The St. Lawrence Seaway carries more than 160 million metric tons of cargo annually, yet within sight of Montreal's industrial docks, a parallel economy of private leisure craft has flourished since the city hosted Expo 67. That summer, the waterfront transformed from working wharf to public promenade, and the 200 Rue de la Commune Ouest berth became the anchor point for a generation of sightseeing operators. Today the same basin accommodates electric catamarans, jet boats engineered for the Lachine Rapids, and a fleet of charter vessels available for exclusive hire. The Old Port basin sits where the St. Lawrence narrows between Île Sainte-Hélène and the downtown peninsula, a geography that funnels river current and frames every departure with the tiered silhouette of Place Ville Marie, the grain silos of Silo No. 5, and the Jacques Cartier Bridge's cantilevered spans. A Montreal private boat cruise departs from a working marina, not a purpose-built terminal. Operators moor alongside the Quai de l'Horloge and Quai Jacques-Cartier, where stone bollards and rusted mooring rings survive from the 19th-century timber trade. The route options divide cleanly: downstream toward Boucherville Islands and the wider estuary, or upstream into the Class IV hydraulics of the Lachine Rapids. Private charters typically range from two-hour harbour tours to half-day excursions that reach the Chambly Canal locks. Onboard configurations vary by vessel. Electric touring boats seat eight to twelve and run silent; jet boats built for whitewater seat thirty but can be chartered whole; sailing yachts accommodate six with galley service. Operators schedule departures between 09:00 and 16:00, aligning with optimal light for photography and manageable river traffic. The appeal of exclusive charter lies in route flexibility. Unlike fixed-schedule sightseeing cruises that loop the harbour perimeter in ninety minutes, private bookings allow clients to dictate duration, speed, and waypoints. A family may request a slow drift past Habitat 67 for architectural study; a corporate group may anchor mid-river for a catered lunch with the city skyline as backdrop. The St. Lawrence here averages 450 metres wide and four metres deep, its current moderated by upstream hydro dams, making navigation straightforward in fair weather. Seasonal demand peaks in June through September, when water temperature reaches 20 degrees Celsius and evening departures capture the golden hour against the downtown towers. Off-season bookings remain available through October, though operators reduce frequency as ice formation begins along the shoreline shallows.