dock 1 for both Hydro-Jet and Classic passenger ferries
· Star Line has updated, renamed and added signage to the old Arnold Line docks in St. Ignace and is now using Docks 1 and 3 for passenger ferries
· A restored Mackinac Island Main Dock has been painted blue and updated to look more like it did originally with an old fashioned bike museum, larger heated waiting area, signage and the newly added Ship Store
· The classic boats will ferry out of both St. Ignace and Mackinaw City docks
· Star Line has added a brand new high-tech ticketing system allowing them to offer more ticketing options, like the classicPASS, flexPASS, fastPASS and mackPASS
· Recently updated website with newly added ticket pricing options and discounts
· Will continue to run the classic ferries which continue to be the most cost effective way for families to travel to the Island
For updated Star Line Mackinac Island Hydro-Jet® Ferry photos, click here.
In November 2016, Star Line Mackinac Island Hydro-Jet® Ferry purchased the Huron, Chippewa, Ottawa, Straits of Mackinac II, Mackinac Islander, and Algomah from Arnold Line. The company made changes and improvements throughout the winter to bring the Arnold Line boats up to Star Line’s standards to further enhance their customers’ experience.
“Star Line is looking forward to an exciting season of new ferries, increasing and improving options for our passengers along with the addition of the family-friendly pirate ship Good Fortune,” said Jerry Fetty, CEO of Star Line Mackinac Island Hydro-Jet® Ferry. “The new mackPASS is another way for us to help our customers create the best Mackinac Island memories.”
Star Line Mackinac Island Hydro-Jet® Ferry has had a long history of ferrying dignitaries, islanders, visitors and goods to Mackinac Island. For historical background Star Line Mackinac Island Hydro-Jet® Ferry, click here.
About Star Line Mackinac Island Hydro-Jet® Ferry:
Star Line Mackinac Island Hydro-Jet® Ferry was established 1978 in St. Ignace, Michigan and has been ferrying families and islanders from Mackinaw City and St. Ignace to Mackinac Island for 39 years. The company is best known for their high-speed hydro-jet rooster tail boats, family-friendly atmosphere, most frequent number of trips to and from Mackinac Island and underneath the Mackinac Bridge. In addition to the Arnold Line assets that Star Line purchased, Star Line’s ferry boats include the Mackinac Express catamaran, Marquette II, Radisson, Cadillac, Joliet, LaSalle, and Anna May. For more information, visit their website, Facebook, or Instagram.
*Logo courtesy of Star Line
