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    Key West Express

    3.2 (88 reviews)
    Closed 9:00 am - 5:00 pm

    Services - Key West Express

    Boat charters

    Key West Express Photos

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    Mimosa
    Janine H.

    My #1 piece of advice is get to the pier early to secure a spot in line and get the best seat. There are a few couch style seats that go really fast. #2 would be download something to watch for the 4 hour ride. After about 30 min you'll lose wifi and cell signal. #3 HIT THE BAR! I did not expect the extensive selection so I was pleasantly surprised. From mimosa to coffee with baileys to rum punch they'd got you covered. #4 The food on board isn't at all what I thought it would be and I mean that on a good way. Great assortment of snack items to hold you over. Lastly I want to say how amazing the entire crew is! Great service and the best personalities!

    Rude rude rude. One of the reasons not to travel on the Key west express.
    Jeff K.

    This is a pretty easy review. While I understand that not a single bad review will ever cause change to any transportation company like this company in any tourist destination, I do feel if I can prevent one person from making the mistake I made then it is worth it. My mistake was to use this service. Someone replying from the comfort of an office to the many poor yelp reviews or criticism on other social media platforms can easily state what their policy is, the federal government policies are and they can say they're sorry all day and night but if staff and management do not recognize their poor behaviors and implement simple fixes to change then nothing will ever change. To me, the company will not feel a single financial pain from any bad reviews because there is always another user to take our dissatisfied place. They just won't get my business any longer and hopefully one person reads this and saves them from the aggravation I experienced. Time.. if you are living in the Naples / Fort Myers area you have to arrive one hour in advance of departure time . Which means if you have to drive 30 minutes to 45 minutes to get to the departure location one hour in advance. The trip is then 3 1/2 hours long. You must weigh your time because it might be shorter to drive four hours to Key West than it is to wake up early, drive, wait in a line to get onboard and go early in the morning. Cost wise you might save. Because you have to pay for parking in addition to the boat trip. Attitude.. I am a customer, my party of two paid a lot of money to park for 4 days and take a round trip from Fort Myers to Key West. To be referred to as "pal" is insulting to me especially since you've never met me and your approaching me because of an unpleasant interaction with a staff member of yours. I told you mine but you never told me yours until I asked. The assumption that everyone boarding from Key West to Fort Myers is intoxicated or should be talked to gruffly is an inaccurate assumption. Customer Service..Let's just say it's lacking except when it suits them. They do an excellent announcement twice while onboard, once upon departure and while arriving when the implore you to tip them and to look for a tip bucket upon leaving the ramp. Management should pay their employees more if the need to beg for cash tips and I'm wondering if they're anything like my staff which is required by law to declare those tips to the government? Mine legally do, do yours? Not a good position to put your employees in without having them being properly trained. Training.. I am sure the state and federal government do the correct inspections and check for your paperwork. That is not a question here. What I'm wondering is if your internal policies are posted anywhere? Online? Training your staff has? I wonder if your employees are properly trained in customer service and how to deal with passengers that are intoxicated, passengers that simply have a question and don't wish to have their head bit off and if all your employees are trained in CPR. Not only do some of your customers look like they're in a certain medical condition ( high risk category) but some staff members are considerably at risk with their physical condition. Wifi.. in the 21 st century isn't available because you want us to relax and not worry about the world because we're escaping to Key West vacationland. I'll tell you what, you expound about COVID in your message over the loud speaker, you have tv's all over the place yet you don't give us a choice for wifi? Really? You're to cheap!! Other yelpers mentioned the buying of the tickets is an odd and cumbersome approach. I agree. The website is confusing and the multiple email confirmations with paying for parking etc is just to much.

    Over crowded
    Doug S.

    Sometimes you think that you'll beat the system by showing up early, and waiting in line like a normal citizen. Little do you know; stepping into "their" arena opens a web of lies.... you're actually at the back!!!! Of the line... what a freaking crime. Key west - we had a great honeymoon. KeyWest Express - you ruined it

    Snoozing, mouths agape...maskless.

