LeBarge Tropical Cruises — Attraction in Sarasota

My wife and I received tickets for the Sunset Cruise as an Anniversary present and were looking forward to our first experience. We were told to get there early to insure we were able to get a couple of the "coveted" seats on the upper deck. We arrived more than an hour early and were approx. 12th. in line. We thought for sure we would get the upper deck. This was not to be. As the hour dwindled away, more and more people showed up to join "place holders" in line. A birthday party group did not even attempt to join the line, but rather began their partying in the grassy area adjacent to the entrance and then strode right in as they began boarding. Our original space in line mushroomed from 12 to over 50 and when we finally got on board and went up stairs found that every table had been rearranged and reserved. There was never any attempt by management or employees to control this disregard for common courtesy or protocol. I found this both shocking and appalling. So our much anticipated evening out resulted in sitting next to the ice machine on the first floor with a restricted view. Ah, but we did get to witness the drunken antics of the birthday bash as they waited for the only bathrooms on the first level. Which, as I found out later, were filthy, smelly and victim to the bad aim of our fellow passengers. Le Barge seriously needs to rethink the boarding process as I have heard from others that arriving early does not insure good seating. Perhaps they can borrow from the airlines and offer and upcharge to the tickets to get early boarding. My wife and I received tickets for the Sunset Cruise as an Anniversary present and were looking forward to our first experience. We were told to get there early to insure we were able to get a couple of the "coveted" seats on the upper deck. We arrived more than an hour early and were approx. 12th. in line. We thought for sure we would get the upper deck. This was not to be. As the hour dwindled away, more and more people showed up to join "place holders" in line. A birthday party group did not even attempt to join the line, but rather began their partying in the grassy area adjacent to the entrance and then strode right in as they began boarding. Our original space in line mushroomed from 12 to over 50 and when we finally got on board and went up stairs found that every table had been rearranged and reserved. There was never any attempt by management or employees to control this disregard for common courtesy or protocol. I found this both shocking and appalling. So our much anticipated evening out resulted in sitting next to the ice machine on the first floor with a restricted view. Ah, but we did get to witness the drunken antics of the birthday bash as they waited for the only bathrooms on the first level. Which, as I found out later, were filthy, smelly and victim to the bad aim of our fellow passengers. Le Barge seriously needs to rethink the boarding process as I have heard from others that arriving early does not insure good seating. Perhaps they can borrow from the airlines and offer an upcharge to the tickets to get...

Went on the Cinco De Mayo cruise. Um, if you're a local, stay away!!!! It seems like good cheap fun and they insinuate that the "nachos & cerveza" are included in the cost... ITS NOT. Oh and if you want a good view, be on the lower deck. This cruise is for your run of the mill, retired, senior citizens. Not somewhere for someone in their early 30s to go. Thought oh hey a good price for a date night. Um no. My husband passed out. They didn't even have ANYTHING remotely for the Cinco de Mayo event. The band played blues all evening. We took a tour of rich people houses on the channel. 2.5 hours long. Just a disaster for a fun date night. Don't do it. It seems worth it but think about it... 2.5 hours. I will never get that time back... Oh and the cancellation policy is a joke. Once you're in line and see the people you're about to join on a cruise, if you cancel you will get a 50% refund. I decided to rule against taking the 50% loss. HUGE mistake. Not to mention you are jam packed with a bunch of people. Not really much room to breathe. We thought going downstairs it would be better. But eventually people started congregating down there too... So if you enjoy overcrowded elderly getting drunk and dancing to their "prime" songs, this is the place for you. Truthfully a great opportunity for a sales person lol but not for a resident of Florida looking for a reasonably...

I booked the November 6th sunset cruise for my husband's birthday after seeing the LeBarge a few weeks prior at the Sarasota marina. It looked like a great time! Tickets were a great value too, especially for a 2 hour voyage. The night of our cruise was very chilly and cloudy, but we bundled up and really had a blast sitting outside at the front of the boat! (The top deck was at full capacity by the time we boarded, but it was colder and windier up top anyway so that worked out for us). From the front of the boat, we had front row seats to the whole tour- plus we were close to the bar and the live music. The band was awesome! They played great coastal covers of party favorites. Also have to mention the drinks which were delicious and strong!! The drinks are priced well, too. Less than you'd pay at dinner anywhere in Sarasota. I had the XL Rumrunner which was on special that evening and it lasted the entire boat ride. One tip: You will want to plan for dinner elsewhere. The menu is limited to movie theater snack bar items (nachos, hot dogs, etc). Would not recommend this activity for kids or anyone looking for a more romantic setting. But it was a lot of fun for...