Great experience and beautiful scenery on our island tour with Captain Ron and Mrs. Kathy. They…read morewere great hosts and gave us so much information about the area and the animals along the route. We will definitely be back and hope to bring more family next time. Thank you Kathy and Captain Ron!

Great day with Captain Ron and Cathy . Highly recommend for an enjoyable and informative dayread more

Our last-minute date night with Lookout Cruises was absolutely incredible. The sunset was stunning…read moreand truly unforgettable, and the entire evening felt effortless from start to finish. Captain and crew--Mike and David--were professional, kind, and attentive. A special mention goes to the captain's mom, who has served as his assistant for the past 26 cruises--she is truly a treasure and adds such a warm, personal touch to the experience. All of the staff had genuinely jovial personalities, making the atmosphere even more enjoyable. One of the most thoughtful details was having crew members walk around and take photos of each couple throughout the evening, allowing everyone to simply be present while still capturing lasting memories. It was the perfect evening to take in the stunning coastal views, watch dolphins play, and see Fort Macon from the water. The boat was exceptionally clean, and safety was never a concern--it was clear we were in very capable hands. We were so impressed that we've already booked their 4th of July fireworks cruise and can't wait!

We did two trips last week. The sunset cruise and the Cape Lookout cruise. Both were excellent as…read morealways. I've been going on this catamaran for roughly 25 years. Each time the fun and food are unmatched.

We booked the Crystal Coast Lady Cruises dinner cruise on July 2, 2026, from 7-9 p.m. for our…read morefamily and extended family, which included one toddler, four children, two teens, and six adults. My husband and I paid close to $800 for our group. Because we had several small children with us, I specifically chose tables close to the buffet, knowing that the adults would need to help make plates for the kids. Anyone who has done a buffet with little ones understands that it often takes multiple trips to get everyone settled and fed. I went through the line to get my food and food for my niece, then realized my sister was holding the toddler and also needed a plate, along with my other four-year-old niece. My husband was helping our other children at the time, and my family was still in the buffet line. I stepped beside my elderly parents, who were getting their food, and said, "Sorry, I forgot two more plates." At that point, the man serving yelled, "Ma'am, STOP!" His tone and behavior were completely unnecessary and embarrassing. I was not cutting in front of another party or trying to get extra food unfairly. I was simply helping feed the children in our group -- a group we had paid a significant amount of money for. The way I was treated was rude, humiliating, and completely unacceptable. It felt as though I was being scolded for trying to get food that we had already paid for. For a family dinner cruise, there should be some understanding that adults may need to assist young children at the buffet. Unfortunately, based on this experience, I would not recommend this dinner cruise for families with small children. If your children will need help getting food from the buffet, this is not a family-friendly experience. We left feeling disappointed and disrespected.

We had a wonderful time tonight. Good food, great music and beautiful scenery. We got to see wild…read morehorses and lots of dolphins. The sunset was spectacular. Our crew was super friendly and gave us lots of pointers about the area. Would definitely do it again!

What a wonderful experience! From booking our tickets with the kindest lady to going on our…read moreadventure with the kindest men/captains of the boat. I didn't catch his name but one man was kind enough to talk to us about the horses, the island, and answer all our questions. He gave clear directions about where to go to find shells and the best spot to see the horses. The boat ride over itself does get faster then I expected so plan ahead for that. We had two small children with us, one being a baby and they enjoyed the boat ride too. The staff was very helpful getting out stroller on and off board. everyone was so kind and helpful and we had a beautiful day!

Overall good experience wait times were a little bit longer than expected but peak season …read more Everyone was helpful

My family and I had the pleasure of going on a boat trip with Captain Monty this past weekend, and…read moreit was truly a wonderful experience. We joined Captain Monty and Roy from Royster's Oysters for a tour of the local waterways, along with a visit to Roy's oyster farm. Both Captain Monty and Roy were exceptional hosts--friendly, knowledgeable, and clearly passionate about what they do. The experience was a highlight of our trip, and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a memorable and unique outing.

