Yankee Freedom Dry Tortugas Ferry

Amazing experience. Boat ride over was nice, enjoyed standing on the front of the boat and spotting sea turtles. Breakfast was not great, but enjoyed the lunch. Dry Tortugas was stunning. The complimentary snorkle equipment was a big plus. Snorkling in this area was stunning. Also enjoyed the Frozen mixed drinks on the ride back

Dry Tortugas was a great National Park to visit. The ferry staff were amazing. Our ride out to the Park from Key West was a little rough - only 4 ft swells. The staff was constantly helping everyone get around and not get sick. They were so friendly and knowledgeable. Would definitely recommend to anyone. We took our two boys. There wasn’t too many kids on board but it was still very family friendly.

Wonderful ships crew and captain took us on the Yankee Freedom III to Dry Tortugas National Park today. The ship was "ship shape" and the crew was welcoming, helpful and efficient. I especially appreciated our tour guide information and his self identified " inner history geek" what a great day today.

It was a very nice trip to see a remote national park. The Yankee Freedom crew were fantastic, and our tour guide was quite entertaining.

What made it more enjoyable was that it's all inclusive, no extra charge for snorkel gear or kayaks. No muss, no fuss.

Highly recommend!

First interaction with yankee freedom customer service on the phone was not pleasant. If I had to review that phone call I’d give them 1 star. Thankful we gave them another chance in person. The in person experience is what this review is based on. When you board the crew were all friendly. We had a good ride over. Swells were about 4 feet. There were quite a few getting sick and they went around with bags helping them out. Once docked we did the tour with Ben. He’s very knowledgeable and it was a nice tour. We stayed for the 20 min seated and then did 30 min walking. We left early only because we thought we wouldn’t have enough time to explore on our own and eat lunch. We got our lunches from Hank. They are accommodating for food allergies. We got to tour bush key and walk along the moat wall. On the ride back swells were 7+ feet and no one was allowed to walk around you had to stay seated. If you needed anything Jim came out and helped you. The crew did an excellent job helping those who needed it. We enjoyed the boat ride. If you are prone to motion sickness or not sure recommend taking a pill before you ride. So many looked sick or were getting sick. There are seats inside and outside so you get to choose. We sat topside outside and it was great. Breakfast was a bagel. Lunch you got a sandwich for allergies or a jersey Mike sub choice of ham, Turkey or roast beef , small bag of chips or pretzels, cookie, carrot sticks, celery sticks, drink was can of lemonade, tea, or bottle of water. Not a lot of choices to get to dry Tortugas. When we go again we will use them. Only thing I wish they would offer is a refund if it’s not a nice day since you have to book so far in advance and their prices are high. They seat 170 guests and they are full every day. They make 37k a day for one trip.

The entire crew were great - fun, personable, and Johnny on the spot with barf bags and ginger ale when people needed them. I appreciated Dan's suggestion to do a quick scout of the island for the calmest water while the staff got the snorkel equipment area set up. That way we knew right where to go once we grabbed our lunch and gear!
The ferry was very clean, indoors, deck, bathrooms, etc. Breakfast was boring, but fine. Jersey Mike's lunch was yummy, and we enjoyed some purchased snacks on the ride back (snorkeling makes you hungry).

This crew earned much respect! Top notch from beginning to end! Hollywood was the best and very knowledgeable…ask him anything, and we did! Learned a ton. The boat was clean and well maintained! Shout out to Captain Mike! Little interaction from him…as would expect other than getting on/off the boat! Well done! The entire staff 5 ⭐. Highly recommend this service to Dry Tortugas! Thank you for the memories!

Absolutely amazing daytrip experience with The Yankee Freedom ferry and crew. I was on the fence buying a ticket but I am so happy I did, it's honestly a good value for what you can get out of it.
Outside transportation, the cost included the park admission, snorkeling gear, guided tours of the fort, self-tour information, breakfast, lunch, bathrooms, showering hoses after snorkeling or laying in the sand, and in the afternoon their bar opens with economical drinks and cocktails. I had such a fun time, thank you!

Definitely worth the trip for National Park buffs. Questionable if that's not your thing - long ride both ways and several hours on the island. The extended tour was FANTASTIC! I think once is enough for most people. This was my second time, 15 years apart. The condition of the water will impact your time on ship! Make reservations many months in advance or plan to be in standby line before 5:30 am.

So glad we booked this trip! Be sure and book well in advance otherwise you won’t be able to make it. They sell out months in advance. Boarding was well executed and the trip was smooth. Lunch is provided which was a pleasant surprise. And our tour guide, Asa was very knowledgeable and well versed on the history of the fort and Key. Highly recommend this trip!! We didn’t snorkel as the weather wasn’t ideal…cool and windy.