    ***COVID WARNING*** We took the Key West Express on two trip legs and were honestly really disgusted by the fact that maybe 10% of the passengers, AT MOST, wore masks. EVEN THE STAFF DIDN'T WEAR THEIR MASKS, as they walked around the boat and chatted with passengers. I'm sure that's a pretty gross FTA violation (yes, ferries are governed by the FTA and are subject to strict rules, regulations, penalties, and fines!). We were told that passengers were required to wear masks, except while actively eating and drinking. Apparently that didn't mean anything to the staff or the passengers because virtually everyone was going about like Covid didn't even exist. Talking, eating, laughing, DRINKING like fish (very much encouraged on this boat), and carrying on...maskless...in the middle of a pandemic. It was horrifying. I'm immunocompromised and, despite being vaccinated, do rely on others to wear their masks so I don't get sick. I doubt most of the people on this boat were even vaccinated, which makes it even more scary. I'm not sure how to put this politely, but the clientele on the boat seemed to care only about themselves and didn't have respect for others who could get sick from their negligence. When my husband asked one of the crew members why he wasn't wearing a mask he got a very sarcastic retort from said staffer. Almost as if they are 'in your face' about the fact that no one is going to tell them to wear a mask and that they don't believe in vaccines or science. All I can say is...people like that deserve the Darwin award. We will never be back to the Key West Express. Plus, I suspect the FTA will be paying them a visit awfully soon!!! Hope they're ready to be shut down.

    Sunset ride back to Ft Myers from Key West.
    Julie C.

    Very comfortable and quick three hour ride from Ft Myers to Key West. This wasn't our first trip and won't be our last

    Your vessel for getting to/from Key West.
    Sandy R.

    Fine service from Fort Myers Beach to Key West and back. Parking is $13.00 per day in Fort Myers Beach. The boat holds about 400 passengers. There's a conglomerate of movie theater seats, tables and chairs for 4 or 6 people, booth seating and high top chairs around the bar area. The temp is kept very chilly in the boat, wearing jeans and being wrapped in a blanket weren't enough to keep me warm. Brrr. The trip to Key West was smooth sailing. I slept the entire trip. The return a few nights later was a different story. Choppy waters caused the boat to hit waves which would lift the front of the boat up, and then it would drop it down suddenly on the water. This scenario repeatedly repeated itself for about an hour or more. People were getting sick in barf bags. Not pleasant. Overall, the boat was good. I, however, don't see the value in traveling by boat for 4-5 hours when a car ride to Key West takes about 5 hours. I'd rather drive and have my car available.

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    2 months ago

    So convenient to take and the staff if very friendly and helpful. They sell snacks and alcohol.

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    Page 1 of 3

    Ask the Community - Key West Express

    Review Highlights - Key West Express

    Overall, willing be traveling once again in a few months for an additional round trip from Fort Myers Beach to Key West.

    Mentioned in 3 reviews

    Read more highlights

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    Yankee Freedom Dry Tortugas Ferry

    Yankee Freedom Dry Tortugas Ferry

    (436 reviews)

    I am a huge US National Parks fan and am trying to visit all of the US National Parks and Monuments…read moreduring my lifetime. Every time we visit Florida, I like to add another Park or Monument to my list. This time was Dry Tortugas National Park, a very unique park in that you have to book a ferry trip or board a sea plane in order to visit the park. We selected the less expensive option, the ferry, which is operated by Yankee Freedom. They offer a one day trip to Dry Tortugas for $250.00, which includes a breakfast, lunch, a guided tour of the fort, and the ferry ride to and from the island, which is 75 miles from Key West, in the Gulf of Mexico. The trip runs from 7 am - 5:30 pm. They also offer 10 spots per day for people who want to camp at Dry Tortugas. We were told that those camping spots fill up very fast. The parking for the day is in a nearby parking garage. It's pricey, so if you can get a ride there and back, that would be a less expensive option. The waiting area for the ferry is at the Yankee Freedom office. You have to show your ID in order to check in. They gave us each a number, which correlates to your number in the boarding process. The earlier you get there, the better. We were there a little after 7 am, and the waiting area was already packed. Channing, the guide, went over the boarding process and the day's itinerary. There were waivers to fill out for those borrowing snorkeling equipment. We boarded the boat and were able to find a couple of seats inside the boat. Immediately upon boarding, they had bagels and cream cheese available. Shortly after the ferry left, they opened the coffee/tea line, where you could also get a yogurt, fruit cocktail package, cereal, or oatmeal. We decided to opt into the guided tour of the fort. Channing was the tour guide. She was very excited to share the history of the fort with us and was extremely knowledgeable. I highly recommend the one hour tour of the fort. We learned so much from Channing! After the tour, we went back to the boat to eat lunch. They had Jersey Mike's sandwiches, chips, cookies, carrot and celery sticks, and beverages available. We ate on the boat and then spent the rest of the allotted time exploring the fort on our own. On the way back to Key West, they had a raffle, where you could buy raffle tickets to win merchandise, as well as a comment card raffle, where you could win another trip to Dry Tortugas by filling out the comment card. I won the comment card raffle! We have a year to use the coupon, and we will definitely be back! I'd like to do some snorkeling next time. We were so lucky to have calm seas during our trip. Be sure to bring Dramamine! We took some, just in case.

