FAQ
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The Buccaneer is a 100-foot, triple deck motor vessel, and is U.S. Coast Guard approved for a maximum of 149 passengers. We have 2 restrooms, a snack bar, and a gift shop on board.
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Strollers are welcome, and we recommend using the brakes once on board. Please remember children ages 2 and younger must be included in your reservation, as they are included in the total headcount reported to the U.S. Coast Guard.
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The main deck is accessible to manual wheelchairs only. Scooters and motorized wheelchairs are too large and too heavy to accommodate on our vessel.
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Any place is a great place. All activities take place around the green painted circle on the main deck.
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Trained service dogs that can perform a specific task to aid those with a disability are permitted aboard. Companion and Emotional Support Animals are not considered Service Animals.
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Reservations are recommended. We are Destin’s Premier Pirate Cruise, and our boat books up frequently, especially during the busy summer months. We suggest booking 48 hours in advance, to ensure the cruise time of your choice.
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You will step back in time when you board our 100-foot pirate ship to be entertained by the captain and crew. Kids enjoy sword fighting, water gun battles, face painting, treasure hunting, dancing, and more. Parents can join in the merriment, or simply sit back and relax, enjoy the scenery, and watch the swabbies having the time of their lives.
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We have a galley that offers snack items such as hot dogs, chips, sodas, smoothies, and other small snack items available for purchase. Adult beverages are also available for purchase.
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We offer non-alcoholic smoothies and sodas as well as limited alcoholic beverages, including beer, wine, cocktails, and frozen drinks, all available for separate purchase. As a family cruise, we ask that you please enjoy alcoholic beverages in moderation and responsibly. Coolers and glass containers are not permitted onboard. Outside alcohol is strictly prohibited by our liquor license.
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If you purchase your tickets at one of the ITT Centers on Eglin Air Force Base, Hurlburt Air Force Base, NAS Pensacola, or Whiting Field, they will honor a Military Discount for your entire party. Because we are under contract with ITT, we are only able to honor the discount for the Active Duty Personnel if tickets are purchased at the ticket window.
To contact the ITT Office to purchase your discounted tickets and receive your e-confirmation, please call:
ITT Hours of Operation:
9-4 Tuesday-Friday
9-2 Saturdays
Closed on Sundays and Mondays -
We do not go far enough offshore that you lose sight of land. The captain will cruise in the Choctawhatchee Bay, the Destin Harbor, and the East Pass, where waters are calm. If you tend to get motion sickness riding in the backseat of a car, we suggest you take something like Dramamine in advance. We sell MotionEaze onboard, which is a natural oil that can be rubbed behind the ears to alleviate the symptoms of motion sickness. It is fast-acting and has no side effects, so the crew highly recommends it. If you do get nauseated while onboard, notify the crew and they will know what to do for you.
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There are life jackets for the kids on board, but they are for emergency use only. The rails are 42” high as required by the USCG for passenger vessels.
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If there is just a light rain, we are still able to run, subject to the captain’s discretion. If there is thunder or lightning, we will not run. If the captain makes the decision to cancel the cruise due to weather before the boat leaves the dock, we will notify all guests with reservations. Weather cancellations are made on a cruise by cruise basis, and may be determined close to cruise time, even up to the time of departure. However, we will make every effort to make a determination at least an hour before cruising. In the rare situation that we must cancel the event prior to departure, ticket-holders will be allowed to reschedule tickets (subject to availability), receive a gift card, or receive a full refund. “Full refund” will include Trip Protection if it was purchased.
In the event of inclement weather after departing, a full refund will not be available after the boat departs the dock. Only rainchecks or standby tickets will be given. Standby tickets never expire. Standby tickets for canceled cruises will be automatically applied to your account and you can check in at either kiosk with your name or number and the date of your original cruise to redeem them.
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Activity may be canceled due to severe weather or minimum passenger count. In either scenario, you will be notified.
Activity usually runs in rain and moderate weather, but the seller may cancel the activity in the event of severe or unsafe weather conditions. If there is just a light rain, we are still able to run, subject to the captain’s discretion. If there is thunder or lightning, we will not run. If the captain makes the decision to cancel the cruise due to weather before the boat leaves the dock, we will notify all guests with reservations. Weather cancellations are made on a cruise by cruise basis, and may be determined close to cruise time, even up to the time of departure. However, we will make every effort to make a determination at least an hour before cruising. In the rare situation the seller must cancel the event prior to departure, ticket-holders will be allowed to reschedule tickets (subject to availability), receive a gift card, or receive a full refund. “Full refund” will include Trip Protection if it was purchased, but additional processing fees will not be refunded.
In the event of inclement weather after departing, a full refund will not be available after the boat departs the dock. Only rainchecks or standby tickets will be given. Standby tickets never expire. Standby tickets for canceled cruises will be automatically applied to your account and you can check in at either kiosk with your name or number and the date of your original cruise to redeem them.
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While dolphins do inhabit our local waters, we may not see them on every cruise, as we do not cruise into the Gulf. If dolphins are sighted, the captain and crew will not point them out due to the show that is taking place. If you are interested in an up-close view of the dolphins, we invite you to cruise aboard our sister ship, the Southern Star Dolphin Cruise, for an extraordinary dolphin encounter.
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Yes, we offer group discounts for 20+ adults. Group tickets can be booked directly online.
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We are located in the HarborWalk Village Marina, about ¼ mile east of the Destin Bridge. We are in a red ticket booth located downstairs to the left of Margaritaville. We are easily accessible from Fort Walton Beach, Okaloosa Island, Miramar Beach, and the rest of 30A.
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We recommend bringing sunscreen, a camera, a hat, sunglasses, and cash (to tip the crew, purchase gifts, or items from the snack bar). During spring and fall months, you may want to bring jackets as our late afternoon and evening cruises tend to be cooler in temperature.
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We accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover, Amex and cash. We do not accept personal checks on board the vessel.
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Parking is available at HarborWalk Village. Seasonally, HarborWalk Village charges $20 per vehicle to park in the on-site parking lot or the parking garage. Cash and cards are accepted. Alternative parking options include the city of Destin’s two “pay to park” public parking lots at the intersections of Highway 98 and Marler Street, Calhoun Avenue, or Zerbe Street. Limited street parking is available along Stahlman Avenue on the north side of Highway 98. Unfortunately, we are unable to waive or validate parking fees, as they are assessed by third parties.
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We strongly recommend arriving one hour prior to boarding to allow time for traffic, parking, and checking in. Boarding begins 30 minutes prior to departure.