Charlie’s Charters

We did the 4 hour Egmont Key trip. When we got out to the sunken fort, the captain told us that he didn’t have flippers for everyone, which wouldn’t have been a problem if there were no current… He had enough masks to go around, but some of the snorkels had mildew in the mouthpieces. Several people on the boat commented that it was more work than fun as visibility was very poor.

We went on the 4 ½ hour dophin and snorkel expedition. Our captain and first mate were very nice and informative. They tried to have a sense of humor and make us laugh. We cruised along at a relaxing slow pace. We never felt in a rush that we were on a time clock which was very nice. We also stayed out for more like 5 hours. We only saw a couple of dolphins. The captin was happy to stop and hang in the area for a moment so we could get photos of them as they played in the water. Next we went to the island and had about an hour to walk around and we saw turtles and a manatee. This was nice. Then we went south of the island to the small ruins of Fort Dade to snorkel. This was very small and there wasnt much to see! Snorkel mask and flippers were provided. the snorkeling did not impress me! This trip was $ 40/​person and after it all being said and done it was not worth $ 40. This is not to say we didnt enjoy ourselves. We did… But next time we would just stick with the dolphin tour for $ 25, the extra for snorkeling just wasnt worth it. Also fyi… they have toliet on the boat but hold your nose it doesnt smell good!

2:30 cruise became a 3:00 cruise then in it became a coming shortly cruise… and 20 minutes later there was still no cruise. Plus the guy answering the phone was extremely rude. «I don’t drive the boat so I don’t know when it will arrive (with attitude)»

Went on this tour for the second time last week. They offer both a 4 hour and a 2 hour cruise. The 4 hour includes dolphin watching, snorkeling around a sunken fort, and an hour long stop at Egmont Key. The 2 hour is just a trip out to Shell Key along with more dolphin watching of course.
Last time we took the 4 hour trip and really loved it. This time we took my Sister in law on the 2 hour trip due to being rained out of the 4 hour one earlier in the day.
The crew is what really makes this charter great and this trip was no exception. They are funny, knowledgeable, and even more impressive, they promote eco tourism instead of doing whatever it takes to see dolphins. During our trip we encountered a pod of dolphins with a baby that had to only be a few weeks old. They took great care to make sure we didn’t get too close to them so they would stay around. They also don’t feed the dolphins, chase them or do anything questionable to bring them in. And yet you definitely will see dolphins on every trip.
Shell Key was beautiful, but other than scouring for shell bits or sunbathing there isn’t a lot to do there. Personally, I’m content to sit and enjoy the scenery, but if you want something more engaging to look at you definitely want to take the 4 hour charter to Egmont. See the prior review from Joe C. for details about that cruise.
If you’re going to take a dolphin cruise while you’re in St. Pete, you will have many choices. Charlie’s is not only cheaper, but you will get a much more laid back and still very engaging experience for your money.

I did the Egmont key excursion a couple of weeks ago and thought it was great value for money.
The crew were excellent, the captain was personable and funny and the first mate was extremely helpful and informative.
The tour is about 4 hours but they are flexible with taking a little extra time if there are dolphins, or other interesting marine life, to be seen. On our trip we saw enormous Tarpons jumping out of the water and a few Dolphins.
Egmont Key is very pretty but the first hour to explore was a little boring so I’d suggest taking your towel and going to the beach to enjoyt the pristine sand and crystal clear water. The Snorkeling part of the tour was good but not spectacular. The staff were really helpful and gave us a lot of info and a safety briefing but the current was quite strong the day we went and the water was not too clear. If you have your own snorkel gear, I would recommend bringing it as the boat’s gear is the standard tour gear and is just adequate.
Overall, the trip was really enjoyable and well worth the money. I spend a lot of time in the area and will certainly participate in this tour again in the future.

Looking for a boat charter company, my wife found Charlie’s Charters on one of those other review sites — after having already looked at everything on Unilocal,of course.
Charlie, of Charlie’s Charters is actually a dog — so he won’t be captaining your excursion. We had Captain Brian and Harry. These guys were friendly, funny, informative and accommodating with everything. One of our group was running a little bit late — having gotten stuck at one of the nearby drawbridges. We ended up leaving a few minutes late, but neither they or any of the other passengers seemed upset.
While we headed out to Egmont Key, the crew gave us a highlight tour of the things we were passing and tips for nearby restaurants and bars. They also provide free bottles of water to keep hydrated and allow you to bring your own coolers full of whatever other foods or beverages you like.
One of the guarantees they make is that you –WILL– see dolphins. I don’t know if there’s a money back guarantee or anything, but these guys know what they were looking for — and they gave us tips on what to look for and where to look so we could help spot them.
We ended up seeing a couple — and true to their word, they encouraged the dolphins to come play «with» us. By kicking up a wake and playing some music that they swear the dolphins like, they got the dolphins to play in our wake for a few minutes. It was a great sight.
Besides the guaranteed dolphin sighting, there are two other major parts to their excursions to Egmont Key: an hour on land and an hour of snorkeling/​swimming.
The land excursion allows you to walk along the beach or on the trails to see the remains of an old fort and a working lighthouse. The trails are well maintained and some of the ruins are really interesting to look at. You may also spot some of the local wildlife — birds and turtles.
The snorkeling portion is also lots of fun. Before jumping in, you get a run down of how to use the equipment they loan you, a list of fish and critters you may see in the water, and of course a safety warning. The only complaint I might have is that the area for snorkeling is a little small in comparison to some of the other snorkeling excursions we’ve taken in other places — and the water isn’t as clear. Of course, this isn’t their fault — but if you’ve been snorkeling elsewhere, it’s something to keep in mind when deciding if you want to go.
From what I understand — they even work with local hotels to pick you up/​drop you off and you can charge it to your room instead of paying them outright.
The crew really takes this from an average experience to a great one. For only $ 35, this is a great deal worthy of checking out.