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Salty Dog Cruise

Review Highlights

“ Planning with Lindsey was so easy and Captain Phil and the onboard staff were wonderful. ” in 4 reviews

“ Their early Happy Hour tours tend to be less busy - but that's probably because you won't see the sunset on those tours. ” in 4 reviews

“ They did not have a great selection of snacks on board, so we ate at the Salty Dog Cafe before our cruise. ” in 2 reviews

Location & Hours

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Hilton Head Island, SC 29928

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Overall rating

Took the sunset cruise out of Port Royal and it exceeded expectations! The boat was so nice!! Pristine, lots of open air but covered seating options, great bar and staff. Awesome music. It was a very fun experience. We saw many dolphins! The scenery is stunning. We all mentioned several times how nice the boat was. We'll be return customers!

So much fun with music, dolphins, and incredible scary for our last night at Hilton Ahead!

This is my favorite thing to do on Hilton Head. We've done 3 of the sunset cruises. The boat is beautiful. It is new and clean. The bartenders and crew are friendly and the food is great. I will definitely do this again.

FUN! FUN! FUN!! The Captain of the boat was amusing and knowledgeable. The additional commentary and music selection was perfect "mood music" for the many dolphins enjoying mating season. Wish I could return in 10 months to see the multitude of baby dolphins .

This is so much fun and the crew is great. A wonderful opportunity to make family memories with our adult children, and to see the beauty of Hilton Head Island. We also saw a great fireworks display from the cruise.

Absolutely loved this experience! It was a great price and a great time. Captain Phil was funny and great at his job. We enjoyed our drinks and our crab dip that we had. We were able to see dolphins and see a beautiful sunset! I highly recommend this cruise to anyone visiting!

Amazing experience that I'd give more than 5 stars if I could - easily. Especially for the cost. This was an amazing trip and one that I'd say might even be a "must-do" on the island if you're into alcohol and boat rides. The captain was amazing, the staff were friendly, the drinks were affordable enough, and the entire experience was so neat all-around. So much wildlife, so many drinks, and such a great time. NOTES: -This is a 21+ cruise. No children or under-21 allowed. -The dock for this cruise is at the Salty Dog Cafe within the Sea Pines Plantation. You'll need to pay an $8 (or more depending on your vehicle) gate fee to get into the Plantation to board the boat. -Seating is first-come, first-served. They start boarding an hour before the boat is scheduled to leave. If you want a specific table, I recommend coming early. That being said, outside of a few tables, most of the tables are along the edge of the boat for nice viewing. If it's particularly hot out, the downstairs, in-the-shade tables might go fast though. -There are 2 restrooms on board. -According to the employees I talked to, the busiest days are their evening happy hour tours. Their early Happy Hour tours tend to be less busy - but that's probably because you won't see the sunset on those tours. -If you plan on sitting on the upper deck, don't forget your sunscreen! The lower deck is almost entirely in the shade, but the upper deck is completely sun-covered. -The boat requires three shallow steps (which are decently easy to take) to get onto the boat itself. Getting to the upper floor requires 10-ish very steep steps. If you have someone who's unsteady on their feet or unable to easily take steep steps, make sure to ask about it in advance. PROS: -While most dolphin and other tours on the island cost upwards of $40 a person, you can get on the Salty Dog Cruise for $15-19. I assume they make up the rest of the cost with the drinks which, honestly, are not super expensive. They're average bar-pricing which is way lower than I expected for boat pricing. -On our cruise, we saw way too many dolphins to even count. We saw a couple of sharks and a lot of other wildlife. The captain was insanely good and spotting them (and following them), so anytime he'd see anything, he'd point it out for people who were interested. If you're interested in seeing a particular thing, just let him know before the boat departs. The captain we had would have tried his damndest to find it. -On that note, the Captain was such an amazing person. He was super friendly, had jokes for everybody, was happy to chat, and had a lot of knowledge if you asked too. He definitely made our Cruise a whole lot better. -The point of this cruise is just to lay back, enjoy the views, and drink alcohol. To that account, every table has a clearly-printed menu (they even make food right on board the boat!) in addition to a pair of binoculars to look out at things. The bar is centrally located on the downstairs floor. -You're free to move around. The boat doesn't really "jerk around" much, but it is a boat, and you'll occasionally get some wake that'll make the boat wiggle a little bit. They're happy to provide a lifejacket to wear if you're super nervous, though, but the boat gets nowhere near that. We left all our drinks and items on the table and entire time and nothing moved an inch. -Chairs and tables are the primary seating. You can sit along the edge of the boat if you'd like (or if you find the chairs uncomfortable), and they have some booth-style seating on the upper floor of the boat too. As a bigger girl, I found the regular chairs they have to be a-okay, but your experience may not be the same as mine. CONS: -The bathrooms were a bit small - but they're on a boat, so I'm not sure what you'd expect. They exist, though!

