This was our second time taking the tour, once in the summer two years ago and yesterday. Both tours we we're on the smaller private boat, the first time because we booked it and the second time because the group we went with was small.My kids and I enjoyed the tour so much the first time we really wanted my husband to go this time.
Pros: they have warm gear if you do this when it's chilly outside. We used the coats, jackets, and gloves and were warm, it was about 45 degrees off the water. My kids used the ski goggles and appreciated those.
Sights: you get to see so many things in this tour and from the water, I don't know how else you could do this other than the helicopter ride. The ferries are slow and take too much time if you are trying to pack activities into a couple days.
Joel: super friendly, accommodating, and knows everything about everything you can see. He shared with us dates, names of architects,and the history of the buildings and landmarks.
The ride: fun! It's like an amusement park ride when Joel gets the boat going fast and takes some fun turns.
Cons: none, honestly. The weather could be an issue but the company was great, we asked to move our tour up one day for fear of rain and they said sure, no problem, we want to make you happy.
Can't ask for a better experience.
I think this is a great activity and you really feel you get your money's worth.