A fun summer activity in Branford! The online ticket ordering process was really easy. It was much better than having to buy tickets in person. The islands are really beautiful!! They are all unique. I wish I could afford to live on them! My only real critique is that I would love more signage to point towards the boat and boarding area. I got confused walking there. read more

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Very pleasurable and informative. Weather was fantastic which made the experience even more enjoyable. Our boat captain was great. He had so much knowledge about the islands because he grew up there. Loved the small boat because it was intimate with a limited amount of seats. Great trip!!! read more

"Thimble Island Cruise". At the Stony Creek Dock; a young lady in the crew, directed us onto Captain Mike's boat. They are a family owned and run company that have been doing these tours for many years. The boat had two decks to sit and view for the trip and we took the upper. The Navy flag with 13 stars flies atop. The captain gave us a detailed tour and answered questions as he maneuvered the boat in the waters, and we saw various small islands of which 25 of over 300, have people on them today. Years ago, people lived there on the island full time with all sorts of uses, including mining for the Pink Granite in the area. 1938 a hurricane did massive damage to the islands in this area. But now it's a place for summer rentals only. Some islands have fresh water running underneath the bay. Others get water from the shore and some use holding tanks that get rainwater from the roof. Battery, generator, backup generators and solar are also used for electrical power. The piped in fresh water and electricity are all shut down in the Fall, except for one island that has Formal gardens and plants viewed from the outside but not open to the public. Outer Island is operated under the US Fish and Wildlife service. It is the only public island to allow visitor to land on the beach where a ferry boat will bring you out and pick you up. One of the more interesting stories of how an island got its name went like this. A couple married and went to one of the islands for their honeymoon. The mother-in-law rowed out to make sure they got there safely. The newlyweds were ok and stayed with her until she fell asleep. They took the boat and left her there. Thus, the island was named Mother-in-law's island and the name has stuck ever since. We even heard of the haunting of Captain Kidd, and his fellow pirates, in 1695 they haunted the gallows dock, Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum. On top of this island he could see most of Long Island Sound. Captain Kidd plumaged every boat that passed and he took gold and silver. He was said to have buried his treasure on one of the islands with claims of gold doubloons being found some years later. So there really is something of interest for everyone. It is a nice fair weather trip to add to your list to take. read more

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This was a fun and cheap thing to do if you have a free hour. Who doesn't love a boat ride? We had a group of 6 for the cruise and there was no real way to make a reservation you just show up to the dock. Didn't like that once we got to the place there wasn't a clear sign of where to meet and when we finally found the meeting area the times written on the board were a bit confusing. The ride itself was a lot of fun. The people on our cruise were entertaining and the captain told a few funny jokes and interesting stories about the islands we passed by. Very beautiful and not something I expected to experience during my visit to New Haven. Highly recommend as a one time deal. Only $13 and totally worth the experience! read more

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Today a family group of seven went to take a cruise. My brother in law and sister in law arrived at 2:30 and stood in line as you can't pre purchase your tickets! We were taking the 4:00 They spoke to the dock master who assured them that they could hold a place in line as we were all arriving from various destinations. When the last two arrived one man was so irritate that we felt uncomfortable getting in line with our family members that had gotten there first! Consequently 4 of us left and 3 took the tour! This all could have been avoid d by pre paying . You arrive to buy a ticket and you get one. Over 200 people were in line with one broken down boat, not everyone would get on. We were so disappointed that a family event was destroyed. Needs much better organization! read more

Good time aboard the Volsunga IV with Captain Bob! My husband had never been to the Thimble Islands so on a day off we went down to take the 45 minute cruise. It was an enjoyable cruise with good narration. read more

Thimble Islands Cruise - Boat Tours Near Me

Cruise may be a strong word, but this is a fun way to spend 45m on a boat around the thimble islands! There can be an impressive line, and I'm not sure waiting 30-40m would be worth it for me, but be prepared to wait on the weekend! Also- bring cash ($13 a person as of August 2019) because they don't take card. read more

Rocks boats and great stories A great way to spend a summer day. Capt Bob was a character and knew just about everything there was to know about the Thimbles, including fastastic stories about the islands before the 1938 hurricane. He obviously was well acquainted with the area and skillfully maneuvered the boat through the rocks and islands. The Thimbles are also a great place to kayak, and although you can only land on the a few of the outer most islands, in a small kayak you get a great perceptive of the area. Even though there is a launch site right in Stony Creek, parking is always at a premium. read more

Great way to spend 45 minutes!! Interesting color commentary on the history of the islands and the homes on them.