See all photos from Kayla B. for Salty Dog Cruise

We had some family coming into town and our boat was on the shop for repairs so we decided to book a sunset cruise on the Salty Dog so our guests could enjoy the views from the water. The boat was clean and well maintained. The crew were very nice and helpful. They did not have a great selection of snacks on board, so we ate at the Salty Dog Cafe before our cruise. This was a fun trip and well worth the $.

Two words: Captain. Phil. This man is the GOAT! Our first cruise with him was in April, we knew we had to bring our friends when we came back in August. We didn't realize there was more than one captain. Not that the other captain did anything wrong, it just felt more like a dolphin watching trip than a cruise (we stopped for at least 15 minutes at one point). Since we left that cruise with more to be desired we found out the next night Captain Phil was on board so we went on the next night! What a difference it made! We had an absolute BLAST! Captain Phil incorporated wildlife viewing, plenty of dolphins, and some of the nearby islands including Harbortown Lighthouse all within the 1.5 hours, which even went a little over as a plus! Absolutely amazing. You can tell this man enjoys what he does and the attitude and vibe trickles down to the staff and patrons! We will be back Captain Phil!!!! Thank you for the wonderful cruises.

An awesome experience on Hilton head Island! Especially if you get great sunset. Wonderful way to entertain friends and family. Captain Phil is the bomb!

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SALTY DOG CRUISE (Hilton Head) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go

Fly Fishing Film Tour & Salty Dog Boat Cruise

The Port Royal Sound Foundation is proud to present the 18th annual Fly Fishing Film Tour (F3T) on May 1, 2024 in Okatie, SC. You won’t want to miss a great evening of incredible fly fishing short films, a cruise on the Salty Dog with cash bar/food, and a great raffle with items provided by F3T sponsors. Proceeds from the event support the Foundation’s mission to conserve the conserve the Port Royal Sound for the environmental, cultural, and economic well-being of our area.

The F3T is the original and largest fly fishing film event of its kind. Come for the action and stay for the giveaways and camaraderie that will feed your fishing addiction! For more information about the films, visit flyfilmtour.com or follow them on social at @flyfishingfilmtour.

Click here for tickets!

At A Glance

From creature feedings to nature hikes, we’ve got exciting events for the whole family to enjoy.

We are centrally located in Beaufort County, where S.C. 170 crosses the Chechessee River. Just take the right exit from either direction at the bridge.

Field Trips

Fun for all ages, field trips enhance students’ classroom curriculum and gives them a unique understanding of our coastal environment.

Truly the heart of our Foundation, volunteering is the perfect way to learn more about what makes the Sound so important to us.

Ways to Give

Help us make a more profound impact for generations to come, not only for the Sound but for our community too!

Salty Dog Cruise 2023 line up announced

The Salty Dog Cruise has announced its lineup for this year. Flogging Molly , Pennywise , The Interrupters (playing a port of Miami kick off set), Stiff Little Fingers , Broilers , The Vandals , Gorilla Biscuits , Laura Jane Grace , The Bronx , The Slackers , Skinny Lister , The Flatliners , Beans on Toast , Punk Rock Karaoke , Pet Needs , Jon Snodgrass , Bandaid Brigade , Monkey , Capitans of the Head , Host The Colors , and The Attack will be playing. A half pipe featuring pro skaters Matt Hensley, Christian Hosoi, and Jason Adams will also be on the cruise along with DJs DJ Fly, Matt Stocks, and DJ Sweet C. The cruise will depart from Miami, Florida and go to Harvest Caye, Belize and Costa Maya, Mexico. The Salty Dog Cruise departs on November 8 and returns on November 13.

