Afternoon Dolphin Sail

We very much enjoyed our 2 hour schooner tour. The day was hot and the breeze from the water made it very pleasant. We recommend this tour for people who want to relax and see the city from the water. The Captain gave some information but it was hard to hear him.

Wonderful experience. This was our 2nd sail on this schooner and it was as enjoyable as the first.. I would recommend this to others. There is nothing like a sail to round out one's vacation.

It was a lot of fun; however, I would reccomend the sunset cruise because it was SO hot in the afternoon. We have been on the sunset cruise a couple of years ago and it was much more enjoyable because it was a lot cooler.

The Schooner Pride is a relaxing way to tour the harbor though it is more about the ride than a narrative history of Charleston SC. We did the day tour and the Full Moon Tour. The 2 girls crewing the Schooner were briskly efficient. They put the guys on the moonlit night cruise to shame! While this is not a narrative tour, the girls knew a the local history. The day captain was relatively new to the area so he was not as well informed, but made up for it with humor and an easy, out-going attitude. Drinks are available (soda, water, beer) at a reasonable price. My 2nd beer got me a coozie which served to keep my 2nd beer cool and for a souvenir later. On the Full Moon Cruise we got 2 wood tokens which allowed us 2 "free" drinks; I only spent one, saving the other for (you guessed it) - a souvenir. I really like souvenirs, and not only hope they keep the practice, but that they see fit to extend it to their day cruises as well. "Working" on the boat consists only of hauling on ropes to raise and lower the sails - the more complex tasks are handled by the crew (again, those girls were quick, efficient, and seemed to know more about sailing than anyone I've ever met!). I would have loved to have been able to be more involved (e.g. climbing out on the foremast to untie the forward sail); however, I recognize that this isn't allowed due to liability risks. The sail consisted of leaving port (next to the Charleston H2O Aquarium) under engine power, then the sails are raised and the engines cut off. From there you sail out towards Ft. Sumter (watch for dolphins! We saw some!). The boat then turns prior to reaching Ft. Sumter (watch for swinging booms! - most of which are sufficiently overhead as to pose no danger) - and you sail back, under the landmark Ravenel Bridge, around a support, and then back to the Aquarium dock. I do wish they would swing out PAST Fort Sumter to give the passengers a taste of true ocean swells prior to turning back. I thoroughly enjoyed the roller-coaster sensation of the few swells which reached into the harbor around the Fort Sumter area, and would have enjoyed it even more if the Schooner Pride could have made a full circuit of the island (though this probably would be impossible due to the huge sandbar which joins Ft. Sumter to a neighboring island.) All in all a memorable sailing tour. I would recommend the sunset sail as the best - and pick a windy day, if you can. (We booked the moonlight tour at the last minute - and got lucky). One thing about the moonlight tour - it may sound romantic, but for the first hour it's more like a lightening storm since the passengers are taking camera flash shots (when will they learn flash doesn't do squat at 25 yards??), and it's not very romantic when you have 30 some odd folks chatting and wandering around in a small space. Something to bear in mind if you chose that sail. Also bear in mind this small schooner carries 40 people - it can be somewhat crowded at times.

Not much in the way of information from the crew, however, they were competent, friendly, and very eager to let the crew and children participate in the sailing of the vessel. Weather was beautiful; next time we will take the night sail!

My college friends and I booked an afternoon cruise to set off our 30th reunion. July weather was nice and hot, in the mid 90's. once we got off the dock, the sea breeze kicked in and we had a wonderful time checking out the Carnival Fantasy which was getting ready to sail and all the sites around the Charleston Harbor. I highly recommend for locals and tourists alike.

After reading previous reviews, we decided that taking this trip & having fun on it was pretty much up to you. The captain, in his opening remarks, explained that this was NOT a narrated tour, but that the interesting & historical sites would be pointed out. We had the perfect day (except for the heat), blue skies, puffy clouds, & wind. After the sails were set, the crew said we were doing 10.3 knots - the fastest they'd sailed in quite a while. We saw several dolphins, which the crew was very good about finding for us. The various historical sites were pointed out & our needs were met quickly. Plenty of cold, cold water was available on a very hot, hot day. It was mentioned that shirts & caps were available for sale, but nothing was ever pushed. And when I had a question on how the crew was fastening off the ropes, one crew member gave me a short knot-tying lesson. All in all, a fun day for Grampa, Grandma, & Granddaughter.

This was a nice way to spend an afternoon. We saw some dolphins beside the ship almost as soon as we were out! My 14-yr-old daughter and I helped with putting the sails up and we really enjoyed it -- quite simple tasks. The rest of the trip was leisurely and the breeze was nice... and appreciated on a warm Charleston summer day. There was not much narrating but the crew were friendly and quite open to chatting about anything to do with the area and especially sailing and their experiences -- very interesting. We purchased their water and it was refreshingly ice-cold. I would do this trip again... perhaps the sunset cruise next time. :-)

It was an excellent sail. Very knowledgeable, professional staff. Great, peaceful day :)

We had a great time on the boat. All 9 adults and 4 kids enjoyed being on the water and looking around the Harbor. We wish there were more wildlife to see. We saw the dolphins before we headed out, then didn t see another fish, bird ect. The crew was very good.