Some of the critiques that the other recent reviews mention are on-point, my take is that the crew need to commit to either being a family-centered pirate experience, or a voyage of adult-themed booze-cruise shenanigans; passively trying to be sort-of both isn't really effective. A LOT went wrong on our voyage, most of which was weather-related beyond management's control, however I believe that these folks deserve a good review because their reaction to the situation was fair and reasonable; this experience had improvements to be made, but, when given the choice whether or not to screw us over (which the could have done), the team here did us right; thank you! read more

Hey Mates, If like rubbing bare sweaty legs and arms with your fellow pirates, If you enjoy a packed sardine experience, If you don't mind other shipmates stepping on your feet this is the voyage for you. Our trip was overbooked, no refunds are available, instead of refund they ask you to reschedule for another voyage. However, we are from Georgia here on vacation and another voyage was unavailable during the time of our stay. Save your doubloons do not waste them on this falsely advertised adventure. read more

I hate leaving not great reviews because we love Big Bear and have always enjoyed Holloway's Marina, but this experience was pretty disappointing. The "pirate" boat ride was essentially just a regular boat ride with a captain dressed as a pirate. Other than that, there was really nothing pirate-themed about it. No pirate stories, activities, games, or entertainment. The kids did get to take turns steering the boat, which was probably the highlight of the entire experience. The music kept cutting out because of Bluetooth issues, and at one point random ads started playing over the speakers, which definitely took away from the atmosphere. At the end, the kids got to pick a toy from a treasure chest, but most of the items looked like inexpensive dollar-store trinkets. Overall, the ride was pretty boring and felt like a missed opportunity. With a little effort, this could be a really fun family attraction, but as it stands, it didn't deliver on the pirate experience that was advertised. We love Holloway's and will absolutely continue supporting the marina, but this is not an activity we would spend money on again or recommend to friends looking for a memorable pirate adventure. read more

Make sure you use the bathroom before you head to the pirate ship. Bathroom is located right before you park. There are no bathrooms onboard and it's about 2 hour tour. Then head over towards the water where the blue roof building. Check in at the register, they start boarding shortly after the scheduled time. The tour was pretty chill and had interesting facts. They have snacks, drinks and beer for sell. The staff was friendly and even offered to let you take a photo with the captain while steering the wheel. Definitely family friendly. read more

Big Bear Pirate Ship - Boating Near Me - Big Bear Lake, California

My 77 yo sister with MS was helped aboard by the awesome staff, The "wench" Kelly was super pleasant, Captain Don narrated our voyage, kids took turns steering, chose a treasure, & we chatted with Mel Blanc jr. When we arrived back at the dock, the staff returned my sisters walker and helped her off the boat. All of us had a good time. Thank you to all the staff. Need post cards of the ship,. read more

Big Bear Pirate Ship - Boating Near Me - Big Bear Lake, California

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They expect you to say that you will sign a waiver without being able to read the waiver first. Then after you pay, if you don't agree to the waiver, they don't refund your money even if you call them back right away. Really poor customer service. Whoever the owner/manager is there should really rethink their customer service. read more

It was fun, relaxing, interesting and family-owned. I wouldn't consider any other way to tour the lake. read more

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This experience needs to decide if it's for kids or adults. It really struggles at trying to be for both. I love that they served alcohol for adults and they could still do that while making it more pirate themed for children but there is literally nothing "pirate" about this but the ship itself. The guy helping was sweet but wore sweatpants and Nikes. Our kid was so bored and disappointed since he is really into pirates right now and was anticipating this so much. He's 4 and we wouldn't have booked if we had known that there wasn't any pirate type interaction. The Captain didn't even throw in a an Ahoy lol. read more

We had a very nice family trip on the ship. The kids enjoyed it and it was pretty informative as a tour. It was nice to get to see the entire lake and learn a bit along the way. The highlights for the kids included the cannon blast and taking photos with the captain. For the adults, it was neat stopping by to hear Mel Blanc's son do the Bugs Bunny voice. That definitely doesn't happen every day! read more

Don't waste your money! Very unprofessional organization! We left late. The deck hand was busy trying to pick up on females and giving them free alcohol. PA system didn't work properly so we couldn't hear the captain. read more

