Visitors can experience the City of Yellow Roses February 10-19 in many ways:

• Three River Walk barges will charm visitors with floating serenades. Acoustic guitar, marimba and mariachi musicians will entertain with live music the weekends of February 10 and 17, as well as Valentine’s Day, February 14.
• In addition to the serenade barges, 10 other barges will be decked out in yellow roses, ribbons and more, to add even more color and romance to the River Walk during Valentine’s Week.
• Romance-themed hotel packages offer special getaways. A dozen are currently listed, with more being added every day. One hotel is even including 1,000 yellow rose petals in its package offering.
• A Valentine Value Card will offer other “City of Yellow Roses” specials. The card is available online. Visitors can also pick one up at hotel reception desks of downtown hotels, bed and breakfasts and resorts (next to a bouquet of yellow roses), as well as the San Antonio International Airport, the Visitor Information Center on Alamo Plaza, and at the Convention Center. Romantic offerings include everything from yellow roses at hotel turn-down service or presented at check-in, Yellow Rose drink specials, Yellow Rose cupcakes, spa specials, and more.
• San Antonio is also partnering with American Greetings as part of “City of Yellow Roses.” Starting February 10, there will be a themed romance card on Americangreetings.com that will carry the yellow rose and San Antonio romance messaging.

A dreamy mix of European-like canals, Spanish flair, Old West charm, and Texas big hearted warmth – there will be more romance than ever in San Antonio this Valentine’s Week.  At CityofYellowRoses.com, visitors can learn more about what makes San Antonio que romantica! Information includes 10 Great Romantic Spots in San Antonio, Tips from Locals, San Antonio After Dark, Food & Wine, Four-Day Romance Itinerary, and videos showcasing San Antonio as a romantic and relaxing destination.
(Courtesy of Sara Gruber – the San Antonio Convention and Visitor’s Bureau)

San Antonio Riverwalk Christmas Time Lapse from Jake Barnwell on Vimeo.

Are you feeling nostalgic for the twinkle frenzy along our Narrated River Boat Tour during the holidays?  Well, enjoy a time-lapse version made by one of our very own drivers, the talented Jake Barnwell.  Remember that we do book a year out for our private events so if you do not want to miss out on that private tour next year, now is the time.  We are already getting a pile of requests.  Until then, just watch the video over and over.

Click to Enlarge

This is a first in a series of posts that will better acquaint you with the types of services we offer.  In this post, we’re reviewing the options we have on our boat configuration.  In the photo you will notice there are three different types of setups each with different advantages.  Keep in mind that although you may book these boats on your own, you will have to contact a catering establishment and coordinate your event with them.  Many of our customers prefer to have the Restaurant/Hotel/Caterer contact us and book the boat for them.

• The Narrated Tour Configuration

This is the configuration millions of people ride each year.  It seats 40 maximum (38 recommended) with 10 seats along each side and 2 rows on the inside.  Our narrated tours are all configured this way and if you are interested in a private tour, it is available to you as well.  We even allow catering on these boats, when applicable, for certain parties like conventions.  This does not make it easy for a waiter to maneuver so you can expect to be passing people a drink or 10.

• The Cocktail Configuration

Now we’re talking.  This configuration replaces one of the rows of seats (Table 1) in the diagram with a flat surface for plates, food, decor, and drinks.  Due to the inclusion of the table you now have 30 seats maximum (28 recommended). Not everyone will have table space in front of them so the table should be treated as a shared space and the food should be planned accordingly.  Hors d’oeuvres work well here and it lends itself to cocktails with more room to display good eats and tasty drinks.

• The Dinner Configuration

Let’s eat! This configuration replaces both center rows with tables and gives everyone table space to enjoy a multi-course meal.  You can seat 20 maximum (18 recommended) and waiters are able to deliver delights with ease.  Most of our River Walk restaurants book these.  Some also offer per seat purchases on certain evenings if you would like to take advantage of this lovely experience without getting 16 of your closest friends together.  They are highlighted in bold on our River Walk Restaurant/Catering List.

Join SoHo Wine & Martini Bar for a cocktail mixer on Friday, January 27, 2012 from 7 p.m. to 12 a.m. Guests will have the opportunity to taste fine products provided by Cinco Vodka, Treaty Oak Platinum Rum, Dulce Vida Organic Tequila and Waterloo Gin and have the chance to meet the people who run the distilleries that create these brands.

Join Ocho Lounge at Hotel Havana for a cocktail party on Friday, January 27, 2012 from 7 p.m. to 12 a.m. for a Classic Cuba cocktail party. Guests will enjoy a selection of traditional Caribbean libations sponsored by Bacardi, signature Ocho passed hors d’oeuvres and live entertainment.

Buy tickets here.

Looking for a new way to share your marketing message directly to consumers? Ride the wave of success by moving your company’s marketing to one of the top tourist destinations in Texas: the San Antonio River. A Rio San Antonio River Cruises sponsorship is the only medium of its kind for promoting your company or brand in a way that will leave thousands in its wake.

