Miami Aqua Tours — Attraction in Miami

I had a terrible experience with this boat tour company that left me feeling scammed and frustrated. After booking what I thought was a legitimate tour, I drove all the way to Bayside for my scheduled departure only to receive a last-minute WhatsApp message from an international Colombian number claiming "logistical reasons" required rescheduling me to a different time and completely different boat. This is NOT covered under their stated terms and conditions, which only mention weather, hurricanes, boat malfunctions, or Coast Guard regulations as valid reasons for changes. "Logistical reasons" is a vague excuse that seems to allow them to switch customers to whatever lesser option they have available. The boat tour I originally purchased and paid for simply did not exist. Instead, they tried to push me onto an inferior alternative at a time that didn't work for my schedule. When I requested a refund for their failure to provide the service I purchased, they refused and only offered to reschedule - which was useless since I was leaving town. This company appears to be nothing more than a third-party intermediary that takes your money, then shuffles you around to whatever boat operator they can find while keeping their cut. They don't seem to actually own or operate the boats they advertise. Save yourself the hassle and book directly with an actual boat tour operator instead of dealing with this unreliable middleman service. The lack of transparency and poor customer service when things go wrong makes this a company to avoid entirely.

Would not recommend.

FOLLOW-UP TO MIAMI AQUA TOUR'S REPONSE BELOW: I need to correct a serious factual error in Miami Aqua Tours' response. They claim their "staff was met with unexpectedly aggressive and disrespectful behavior at the marina." This is completely false. I NEVER met with any Miami Aqua Tours staff member at the marina or anywhere else in person (which is part of the problem with this company). All of our communication was conducted remotely via phone and WhatsApp messages from their international Colombian number. Since they're willing to fabricate claims about an in-person interaction that never occurred, it makes me question what else in their response might be inaccurate. This false characterization of my conduct appears to be an attempt to discredit my legitimate concerns about their service. The fact that they would resort to making up interactions that didn't happen only reinforces my original assessment of this company's reliability and trustworthiness. I stand by my original review and encourage others to be cautious when dealing with a company that makes demonstrably false claims in their responses to...

UPDATE TO OWNER'S REPLY: I assure you that we returned 1 hour & 8 minutes after departing, as I questioned your cruise director(Osvaldo)on the duration time and he told me I had to speak with the captain(Papo). I was the last off the ship, since I stayed to ask Papo as well, and he made a comment about certain bridges that caused him to take a slightly alternate route, then referred me to call the office and speak with "David" or Sebastian. Both of employees could not argue with me that we returned before the advertised trip time. When I did so, DAVID did not like my questions, and HUNG UP the phone on me. As for the EMAILS, I have sent 2 of them(Aug. 22 & Oct 2)...clearly you would not know, since I have not received a response from Miami Aqua Tours to neither one!! I am enclosing a photo clip to this reply, as evidence that I have been trying to address this with you since 8/22/2024, via emails & phone calls. Since you claim not to be a scam, then I truly don't understand why NO ONE WILL CALL ME directly, and make this right.

I paid for the tour that they advertise for 1.5 hours, but the actual touring is only 1 HOUR. By the time everyone was boarded and we left the dock, there was 25 minutes gone, so in reality...the entire TOUR is only 1 HOUR. I also tried reaching out to the company for a partial refund or another day's credit, and they never returned my call and at one point just HUNG UP on me. I can't stand how companies get away with FALSE ADVERTISING. The tour was very nice and enjoyable...however, we did not get the 1 1/2 hour ride that they advertise. Nasty company and this owner has also had numerous boating companies (I found 6) that are all inactive right now. Thus, by the way they are treating me....I could only imagine why. I plan to be at Bayside Marketplace, to warn innocent people of this scam. This way they will know how this tour really operates and what they are advertising is NOT what you...

The tour itself was great! We really enjoyed ourselves and Dany was an excellent tour guide. However, our experience was soured after “winning a free trip.”

Toward the beginning of the cruise, they passed around sheets to fill out to enter to win a free trip. Toward the end of the cruise, three winners were announced, and unfortunately I was one of them.

Izzy, a representative from Holidays Network Group, took us down to the lower deck and explained that we could pick from one of several trip options, only having to pay the taxes. All we had to do was attend a 2-hour presentation to learn more about the company and free trip options and pay $40 which would be refunded after attending the presentation. They also provided an Uber for us to the hotel where the presentation would be held.

I was skeptical but interested, so I paid $40 cash so they wouldn’t have my credit card number, and Izzy sent us on an Uber to the presentation. During the Uber ride, my husband and I looked into the company Holidays Network Group and read dozens of complaints from the Better Business Bureau. We learned that this is a SCAM, so we asked our Uber driver to drop us off right then and there in the middle of mid beach.

Very unfortunate that we wasted $40, money on an Uber from the middle of mid beach to our hotel, and our time. We thought Holidays Network Group could be a trustworthy company being that they apparently have a partnership with Miami Aqua Tours.

Advice to Miami Aqua Tours: Stop ruining people’s days/vacations/bank accounts and end this partnership with a fraudulent, unethical company!

Also, Dany mentioned that the only compensation he receives from the tour are tips. I really hope this is not the case and that you are compensating your hard-working tour guides...