    Our ride to and back from Dry Tortugas was an adventure! The excellent staff warned us in the…read moremorning that the waters were " sporty". They sold Dramamine for one dollar. It was well worth it. The boat ride out was fine for us. The staff handed out bags and ginger ale as several people got seasick. The way back was very sporty. But again the staff did an excellent job of taking care of all the passengers.

    Fury Water Adventures - Fury Water Adventures

    Fury Water Adventures

    (1.9k reviews)

    we took both the sunset cruise based in a recommendation from a friend but also decided to do the…read moreisland cruise. both offered light snacks and various drinks included. the sunset cruise also had live music. both of the (we took the 4:30 island cruise) offered a chance to see the beautiful Key West sunset. if you can only do one, I'd opt for the island cruise. we went to a sand bar and got off the boat. we could kayak or paddle board around the island to see the mangroves. had to stay in the water which was warm and crystal clear as the islands are protected. saw dolphins on the way out, a manate, a very small shark and various conch and sea floor wildlife. our guide for kayaking was knowledgeable about the mangroves and wildlife. the water all around was only 1-3 feet deep and you could walk all over. it was absolutely beautiful.

    This review is for the Sunset Sail on Fury's Commotion On The Ocean…read more We absolutely loved our sunset sail. All of the crew were super friendly, happy and amazing hosts. The served drinks promptly and expeditiously upon boarding the sailboat. The band was lively and sounded great. We stayed on the top level of the boat and the crew walked around and refilled drinks which was so nice. We didn't have to walked down to the bar and could just enjoy the weather, the sailing and the view! Kudos to Captain Willie and his entire crew for being such a delightful group. They deserved all the tips!

    Pigeon Key

    Pigeon Key

    (47 reviews)

    I really enjoyed this place! It's been on my to do list awhile. We bought our tickets at a spot on…read moreside of road just up a little from the seven mile bridge. Once you pay for time slot you get on trolley ( or you can walk, bike the bridge and just pay entrance fee when you get there). It's a 15 min ride onto the island from bridge. Our drivers name was Julie.. she told us about island and what to expect when we get there.. if you come by trolley you are confined to time slot to get the trolley back I think it's 2 hrs.. we had time to snorkel by dock and go gift shop and walk around the multiple buildings and get the history. They have restrooms where you can change clothes which we did. Also water fountains to fill your water bottle because it's hot in summer you need to hydrate! CT was our greeter to island she gave us choice to do guided tour or self guided.. we self guided because we wanted to snorkel.. they do not furnish snorkel equipment you must bring in bag to island so keep that in mind but you can just swim if you want. The water was very refreshing! Toward end of our stay here CT was nice enough to allow us to get cut fish pieces and feed the fish including a nurse shark.. we enjoyed this place wished we had taken an e-bike and stayed awhile because it's very peaceful and could have spent more time snorkeling.. we will next time! I highly recommend taking trip here.. big part of the keys history

    What a great experience! We had the 1pm tour and it was perfect! Our driver Julie was awesome! The…read moretour guide at pigeon key was so nice and knew everything! We even fed the sharks which was soooo cool!

    Key West Seaplanes - Key West Seaplanes®/Little Palm Island

    Key West Seaplanes

    (11 reviews)

    The seaplane is 100% the best way to get to the Dry Tortugas! The experience was wonderful and…read moreefficient from booking to our return. The Dry Tortugas are definitely off the beaten track, adding to the mystique and adventure. The keys that make up the dry Tortugas are only accessible by seaplane or boat. We booked a half day tour, which is good because Hurricane Ida was in town and all trips that day became the half day tour. Everything is clearly explained in booking and in the confirmation emails. You have to be on time; it is a flight albeit a short adventure flight. We were greeted on arrival, provided with a small cooler and drinks for the trip and given an informational video to watch. The plane is small, only 9 seats, so it may not be for the faint of heart. The pilot is a seasoned vet of seaplanes, personable and knowledgeable. We were in the last seats on the way to the Tortugas and I got super lucky on the way back to KY and go to sit co-pilot. Amazing is an understatement. The views from the seaplane can't be beat. Turtles, shipwrecks and James Bond islands? Yes you'll see all of that. It's adventure worth the price.