Previous Story

Laura jane grace and the mississippi medicals announce usa and ca tour, hwm, bouncing souls, streetlight, fucked up, mean jeans, ted leo, superchunk to play fest, interrupters announce a ton of tour dates, nofx announce details for final portland shows, ljg and catbite to play all operation ivy set at supernova ska set, nofx announce details for final texas show, laura jane grace to release new ep with matt patton and mikey erg, laura jane grace performs "thrash unreal" with silversun pickups live, protest the hero, the flatliners, bad waitress, more to play no man's land 2024, worriers release video for "top 5".

• Why Use a Travel Agent?
• River Cruises
• Travel FAQs

1.  Value.  Cruises are a great value because the cost includes your transportation, room and all your meals!  And it also includes top-quality entertainment for adults and children, exercise rooms, pools, seminars and so much more!  Yes, there are other fees that can be incurred if you choose to dine at a premium restaurant or take shore excursions, but that would be the same with any vacation.  For people on a budget, this is a perfect solution!

Boston, Baltimore, Bayonne, New  York, Philadelphia, Norfolk, Charleston, Jacksonville, Port Canaveral, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Tampa, Mobile, New Orleans, Galveston, Honolulu, Seward, Ensenada, San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco,  and Seattle. 

Coordinating transportation time and expense to get to your ship is imperative.  All important reasons for talking with Salty Dog about what your preferences are and what you want to experience.

4.  A Good Family Vacation Option.  Cruises offer options for families to travel together while enjoying separate vacations,  offering secure childcare facilities where children can enjoy activities designed just for them. At the same time, parents can enjoy some grown-up time.  This way, everyone can go their own way and then come together as a family for meals and other events. Many cruises also offer family-friendly entertainment for families who want to spend more time together.  

If you are not traveling with children and don't want to hear the constant squeals of little kids, don't worry.   On most cruises, you will find that you hardly notice they're on the ship.  There is a separate section of the ship for children's activities, one you can't even get into unless you're a parent – the security is excellent. 

5.  See multiple locations – only unpack once!  While on a cruise you can visit multiple destinations without having to constantly pack and unpack your luggage.  Relax on deck at the pool or attend a seminar or a show, all while traveling between destinations.  When the ship docks, explore the new location and sample the local culture.  The ship will have numerous planned excursions on shore.

Itineraries will offer ports of call (stops) at major cities and picturesque villages, all of which will be regional highlights, so you don't have to do the research on the best places to visit in an unfamiliar destination. If you're uncomfortable with independent sightseeing in a  foreign locale, simply take a ship's tour with English-speaking guides.  Then return to the security of your room on board the ship!

8.  Pampering!  Let's be honest – how often do you usually feel pampered?  You will on a cruise!  Since relaxation and rejuvenation are often the ultimate goals of any vacation, a cruise fits the bill perfectly!   Both parents and children alike get pampered on a cruise – it's just a different definition of "pamper."  Parents can spend a relaxing afternoon of massage, hot tubs, and sunbathing, while the children can spend a day of running, jumping, swimming and playing while being taken care of in a secure section of the ship  by qualified persons, just down the deck from their parents.

Flogging Molly's Salty Dog Cruise

DON'T MISS THE BOAT

The Salty Dog Cruise will return in 2025 aboard Norwegian Gem. Rock on the high seas with Flogging Molly and more to be announced!

PRO-SKATERS SHRED THE DECK

Don’t miss the sight of pro-skaters catching some Caribbean air, pulling sick tricks in front of even sicker views! Watch daily skate shows tear up the sports court – it's where the stoke meets the high seas.

NEW DESTINATIONS

In 2025, we're taking you to new places! We’ll sail from Miami to George Town, Grand Cayman and Ocho Rios, Jamaica aboard the luxurious Norwegian Gem. Explore amazing beaches and jungle-covered mountains alike at our new ports.

Unlimited Open Bar Beverage Package

You’re covered whether you want to start your morning with a Bloody Mary, soak up some sun with a frozen tropical drink in hand, or stay awake for your favorite sets with a coffee! Our Unlimited Open Bar package included for all guests ensures a seamless flow of beverages throughout your salty vacation.