Worth the ride and fun for adults and kids alike. The pirate tour guide is humorous and kept us entertained. He grew up here at Big Bear and knows the neighborhood real well, giving a nice overview of the history of Big Bear along with us meeting famous people along the way. The voice actor for Bugs Bunny lives right off the lake here and he even came out to greet us with his megaphone from his backyard. The weather here at the lake ranges widely. So even if it looks all sunny and hot, it'd be wise to have a jacket on hand, it gets crazy cold for a stretch of the ride! The receptionist wasn't joking when they advise to bring a jacket for a portion of the ride. It's like stepping into the freezer for 5 minutes out of nowhere. The pirate has a treasure chest on board and had all the little kids go up to the front and pick their own plunder to bring home as souvenirs, so nice of him! Fun cool experience. Great place to visit during summer. read more

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I don't understand all the negative reviews, it's a cheap replica boat with a corny pirate captain, it's great for what it is. Reserve online, fill out forms online, show up on time and expect a silly, informative tour on a tiny fake pirate boat and you will be fine. Lighten up people. read more

Big Bear Pirate Ship - Boating Near Me - Big Bear Lake, California

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Dont let the size of the ship fool ya, its really cool. cost was ok, but the guys working the ship were great. really nice tour around the lake for a few hours. i liked how they tell you all the cool details of the lake, some history and other cool things that the lake has to offer. great for smaller kids and adults. slow easy boat ride, and they serve beer and drinks ( for a cost ) and gave the kids some souvenirs. i would do this again. read more

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Better than expected whole family young and old enjoyed it. Fri 4pm trip Here are a few random thoughts... Kids have to wear life jackets much to the shagrin of my 9 year old. He was uncomfortable and annoyed the whole time. So if you have a personal jacket bring it. Pirate driver and "wenches" were great! High energy, kind, engaging, funny. Just so nice to see someone in service business providing a great service and make you feel they want to be there. Music was awesome. Fun upbeat sing along play list. Made the ride feel like a party cruise. We had drinks so it was happy hour. Some fun surprises I won't ruin but other reviews do if you're curious. Kid friendly with treasure box get to drive boat etc. My son was a bit afraid to get up and walk along the boat as it was moving with so many people blocking him ( people and kids standing in aisle) so the pirate was kind of enough to bring some things to him. I bought pirates booty to snack on at the shop before we boarded, glad I did. Weather was perfect, high 70s sunny. Not sure evening sunset cruise would have been as nice because we probably would have gotten cold. If you've never really cruised the lake this is a perfect way to do it and get some fun facts. Drink menu included soft drinks $1 Chardonnay and Cabernet $8, several different beers $6 or $8, margaritas, and a few specialty cocktails $12. You can either pay cash on board or run a tab and pay at the end. Expert tip--Bring a koozie, the soda cans are freezing and hard for the kids to hold the whole time and beers are in the bottle. Generous pour for the wine and red wine was fine. Seating. If you're early, choose spot not facing anyone. My mother's only complaint is it's a bit crowded facing strangers who kick you the whole time, otherwise seating was fine. I'm not sure I need to do it again unless I have new people but I really thought it was great. Maybe a private charter sometime. read more

Big Bear Pirate Ship - Boating Near Me - Big Bear Lake, California

This is a 90 minute pirate ship cruise around Big Bear Lake. I've driven around the lake many times but circling the lake on a boat was a great deal more fun! They teach you things about the lake and surrounding areas that were very interesting. We saw several homes on the lake that belonged to well known people. This a great trip for kiddos too! You can take a pic of them driving the boat and they were given hats and swords to play with while the cruise was going on and at the end they got a treasure! We did not get bored at any point. I have been to Big Bear Lake dozens of times and the things I always saw and wondered about were explained to us. I'm so glad we did this cruise and the next time I come back here, I'm going on the Pirate Ship again! read more

We had a fun time sailing the high seas around BB lake. The kids enjoyed the pirate ship and the adults had fun too. Beverages served aboard and we learned and saw new things around BB we've not seen before. Captain and first mate were wonderful, so much so that we didn't even care when the cannon ball wouldn't co-operate. The special cartoon voice mystery guest was a delight as well. Thank you BB pirate ship, we had so much fun! read more