I took this tour with Captain Bob years ago, but this time a young woman gave the tour. She has a totally bizarre speaking style, as has been commented on by another reviewer- it's slow and monotonous in a sing-songy way, and at first, we weren't sure how we'd tolerate it for 45 minutes. But we got used to it, she told all the good stories, and she proved a source of odd entertainment. If I take someone on the tour again, I'd wait the extra 45 minutes to do Captain Dave's tour, think, but this was a perfectly solid tour and a pleasant boat ride. read more

Awesome time.. the weather was perfect staff was friendly and pleasant! Cruise was 45 minutes and told a story which was awesome..

NOT HAPPY that he made people wait until 10:55 today for the 11 o'clock cruise to mention that it is full and he wont be going out because of a bus tour. UNACCEPTABLE, he knew ahead of time that there is a bus tour coming for the cruise in advance, it should be stated on his web page, that that time slot was unavailable. Driving 30 minutes to be let down after waiting 25 minutes is rude and bad for your business. A little more organization and/or communication would have been nice!!!! read more

Very disappointed after driving an hour and arriving with ample time only to find out that the boat had been tied to the dock all day and none of its staff had been seen, ergo the Volsunga was not taking any tours. Their website, of course, did not reflect any change in schedule. The other tours operating from the dock are equally disorganized and poor at communicating departures, boat capacity, etc. my recommendation is to skip the whole thing unless you have hours to wait in line in the sun with no clue as to when or whether you will get on a tour. read more

Captain Bobs tour of the Thimble Islands was a nice saturday outing .. Parking wasn't too bad and the boat looked like it was well maintained. His narrative told about all the little islands and their histories and former inhabitants. Trip was about 45 minutes and cost $12. If you want to be out on the water for a little while and see something new it is worth it .. read more

The Thimble Island Cruise can be a fun and an enjoyable activity to do while on vacation. It is amazing to check out the beautiful homes built on these tiny islands. The cruise enjoyment itself really depends on who your captain is. A couple years ago we did the cruise and really enjoyed the narration. Our most recent cruise however we had young lady with a cadence in her voice that was so irritating we could not wait to get back to shore. When she was complaining about the kayakers or the seagulls she spoke normally but the rehearsed speech was delivered in such an intentionally phony way we thought perhaps somebody gave her bad advice on how to narrate the cruise. Also the diesel smell from this boat we were on was overwhelming so our group was not as happy as previous experiences. The waiting by lining up on the dock was not an easy process for the seniors. It would be better handled if there is a way to purchase tickets and wait in the shade until your assigned boat arrives. read more

New York resident here. I took my 2nd narrated tour with Captain Bob yesterday. I was glad to be back. This tour is beautiful and very informative. Captain Bob is very knowledgeable and funny. Stony Creek is a beautiful coastal village. Residents are friendly.If you're visiting Connecticut, Captain Bob's Thimble Islands Tour is a must do solo or with friends and family. read more

Same thing happened to us this afternoon as the recent poster re cruise being booked by a tour. I called the telephone number yesterday with the hopes of getting advance tickets for our family of 5, including elderly inlaws in their 80's. Upon calling got an answering machine with the basic information including launch times. I'd checked website and didn't anything to indicate that the 3 pm cruise today would be booked. We were there plenty early and then a tour bus with a Chinese group quickly boarded. I have no problem with this except that it would've been nice to have known in advance that the boat was full before we built up our inlaws hopes to cruising around the Thimble Islands. Please do something to update your website and/or answering machine message when it is clear that the boat is full. read more

The Volsunga has been running under the current family for 35 years. The young woman who took over her fathers business after a tragic accident has modernized the tour and offered new charter services. I have chartered the boat before and had nothing but a very pleasant experience with the crew. I look forward to returning again... read more

Knowledgeable guide and nice boat, although one story, without an observation deck. Not family friendly. Older, senior citizen crowd. Would be wonderful to have family hours or a slightly more upbeat atmosphere/feeling. Cash only which is annoying in this day and age. read more