This was a bucket list for us and we were afraid it wouldn’t happen because of the weather. Our day was considered “optional”, if we didn’t go they would refund us…again, weather. They were very honest and said it would be a rough ride, expect to get sick and take Dramamine. We went, we took the drugs, we did get sick on trip out to Tortugas (seas were 6-9 feet for a portion of the journey). That said, the crew was WONDERFUL! They brought ice bag to help with nausea, ginger ale, “party bags”, paper towels, assisted you to bathroom if you needed to go. They were friendly folks & knowledgeable. We were completely safe, but it was a rough ride. The return trip was pleasant…no sickness. Unfortunately the weather conditions were not great for swimming and snorkeling so we explored the fort (take the walking tour…Dan was great) & the island. It’s a full day, they take good care of their passengers. If you get the chance- GO!

Best day tour ever! The crew was absolutely amazing. Our guide told us so many fun facts about the fort. He even kept the interest of my 12yo son... 10outta10 recommend!!

This is a must-do trip! The crew was great, the 45 minute tour of the fort was both informational and entertaining. We explored the fort a bit on our own, walked the top wall and the moat wall. The only thing I wish we had time for was snorkeling. You could see some corral and fish from the moat wall though.

I was able to go the day after Thanksgiving. There was about 180 people on the boat. The boat was very nice. Comfortable seating, great views with ginormous windows throughout, seating available inside and outside cabin. There was a bar and a mini food area. They provide breakfast (bagel) and lunch (sub with chips and cookies) and then offer for you to buy additional snacks and drinks along the ride. There is a guide who explains what islands you pass on the way and he is very entertaining. They also provide the options to buy Dramamine and provide throw up bags. I know when I went it was a 2.5 - 3 hour ride and it was ROUGH that day so almost everyone got a little sick but the crew was very accommodating and made sure to give everyone ginger ale and Dramamine and it helped a lot. Once there you get the option to tour the fort by yourself or with a tour guide. And then there are two beaches, south and north, that you get to walk or swim at. The fort was gorgeous as was the water. Highly recommend this trip. Also recommend going when it's warmer because the water was too cold to get in and snorkel or bring a wetsuit if going in November.

We had an amazing trip on the Yankee Freedom, the Capitan and Crew were amazing. The highlight of the trip was the tour they did of Fort Jefferson, “Hollywood” was amazing at entertaining and teaching at the same time. It was an around an hour and a half and was very informative, definitely something you will want to do if you’re a fan of history.

Staff was AMAZING! A once in a lifetime trip. Please note that this books up months in advanced so plan ahead. It is a great day. Bring snacks, sunscreen and a good book. The day at the fort is magical. Highly recommend!

Bobby and I had a great time. Good Boat Ride and Crew. Amazing history behind the Fort and why it was placed there to secure the Golf. The history of the Fort. Please do yourself a favor and go on the Guided Walking Tour, very insightful.

BOOK MONTHS IN ADVANCE.

We had the most magical day!!

It's surreal... so far from life. So free and clear.

I highly recommend snorkeling even if it's freezing!! I did about freeze to death, but it was soooo amazing... emotional even to experience. We saw a 2ft long lobster!! (I may have screeched).

The fort... is a wonder. The architecture is unlike other forts... the grounds are well kept. The moat full of jelly fish is so clear.

For those of you who are worried about cost....
Just remember... you can't replace this experience... you get fed twice.
(The bagel was the best darn bagel I've ever had...no joke).

While in key west.... a full day of beauty and adventure... great service and 2 meals... would EASILY cost over $220...

It is so worth the cost... the planning...

What an adventure this trip was. First of all, if the team is offering a full refund due to high seas, seriously consider taking the option if you are not good on the water. If you do end up going with the ship, do not pass up on the dramamine.

We decided to go in 8-10+ waves and had quite a time. The Yankee Freedom and Captain Adam were Champs, especially on the way back when we hit 10+ waves and 30-50 knots of wind. The crew were unsung heros as well. Ben kept us entertained with his stories about the trip and history of Fort Jefferson. Hank kept us hydrated and fed.

Now, to Fort Jefferson....what an experience. We were lucky enough to have less than half of capacity commit to the voyage, so we felt like we had the Fort and Tortugas to ourselves. Having Ben walk us through the tour of the Fort was worth the 90 minutes. The rest of the time was for us to wander. While we did not get any snorkeling because of the rough seas, we did get to walk Bush Key while it was open. I also highly recommend walking the Moat Wall. The pictures we have from there are a once in a lifetime memory.

Thanks to the Yankee Freedom Crew and Captain for a safe voyage in rough times. Glad that I was able to keep it together by watching that horizon. Bon Voyage!

Very hardworking and friendly staff. They clearly love their jobs. Huge shout out to Ruth for being super helpful when I wasn't feeling too well on the boat ride out to the park (luckily the way back was much smoother). Breakfast and lunch were provided and good. The park is beautiful, but there's definitely not enough time out there. Highly suggest booking a year in advance for camping out there ~ but we plan on coming back sometime. Such a great experience!