I booked the Pirate Ship boat tour for my 3 kids and I. I was pleasantly surprised to see the wide assortment of life safety vests at the dock. The ship arrived on-time and it was a sight to behold, including the pirate captain, boat wench, decorations, etc. The seating is comfortable and the boat tour was the right balance of story telling of Big Bear history and giving us riders time and space to just gaze at the natural beauty around us. The boat wench offered pirates booty popcorn, pirate tatoos and hats/swords for the kids. They delighted in being able to pick a toy from the treasure box. You can tell that the captain is really passionate about sailing and sharing the Big Bear history with his riders. I truly respect and appreciate the genuineness of this business. A lot of people get in to tourist business to make quick buck, but this captain truly has a passion for what he does and cares about making sure the riders fall in love with Big Bear Lake as much as he has. My kids have already requested another ride, so I'll be booking again. Cheers. read more

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Great activity for adults and kids. A beautiful sail around big bear lake on an authentic pirate ship is a perfect add to any trip in big bear. Kiddos get swords to swing in character on the boat, get the chance to steer the boat, and get something special out of the treasure chest at the end. For adults there are reasonably drinks priced on board and context about big bear lake with immaculate views through out the trip. No bathroom on board but there is a restroom to use in the marina before the 90minute lake excursion. read more

Big Bear Pirate Ship - Boating Near Me - Big Bear Lake, California

Amusing enough I called in the morning to reserve a spot for the Pirate Ship tour for me and the hubby. Our visit to Big Bear was in mid-May and only one 90-minute tour at 2:00p that Saturday was available. They open up more tours during the hot summer months. We were able to secure a place at the Pirate Ship tour. This 1/3 scale 16th century Spanish galleon replica was a prop in the 1981 movie "Time Bandits" where a young boy accidentally joins a band of time travelling dwarves, as they jump from era to era looking for treasure to steal. I, myself, have not seen the movie but our 'pirate' captain navigating our ship... well, he said some not-so-nice things about the movie. That was enough to not make me want to watch it. The pirate ship is docked at the Holloway's Marina and RV Park in Big Bear Lake. It didn't seem big but it accommodated some 30+ of us including children and a few babies. It was super windy at the lake and at times the ship would list, the distribution of weight aboard would cause the ship to heel to one side and I would glance at our captain tour guide's way to see his facial expression and he would have that worried look. Now that's scary. The tour took us around the lake and points of interest on a narrated 90-minute tour. There was even a full bar on board! The captain told us stories and anecdotes, pointed to some real estates by the lake and even steered us to one of them owned by Mel Blanc Jr, who came out on his deck and spoke through a megaphone as Bugs Bunny to us. Mel Blanc (the father) was the voice of Looney Tunes cartoons Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Tweety, Sylvester, Speedy Gonzales, Yosemite Sam, Foghorn Leghorn, and Wile E. Coyote. So that was cool. The tour continued as we heard about the history of the lake, the boat and the village. The captain also entertained us on the cruise by firing his small canon at a competing tourist paddle boat. LoL. That's about it. Fun! Review #1035 read more

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This tour was so fun. Went with my husband and 11 month old son. The captain was so fun and funny as well It was great to learn all the famous houses out there! And even see Noel Blanc (voice of bugs bunny & Donald Duck) and hear him do them to us through a megaphone. I would do this tour again when my Son is older! Super fairly priced. Captain was amazing. Being a windbreaker just incase. read more

This was a nice little tour of Big Bear Lake with some fun history of the area. Our guide was a long time resident and had tons of stories to tell about real life events in the Bear Valley. So why the three stars? So despite the pirate ship theme, treasure chest of prizes for kids and swords passed out for fun on the ride, this was a little too boring for our 12 and 9 year old. Hearing about how the damn was built or the inner workings of government leased land didn't do much for them. Additionally, most of the things to see are on the port side of boat, but we were told to sit with our kids on the opposite side. It made it difficult to see what was being narrated without contorting ourselves to one side. The price was pretty good but I would look at renting your own boat and touring the lake yourself before I committed to the pirate ship. read more

Big Bear Pirate Ship - Boating Near Me - Big Bear Lake, California

We had such a fun time! The kids were able to steer the boat. The captain was so sweet! So was his support employee. I highly recommend taking your kids on this especially those who love pirates. We had a 6 year old, a 2 & 1 year old. They loved it! The captain knows the area so we'll & the tour was lovely overall! read more

