Volcano Cruise Tours

Worth EVERY penny to take this cruise. The sights you’ll see just can’t be matched from the road. Yes the hike down and back winded a couple people in our group but everyone made it fine. The tour was informative and beautiful. Also as a FYI you will get splashed on this tour. Not soaking wet but water will hit you. So if your allergic to water bring a coat. :-)

How could anyone pan this tour? Where else can one experience being inside a volcano full of water, see the unique geology and evolutionary consequences as Wizard Island and Ghost Ship?
The tour is about 2 hours. The ranger explains the prominent features: the vents, layers of rock from different eruptions, how Crater Lake came to be a park rather than a development of vacation homes, and unique evolutionary activity on Wizard and Ghost Ship islands. I asked a questions on the fish in the lake — seeing it so pure and devoid of any «food». The lake is a desert to fish — Water! Water! Everywhere, but nothing to eat.
Short video clip of the tour:
Tips:
o There are pit toilets at the bottom of the hill by the dock
o Very little shade — bring an umbrella
o There is a rock which you may jump off into the lake… a drop of about 15 feet. Great fun watching people jump into the very cold water!
o Eat your lunch half way down into the crater in the shade on one of the benches rather than at the bottom because it’s hot and no shade.
o The trail is well traveled, so expect sand and dirt in your sandals or slippers.
o Wear a hat — the sun will broil your head on the lake
o Sit on the starboard side of the boat because it goes counterclockwise around the lake
o The walk out isn’t really so bad.

To sum it up in a few words — disorganized, but great views.
THE CONFUSION:
Arrived on time, checked in at the top of Cleetwood Cove, and had a beautiful hike down to the dock (~1 mile). Once we got there at 9am, the employee informed us that the Wizard Island tour was canceled the entire day due to mechanical issues. Some passengers talked to another employee who signed them up for the waiting list for the other boat tour (that does not stop on the island). I talked to another employee who told me to check in with him at 9:20. When I did so, he told me that there were already a bunch of people who signed up for the waiting list in the 20 minutes I had been waiting around. He told us we would have priority for the the non-​island drop off tour at 11:30 while those others who got there after us were able to get on an earlier boat (but still no island drop off). Frustrating, but we weren’t in a hurry so just relaxed, swam around the shore. Disappointing that we weren’t able to go on the island but what can you do?
The tour itself was great. Our guide Ranger Dave was knowledgeable, friendly, and a great storyteller. He even allowed us to refill our water bottles with the lake water. Got great views of various parts of Crater Lake that you just can’t get from driving around the rim.
Would highly recommend seeing the lake from the boat tour for the scenery –just wish communication from the company was a bit clearer. The hike back up is «strenuous» but not that hard for a relatively fit person. There are a lot of benches along the way — some of the older folk and children were struggling a bit back up.

If you want to see Crater Lake in an inspiring and unique way, make the time to go this tour! FYI, the location on Unilocal!may not be accurate. Check out the actual location via the national parks website.
This review is for the Wizard Island 3-​hour tour.
First, you do need to prepare well to make sure your tour is comfortable and enjoyable. Plan ahead.
— Our tour started at 9:30am, and it can take 35 – 60 minutes to hike Cleetwood Trail down to the dock. So plan on getting to the check-​in booth at the top of Cleetwood by 8:30 to give yourself ample time. If you’re staying at Mazama campground, like we were, you also need to give yourself ample time to drive (we left the campground by 7:30 just to be early and not feel rushed).
— Wear hiking boots, especially if you are planning on hiking to the top of Wizard Island.
— Bring food and water! The day will go something like this: 1 hour hiking down, 45 minutes on the boat, 3 hours on the island, 1 hour on the boat, 1 hour hiking back up. They do have snacks available at the dock and trailhead (no food is sold on the island!), but if you’re a big eater like I am, you’ll want to make sure you have lots for the hike! Essentially, you will be touring during your breakfast and lunch hours if you opt for the morning Wizard Island tour.
— Apply sunscreen and bug spray!
— Dress in layers! The journey on the lake and island can go from cold to hot in a minute.
— Be mindful of your physical constraints. Even after training with tough hikes prior to our trip, we found the final hike back up to the trailhead difficult (especially after a day of hiking, boating and being in the sun). Pace yourself! Plan to take it easy for the rest of the evening or the next day if you are not a super-​athlete (we opted to eat dinner at the lodge that evening instead of cooking for ourselves).
The boat portions were fun with stunning views and photo opps looking up at the caldera walls. The rangers provided interesting insight into the various sights. You will see waterfalls, the Phantom Ship up close, the Pumice Castle, the buoy indicating the deepest part of the Lake, and, if you’re lucky like we were, the Old Man of the Lake! The blueness of the Lake becomes very apparent when you’re actually on it.
Wizard Island is a true adventure. If you make it to the top (the hike can take about an hour and varies from steep/​level and dirt/​rock paths), you will be rewarded with a glimpse into the «Witch’s Cauldron» (the top of the cinder cone). But even if you don’t hike the summit you can spend all three hours just exploring and taking in the views and geological history around you. You can also swim in the waters, or just dip your feet in!
The biggest downside for me: the boat motor is really loud and caused me a headache.

This is a boat tour around the Crater Lake in the National Park. It is called the volcano cruise tour. You can take a 1 hour 45 min cruise or a Wizard Island drop off tour which is another 3 hours. The steep grade up and down to get to the boat takes a bit of time. It took us around 35 minutes to get down to the bottom and around 65 minutes to get back up after the tour. It is not for anyone that has heart issues or issues of climbing. I am a person with a fear of heights, so it was scary for me, but I was glad I did this.
The tour itself is informing as the views are spectacular. It gives you a different perspective from the bottom looking up opposed to the view on top looking down.
The water on the lake is so clear and pure that many people on the boat filled their water bottles with it. Very informative tour and enjoyable ride. Highly recommend!