A Pirate's Adventure Cruise on Beautiful Boca Ciega Bay

The Pirate Ship at John's Pass - Madeira Beach, Florida

I love pirate adventure movies and boat rides, so I figured I would check out one of the Bay’s many themed cruises. At touristy John’s Pass Boardwalk in Madeira Beach, you will find many options for entertainment including a number of afternoon and evening cruises. The Pirate Ship cruise is a 2 hour journey around beautiful Boca Ciega Bay.

Your cruise includes an all inclusive pass good for unlimited beer, wine, and soda. You will also find on-board entertainment including: music, dancing, and water gun fights, limbo, and face painting for the kids. It’s a bit pricey, but a fun time especially for families with young children.

Although the cruise was not catered towards our group of adults, it was nice to take a break from swimming and walking on the beach. Living in the region, we visit the beautiful Gulf beaches almost every weekend, and occasionally like to change things up a bit. If you are a tourist looking for something fun to do with kids, I recommend this cruise. Afterwards, there are a lot of fun restaurants and shops to browse through, so you can make a whole day of it.

Cruise options

You have the option between 3 different cruise times: early afternoon, late afternoon, and sunset. I recommend the sunset cruise during the summer months as the temperatures will be a bit cooler without the sun beating down on your face the entire time. Our departure time was a bit too late to capture good pics of the sunset, but we did enjoy the lack of sun. After one too many trips to the beach, you will be craving an escape from the heat and sunlight.

The highlight of the trip is the occasional dolphin sighting. We were fortunate enough to see one swimming alongside the boat, however, I was unable to get the camera ready in time. They are not guaranteed like other cruises in this area, so I recommend signing up for a separate dolphin boat tour if wildlife watching is your primary goal – there are a number of great tours. Consider it an extra bonus if you see any wildlife during this cruise. According to our tour guide, manatees also make frequent appearances, but we did not see any this time around.

The cruise is a bit long at 2 hours and got a bit boring at times. The families with kids on the other hand seemed to be having a blast the entire time. That being said, being out in the water with a breeze at sunset is always nice. And the views were pretty.

Colorful homes in Boca Ciega Bay — I loved seeing all the colorful homes in Boca Ciega Bay

Unfortunately, we just missed a storm, so the sunset wasn’t that spectacular. However, the stormy scenery definitely added to the mysterious pirate vibe. As a lover of both adventure and gloomy weather, this really perked up the cruise for me! As we are so used to getting bombarded by too much sunshine, this was a nice change of pace.

Stormy weather the Pirate Cruise in Madeira Beach, Florida

Dark clouds storm rolling in Madeira Beach, Florida

Overall, this cruise was a nice experience. It was not the best cruise I have ever taken, but not the worst either. I wouldn’t put it at the top of my Bay area bucket list, but it’s an option especially if you have younger kids. Personally, I didn’t like the music (mostly country and rap).

The ship itself was attractive with both an upper and lower deck, enthusiastic staff dressed as pirates, and an overall aesthetically pleasing design. I recommend trying to get an upper deck seat as the views are much better. You are also free to dress in any pirate apparel which could be fun.

If you are looking for more of an adult’s only voyage, you should probably look elsewhere. The kids on board seemed to really enjoy the cruise as there were so many activities to engage in along with plenty of staff interaction. They do offer adult only cruises – check the website for upcoming events.

Beer, wine, soda and water are complementary and you can also purchase snacks. I am not a big drinker so this wasn’t a big bonus for me, but it appeared that most were having a great time dancing around and enjoying the music.

Pirate cruise scenery in St. Johns Pass, Florida — Beautiful views and free drinks!

Tips for a great cruise

*Look for a coupon in their brochure. The coupon is good for a few bucks off each cruise. You can find these in kiosks throughout town, including one at John’s Pass near the Hubbard’s Marina ticket office.

*Apply plenty of sunblock esp for afternoon rides – the ship is not covered. I’ve come home with several bad burns after taking cruises in the Bay.

*Sunglasses are always necessary in Florida!

*Book an evening cruise if you can’t handle the heat. Or better yet, plan on a winter cruise.

*If you do not like kids, this is not the cruise for you. Activities are geared towards kids (limbo, face painting, pirate stories) and the atmosphere is noisy. If you are looking for a more peaceful experience, you should probably book a sunset or adult’s only cruise.

*Smoking is allowed on the ship (they definitely need to change this rule!), so if you are sensitive or just can’t stand being around smoke (like me!) it’s best to skip this one.

*Take a walk around the beautiful John’s Pass boardwalk before or after your cruise. There are plenty of unique restaurants and shops to enjoy. Mad Beach Craft Brewing is a good choice – the vibe is casual and they serve great bar and comfort foods.

Falafel dinner at Mad Beach Brewing in Madeira Beach, Florida — This falafel app was really delicious

*Be sure to take a walk over to Madeira Beach, located right next to the boardwalk. It’s beautiful, not to mention a lot less crowded than nearby Clearwater.