    We had the best trip to the Fort Jefferson on Key West Seaplanes ever!…read more Make sure you reserve ahead of time and be there as parking is limited! They provide you with complementary ice cooler with water and soft drinks! So you need only light snack and change of clothes! They will also give you snorkeling equipment set to use on an island! Our pilot Kris was very cool informing us throughout the flight about ongoing interesting points they we were flying over as well as the history of the Fort itself so when we 'landed' we were ready to go and explore! Definitely bits the ferry ride time wise! There are beautiful beaches and snorkeling spots! We could use changing rooms and bathrooms on the ferry when it was finally there! Thank you so much Key West Seaplanes!

    Air Key West

    Air Key West

    (25 reviews)

    Used them for a quick business flight from Venice to Key West and back in the same day. They…read moreworked around my schedule to accommodate. Got us there on time and the flight was smoother than a commercial flight. Extremely professional and felt very safe. There were no commercial flights that fit my schedule. Even if one did, I would have to drive an hour north to TPA to catch it and go through TSA. Or I could drive 6 hours each way for a total of 12 hours in the car... Using Air Key West to get me there in a little over an hour on my schedule from my small airport next to my house totally spoils me. Arrived at Venice Airport (5 min from my house) at 7:35 a.m and was on the ground renting a car in Key West at 9:03 am. Will definitely use them again. Thank you!

    I booked trip via Air Key West (AKW) to Havana, Cuba for guided day tour on 2/27/26. At AKW, the…read morelady issuing our visas (after asking each of us if we "were scared," told us we should've come a week later after Trump had invaded, (according to her, the island would no longer be communist & the embargo lifted, allowing us to buy rum and cigars). She also told us that it would be "no problem" to get passports stamped in Havana, or if they wouldn't, we could request it on a piece of paper. Upon arrival I asked our liaison if I could get a stamp. He said it was no problem, & to follow him. He had a word with our pilot (in Spanish) who shook his head disgustedly. The Liaison then turned around and said it was "impossible". So some pilot with no standing in Cuba, basically tanked that for us, (though one guy in our group actually got his stamped, so it's not like it was a regulation or anything). According to the itinerary from AKW, the tour would go from the Airport to the Hemingway Home. We'd then go to Cojimar (village where Hemingway launched his boat & fictional home of the "old man" in Old Man and the Sea) followed by a few hours in Havana Vieja where we'd lunch & visit Hemingway haunts like Bodeguita Del Medio, El Floridita, and Ambos Mundo Hotel. After leaving the Hemingway Home, I asked the guide when we'd be going to Cojimar. He said that wasn't/never had been part of tour. When I mentioned it being on Itinerary, he said it never had been. Due to huge data rates on Cuba, I couldn't pull up/show him the online itinerary, which the owner (Rob) acknowledges is still on the website and "probably needs to be changed". We went to Havana Vieja, walked around, & while the guide pointed out the Ambos Mundo hotel, we just kept walking. When I spoke to Rob 2 weeks ago, he said Cojimar was taken off tour when the restaurant closed... during covid. Yet, Cojimar is still on the itinerary while lunch is listed on the itinerary as being at Paladar in Havana. If the lunch location was edited on itinerary because Cojimar could no longer play host, & that resulted in no longer visiting the village,, why not remove Cojimar from the itinerary at same time... I mean, the restaurant closed 6 years ago!!! In conversations with Rob, he kept reiterating changes in tour can be made WITH SUBSTITUTIONS by guides at their discretion in case of events like a power outage. There was no power outage (and why would that matter in a fishing village anyway) and no substitutions were made. The trip was $1,342. I requested $250-$300 refund. Rob denied it, saying, "Even when we went to Cojimar, we only stayed for about 5 minutes & it's very run down, now". I feel that between omitting Cojimar & just pointing out Ambos Mundo hotel (not going into museum on the 5th floor, explicitly mentioned in itinerary & for which admission-while small- was paid as part of trip cost) I deserve at least a partial refund. The fact it's taken over 3 weeks to even get a response is equally ridiculous. The buckpassing at AKW is extraordinary. Everything from the guide supposedly "not knowing they once went to Cojimar because "he must be new"" to "it's at their discretion" to my personal favorite, "that's just how things go in Cuba." I feel like AKW thought they could just throw whatever on the tour and people would be fine. I came to see the Hemingway haunts in an exotic locale. I also thought (with Cojimar) that I'd get a small taste of what "real Cuba" was like. But no, we were taken to the Hemingway home & while we can't go in, we were told we could get pics. We were also told by our guide that we were expected to pay workers to take pics of the inside for us (again we'd already paid admission via our trip cost) It was very disappointing given that I'd wanted to make this trip for literally over 2 decades, and even more frustrating to be told "that's just Cuba"