So what do you need to make a splash? Your company can sponsor each barge ride for a certain day, week or time period. The barges can feature your company’s name on banners, and our staff will tell your guests that “Your ride today is courtesy of YOUR COMPANY NAME HERE.” You may also customize a marketing piece that can be distributed to passengers with your special message. Your sponsorship can be supported through the Rio San Antonio Cruises website, as well as through its Facebook and Twitter postings. Become a sponsor and let Rio San Antonio Cruises feature your marketing campaign through our social media outlets.

Unlike traditional billboards that people speed by, a Rio San Antonio Cruises River Barge floats your message in front of the market, reaching your customers in a relaxed, fun setting. Not only does a portion of our 1.5 million annual passengers riding the barges experience your message, but so many of the millions of strolling visitors who flock to the River Walk will see it as well.

“Only in San Antonio do you have an opportunity like this,” explains Rio San Antonio Cruises President and CEO JoAnn Boone. “For 40 minutes and more than 2.5 miles, your name is in front of a captive audience and pedestrian traffic. No other out of home advertising opportunity can deliver that sort of exposure in such a pressure-free environment.”

“With increasing competition for consumer attention, the best way to reach your market is in a relaxed, entertaining environment. A cruise on the San Antonio River is the ultimate relaxed messaging vehicle,” explains Boone.

Riding the San Antonio River is more popular than ever: through July, Rio San Antonio Cruise ridership has increased 10 percent over last year’s numbers and the 2011 Fourth of July holiday weekend set a new four-day ridership record of more than 43,000 happy passengers. With this sort of popularity, there’s no doubt that a Rio San Antonio Cruise sponsorship is the way to reach new customers.

Navigating the River
What can a company do with a Rio San Antonio Cruises sponsorship? Build unique brand recognition, launch a new product, unveil a new advertising campaign, target an annual convention or meeting in San Antonio, recognize a company anniversary, express customer appreciation: the possibilities are endless. Rio San Antonio Cruises can work with you to customize a campaign to suit your needs.

Toyota Stays on the Rio; Nearly Triples Ridership of Famed River Barges

To celebrate the opening of its Tundra Truck manufacturing facility, Toyota chose a sponsorship package that allowed them to offer free rides to the public for two days.

“On behalf of the Toyota National Dealer Meeting team, I am writing to compliment you and Rio San Antonio Cruises on the successful execution of the Toyota sponsorship program. We set the highest of expectations for our program, and your team met those goals with seamless delivery. From the condition of the fleet to the genuine, positive nature of the crew, the entire operation was first class. We would recommend Rio San Antonio Cruises to other groups in the future. Thanks for helping deliver a truly successful program.” Victor Hailey, Account Manager, Maritz Inc.

The Gain team came to the Alamo City to showcase its clean, fresh scent; the detergent company used a barge for demonstration purposes, covering the seats with slip covers washed in Gain.

CGGVeritas, the leading international geophysical company, will be sponsoring barge rides for convention goers/public in September for three (3) days.

CGGVeritas delivers a wide range of technologies, services and equipment to a broad base of clients, predominately in the oil and gas industry.

Taking advantage of this one-of-a-kind opportunity is easy:  Rio San Antonio Cruises will work with you to customize your sponsorship in just the right way to make a splash with your target audience.  Convention and meeting groups are already working with Rio San Antonio Cruises to finalize their fall plans—make sure you don’t miss the boat!

“The length of time you use this unique medium is up to you and the possibilities are endless,” says Boone. “Reaching your target market has never been easier or more unique!”

To learn more about sponsorship opportunities, contact JoAnn Boone, President, Rio San Antonio Cruises today at 210-244-5731.

With its fabulous light display, San Antonio shines during the holidays. Put your company in the spotlight by sponsoring complimentary barge rides during the holiday season. What better way to say “Happy Holidays” than sharing the festive glow of the San Antonio River?

ABOUT RIO SAN ANTONIO CRUISES
Open daily from 9 a.m., until the last customer leaves, Rio San Antonio Cruises, is committed to providing visitors to the San Antonio Riverwalk a cruise ride they will love on beautiful, safe, fully accessible, environmentally sound cruise vessels. Our boats are operated by well-trained and pleasant “goodwill” ambassadors, supported by skilled cruise personnel and state-of-the-art technology. For more information, visit www.riosanantonio.com.

Tour under Selena Bridge

As the school year is about to begin, you might feel a little nostalgia for all those things you wanted to get done this summer.  Makes sure you get your Rio San Antonio Cruise fix before it is too late. Check out our prices for the Narrated River Tours and learn something cool about the San Antonio River or our Rio Taxi Shuttles that travel the entire Downtown and Museum Reaches!  You won’t regret it and all the great tour information may get the kids back in educational mode.  Thank you in advance for sharing your summer with us!