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What a great idea to spend a couple hours with my spouse on an anniversary cruise.. while it was fun for adults we really took it to see if our grandkids should go on it.. and we enjoyed it so much we know it would be a kick in the pants for those under 10.. read more

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Not really an adventure you would want to take little ones on. Our children are ages 8-3. They were very excited to board but not much of a pirate experience and the got board pretty quickly. Oh well. As for us adults it was a very tight squeeze with a full ship. They did not serve alcohol on our trip but I couldn't see how it would even work if they did. We were packed shoulder to shoulder, knee to knee for 90 minutes. The views were beautiful but probably would have been more comfortable on a traditional tour boat. read more

Booked this excursion for a family trip over the 4th of July holiday and everyone had a great time! It was informative, entertaining and both the adults and kids enjoyed the experience. For the kids, they do some fun things by giving them props to borrow, putting on temporary tattoos, allowing them a chance to steer the ship and providing a little treasure at the end of the ride! For adults, they offer drinks on board for purchase, but be aware, there are no restrooms available. Overall, I would definitely recommend if you're looking for a fun family activity and a nice cruise around Big Bear Lake! read more

Took my youngest brother on this 90-minute Pirate Ship Tour on 6/6/21at 6pm for his birthday weekend and it was the highlight of our trip as well as his first time on a boat. We paid $29.99 for each adult. Wine, beer, soda, tea, orange juice and water was offered during the tour for just a few bucks. We both enjoyed learning about the area and its history as well as taking amazing photos and videos. Make sure you bring a jacket as it gets a bit windy. We will definitely take this tour again if we're in the area! read more

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My family and I had absolutely the BEST time and experience at the pirate ship. I believe our captain's name was John and him and his sailmate were fun, pleasant and just great overall. I honestly didn't expect much going on the cruise but we were totally entertained. The weather was beautiful and the views spectacular! It was great to see Big Bear lake from the ship. Captain told us few stories and fun facts about the area (and some pirate jokes too. Lol). He let the kiddos steer the boat and he even "shot the cannon" a couple of times. It was definitely worth the money and time. Very fun and a definite "must" if you are a tourist in the area :) read more

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SUCH A FUN RIDE! Our captain was fun and engaging. Learning all about big bear was really interesting and insightful!

We were very disappointed. First off it isn't a pirate adventure it is a tour of the lake. They are knowledgeable of the lake but we received no pirate adventure. No acting and they didn't even dress like pirates. But the thing that was very disturbing was they handed the kids a pirate hat and sword. Sounds good right? The kids finally got a little excited. Then they told them at the end they had to give them back and they could get a dollar store toy out of the treasure chest instead. For the price we paid they should give the kids the hat and sword. But the worse was they never told the kids they had to give back when they gave it to them. Drinks on board are expensive. We have did pirate ship adventures before and this is not a pirate ship adventure. Don't waste ypur money. read more

My fiance and I took a tour over the weekend, we had the best time!! The captain was super funny and knowledgeable, the service was great, love that they have drinks on board-- it just made it that much more fun. We took the 6pm tour and got to see the sunset... we got to see soo much of the lake too and it was just so beautiful!! Its definitely a must-do in my opinion. :) read more

This was more geared towards a adult outing versus a children's outing. We had a full passenger list and my kids under 7 didn't have much of a pirate adventure. It's a nice tour just be aware if you have young children they may be a little bored. read more

If you're going on the last tour at 6pm it may NOT happen even if you purchased your FULL tour tickets!! We got our money back but that didn't make up the disappointment on my grandsons faces! Heartbreaking read more

I'm not sure why there are so many lower reviews, we had a great time! We booked in advance for the two o'clock slot. When we arrived, the boat was docked and ready to get on. They had a variety of sizes of life vests for kids, which are required for I think 12 and under. When you board, you sit on the top deck on relatively soft benches. I would say maybe about 20 people would fit? We weren't too crowded and it seemed full. The boat was captained by a gentleman dressed like a pirate, which was fun for kids. They gave the kids pirate swords to hold while on board that they traded in for a prize from the treasure box at the end. The tour was about 90 minutes and went all the way around the lake. The captain told us all about the history and the different houses, who lived there etc. They played some kind of themed music mixed in with jimmy Buffett etc. they also have drinks and things on board for purchase (soda and cocktails). Overall, it was a great experience. read more

