Laura W.
Yelp
This is an absolute must-do if you are in the Annapolis area! I booked an 11am tour on a Saturday a few days in advance, however, there were still tickets available for this cruise on the day of as I noticed some people purchasing them at the dock. The tickets said to arrive at 10:45am, and we were actually the first people there. It pays to be early because, as others have noted, they do really pack the boats so if you get there early, you have a better choice of seating.
The weather was fantastic! The sun was shining, and we had a nice breeze for a while, so much so that we did not need all 4 sails raised until about half-way through our trip. Be mindful though that they sail rain or shine. The crew was entertaining, friendly, and efficient in getting drink orders to the passengers. They requested volunteers to help raise the sails, and if you wanted, you could hold the wheel and help the captain steer the ship.
With your $44 ticket, you receive one complimentary soft drink/bottle of water plus a bagged snack (pretzels, chips, cookies, etc). If you check in on Yelp, you get a koozie that entitles you to one free beer each voyage you take with them. They do sell the koozie on the boat for non-Yelpers, but it is $3 and can only be used on the next voyage. Bryan W. and I both checked-in and received our koozies from the ticket window and were able to enjoy one free craft beer on the house. We were also first served once the sails were raised and they started to take drink orders. The beer selections were all local: Flying Dog, Port City, Heavy Seas, and Union Brewing. These were all $6 each (after our first free one of course) plus wine (pinot grigio and pinot noir) at $6, and champagne $25 only by the bottle.
During our two hour cruise, the captain gave a narrative but due to the high winds, it was hard to hear most of the time. We sailed through Annapolis Harbor, past the Naval Academy, up the Severn River, and into the Chesapeake Bay. We saw the Thomas Point Lighthouse, Kent Island, and we almost made it under the Bay Bridge but due to the winds dying down, we had to turn around. We also saw an osprey with a fish in its mouth, and heard that the previous day, one of the cruises spotted a pod of dolphins.
This was a great introduction to Annapolis and the Bay! We both agreed this would be a great place to bring out of town visitors for a unique and fun experience. We will absolutely return again, koozies in hand.