What should have been a fun and relaxing experience ended up being a mix of excellent…read moretransportation and some of the worst customer service we've encountered.
We were a party of five, including one child under 12. We arrived very early for our departure. The gentleman directing traffic made me drive all the way around another lane, even though there wasn't a single car behind me, just so I could pull up next to him. It seemed unnecessary, but not a huge deal.
The first real disappointment came at the ticket window around 6:30 a.m. The woman working there was incredibly rude, short-tempered, and dismissive. A smile or a simple "good morning" would have gone a long way. If working with people has become that frustrating, perhaps customer service isn't the right position.
The ferry ride itself was fantastic! The boat was clean, comfortable, and well-maintained. The restrooms, both at the terminal and onboard, were spotless, and the crew on the ferry was friendly and professional. The ride to Key West was one of the highlights of our trip.
Unfortunately, our vacation was cut short when one member of our group experienced a heart-related medical issue, forcing us to return a day early. We called the company and were told we could take the Sunday evening ferry back, which sounded accommodating at first.
However, we were then charged an additional $60 per person--including the child--even though we already had round-trip tickets. On top of that, we received no refund or credit for the parking. We had prepaid $40 for two nights, but because we returned later than planned, we ended up paying for a third day as well. Considering the parking lot was nearly empty, some flexibility or goodwill would have been appreciated during a medical emergency.
We were instructed to arrive after 1:00 p.m. to pick up our boarding passes for the 6:00 p.m. departure. We arrived at 1:30 p.m. and were immediately told we were "late" and would now be assigned to Group B boarding. The woman at the counter was shockingly rude. She rolled her eyes, spoke to us in a belittling tone, and even stated that she was "over 65 and doesn't give a s*** anymore dealing with people." I've never heard a customer service employee speak that way to paying customers.
The experience only got worse. When Group A boarding was called, I stood up because I thought it was our turn. The same employee actually rushed out from behind the counter waving her arms and motioning for me to sit back down, as if I had done something wrong. It was embarrassing, unnecessary, and completely unprofessional.
It's unfortunate because the ferry itself is excellent. The boat, the ride, and the onboard staff deserve five stars. Unfortunately, the employees at the ticket counter turned what should have been a wonderful experience into a stressful and unpleasant one.
We travel often and understand that emergencies happen. A little compassion, professionalism, and kindness would have made all the difference. Instead, we left feeling like we were an inconvenience.
Sadly, despite loving the ferry ride itself, our entire group agreed that next time we'd rather drive the seven hours from Sarasota than deal with the ticket office again.
2/5 stars
One star for the wonderful ferry ride and onboard crew. One star for the clean, comfortable boat. The remaining three stars were lost because of the consistently rude, dismissive, and unprofessional customer service at the ticket office.
