charlie's charters

the 4 of us [2 adults and 2 kids aged 11 and 9] decided we wanted to take a trip to Egmont Key and based on the other reviews we saw of Charlie's Charters, decided to give them a try.I rang first thing to find they had space for us on that day's cruise and 20 minutes later they picked us up from our apartment and took us down to the boat.Aaron and Chris were the crew and they couldn't have been more friendly, informative and chatty throughout the whole day. The run over to Egmont Key takes about an hour and Chris and Aaron pointed out plenty of interesting things and kept us all amused with various stories. My kids loved feeding the gulls with chips - and Chris helped them with this!We had about an hour to tour the fort [take bug spray with you - they bite A LOT!] and then we went off to snorkel.The water was a bit cloudy [and salty JohnH - it is the sea!] but we all had a fantastic time diving for sand dollars. Chris came in to help with the search and spent time explaining about all the different sea creatures we all found. On the run back we saw dolphins and flying fish.All in all a brilliant day. Would thoroughly recommend it!!

this was a great experience. The captian and mate were very knowledgable about the area.( as i am not from here) The boat was clean and roomy plenty of places to sit to get great view of pretty much everything. The ride out is fun. As we got to the island we were informed of the do's and dont's. we shelled and found the light house amazing. There were even these huge helmet like turtles. the snorkling was amazing. we found tons of sand dollars and even found this huge shell with squishy live things in it wanted to keep it but couldnt cause it was alive. Over all the entire trip was awesome. Oh and the dolphins were great. i would and have recomended these guys to all.

The water was very salty and the visibility was very poor underwater which made snorkeling no fun at all. Not for beginning swimmers (they drop you into 9 feet of water and don't supply a life vest). This experience doesn't compare to snorkeling in the Caribbean.

Our family of seven had a marvelous time on Charile's Charters to Egmont Key. We collected shells, explored Fort Dade ruins, snorkeled, and even found Sand Dollars! The crew was fabulous, helpful, and informative. They provided bottled water for the trip and snorkel gear. Laurel picked us up directly from our condo and returned us there afterward. She, too, was extremely helpful and informative. I would highly recommend this company! They even stopped the boat so we could enjoy watching the dolphins play nearby. My favorite was finding Sand Dollars!

Me and my fiancee went we booked for the 4 and half hour trip. the capt. and crew were awesome. we took the free shuttle to pick us up at our hotel. the lady was sweet from the time i called and booked our trip from the time she dropped us off. upon arriving to pick us up she was early and called letting us know she was here and that we could take our time that there was no rush! we arrived to the dock the capt and deck hand was awesome they keep you interested in whats going on in the tour. they were very kid friendly i noticed my fiancee is pregnant and they accommodated to her with help up and down that latter getting on and off the boat. the water was cloudy so snorkeling wasn't that great so the guest on the boat came back on early. the capt and deck hand felt bad about that so they took us around the island where it is known to have a lot of sand dollars my fiancee was EXCITED about that casue she wanted one verry badly!! this was an awesome trip they did an awesome job on making the trip as best as it can be i strongly recommend going on it the caption i dont know his name i for got a bald guy heavier set with a beard is and ceasil was the other man make sure you get them there the BEST!!! thank you guys you were AWESOME THATS FOR SURE!!!

If I were to go back to Treasure Island I would definitely go to Charlie's Charters. They were great and knowledgeable about just about any question we asked. This is a part of my trip to Treasure Island that I will always remember. They made it fun and made easy to open up and have a great time, it felt like the strangers on our boat were close friends by the end of the trip. They will also come and pick you up from your hotel as well, which makes it very convenient. Thank guys!!!

This was a no brainer for us. We wanted our 10 yr old son to try snorkeling and we all love to explore ruins and islands so for $35 per adult and $15 per child we booked this little excursion. We chose the Egmont Key trip which is a 1 hr boat ride to the key island, 45 minutes to explore the island and fort and then about an hour to snorkel off one end of the key with an hour trip back to Treasure Island. There are lots of shells on the island and if you have good eyes you might find a petrified shark's tooth! They give you a grocery bag to collect your treasures. The snorkeling is alright. They provide masks, snorkels, flns and noodles, but they restrict you to a small area between a rocky outcropping and the island. There were lots of other charter boats and private boats in the tiny area and people jumping off the rocks above us, making the water a little murky. We did see a sea urchin on one of the rocks, lots of big sheepshead fish, and a few other fish. Our 10 yr brought his nice Speedo goggles which was a good call. It fit his face well. The masks are for adults. He also decided to forgo the fins and snorkel and just free dive. He loved it so much. My husband and I have snorkeled in the keys w/ Nemo & friends so no comparison to that. Our captain and first mate were very knowledgeable and we saw LOTS of dolphins on the way out and back. They swam right beside the boat. We packed a lunch in a cooler and ate on the way back. They do provide bottled water and fresh orange slices. The boat is not fancy at all. Seating is on wooden benches and not very comfortable. The bathroom below deck has a clear shower curtain for a door and is in full view of the one driving the boat so not private at all! Unfortunately, I had to use it! This is a one and done trip for us - but now we know our son would really love snorkeling in the Keys.