What a fun and engaging experience! Due to weather and time of year, my husband and I ended up…read morebeing the only passengers, making it a private tour. While we hoped to see horses, the incoming storm scared them away. Despite this, we saw dolphins, birds, seashells, and learned so so much about the area, environment, history, and marine practices. We recommend this to anyone considering it and hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

John was amazing tour guide as always! Love his storytelling and the pace and stying in character…read more I always take friends and family on this tour when they come from all over to visit us in Emerald Isle for the last 7 years. This is my favorite thing to do.

We did the Sherlock Holmes escape room and had a blast! Thank you, Brian for being a great game…read moremaster.

Fun for all! This is 100% geared towards kids, but Captain Spike definitely throws in some adult…read morehumor too. The trip is perfect amount of time for the kids to not get bored. Mrs Fettuccini was great and remembered every kids name. The treasure was icing on the cake - my kids loved it. Absolutely a must do when in the area.

This tour was amazing. Took the evening Ghost Float tour. It was fun exciting ghostly and had…read moregreat story's the staff was great. Definitely worth the visit.

This was what I needed getting out on the water was the highlight of my trip!…read more Thank you CA John for an awesome sunset tour it's a beautiful scene! Thank you so much!!! We brought a small cooler so we didn't get thirsty ... carry on carry off keep it clean! The tours are very reasonable $20-$25 a person on a smaller charming boat. I'd get advance tickets if you want to do this tour maybe holds 10-12 people, we had 7. I can't believe I didn't get a photo of the boat, ooops!

We were so exited to take the boat tour and see the wild horses. Unfortunately we didn't get to…read moresee any horses on this particular day. The tour guide said it was probably because it had been too hot and humid for the horses. We did get to see lots of birds. My only compliant about the tour was that it was very difficult to hear the tour guide over the sound of the boat engine. Waterbug Tours takes reservations and walk ups. I believe it was $18 a person for a 45-60 minute tour by boat that takes you out to the island and through the harbor. The inside of the boat was cleaned and sanitized between trips that took place every hour. I had a great time and learned a lot about Beaufort. I really wish we had been able to see some horses but that's not their fault. I'd totally take the tour again.

FAVORITE PLACE HERE. We spent hours finding the most amazing shells. The water is crystal clear and…read morethe wanes aren't bad at all. I would come back in a heart beat.

We had so much fun on Shackleford Island. We saw so many horses, found a lot of cool shells, and…read morethe beach was beautiful. It's about a 30 minute ferry ride from Beaufort. There is a restroom but NO amenities or food available for purchase. Bring everything you need with you. Once we arrived, there was a tour guide but it wasn't much of a tour. She walked us to the other side of the island to show us two horses on the beach and then walked all the way back to where we started to show us where to find the best shells. Her "tour" lasted about 30 minutes. We did most of the exploring on our own and that's when we found the majority of the horses. As long as you aren't looking for a super guided tour, this is a great day trip!

I recently took the Beaufort Cart Tour with Rich. I had a great time and got to see more of…read moreBeaufort than expected as we took a detour to the Beaufort Hotel to pick up others then made some stops along the way. Rich was enthusiastic and knowledgeable about the town. We went to Hammock House that is one of the oldest houses in the state. It was used by the Union Army in the Civil War. It is thought to be the "White House" that was used to help those at sea navigate the shoals and harbor entrance. I am interested in architecture so the tour was tailored to that somewhat. Beaufort houses tend to have a white fence with sharp tops so that the chicken and pigs didn't get loose. Neighbors were allowed to kill the animal to eat as long as half was donated to the church. The three sided roof is another Beaufort style to cover the front porches as a form of air conditioning. Some houses are a story and a jump which is a one story house with a sleeping space for children The Old Burying Ground was interesting learning about. Captain Otway Burns is buried with a cannon on his grave. I got attraction and restaurant recommendations too. This was a fun and educational tour that I highly recommend.

My sister and I toured historical Beaufort with Rich. We had such a good time. Our tour was…read moresupposed to be 90 minutes, but we went almost 45 minutes over because we were so engrossed in conversation. I highly recommend this tour.