Kai Lani Catamaran — Local services in Clearwater

I hate to give a poor review, but this has been weighing on me. I recently moved here from the caribbean, where touring on catamarans is a beloved experience that I'd do often. After moving here, I wanted to take some family visiting to experience what a catamaran was like.

Well the day comes when we are to take the tour and we find out that going on the nets is not allowed, due to coast guard rules. This is totally understandable, and I don't blame the company at all for following the rules. What I do blame them for is for not putting this on their website. Had I known this ahead of time, I would not have booked, as I find this to be the most memorable part about riding on a catamaran. So when we were about to board, I mentioned to the captain that I wish we would have known this beforehand, he immediately got irate with me and said "what is this going to ruin your visit?". I tried to remain calmly and just began boarding the boat, but the captain then shouted at me in front of the other guests "Well?" to imply he was waiting for us to respond. To diffuse the situation I said it was fine and said down. The captain replied "good" and then continued on. It was incredibly embarrassing and demeaning. Here I was excited not only to relive one of my favorite past times but also have my family experience this. But instead, not only did they not get to experience it the same way, but they also got to see me get yelled at by the captain.

I do want to give credit where it's due, the only reason I'm giving this 2 stars instead of 1 star is because the skipper/bartender was...

I cannot really find words that can fully do the Kai Lani experience justice. My daughter and I had just finished up a wonderful week of vacation in Florida and couldn't think of a more fitting ending to wrap the whole thing up with some incredible memories on Kai Lani.

The crew was fantastic, making sure we understood the safety aspects of the journey, including the expectations of the sail. It was refreshing to see how each passenger was able to experience it however they saw fit, and as evident on each and every face, everyone was enjoying it to their fullest. We experienced one of the best sunsets we've seen anywhere, accompanied by a playlist that could not have been more perfect. I cannot imagine a better way to see a Gulf Sunset with the the wind in our sails, great tunes in the air, and smiles all around. It's hard to imagine any other outing could come close.

Full disclaimer: This was our 3rd attempt to book and sail on Kai Lani after two failed attempts to at the beginning of the summer due to weather. The reason I feel this is important to note is it provides a unique perspective in addressing many previous reviews good and bad. My experience with the previous 2 cancels were disappointing, but only because the weather didn't cooperate. Obviously they have had some hiccups in the past, but seem to have learned how to make this an unforgettable experience and communicate in as timely a manner as possible.

With something that is so weather and capacity oriented, do yourself a favor if you are coming from afar and have a...

First night a huge storm came rolling in quick as we were just setting sail and already had a few drinks. Captain took us back to port due to lightning. We made it back just as the storm hit and took shelter at the restaurant. The bartender from the boat ( Desi) came over to let us know we could come back the next day due to the storm. That was great news. Next morning Desi called to confirm we would be back. Very professional in my opinion. We then set sail again the next day. We had a great day on the water watching the other boats , people on the beach and of course the Beautiful Florida sunset. Dave helps man the deck while Mike captain's the boat. Captain Mike let a few couples and some other kids take pictures making it look like they were steering the boat. (Super cool pics) Overall a great experience, definitely worth the money and great for some amazing pictures. Thanks again Captain and crew for making it a memorable day! Pro tip: get the "bottomless drink wristband " and enjoy so many different choice of beverages. This was the perfect place to spend our 3 year Wedding anniversary!! Shane...