This was a waste of time and money. Their ad promotes “a strong afternoon breeze” and an "exhilarating sail" which is why we booked this excursion in the afternoon instead of the morning.
The excursion started out having this large four sail sailboat use its’ motor to take us out of the harbor. Then the sails were unfurled. A very light breeze took us out a little way and then we just sat there; looking for anything that came our way.
In the very far distance, a porpoise or two was spotted. Tlhey were pretty far away but there was no attempt made to get closer.
We never got close to land, where we could possibly see more wildlife. As stated, we just sat there in the open water in hopes something swam by. Based on their writeup, I expected we would be looking for wildlife, not just hoping it appeared where we were.
I know you cannot always predict the weather, but even without a breeze, they could have used the motor to maneuver around and not just sit still!
They did hand out a salty snack, in hopes to sell drinks. When I went to buy a bottle of water, for the posted price of $2.00 plus tax, the girl put that price in her calculator and told me I owed $3.00. I questioned the $2.00 posted price and was told that was correct, but with tax it came to $3.00. I do NOT know any state in the United States that has a 50% tax rate!
We traveled with our well behaved three-year-old grandson and his parents. In our general instructions, it was mentioned that the parents keep up with and control their children. There were times we were all asked to keep our seats for our safety, however other times we were able to walk around. However, our three-year-old, who could not see over the height of the railing was not allowed to stand, or get on his knees. If we were sitting on the outer seats along the railing, I would understand, but we were sitting in the middle of the ship.
Bottom line, I do not agree with all the positive reviews. We left there VERY disappointed and wish we had booked something else.
Réponse de l'hôte
Aug 2022
Thank you for your review, as we are committed to excellent customer service and seek to improve areas that fall short. However, points you made need to be addressed. The exact wording of our 2:00 pm sail description on our website reads, "Join us for a usually livelier, more exhilarating sail of Frenchman Bay, with stronger afternoon breezes." Since we have no control over the weather, we do not guarantee the wind velocity, and exhilaration is a matter of perspective. Considering how light the breeze was that day, little to no movement at times would be expected, unless we'd engage our motor, which we do when necessary. Considering the massive size of the Margaret Todd - 151 feet long! - getting closer to shore would endanger both our boat and its passengers. Regarding looking for wildlife, our website states, "This cruise often features an interesting narrative of local history, geographical points of interest and wildlife. Bring binoculars and watch for wildlife!" Although our cruise often features wildlife viewing, we are subject to the whims of the animals and have no control over their appearance. We hand out snacks to give our passengers something for their stomach, as some 'sailors' can get a bit queasy on the water. When customers book by phone, we always advise them that they are welcome to bring their own nonalcoholic drinks and also their own food. Our objective is not to sell drinks, only to provide them for guests who may be thirsty. In short, we apologize for all your disappointments with your trip and hope you join us again on a windy day.