Longtime transportation provider continues a tradition that has helped shape the Catalina Island experience since 1968.
A recent feature in the Catalina Islander shined a spotlight on a business that has quietly played an important role in Catalina Island life for more than half a century.
Since 1968, Catalina Classic Cruises has been transporting visitors, campers, school groups, and residents between the mainland and Avalon, helping generations of travelers begin their island experience long before they set foot on shore.
For many visitors, arriving by boat is a defining part of any Catalina trip. The sight of Avalon Harbor emerging on the horizon, the approach toward the iconic waterfront, and the first step onto the dock have become traditions shared by countless Southern Californians over the decades.
While much attention is often focused on Catalina’s beaches, attractions, restaurants, and recreational opportunities, the transportation systems that connect the island to the mainland are equally vital to the island’s economy and identity.
Catalina Classic Cruises has witnessed the evolution of both Avalon and Catalina tourism throughout the years. As visitor numbers have grown and travel patterns have changed, the company has continued serving as one of the many links connecting the island community with the Southern California coast.
The vessels have carried generations of campers heading to summer programs, families embarking on vacations, school groups experiencing Catalina’s natural environment, and returning visitors revisiting favorite island destinations. In many cases, passengers who first made the crossing as children now return with children and grandchildren of their own.
The role may not always be highly visible, but it remains an important part of Catalina’s daily rhythm.
Each arrival brings visitors who support local businesses, dine in restaurants, stay in hotels, book recreational activities, and contribute to the island’s tourism-based economy. The steady flow of passengers helps sustain the community while allowing visitors to experience one of Southern California’s most unique destinations.
More than 55 years after its founding, Catalina Classic Cruises remains part of a long-standing maritime tradition that continues to define island travel. While vessels, visitor expectations, and tourism trends may evolve, one aspect of the Catalina experience remains unchanged: arriving by water.
For generations of island visitors, the journey across the channel has never simply been transportation. It has been the beginning of the Catalina experience itself.
May Harbor Activity Report
| People Aboard Boats | 4896 | Average Temp- High | 68 |
| Vessels Moored | 1224 | Average Temp- Low | 57 |
| Vessels Anchored | 53 | Average Sea Temp | 66 |
| Moorings Sold/ Transferred | 0/0 | Rain (inches) | .01 |
| Citations Issued | 9/0 | Rain Days | 1 |
| Total Cruise Ship Passengers/ Visits | 39,141/ 11 | Weather Warnings | 5 |
356 Port Security patrols
119 public assists
67 maintenance
38 enforcement encounters
13/10 medical/emergency assists
Note: June 15, 2026, marked the final day of the shoulder-rate season. Daily rates took effect June 16 and will remain in place through Sept. 15, when shoulder rates will once again return.
