First time going out, and definitely won't be our last. The Capt., and first mate are great at what…read morethey do. Made the trip fun and enjoyable, we caught around 41 Spanish Mackerel with only a half day. Our next trip will be the 8-11 hour trip to try and catch bigger fish. Couldn't recommend these guys enough.

I had an amazing experience fishing with Justin from Family Time Fishing Charters. He had us on…read morefish within minutes and we had such a great time catching fish and learning from him. Will be back!!! John

Such an enjoyable experience! The owners are the kindest people, and they are very accommodating…read more Not to mention they have a great playlist they play during the cruise! It was an added bonus that we saw SO MANY dolphins. Highly recommend, best of Swansboro!

We had a wonderful sunset cruise tonight. Their was about 13 of us and we boarded at 6:30. The…read moreowners had bottled waters in a cooler for everyone. They were very nice and at one point they stopped and told us some history about Blackbeard. They also told us about Bear Island and showed us the Emerald aisle bridge. They went over safety regulations before hand and had life jackets for everyone on board if needed. The not had a bathroom and the seats were very comfy. This is a beautiful 90 minute cruise to see such beautiful landscape. I recommend this as a nice thing to do before a dinner on the water.

Great experience. Captain Mark held a wonderful ceremony for my mother. He was thoughtful and…read morerespectful. We greatly appreciated his efforts and would highly recommend H2O.

I've had the pleasure to book an excursion with Captain Mark yesterday. I was pleasantly surprised…read morehe met us in the free parking lot! I felt totally safe and prepared for the trip ahead, being given a thorough safety briefing. He was able to answer my multiple questions during the entire trip, concerning the history of the horses and people who lived on this beautiful barrier island. His expertise in maneuvering the boat around the wakes let to an extremely comfortable ride. We had a fun and will definitely be back next year.

Absolutely amazing! What a great Captain, teacher and guide…read more After years of taking my son fishing with his (very well meaning) Grandpa who has all of the nicest rigs and boat, etc.. etc... and dreams of his glory days as an offshore fisherman, my little man was so sad that he had never caught something "he could eat" (really he hadn't caught anything I'd allow him to eat from the backwaters of marinas with oil and God knows what in the water). Chris was astounding. He was so patient and thoughtful with my little fisherman (age 8). He took us to several spots, knew the waters well, the fish types and sizes legal for keeping and gave so many wonderful tips and tutorials along the way. My little guy doesn't like strangers and immediately loved Chris. He's already asking when we can go back out with him!

Booked a trip with my wife that don't have much fishing experience. She had a blast and enjoyed…read moreevery minute of the trip. Couldn't recommend Chris enough.

Captain Chris is very knowledgeable of the area and wildlife, knows the best fishing spots and is…read moreextremely professional. Whether you're looking to fish, visit the local islands for wildlife, shelling, or bird watching, or just explore, you are guaranteed to have a great time.

Great Captain, nice comfortable boat. Great hospitality and excellent knowledge of fishing. We…read moreenjoyed it and will be back again someday soon we hope!

Had a great day with Capt Stuart. He was super patient with our boys and we boated a lot of fish…read more Totally knowledgeable and friendly.

Randal and Crysta were amazing! So nice and helpful. I would recommend this outfit anytime!! In…read morefact, I want to work with them!! Lol Doreen B.

Short Version: There's a strong trend in the reviews for this vendor. Many people get their boats…read moreand have a good time. But Crystal coast Boat Charters has a problem with communication, and if anything at all goes wrong, you'll find yourself wondering what just happened and be left without a boat. We booked a boat for rental on Friday, May 28, for our family coming in to town for Memorial Day weekend. We had a couple calls with Krista over the next couple weeks, up until two days before the rental. During that call she told me the person who was bringing the boat (I think she said her husband, but not sure if I remember that right) had a broken phone, but that she promised to get me "some phone number so you could reach him." Not exactly confidence inspiring, but stuff happens, so I rolled with it. I went back to other reviews after the crash and burn and found this broken phone thing was a common issue that they still haven't fixed. The day of the rental came and I finally received a phone call about an hour before our rental time. The gentleman who called me was bewildering at best. Instead of clearly telling me what was broken and whether it could be fixed soon, I got a bizarre set of contradictions ranging from, "I have a guy in Swansboro hooking me up" (With what? A new boat? A part?), to "I'm trying to just delay an hour" and then ending with, "I'm shootin for the stars, man, I just dunno. I'm a nice guy, though, I'm an owner operator." It was difficult to get further details out of him. As we got closer to delivery time, I texted. No response. Then I called at the time he was supposed to deliver the boat. "Sorry man, I'm not 1000% sure it's going to happen today." I said "ok, if it isn't, then do you know anyone else that rents boats?" Instead of responding to the question, he said "Gimme a few minutes man, I'll call you back." When he called me back, he said, "We got it and we'll be at X launch point in 30 minutes." When I told him, "We ordered it for Y launch point," he replied, "Well that's news to me!" But we expected to meet him there in 30 minutes. 30 minutes later, I received a vague text message, "The hub is done sorry I will call you." I tried calling him and he stopped picking up the phone. Not knowing exactly what that text message meant, I texted Krista indicating what a stunning failure this had been and received a text full of excuses. Mechanical issues are out of people's hands. I get that. But communication is fully in the business's hands. Bottom line: this company is a slap dash operation who won't take responsibility for their failures, and will just stop talking to you when everything founders.

Sunset cruise--book ahead, bring a hat, and maybe a thermos…read more We grabbed the last two seats for a late-September weekend sunset cruise--as of noon the same day--so tip #1: book ahead, especially on weekends. Our boat had two larger groups (a bachelorette and a birthday), which made for a fun, jovial crowd. Seating & comfort: Plenty of places to sit and move around--shade, sun, or rail time by the water. Nice flexibility as the light changes. Drinks: They offer drinks on board; the selection was basic beer and some generic wine. I don't drink, so I can't rate them. Even if I did drink, I would still hesitate. I brought my own THC beverage, and no one blinked, but check their current policy and use common sense. A water bottle or a thermos/juice blend is a definite yes. Crew & service: Excellent across the board. Two bartenders--friendly, efficient--and the whole crew felt professional and upbeat. Bathroom note: There is a restroom onboard, which is clutch, but it's a bit awkward to access. Go before you board if stairs/steep steps are tricky. Overall: Great time: good music, easygoing crowd, smooth operation. I'd definitely recommend. Next time, we'll try a longer day cruise to the Outer Banks (with lunch)--it looked like a solid daytime option; we just didn't have the time this trip. Bottom line: Great crew, great sunset, zero fuss. Would do again.

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!