We've always wanted to do this tour and it was great. Waited in line for a little while then boarded the Sea Mist, double decker boat. The narrated tour was 45 minutes, the views were beautiful, it was fun and informative. Pay on board, $12 for adults, $6 for children. You can also buy beer or wine during the cruise. Friendly crew! Highly recommend, especially if you are local. A fun little trip in your backyard! Stop for ice cream after the tour at the local shoppe. read more

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The captain (who owns the business she took over from her ailing father) provides an informed and detailed tour of the islands while nimbly handling her boat amid rocks and reefs. Noting that some reviewers object to her delivery, I suspect some gender prejudice. Her voice is careful, cultured and easy to understand above the noise of the engine and other passengers. The thimble islands are fascinating; the 45 minute ride is a great value. read more

My sister and I went on this cruise for my birthday a few years ago. She used to take my Gram every summer and they loved it. We had a lovely time and I really enjoyed hearing some of the history of the area. It was a relaxing little cruise and worth the $12. read more

This was a horrifying waste of time. Take a beautiful day, a number of friends, and put them on a boat with the most obnoxious voiced lady narrating the cruise I've ever heard... It's a recipe for putting needles in your eyes. Not enough can be mentioned about this evil voiced lady, the tone of her voice was so affected it was like she thought she was in a dramatic arts class and had to modulate her voice up and down and draw out every other vowel, it was the most bizarre thing, exceptionally peculiar. At more than one point during the cruise I made mathematical calculations as to the nearness of land and jumping overboard to get away from this drone. We were told there would be beverages on board and we were not allowed to bring anything on board. Never were any refreshments offered. Others we were with heard her speaking normally when we got off the boat, when she had her hand out looking for tips. I don't know what she was on, or what she was trying to prove, but it was an hour of my life I would like back. read more

This was a great afternoon tour but I must agree with other reviews about the captain's narrative. I really felt I was watching a SNL lampoon of a tour director. If she spoke in a conversational tone I probably could have listened to what she was actually saying. All in all it was an entertaining afternoon because it was just so weirdly funny. The trip was scenic and just about the right length of time. read more

We booked a 2 Hour Sunset Private Charter on The Volsunga for my sister's Bachelorette Party, and our entire experience was AMAZING! We arrived about 30 minutes early and the boat was already docked and waiting for us, so we got to board and set up all of our Food and Drinks (the boat is bring your own food and drinks including alcohol, which made it even better)! The boat was spacious for our group of 10, and could really hold up to 30 and still be enjoyable. The captain and first mate were two lovely girls who let us play whatever music we wanted from their Sirius radio and iPod hook ups, etc, and didn't mind our Bachelorette related chanting and "woo-ing". The cost to book this Private Charter was extremely reasonable and I would 10/10 book again. Thank you so much to the Thimble Islands Cruise team for making our weekend perfect! read more

The islands are nice, but the captain limited himself to talk more about real estate than anything else. His assistant was just generally rude. Also, once the boat arrived they made everyone else wait in the sun while they squander for a missing group with a reservation. My suggestion is to use another operator, people in the line said great things about another captain read more

We had planned a party cruise which started at 6 in the evening with 30 people and it started off bad right from the beginning, the two women that were the captain and I guess the co-captain were rude to everyone before they even got on and she was rude to everybody while they were on the boat..you're not allowed to do number 2 and their toilets which I thought was terrible because we had a handicapped person on board who needed to do number 2 and when he did she made a big stink and she announced it over the loudspeaker that this person had took a poop and embarrassed him not only that but she was taking pictures of the people at the party and posting them on snap and laughing as they were showing each other, there was a little heavy woman that was eating and that was one of the photos.. and one of the quest saw her showing it to her co-captain which I thought was very unprofessional,, she would take turns purposely to make people lose there steps..the water was very smooth so there was no reason for that and she was warned ahead of time that we had a handicap person with us..No one on the boat being rude or disturbing in anywhy or drunk everybody was just trying to have a good time seeing how this cost us $450. I would not recommend this Thimble Island Cruise there are other boats there I think that would have treating their customers a lot better.. worst experience ever.. read more