We decided to go on the snorkling/shell/ dophin trip for 4 hours, BEST $ spent on our entire trip to Florida! Capt. Dennis and First mate Chris were very knowledgeable about the area and very entertaining. Saw a bunch of dolphins and snorkled for the first time. Will definately do this again! Best value attraction in all of Florida!

The captain and the tour guide were very helpful. The location where we met the boat was easy to find. Egmont Key is fascinating and the boat ride is a lot of fun. I recommend that you visit Egmont Key and that when you do you travel with Charlie's Charters!

We took the "all day tour", which was actually 2 separate trips. The first day we went to Shell Island, during the ride to the island we were able to get very close to SEVERAL dolphins. Many had their calves with them and they came very close to the boat! Shell Island is just what they say it is. We were able to find many beautiful shells. More than we needed! On the second day we took the trip to Egmont Island. During this ride we had a special treat! Not only did we see many more dophins, but we also saw 2 large manta rays! They were on the surface of the water "playing". We were able to get several pictures and a video! We sailed with Captain Dennis and First Mate Chris. They were very good with information, jokes, music and just made it fun for everyone! Thank you to Captain Dennis and First Mate Chris! You two really made the trip fun and we learned a little something too! A definite must if you are in Treasure Island, FL!! I am already looking forward to going back next year! P.S. - Sailors don't like bridges!! Take the tour, you will learn!

Hats off to Charlie's charters. Good crew. (Capt. Dennis and Capt. Brian) We did both the Shell Island and Egmount Key trip. Both a good time, but if you have to choose just one go to Egmount Key for the light house, old fort, and underwater sites. The trip is both a history lesson and nature show. Very well done.Enjoyed the Jimmy Buffett tunes on the ride!!

While visiting the Treasure Island area, we decided it would be nice to see the area by water. A quick search on the web connected us with Charlie's Charters. We did the shorter tour - to Shell Island and dolphin watching. For $25, the attraction was fine. We had a pickup from our hotel for no additional charge which was nice since parking would of been annoying - the boat was large and accomodated a diverse group of people. The captain and crew were very very nice and clearly wanted to make sure we enjoyed our ride. We saw several dolphins - great views of the beautiful area - Shell Island is not anything special, you find the same shells on the beach by the hotel and who needs to look for shells with 50 other people - but all in all, we enjoyed the trip - the crew was professional - it met our expectations for a short, informative, enjoyable boat ride.

Went Thanksgiving week with spouse and kids. The advertised free shuttle from your hotel - but that was never offered or mentioned when I called. The Capt. and First Mate were friendly and informative. The boat ride was enjoyable - but just not really worth the money. Look for coupons at your hotel/motel by the way - if you don't have a coupon I honestly wouldn't spend the $$. We did the Shell Island tour - you can find the same shells on the beach near your hotel or in town. We may have found a few extra sand dollars but that's about it. The scenery looking at the hotels from the water was nice - and the guys pointed out some hot spots and good places to eat. Dolphin viewing was a joke. I know its nature and they cannot predict that - and I know they tried. We saw a mom & baby somewhat close and one other dolphin a distance away - and that was about it. Go if you have extra $$ to burn - but if you don't have a coupon and are on a budget its not worth it.

We had a lovely day on this trip - prompt pick-up, very friendly people and plenty to see. Especially appreciated the ice-pops on the way home!

My girlfriend and I took a trip to Treasure Island for the day for our 1 year anniversary. Upon making reservations, we we're told to be at the dock by 9:45 and that we will depart by 10. We arrived at 9:45 and waited until 10:15. We finally called them at 10:15 and was informed that the trip had been canceled. Needless to say, a phone call would have been nice, as it took us an hour to drive there. Luckily the hotel we stayed at let us check in almost 5 hours early. We were left hanging and will definitely not use Charlies Charters again. Very unprofessional.