Once dropped off at the Embarcadero, we immediately entered into the Alcatraz Gift Shop, which not only had great souvenir prices (both my mom and I bought a t-shirt & water bottle combo for $19.99), but they also served some food & beverage. We started with hot chocolates and viewed the displays right in front of the ferry boats. Right along the Embarcadero they had a model of the prison and tons of signs which displayed quotes from past inmates, presidents, and articles. The process was easy. A crew member called your tour time, and you went through the line to get your ticket checked. It was a quick process and was very well organized. While in line, you had the opportunity to get your photo taken by a professional photographer. The ferry loading process was easy and quick and you just stayed in line following those in front. On our way to The Rock, we sat up top of the ferry and got a 360 view of the city. Once on the island, you had a mandatory stop in the front of the penitentiary with a park ranger who went through a brief history of the island and prison as well as the rules and regulations. My mom and then had the opportunity to tour on our own before heading to the top prison cell for the audio tour. Before reaching the top we saw a brief film in the theater which went through a detailed history of the prison's history. The audio tour told a story and allowed the listener to walk through the cell areas as if they were truly entering into prison from the showers to the solitary prison cells and the lunch room. I not only learned a lot, but I grew a new appreciation for the island. It was not only a federal prison, but was a military fort and a home to many officers and their families. Children grew up on the island and took a ferry to school each day. Now that is an incredible experience. The vegetation and greenery on the island is unique and native to the island. I like the tour’s freedom as each visitor got their own device and it was well controlled so that not too many people were in each section at the same time. The audio tour allowed time for you to walk and included sounds (cell doors slamming, prisoners yelling) to reinforce the reality for those listening even more. The tour allowed for your own reflection and the guides were still there if you had any questions.

 

I decided to focus on Alcatraz Cruises during my time in San Francisco as I felt that the company truly matched up with creating a memorable experience for its clients. Alcatraz Cruises works hand-in-hand with the National Park Service and not only provided our ferry transportation from the Embarcadero to the island, but also allowed us to choose our tour package and tickets directly online. My visit to Alcatraz revealed that Alcatraz was much more than a scary, federal prison as most of us know it as, but it was also a military fortification and a military prison in the late 1860s. You can also see visible reminders of the American Indian Occupation that started in 1969 after the prison closed, which marked a huge milestone for the American Indian Rights movement. The expereince made me more knowledgeable and eager to learn even more. My experience didn't just end when I left the island.

 

Just as the Harvard Business Review’s article "Welcome to the Experience Economy" reveals, there is a major difference between service and an experience. Alcatraz Cruises has found a way to use its prop, the prison, as a form of entertainment through tours that are interactive and emotionally appealing. The tour utilizes immersion, allowing tour listeners to gain a deep emotional involvement into the prison as if they were a prisoner themselves. Its visitors become immersed into the lifestyle that once thrived on The Rock. They did a great job at selling the experience, so much that almost everyone on the tour bought something engraved with “Alcatraz” from the gift shop, symbolizing its effect on its visitors to truly want to remember the experience. What appeals so much to visitors is the rare artifacts and the realism within and on the prison. Many of the artifacts (shanks, bar opener used for escape) are original and to be able to experience and see the prisoners’ escape method or the home to the American Indian rights movement milestone is fascinating to many so involved in history.