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Disappointed in this experience. Would recommend this to families with kids but as an adult with no kids...not worth the money. We were surrounded by small children who were talking, getting yelled at or crying so hearing the back story of Big Bear Lake was near impossible. Ride had a lot for the kiddos, like hats and swords (sadly had to return them at the end of the ride). They got free pirate tattoos, something from the treasure box and even a chance to steer the boat. I wish they offered a couple tours for adults only so we could hear what was being said. Drinks were offered on the boat. And I read reviews that made it seem like the stories were fun and pirate like but I didn't get that vibe. Was it cool sailing on a pirate ship? Heck yeah. But with screaming kids? No thank you. Not impressed especially for $30 for adult tickets. read more

This review isn't a reflection of the ride since sadly We weren't able to experience it more so the experience dealing with the receptionist (Bailey) I've tried booking a trip weeks in advanced both via email and by phone I never heard back from the email submissions so I contacted them multiple times The person picking up the phone needs to seriously loose the attitude I've gotten her twice and her attitude is disgusting (Bailey) read more

I was looking forward to this excursion for over a week, as my grandson loves pirates . The ship is small and old, it holds approximately 30 people on bench seating. They decided do maintenance at the last minute. We waited dock, in the hottest day of the year. So we started off bad. The capital took us to the same spot in the lake twice and the went to the end of the lake and came back to the dock. We visited the bugs bunny house. A man came out over a mega phone to Imitate bugs bunny and Donald duck. Which would have been cute if it wasn't so hot! There is no sun shade on this boat. Alcohol drinks are offered for $10 . Bringing your own refreshments is Prohibited. They do allow to bring snacks . Bottles of water run two dollars each. This company also owns an RV park by the lake which looks absolutely wonderful. read more

Big Bear Pirate Ship - Boating Near Me - Big Bear Lake, California

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The Time Bandit, a 1/3-scale replica of a 17th-century English three-masted galleon, sailing the waters of Big Bear Lake. The ship was used as a prop in numerous music videos and Terry Gilliam's 1981 film Time Bandits, hence its name. We wanted to take the Time Bandit tour of Big Bear Lake, however when I called for a reservation we were told the boat was in dry dock and sailing begins Memorial Day weekend. Oddly enough, Marybeth took this picture on the lake while we were on the Sierra Belle. I give a 1 star rating because they outright lied to me when trying to use their service. read more

Big Bear Pirate Ship - Boating Near Me - Big Bear Lake, California

I actually never made it on this boat to take the tour.... however we tried. I called on a Saturday, to find out how I made reservations to go on this boat. The guy who answered the phone had no idea what I was talking about. I guess this company also does boat rentals? Finally he realized I was talking about the pirate ship and told me they were all booked for the day. Called back in the afternoon, to see about Sunday. Someone else answered... and we made reservations for Sunday at noon. Received a message Saturday night saying the credit card number we gave was invalid. She didnt repeat it back, which was odd... we didnt receive the message until later, so we werent able to call back. Sunday, we decided to drive around and look for this place, so we knew where we were headed. The address here on Yelp, takes you to the middle of the street in The Village shopping area. We decided to get directions to the Marina to see if we could find it. Once we did, we saw the ship, and decided we were going to pass on this whole adventure. The boat was small, looked beat up, and now reading that there are "water fights" with other boats, Im extremely thankful we did not go. read more

Such a great experience, and they made it so special for our kids (ages 5 and 7). Definitely a highlight of our Big Bear trip!

I enjoyed this tour a lot. Relaxing, fun, and informative. They take you all over the lake and show you some cool and historic houses while proving info and facts about all things Big Bear Lake. Bring a jacket as it can get windy and chilly. Adult: $19 Child 12 and under: $12 Accept M/C, Visa, and American Express (and, of course, cash). Tours are approximately 90 minutes. Tour every day at 2pm (in season). Other tours may go out at 10am, 12noon, 4pm and 6pm. The Time Bandit is docked at Holloway's Marina, 398 Edgemoor Rd., Big Bear Lake. Perfect for the family. Give them a try. read more