The Potomac River isn’t just a GPS coordinate for Sea Suite Cruises; it’s our backyard, our history, and our home.
Growing up in Arlington, we spent our lives watching the tides change and the city grow from the water’s edge. This river is the heartbeat of Washington, D.C. That’s why we take the health of our waterways personally—especially in light of the recent infrastructure challenges regarding the Potomac Interceptor.
As we prepare to launch our 2026 season in just a few weeks, we’ve received many questions from our community: Is it safe? Are you still cruising? What can we do to help?
We want to address those questions head-on with the same transparency we’ve operated with since day one.
The Facts: Safety on the Deck
We’ve been monitoring updates from DC Water, DOEE, and local health officials closely since the spill happened in January. The latest news is encouraging: DC Health has announced that recreational advisories are expected to lift as early as March 2nd, with water testing showing steady improvement across the river.
Health advisories that have been in place were focused on primary contact — activities like swimming or wading where individuals are directly in the water. Sea Suite Cruises has always been a secondary contact experience. Our charters are designed for sightseeing, socializing, and enjoying the river from the safety of a raised deck. Our guests don’t enter the water, and our operations fall within the safe usage guidelines outlined by local authorities.
We aren’t just monitoring from an office, either. We personally captain dozens of cruises every week. We wouldn’t put our staff, our passengers, or ourselves out there if we didn’t believe in the safety of what we do. If official guidance changes at any point, we’ll adjust immediately.
The safety of our guests, crew, and community will always come first.
More Than Just Business—It’s Legacy
For us, this isn’t just about keeping the schedule. It’s about the future. Jack Maher recently welcomed his first child, and the goal is simple: we want the next generation of Washingtonians to have a river that is cleaner, safer, and more vibrant than the one we inherited.
Talk is cheap, and the river needs more than well-wishes right now.
The $10,000 Challenge
To turn this challenge into an opportunity for restoration, Sea Suite Cruises and our partners are committing to match the first $10,000 in donations made to the Potomac Riverkeeper Network through our checkout process this season.
The Riverkeepers are the boots on the ground — and boats on the water — doing the testing, advocacy, and accountability work that keeps our waterways honest. When you book a cruise with us this year, you’ll have the option to add a donation. We’ll double it.
Looking Ahead
The Potomac is resilient, but it relies on its community to be its voice. We invite you to join us on the water this season — not just to see the monuments, but to be part of the continued restoration of the river that makes this city so special.
We’ll see you at the dock on March 14th.
— Jack Maher & Jack Walten | Founders, Sea Suite Cruises
