The first cruise took place on 18th September 1846, on a ship with the graceful name Maid of the Mist. It was a steam-powered barge capable of carrying up to 100 passengers at a time.
This ship was in service from 1846 to 1854, after which it was replaced by another, which was also named Maid of the Mist. It has become traditional that each successive ship is given the same name, and this was the case until 2020.
