I would have given 5 stars except for one thing. There should be no smoking on the boat for both…read morecrew and customers. Trapped on a boat inhaling second hand smoke is not fun. Other than that this is a great boat with captain Jack and Jerry with shipmates Mark & Brad. They were very helpful and good at finding fish. Had a great time on both trips. $60 taxes in for the day. Fish cleaning: Small fish: $1 per fish, Large Fish: $2 per fish 15-20% Gratuity for the ship mate I do agree the boat needs a paint job but is more than sea worthy. I will be back.

We went on a four-person airboat ride and Captain Steve was our driver. He was great! We would…read moredefinitely go again and request Captain Steve! Oh, be sure to let his wife know he was working! Janet & Jeff Simpkins & Pat & Patti Leeper

You wrote a review for Tropic Star Cruises One minute ago…read more7/18/2021 Have taken this trip with Tropic Star no less than 6 times, and it just keeps getting better. We first took a trip when Joe was the first mate, then a captain. We were thrilled to find out he would be our captain this time out. He is entertaining and provides great history in an interesting way. Captain Joe gets better each year; his first mate, Sean, is a friendly, interesting young man. We (husband and I) had a great conversation with him. They make sure to carry your bags/carts on and off to keep you safe; they point out any interesting wildlife (dolphins swimming along side of the boat), great music playing-just a fun experience all around. There's a reason we keep going back to Tropic Star to get to Cayo! Looking forward to bringing our son and DIL on our trip back next year!

Caveat Emptor - Extremely Disappointing Experience with Tropic Star (Pine Island, FL)…read moreIf you're considering booking a "private nature tour" with Tropic Star, I strongly suggest you think twice. On March 23rd, my group paid $350 for what was clearly marketed as a private, multi-hour nature tour experience: lunch at Cabbage Key followed by a relaxing nature cruise with stop at Cayo Costa, wildlife viewing, dolphins, and a scenic return to the dock around 2-2:30 PM. What we got instead felt like a complete bait-and-switch. The ride to Cabbage Key was rushed, and after lunch, we were picked up at 1:00 PM only to be sped straight back to the dock at full throttle--arriving before 1:30 PM. No nature tour. No stops. No wildlife. No relaxation. Just a high-speed return trip where we were bracing ourselves on coolers and folding chairs instead of enjoying anything remotely close to what was promised. Prior to leaving the dock, my friend heard Captain Steve had multiple other groups scheduled and needed to rush back. So much for a "private" experience. It was clear our trip was cut short to accommodate their overbooking and miscommunication from staff. Customer service was just as frustrating. After multiple attempts to get a response from Vincent, the owner, we finally received a generic apology with "We have a great reputation and it's rare that I get confronted with any negativity and I sincerely apologize. We have not been able to run our big boats since Hurricane Ian 3 years ago. We're doing our best to accommodate some passengers with our smaller boats" and a vague offer for "free passage next time." When I asked for clarification--no response. I then requested a full refund to resolve the issue privately and avoid posting a review... and completely ignored. At this point, it's not just about a bad tour--it's about misleading advertising, poor communication, and zero accountability. Save your money and your time. There are plenty of reputable operators in the area who actually deliver what they promise.

Spent the day with Captain Robin on a boat tour where we asked to see dolphins and manatees. We…read morewere not disappointed! We found a pod of dolphins pretty quickly and had them following us for quite awhile. The manatee cove was empty, except for some jumping fish, so he took us out to a sandbar to look for sand dollars. While at the sandbar he spotted a manatee so we boarded the boat to get a closer look. All in all a great day on the water! I would highly recommend Captain Robin.

We rented a boat during a recent visit to North Captiva. Boats and Fun made the process easy and…read moreprovided great support via instructions and a laminated map book of the area. Captain Andrew who assisted us throughout the process recommended several stops and places to check out, which made our day even better. He also told us about dolphin alley and how to potentially get them to play in our wake, which resulted in 10+ minutes of dolphins playing in the wake of our boat. One of the coolest things I've ever experienced! The boat looked like it was brand new and it ran great. Definitely a recommended option during a stay in Captiva.

The staff was incredibly kind and helpful, making our day on the water extra special by…read morerecommending beautiful beaches, pointing out where to spot dolphins, and suggesting a delicious place for lunch. The boat was spotless and performed perfectly all day. We made wonderful memories that we'll cherish and we will definitely be back!

We were visiting in Cape Coral for a week and thought it would be fun to rent a pontoon boat for a…read moreday. We found a few boat rental places but Cape Coral Boat Rentals was the only place that allows one day or half day rentals. My son called and spoke with Doug and found out our options and requirements. My son had his boaters license from Michigan, but decided to get certified online from Florida, plus it was a refresher for him. Once we arrived the boat was in the water and ready for us to go. My son went inside the store and filled out paperwork and was given all the relevant information from Doug. He said Doug was very thorough and let him know about the shallow areas and what to watch out for. We had a great half day on the boat and Doug was waiting at the dock when we came back. Everything went smooth and we felt very welcome and safe. Thank you Doug for a wonderful experience.

Captain Nick was very easy to work with. This charter was reasonably priced and customizable…read more Captain Nicks boat YOLO was in immaculate condition. My family had an amazing time.

We had a great day on the water with Captain Nick. Very knowledgeable of the area. We saw manatees,…read morewalked some of the most beautiful beaches and got to do some great shelling, learned the history of some of the islands, and had a great lunch at a local spot. Just a perfect day. We would definitely recommend Captain Nick.

What a great family experience!! Capt Billy Barton made it the perfect trip. He was very…read moreprofessional and personable. He definitely knows where the fish are and gave us valuable pointers that we could use forever. It was obvious he was invested into making sure we had the best fishing trip possible. We never had to wait for bait or anything. It was like there were two of him - Very attentive! Capt Barton also did a great job cleaning and filleting our fish after the trip. It was a bone-free dinner!! His recommendation for preparing the fish was a spot on recipe that was for sure a game changer. I highly recommend Scales and Tails Native Guided Tours. Regardless if you are an experienced fisherman or have never fished before, you will not be disappointed. Give this man your business and keep him out on the water. There's no doubt I will use his charter service every time I come back to visit the Punta Gorda area. Lastly - make sure not to get this business mixed up with another with a similar name, but in Boca Grande. Get out there and go fishing with Scales and Tales.

Went out had a horrible time, paid good money for the outing and didn't catch anything!!! We got to…read morethe boat ramp and he was being a jackass to the kids that where catching fish!!! Even processed to take a photo of the minors !! BAD EXPERIENCE wouldn't recommend!!

Best Guide around! Captain Mark knew his surroundings and where all the fish were bitting. He was…read moregreat with my family and boy . Capt. Mark has a passion and love for fishing. He was polite, friendly and professional! We will definitely Book again.

Captain Daniel was the only charter willing to go out on a rainy cold afternoon. He took us to a…read morechannel where we could get some consistent action until the tide came in. He knew exactly where to go and how to cast and we caught something pretty much every other cast. Once the tide came in he took us to fish for trout and once again put us in the perfect spot. Admittedly the fishing conditions were not the best, but we still caught a large redfish. At the end of the trip he filleted up the fish for us and brought us to a restaurant where they would cook it up for us. He is a very personable guy and obviously knows his stuff.