Caveat Emptor - Extremely Disappointing Experience with Tropic Star (Pine Island, FL) If 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. read more

What a great crew, what a great experience. The vote was comfortable and easily accessible. Finding the place was a little bit of a challenge. However, when you make the reservation they do fill you in on the GPS coordinates, and tell you that they are not necessarily correct. I would definitely do this again but I would spend all day at the beach I would not bother to go to the restaurant on the itinerary. read more

Tropic Star Cruises - Boating Near Me - Bokeelia, Florida

You wrote a review for Tropic Star Cruises One minute ago 7/18/2021 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! read more

Joe Took Us To Gasparilla Island On The Tropic Star & It Was Amazing! He Told Us Lots Of Information About The Water & Sea Life! We Loved It! read more

Tropic Star Cruises - Tropic Star! - Boating Near Me - Bokeelia, Florida

So much fun. Great trip to a beautiful spot. Captain Jie was knowledgeable and interesting, and managed to spot dolphins for us. They were champs at loading and unloading quickly and safely and aided our older travelers with grace. They really deserve 10 stars out of 5! read more

Tropic Star Cruises - Full boat to Cayo Costa! - Boating Near Me - Bokeelia, Florida

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We had a great "day at the beach" on Cayo Costa, beautiful stretch of beach, very secluded and not busy at all. Clear, calm water and perfect for shells, sand dollars and sharks teeth. It's also very shallow and you can wade out for at least a hundred yards. I only wish the boat ride there was faster; the boat only goes about 8mph top speed. "Cozy" seating, try to limit your luggage, also recommend using the bathroom before the 1 hour boat ride, but there's a tiny bathroom on board. Slow ride, but it was cool to hear the history of the area, the Calusa people, and the boat itself. We even saw some dolphins playing and jumping on the ride over. Would probably recommend to friends or family read more

Love these people! Friendly, funny, informative and so much more! We always use Tropic Star to go spend a day at Cayo Costa! Highly recommend to anyone looking for a ferry ride to a beautifully secluded beach! read more

Awesome family-owned company. Everyone there loves what they do and you feel it as a passenger. My husband, dog, and I booked a ferry through Tropic Star for a camping trip to Cayo Costa on Christmas. They came out when the other businesses were clearly closed for the day, so that we and the other campers could get to the island. Not only were the captain and crew extremely friendly, Blue (our crew for the day) gave us a guided tour of the areas we passed through as well as information about the island. They clearly respect the natural beauty of the island as well as the job the rangers do who live there. As a visitor to the island, this puts you in the best mindset to enjoy the island and maintain the integrity of it's natural beauty. Finally, the captain and crew again went out of their way to help us get home a day early to avoid the rain coming in. The level of service we received was truly top-notch and an unexpected bonus to the whole experience - not just a form of transportation. read more

We had a great time with Captain Joe & Second mate Sean. I was afraid as I get sea sick but I felt not motion sickness which I am so grateful for. We were given history on the islands which was appreciated. We would definitely be back. read more

Great experience.Captain Amanda and 1st mate Frankie were great. Enjoyed our day and saw dolphins read more

Tropic Star Cruises - Boating Near Me - Bokeelia, Florida

My friend insisted we take the tour over to Cabbage Key and Cayo Costa Beach, having ben to these places many years back. We called in the morning but the woman had told us the boat had already left the dock. But wait!! For a little extra money we could get on of the Captains in their run-abouts to zip us over to Cabbage Key and catch up with our group. So that's what we did and we sped across the sound, docking as the slower boat was mooring. We had a fabulous lunch at the Pine Island Resort and then rode the boat to Cayo Costa where we were delivered in open trailers pulled by the park ranger's truck to an unblemished, white, sandy beach with blue-green water. There were some boater s pulled up to shore and a few others who camp at the very affordable cabins on the island for $35/night. We jumped into 80 degree waters, surrounded by beautiful shells and a huge canopy of blue sky, frolicking for two hours before returning to Pine Island aboard a Disney version of the African Queen. The Captain regales the passengers with stories of the Ten Thousand Islands, who owns what island, what pirate lived where and cool manatee stories. Well-worth an entire day's cruise around some of the prettiest islands around. read more

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We took Tropic Star Cruise to Cayo Costa over the weekend for a camping trip. Captain Joe was great, friendly,courteous and an expert boater! We had a nice boat ride and a wonderful time on Cayo Costa. Everything went smooth, as it was planned. We recommend Tropic Star Cruise! read more

Beware Tropic Star. I called on fri to make a reservation to Cayo Costa on monday. Gave the girl my credit card to hold 2 fares at $32 each. Told her I was paying cash at check in. I've have trouble with cc fraud so I check my cards daily Guess what? Tropic Star hit my card for $64. I called and got the run around about another guy with the same last name on today's boat. Not my problem. I need a credit and will take the Captiva Island water taxi next time. *****The next day. Got a call and they fixed the problem. This is appreciated. Raising my rating from 1 to 3 stars. read more

