Shell Island Dolphin Cruise from Navarre

An Absolute Blast -- Ask for Captain John! This was our first time visiting the Destin area, and we decided to book a tiki pontoon excursion. We seriously hit the jackpot with Captain John!! My husband and I booked the 10am departure on a weekday in April 2026 because we were hoping for a more relaxed, laid-back experience. We definitely got that---and then some! No one else ended up joining us, so we unexpectedly had a private excursion. Being able to bring our own beverages along made it even more relaxed and felt like we were just hanging out with friends on the water. Now I'm spoiled, and we'll definitely be booking a private trip with Captain John the next time we're in Destin. Capt. John was incredibly knowledgeable and professional, but at the same time, he completely understands the laid-bak "let's just enjoy being on the water" vibe. He had great music playing and since it was just the. three of us, we got to play our own playlist--which, as it turns out, was right up his alley too! He brought out the water toys we wanted to try and even demonstrated them for us. He also gave us some great local tips, including what to order from the floating food spots (definitely get the boiled peanuts) and some insider recommendations for places to check out on land. And the fun didn't stop there. On the way back to the dock, Captain John and my husband turned the tiki boat into a full on karaoke session with microphones which added another layer of fun to an already outstanding experience. Capt. John was friendly, knowledgeable, fun and genuinely seemed to want us to have a fantastic experience. We couldn't have asked for a better first experience on the Destin water. 5 stars all around. If you're booking a tiki excursion, ask for Captain John, you won't regret it **TIP: bring cash for the floating food vendors and to tip the Captain, he's definitely worth it!!!

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