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CTelley
I had a terrific time. Captain Bob was warm and very helpful making sure we all got to the location. Great funny comments and well run trip all around. It was fun meeting others and a very nice fun day with multiple activities to do. Thanks again !!! I would definatly do it again.
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35redwing
Just got home from an afternoon on this boat cruise. Boat was perfect for this type of trip; clean and functional for a sporting adventure. Crew was friendly and knowledgeable. No padded lounges on this trawler, and toilet is a boat "head". Fact is, if you're the high maintenance type and/or want a luxury liner, book a yacht! Some physical activity, like climbing a ladder in/out of the boat is necessary, but I'm 65 and had no problem. You should expect to get wet at least to your knees. Weather today was beautiful, although water was cold! Again, we went on an adventure which include snorkeling, so we made it a point to brave the chill to search for sand dollars. Crew alerted us that it would take some fortitude to brave the chill. Sitting at the back of the boat you get a bit of a spray and a first hand look at the jumping dolphins in the boat's wake. We saw many and got wonderful pics. Boat ride and dolphin watch is part of the reason you take this cruise. Then, Egmont Key is a wonder to explore. It's true there's some construction and crew alerts you there may be places you can't go (this can vary daily as the work progresses), but if you walk the beach you'll inevitably find shells and there are turtles and historic ruins to explore. Be sure to pack a lunch, take some beverages in a cooler and wear your swimming suit. Highly recommend this cruise...A value for the price!
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gxc810
This was not a great experience. As soon as we laid eyes on the boat we should have gone home. Boat is dirty and had more than enough clutter clutter. The ride to the island was almost an hour of wasted time and when we got to the island we had to scale an extension ladder to get off the boat . The captain and first mate sais they knew nothing about where to go re . the beach construction. We wasted our time looking at the ruins and never got to find the shells that everybody brags about. We had to hurry away so some could snorkel. They should have snorkeled right were we were (docked) Nobody saw anything snorkeling (another disappointment)Another boat was docked with a gang plank to the beach and that boat was actually CLEAN. I asked what a guy paid for the trip and it was half the price we paid. they did not have a one hour trip to the island but only twenty minutes... That ship would drop you off at ten o'clock if you like and let you stay as long as you like or come back when you like as they shuttled back and forthOn the way back when the proposes were along side the boat the first mate stood on that side of the scow on a railing blocking the view for picture taking. The boat and crew were not clean and the boat was so loud you could not hear the musicIf you have kids that are little the ladder can be a challenge and if you are fat old and disabled as one lady was you are in trouble
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deanna709
We were happily surprised to find out this was no ordinary boat ride. Our captain knew just where to take us to see so many dolphins - jumping in the wake of our boat and amusing us with their antics. Then we landed on Egmont Key and were thrilled to find out that we could go snorkeling, play on the beach and explore the remains of the old fort. We were busy having fun all the time and will always remember this boat trip as the perfect "tropical island getaway"! Deanna and Peyton
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Jules4445
Loved this boat cruise, the crew was very friendly and helpful and made the cruise very memorable.The Dolphins were the highlight of the cruise, but the whole afternoon was a great experience. I would highly recommend this and can't wait to come back again.
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thirsty_pyrate
My experience was identical to that of Fireftrmo. The salesman at John's Pass, Blair, was funny, informative and knows how to close. The trip was a blast and I am sooooo glad we went. The dolphins do literally jump right behind the boat, usually off to the side as they ride the swells created by the boat. This makes the ride out a real treat. The island is great. There are huge turtles in abundance and the ruins of the old fort make exploring a fun diversion. I wish that we could have spent more time on the island, but overall the trip was great. We snorkeled for sand dollars, and I found a few :) Our trip was in November and the water was cool (69 degrees) so only a few of us went in. The captain is both fun and funny, but safety is always first.A couple of notes for people considering this trip. Take more water than you think you will need. it can get hot exploring the island and if you go in the ocean, that salty water will have you craving fresh water. They have coolers loaded with ice to keep your food and beverages cool. We found that food wasn't really necessary, it is only a four hour tour. The boat stays there so you can leave your stuff on the boat. You will need footwear for island exploration. They have sand burrs everywhere and getting some stuck in your foot will be a real pain! Sunscreen and hats are very important, the sun can cook you quickly. There are no vendors on the island, so pack it in and pack it out. The marina on the mainland has limited options for sale.
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KenD939
We were recently in the area on a business trip and my wife and I decided to take a day trip over to Egmont Key. As a kid growing up we used to go often on our own boat but living a way we decided to take one of the tour boat companies. Capt Randy called us the night before the trip and ensured we had directions and confirmed the trip for us. Upon our arrival he greeted us and was a great host on our entire trip. Both my wife and I were impressed with his total professionalism as well as his hospitality. He has a difficult job as he is tasked with the safety and lives of those vacationers he has on the boat so at times he had to remind passengers of some of the rules like not hanging over the side of the boat or getting up on the rails. We could tell this angered some people who had no regard for the rules but he handled it very gracefully. The boat handled well and the crew did a great job to make sure that everyone had a great time and was returned to dock safely. The boat is older as one reviewer expressed but it was a safe vessel and great for the trip. We had so much fun we took our business partners who came down a few days later out again. In our opinion Tropical Island Getaway is a winner and well worth the price we paid for a day out on the water and being able to explore the island. If you have the opportunity when visiting don't pass this adventure up.
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Travel-related
Tap on any of the pictures above to few the photo gallery from this cruise. This is the only trip that can get the dolphins to jump and play.
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Fireftrmo
Stumbled on John's Pass by accident. Decided it looked like a great place to explore. Walking thru the shops/boardwalk we came upon a video showing dolphins playing around the boat. We hadn't planned on going out on a cruise really but after seeing the video and talking to the sales guy we decided why not? A four hour trip sounded fun, especially the way the sales guy described it. It only required a $5 deposit per person. He told us where we could get sandwiches (which we did and those were amazing as well!) and drinks, what to bring, what they supplied and that they would call to verify the morning of just in case of bad weather. What an awesome day! The Captain and his First Mate were funny and very knowledgeable. The boat was clean and we started off. We had dolphins chasing the boat and jumping around pretty much the whole way there. We got off the boat on a great island where we saw lots of turtles, a lighthouse and old military forts. We walked the beaches collecting shells. The water was too rough for us to snorkel over the ruins but we stopped on a sandbar and got to "dig" for sand dollars with our feet in the water. It was totally cool!!! On the way back we had dolphins following us again as well as some really eager seagulls. This was totally worth the money and totally worth 4 hours. It flew by. I'm so happy we stumbled upon this little place. What great memories. Awesome for kids as well.
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justwanttoretire
Very fun experience. You wont believe how the dolphins play off the wake of the boat!!!! The boat captain has a dry but funny sense of humor and i cant forget to mention he loves Jimmy Buffett. They called to confirm and were waiting for us when we arrived to direct us where to park and check in. Found this to be the best price and a fun experience. They quote an adult price as well as a child price and it includes the snorkeling too. Other companies charged slightly less but then when you asked about the snorkeling there was additional charges. Boat is not glamorous but they did have coolers full of ice that were available to store your drinks and such. I would recommend bringing your lunch as the small store doesn't have much of a variety. Both the captains were accommodating and friendly. We had a VERY fun time!