Had a great day! Office was helpful making reservations. Crew was friendly, helpful and experienced. On the ride out to Cayo Costa and the return trip were delightful. They carefully navigated the water and when out in the open the captain told us some of the history of the area. They also told about fir fishing has evolved over the years. They explained what would happen when we arrived at Cayo Costa. We spent the day at the beach. Then picked up the ferry got our return trip. The crew quickly helped passengers aboard. We saw dolphins on our return. Al excellence day! read more

Captiva Cruises is the official concessionaire for public ferry access to Cayo Costa State Park (as well as other parks in this region). Tropic Star is an affiliate of Captiva Cruises and the only service to provide access for campers and their gear. I booked my camper ticket online, thinking it would be more convenient, but got charged a $2 service fee for a total of $44 (round trip). There are coupons on the Captiva Cruises website, but Tropic Star does not honor them (the employee that called me the morning of the trip wasn't even aware of them). The loading and unloading process is a bit confusing, with some people taking it upon themselves to form a chain to funnel all of the gear on and off the boat while others stand by to watch others handle their stuff. TIP: when you dock at the park, immediately get an uber-wheelbarrow from the covered pavilion area to move your gear (and that of others if you're feeling nice) up the ramp to load onto the tram. Other reviews mention that the captain, who seemed like a friendly fellow, shared stories and legends with guests about the area. Unfortunately during both the outbound and inbound trips, there was very little communication. I did see one dolphin on the way back (couldn't get a photo in time), but do not expect this to be a nature tour or story time of any sort - it is merely transportation. The trip takes about an hour, meaning the boat is moving at about 4 miles per hour. I wish the camper shuttle was available from Boca Grande, in which case it would only take 20 minutes. On the outbound trip, a crew member handed me my return ticket marked with a 1pm return time. The website states a return time of 3:30pm which is what I anticipated and I would have wanted the extra 2.5 hours to enjoy the island. I questioned this and crew member attempted to change my time, but said too many people were already on the 3:30pm trip. I felt pretty gypped. Speaking of the return trip, when I got on the boat, the crew member (a different one this time) remarked that my bag was overweight (it was actually lighter than the outbound trip and no one said anything about it then). When this same crew member came around to check tickets, he had no record of my name and said "I guess we'll take you home, too." I booked my ticket online, you should really know exactly what my name is. They eventually found me under "Patton." Not even close! C'mon, Tropic Star, get it together! Quasi-unrelated to Tropic Star: be aware that Jug Creek Marina, which hosts the Tropic Star, charges day guests $6 and campers $9 to park... pretty steep for a tiny marina in a town of 2,000 people. They also require campers to hand over their keys, which I found unsettling and potentially in violation of my rental car agreement. I understand the rationale but made sure to take photos of the odometer and vehicle condition and made sure to leave nothing of value. read more

Tropic Star Cruises - Boating Near Me - Bokeelia, Florida

We've taken the ferry to Cayo Costa twice in the last month. How's that for a positive review? We loved the people at tropic star. Any time I've called with questions they've been very helpful and accommodating. Capt. Rick looks like if Kevin Costner and Billy Bob Thorton had a baby and kind of has the personality of those two actors. Capt. Joe is really sweet and even remembered us from our last trip. He also offered us some delicious fruit from his own backyard. We have never had any problems with being over charged or anything happen to our car at the marina. We will probably continue to visit Coya Costa and we will definitely recommend Tropic Star to anyone that asks! Expert tip: arrive early and get food at the food truck in the marina. EVERYTHING I've tried has been AMAZING! read more

We were heading to Cayo Costa for a camping trip, our boat broke down, So we had to take the fleet to the park, Lorie in the gift shop was so sweet and had so much info to help us with, We had to hang out for a few hours so, we got to really chat, & she was funny, and so helpful with the comings & goings, Now we board the boat, I don't remember the first Captain or crews name, but they were fab, ,Now were heading hm from our camping trip, They were on time, so helpful, getting all our stuff on and off the boat, Captain Rick filled us in on all the history and where to eat and not, the crew Frankie were great also . Thanks to all for making a safe memorial trip. read more

Just returned from a full day trip to Cabbage Key and Cayo Costa. Captain Joe and John were so informative. Really made the trip first rate!!! We even saw dolphins on the return trip! The day couldn't have been any better thanks to the crew!! read more

