Many Europeans, including large numbers of Irish, German, and Dutch immigrants, and New Englanders migrating west boarded packet boats or line boats on the Erie Canal. Sometimes the cost to ride a line boat was just a penny. Wealthy travelers rode the canal in luxury, with chef-prepared meals and beautiful views, while poor immigrants often found themselves on cramped, dirty boats like those they had known on their trip across the Atlantic. In 1825, 40,000 passengers from all walks of life traveled the Erie Canal, including the wealthy, poor immigrants, merchants, and people peddling goods from watches to candies to books. That was only in the first year, and today the canal remains a vibrant waterway enjoyed mostly for water and land-based recreation.