    Key West Seaplane Adventures

    Key West Seaplane Adventures

    (120 reviews)

    Wow! Seaplane adventures is the best way to see the Dry Tortugas. The whole experience exceeded my…read moreexpectations and more. I'm glad the ferry was sold out, so this was our only option. Licia checked us in and gave us a great overview before we took off of all the things we should look for and the best place to set up. She was really nice and knowledgeable. Truly above and beyond customer service. Britt was a great pilot and narrated all the things to look out for on the 30-min plane ride to and back from Dry Tortugas. We only fly at 500-feet, so you can see the clear water and sea life on the plane. I spotted a few turtles as we were flying there. Best seat on the ride there is the right side and highly suggest the 8am half day. It gives you enough time to snorkel quickly and enjoy the fort. They also give you a cooler of water and soft drinks, which was perfect for a hot day. The early timeslot also avoids the ferry, which got there at 11am as we finished our 2.5 hrs on the island. We met a mother/daughter snorkeling who mentioned they saw a hammerhead shark while they were snorkeling! Most efficient and smooth way to see the Dry Tortugas. We heard the ferry seldom cancels, even if there are 6ft swells (yikes).

    We flew out to the dry tortugas on a half day trip. Whether that's worth $1000 for two is your…read moredecision. The trip out and back was wonderful. So cool to be low and fast over the ocean and lots to look at. Such a fun experience! The fort itself is massive and not in the best condition. Fun to explore. The snorkeling is bad. No other word for it, but the water was beautiful. Just not much to see.

    Dancing Dolphin Spirits Charters

    Dancing Dolphin Spirits Charters

    (11 reviews)

    Don't let the fact that she has less than 10 reviews fool you. Captain Victoria has been giving…read moretours in the Keys for more than 35 years. In fact, we just went a couple of weeks ago, my second time with her - after my first trip with you 21 years ago!! And it was way better than the first! She was recommended to me by my colleague who worked as the Environmental Horticulture agent in Monroe County, so he got around and knew folks. He was completely correct that Captain Vicki (as she was known then) was on top of her game. I went with two HS friends and it capped off a very memorable road trip. Fast forward to Sunday morning (July 10), when I'm wondering how in the world I'm going to figure out a snorkeling trip for my kid on our one day in Key West and we're up late (around 9:30 am). So of course, I check Yelp to figure out of all the brochures I have from the kiosks, which company do I have the best shot with. Imagine my surprise when I saw Dancing Dolphins. I REMEMBERED that aspect of her tour. So I took a chance, dropped her a message off her site - and not more than 5 minutes later, I had a phone call. Miracle of Miracles, she had the morning free. 45 minutes later, we met her First Mate, Erin, on the dock and away we went! We really didn't have an idea of what we wanted to do beyond snorkel, so Capt Vicki filled in the rest. She isn't kidding when she says that the Dolphins know her call sign. Three minutes after she put it out there, we had mother and baby come to say hello - we were very concerned when they were under the boat as we were moving. They didn't stay long, Vicki seemed to think they took a break from fishing, but it was way cool that they were so close to the boat. The snorkeling was marvelous! Thankfully, I had invested in a pair of prescription goggles, so I fulfilled a bucket list item to snorkel the reef and be able to see. I couldn't believe how many lobster were hiding. And to see this cobalt blue welk making a meal of one was just fascinating. There were the typical angel fish and wrasses, sea urchins and coral (though you could see how Florida's reefs have taken a beating). It was so way cool to see a 5 foot ray come whizzing by! Another special point for Erin and Vicki is that they work with people with mobility issues. So they had an idea of how to get Grandma (81 years young) into the water once she decided to go for it. Erin did an outstanding job of accompanying her so she wasn't afraid and felt secure. And Erin also provided all the pictures we would want, all included in the cost of the charter. We were out for four hours, the perfect time. We'll definitely be back. Count yourself lucky if you can score a charter with these gals. They work primarily on word of mouth, so like I said, don't let the small number of reviews fool you. They're the best kept secret in the lower Keys! Not everyone can afford a charter, but if you have four to six people, it's so worth it to book them as a charter for the personal touch.

    What an adventure...what a mystical day with the oh so knowledgeable Captain Victoria…read more.. She IS the Dolphin Whisperer I will treasure the memories made that day! I went with my oldest friend and her 94yr.old Dad We did the full day excursion

    Key West Express - ferries - Updated May 2026

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