Captain Joe and the first officer ferried my kids and I to Cayo Costa and they were great. We're great to my boys who were nervous boat riders. They made them feel right at home. Their genuine attitude seemed present in everyone I came across. First time in Fort Myers Beach and now I'm trying to talk my wife into moving there. 6$ parking was weird but who cares. They treated us very well and that goes a long way. read more

Used the ferry service today to Cayo Costa and it was super convenient. Captain Joe and first mate Drew were knowledgeable, pleasant and made our trip more comfortable. We were worried that the Cayo Costa tram schedule wouldn't align with the ferry schedule but Captain Joe and Drew explained to us what to do, who to talk to, etc. this was a great experience and I highly recommend it!! read more

Well on a positive note the staff was extremely friendly. They were a bit disorganized though. This could have been a much smoother launch but evidently there was some confusion earlier in the day that lead to a slight delay in us getting to the island. All and all it was a great experience. The cost was reasonable and the captain treated us to a scenic trip on the way out to make up for the delay. Totally worth it. Just remember when you cross the bridge leaving Cape Coral you are officially in island time. Everyone that lives here seems to be very relaxed and if you bring an attitude of rush and punctuality onto the island you going to waste your vacation being frustrated. Relax and enjoy! read more

We sailed the Tropic Star with Capt Rick and first mate John. Captain Rick was friendly and informative. The check-in departure was smooth and on time. There is a $8 parking fee. We stopped first at Cabbage Key and then onward to Cayo Costa again organized and on time. We were allowed to leave all our beach gear on the boat during lunch and were assisted with getting it off the boat at Cayo Costa. There is a tram on Cayo Costa to haul you and your gear to the beach where you then have to walk about 100 yards to the beach. The return tram schedule didn't line up with Tropic Star departure so we packed up at 2:30 for a 3:00 tram to the pier and then had to wait an hour to board the Tropic Star back. All in all a fun and leisurely way to explore the islands! read more

Tropic Star was a GREAT trip over to Cayo Costa! I would recommend it to anyone. Captain Rick was very knowledgeable about the history surrounding us, was also funny and informative about things to do when we got back. He spoke clearly and in a very nice tone of voice. Both him and Fred were very quick getting our stuff on and off the boat. They made the trip very enjoyable and were a great addition to our visit! read more

Very good, with two notes of caution. Personally we had no issues with the ferry. We took it to go over to Cayo Costa State Park in Boca Grande area. The crew were very nice to us, helped us with our bags both ways, made sure everyone was comfortable and taken care of. The ride over to Cayo Costa took about an hour. We saw lots of dolphins. There is a tiny bathroom on board if you need it for an emergency. We were not aware we would have to pay for parking at the marina in addition to paying for our ferry ticket, so don't be surprised at that. I think it was an additional $10.00. We packed very lightly, just a few large backpacks. But a lot of people brought TONS of stuff with them for "camping" on Cayo Costa and for the cabins. So, seeing how much stuff people brought, next time I would probably bring another bag or two so that we were really comfortable. When you take the ferry over there is a tram to bring you to your tentsite, so the maximum distance should have to haul your stuff might be 25-50 yards. It was a holiday weekend when we were there, and very busy. We had no issues with our tickets, however like three separate parties apparently did not get the correct return time. They (allegedly) called the Tropic Star office for the 1 pm return time, but somehow got bumped to the 3 pm return time. I wouldn't think anything of it if this was just one person, but the three separate parties this happened to makes me think there might be an issue. So, I would call their office to confirm the times both the night before AND the day of if I were you. read more

We booked and paid for a trip the day before. The day of the trip they charge another $6 for parking you have no choice but to accept. The company is one of the most poorly organized I've ever seen(difficulty with their registration system-paper, switching people around on boats, and actually leaving 20 min after schedule, when they ask you to show up 30 min early) . If I were to do this again I would take the ferry to North Captiva island, then rent kayaks to go over to coya costa. Not only would you not have to deal with the company, but you also would be able to choose when you leave, as they make you decide ahead of time when you want to leave, while there are multiple ferrys per day to north captiva. read more

Captain and Crew are great. Just be careful if you need to cancel your trip. You probably won't be able to get a refund for the cost of very expensive tickets. Ouch!!!! read more

Best way to get to Cayo Costa. Always friendly and courteous. Efficient with getting your gear on board and the old boat is a fun way to start your vacation. read more

