Celebrate John Wayne’s 109th birthday with a cruise aboard his private yacht

John Wayne would have turned 109 on May 26. Maybe the Duke would have invited everyone to party aboard his private yacht if he had lived that long.

That’s what Hornblower Cruises & Events in Newport Beach is doing by hosting eight birthday cruises between May 19 and 29 aboard the Wild Goose.

Wayne’s former U.S. Navy minesweeper-turned-private-boat, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is part of the Hornblower fleet.

Wayne, born Marion Robert Morrison, bought the ship in 1962 for $116,000 and docked it at his Newport Beach home. The Oscar-winning actor entertained Hollywood buddies like Bob Hope and Dean Martin as well as Presidents Reagan and Nixon aboard the ship. Wayne died of cancer in 1979.

During the birthday sailings, guests will meet Bert Minshall, 82, who rose from Wayne’s deck hand to captain of the Wild Goose. He will be signing his book “On Board With Duke.”

There also will be opportunities to snap a selfie with John Wayne (a figure on loan from Madame Tussaud’s Hollywood) and view from afar the 10-bedroom waterfront mansion where he lived and entertained.

Reservations are available for brunch cruises (11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.), sunset cocktail cruises (5:45 to 8:15 p.m.) and dinner cruises (7:30 to 10:30 p.m.).

The cost is $89 for a dinner cruise, $35 for the cocktail cruise and $68 for the brunch cruise.

Info: Hornblower Cruises & Events, John Wayne Birthday Cruises

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