Hi, friends! We are fresh off of our summer vacation. This year we went to Destin, Florida with my mom, my brother, my sister-in-law, and my sweet little niece. A full week of fun in the sun. We had such a nice time, great weather, and fun memories, but boy is it good to be home!
While the main vibe of the entire vacation was “no schedule, no theme, no plans” we did manage to fit in a few little activities here and there. One of the activities was the Buccaneer Pirate Cruise (HERE), which is a pirate ship cruise for families. The Buccaneer Pirate Cruise was kind enough to gift my whole crew tickets to experience the fun and adventure of Destin’s famous pirate ship. It was so much fun and something I highly recommend if you are a family with young kids. The pirates are so much fun, the ship is pretty cool, and who wouldn’t want to find a bit of treasure?
However, before you buy your tickets there are a few things I wish I would have known before we stepped aboard.
I did little to no research on this experience beforehand. Honestly, it sort of added to the adventure. I understand that not everyone is as wild and crazy as I am, so I am here to share everything I know. You are welcome.
For example, there isn’t really a benefit to arriving early. I mean, you have the peace of mind that you aren’t going to miss the experience or get lost, but that’s about it. The instructions you receive after booking your experience say to arrive 90 minutes early, which is nuts if you ask me! Parking can be a bit squirrely, but 45 minutes early was plenty for us. Once you check in you are instructed to stand in line at the gate of the ship on the dock. This part is unnecessary and very sweaty. Since you are able to move around freely aboard the ship during the cruise there is no need to be the “first one on” to get a good seat. If we were to go again we would wait in the shade until it was time to board.
Where To Go
Located at 100 Harbor Boulevard, Suite A, Marina Level, Destin, Florida 32541.
The Buccaneer Pirate Cruise is located on the HarborWalk Village Boardwalk. Prior to our pirate cruise, we had no idea what we were getting ourselves into. We could have easily spent an entire day on the boardwalk. In fact, we went back a few days later for jet skiing. There are shops, restaurants, water activities, ziplining, and so much more.
Parking can be an issue, so give yourself plenty of time to find a spot . The public parking lot is $20 per day to park, which is pretty steep if you ask me. They do offer a voucher if you plan on returning the same day, so I guess that’s something…
I would actually recommend taking an Uber. My brother used Uber (he didn’t have a car since his family flew to Florida) and it was $6 from our condo each way, which is cheaper and less of a headache than parking.
What To Expect
- As a Kid – Expect to be busy during the entire cruise (2 hours). There will be several different activities going on throughout the trip. Dancing, sword fights, and face painting just to name a few.
- As a Parent -Expect to be sitting off to the side watching your kids have pirate-themed fun. Your experience will depend greatly on your child. If your child tends to be more on the shy side you may be doing a little more participating alongside your child than sitting off to the side. Also, expect to buy something from the gift shop/snack bar. Best of luck on getting off that ship without buying a souvenir of some kind.
- Adult w/ No Kids – This is not the cruise for you.
Before You Go
- Dress accordingly. It’s Florida. On the water. It’s HOT. Unless you are like me and managed to somehow only pack long pants for a beach vacation you will want to dress as light and airy as possible.
- Bring sunscreen. Sunscreen is a must! Apply before you board the ship, but also have some on hand to reapply. The kid’s activities take place smack dab in the middle of the ship in the direct sun. My fair-skinned family got a little toasty.
- Snack bar. There are food and drinks available for purchase on the ship. Chips, candy, fun drinks for the kids, and alcoholic drinks for the adults.
- Gift shop. Good luck leaving without making a purchase at the gift shop. Stuffed animals, pirate swords, eye patches, etc. There is a little something for every price point, which is nice.
- Free water. A much-appreciated service. Free cups of water for everyone. Definitely drink lots of water – did I mention it’s hot?!
- Restroom. There are lovely restrooms on the ship. Spacious. Clean.
- Ages 4-8. In my personal opinion, the best ages to enjoy the Buccaneer Pirate Cruise are between the ages of 4 and 8. Preschool age through 2nd grade-ish. One gauge to see if this activity might be for you is if your child is comfortable with circle time or a classroom setting. If so, the activities on board will be much more enjoyable for you and your child. Otherwise, you will either be running all over the ship chasing your toddler OR forced to participate in all the activities alongside your little one. My 1.5-year-old niece was a tad too young to enjoy the cruise to the fullest and her mom and dad were exhausted by the end of it.
- More fun to be had. There is a bunch of other stuff to do at Harbor Walk. You cold easily spend the whole day there. Restaurants, shopping, zip lining, etc.
Final Thoughts
We had a great time on the Buccaneer Pirate Cruise. If you are looking for an activity to make your family vacation a little more special, then this is definitely the excursion for you!
Grab your tickets HERE!!