Beware! We were disappointed in the amount of time we had for lunch at the restaurant. The boat trip over to Cabbage Key took about an hour and was a nice trip even tho we saw no dolphins. The food was very good but we had to RUSH through the meal so we could catch the return trip at 12:20 - even tho we were told when we made our reservations it would be 12:30. The time limits would probably work except Tropic Star serves as transportation to the restaurant, the nature tour, the beach, and the CAMPERS (with tons of stuff to load and unload - including kayaks, bikes, you name it.) Thus, we had to wait at each stop while all of these people and all of their gear was loaded/unloaded. This took unfair time away from enjoying the meal at the restaurant. Plus we had no time to visit the gift shop or to see anything else on Cabbage Key. Instead we got to sit on the boat for 45 minutes while all of the camper's belongings were loaded! Tropic Star sticks to their schedule even if they have to cut short on YOUR time to enjoy the meal and the island! Bottom line? They do not have enough time to accomplish all of this in their allotted time and on YOUR nickel! We won't go again!!!!! Nor will we recommend it. read more

Fun trip to a beautiful island. The boat was a bit rustic, and i think the "eco" part of the website's information was a stretch. It's less if a narrated eco trip and more like a nice trip to a beautiful beach. We wished we could have stayed a few nights camping and we found some great shells on the beach. The captains were great, but the boat goes much slower than expected. Plan in an hour there and an hour back. Overall, we had a wonderful trip and wiuld recommend it to others. FYI: There is a $5 + tax parking fee at the marina not included in the price but the $2 park fee is included. read more

Do not go on this trip expecting an Eco Tour. We saw dolphins, but they were always sighted by the passengers. My mom and I spotted a bald eagle and an osprey's nest. The captain didn't give any info about dolphins, birds, or anything around us. We got some info about why we wouldn't be seeing manatees from the crew member because we asked, he was very informative. The captain was too busy telling us about the private island where rich people live and about various restaurants. We went to Cabbage Key and to Cayo Costa beach. It was a great outing, don't get me wrong, although I think Cabbage Key is not really worth a visit. There is a small nature trail, and a very expensive restaurant. It's much better to take a picnic and spend the day on the beach at Cayo Costa, both for your wallet and to maximize your trip. Absolutely beautiful beach and various nature trails. read more

Captain Norm and first mate Sara were excellent. Very personable and knowledgeable about the area. Shared interesting facts about the area. The departure times were accurate and it was nice being on a smaller boat. Had a nice lunch at Cabbage Key before continuing on to Cayo Costa. Highly recommend this excursion. read more

I booked and paid for our trip to Cabbage Key on the phone. The woman seemed a bit confused but I presumed all was well. We arrived..paid to park ($8) and boarded. I was not given a receipt for the trip.. my fault for not asking. The microphone on the ferry was not working so the captain shouted a few comments..the only people who could hear anything were right beside him. Lunch on Cabbage Key was fine..the trip then went downhill. Arrived at Cayo Costa to pick up folks...except it was an entire Boy Scout troup with tons of luggage! The captain and his mate seemed totally unprepared for the number of boys and the huge amount of luggage. We sat for over 30 minutes while they consulted each other..looked at clipboards etc. Finally all the troop and luggage were crammed on and off we went. People were sitting on coolers..backpacks, where ever they could fit. Not fun. The final blow was the following day when I checked my bank statement online and found they overcharged me by $40! I called immediately and was told "the owner needs to write you a refund check". I have called and even dropped in to their office..today is 19 days and no refund..I was told owner was sick..owner got married..owner was on vacation! I would never recommend such a disreputable company! Take a different charter..there are others! Edit to add on March 14th, a month later, the $40 was refunded to my credit card....upped the rating to 2 stars... read more

We took the Tropic Star to Cayo Costa for the first time on Feb. 17, 2018 and will definitely be using that ferry service again. Our other option was to take the Kingfisher fleet out of Fisherman's Village in Punta Gorda but that was a 2.5 hour boat ride each way and would leave us just over 2 hours of beach time. Not good for my sun-loving crew. Instead, we choose to make the drive to Bokeelia (less than an hour from Punta Gorda) and take the 50-minute ride on the Tropic Star to Cayo Costa. That gave us almost 5 hours to enjoy the pristine beaches, shelling and other adventures in the park. Know that you have to pay an $8 parking fee at the marina. No charge for carrying items like small coolers and beach chairs; however, if you bring beach carts, strollers, etc., there is an additional fee. Capt. Rick was friendly and informative. We saw dolphins and sea turtles along the way. We strongly recommend Tropic Star and will be bringing more friends and family to Cayo Costa via this ferry service. read more

Be very careful here. The staff is great and if you're reserving for a day trip, no problem, but be advised that when trying to book in advance, it's their way or the highway and they WILL NOT guarantee you will be on the AM or PM ferry over or on the 1pm or 3pm ferry back. Tickets are non-refundable. You will not know until a few days before what times you're going and changes can be made at the last minute to thwart your plans. You are totally at their mercy. Assume the worst case scenario and plan accordingly. I had to modify my itinerary last time and I'm going to have to do it again this time too as schedule insurance. Despite multiple trips daily to the island, you are reserving a DATE, not a time. read more