Schooner Freedom Charters Inc

We booked a Valentine’s Day cruise months ago. The weather was great for sailing and the crew commented about how much fun they were having. The crew worked hard but always had time to ask if we needed anything or to just talk to us. The ship was full but we never felt like they didn’t have time for us. Seeing St Augustine at sunset from the bay is something to behold. We recommend sailing with them if you are ever visiting.

Ok… they can’t control the weather… but who could complain when the weather was perfection. However, the captain and crew were really nice… and attentive. We hit a rough patch and the kids all loved the waves and the ride… it was cute to see one of the young girls help with the sails. Relaxing… nice chatting with the crew… recommend it!

My husband booked this tour so that we could see the Christmas lights in St Augustine. The views are spectacular and you see the lights in a completely new way. Captain John is very personable and knowledgable and his crew of Jimmy and Kim were awesome. My husband hadn’t expected the temperature to drop and when he appeared cold, Kim immediately ran and got him a jacket. Amazing customer service that even included hot chocolate to really warm us up. We can’t wait to take our family out on this boat when they visit Florida.

Treat yourself to a beautiful sunset, an unequaled view of the city and a peaceful sail along the historic coast of St. Augustine. Soft drinks and adult beverages are provided. Pack a light snack and sit back and relax. The crew is personable and fun! If you sail, there are opportunities to participate, but landlubbers like me can enjoy watching the hard work and expert navigation from the sidelines. Worth every penny. Don’t miss it.

I’d describe Schooner Freedom sunset tour as a tour for adults; I mean adult who is sophisticated enough to enjoy a glass of wine under the soft Atlantic breeze without loosing his or her cool of temporarily disconnected from virtual friends. Some time, we have to face the reality, especially, the one involves the splendid sunset over the shore of St. Augustine, the oldest city of North America. Reality can be beautiful.
This is my first time being on a sailboat, and lucky me, Freedom is beautiful and elegant. Her 64 feet deck carries 41 guests and 3 crew members. My gal pal and I had seats at the back. We shared the long bench with a family of 4. The opposite side was reserved for a family of 7. The arrangement worked out perfectly. There were plenty space for everyone at the back. The front part is slightly narrow on the side, and its seats are designed for couples; meanwhile, there are area for the crews to operate mainsails.
Captain Cook was in charge that day. He is very friendly and approachable. If you are curious of how to operate a sailboat, he is willing to answer your questions. He also invited guests to help his deckhand operate the mainsail during the tour. My gal pal tried and I can tell she enjoyed it very much, a very unique experience to remember.
The whole sunset tour was about 2 hours. Time went by fast between good chatting, free drinking, smooth sailing and sunset viewing. After we got off the boat, the night life just started. There are plenty excellent restaurants around the dock that you can walk to.
$ 45 dollar per person for a memorable sunset cruise on a beautiful sailboat, It is simply fabulous.

I booked the sunset sail to give as a birthday gift. Three weeks after I made the reservation and gave the trip as a gift I was called and informed that the captain has made other plans for the day and they are cancelling the trip we have a reservation for. The trip might be great, we’ll never know, but don’t count on being able to go on it.
EDIT: After writing this review I was contacted by the company and they did offer to send me a gift certificate. For that I will give them another star. I am still very disappointed but the gesture of the gift certificate offer was very kind.

My husband and I did the sunset sail as a treat on our anniversary. We booked ahead (which is STRONGLY recommended, as their sailings book and sell-​out quickly).
The sunset sail runs from 6:15pm — 8:15pm, nightly. Unlimited soda, water, beer, and wine are offered at no charge.
The 2 hours went by as quickly as 15 minutes. Captain Jon, and crew (Jimmy and Bree) made our trip completely memorable, with great conversation, and made us feel welcome and entertained.
If you are looking for a peaceful, and relaxing activity, where you can enjoy the beauty and splendor of the St. Augustine skyline from the water… this is the trip for you.

Loved the Sunset Sail! Great customer service and a pleasant atmosphere! This boating experience offers complimentary beverages and a great view for sailing. Will definitely do this again.

I took my husband on the sunset sail. It was really a wonderful trip. They keep the number of people relatively small so it allows for conversation if you want or you can have a quiet time with a loved one. The boat was beautiful and we got to help raise the sails. The staff is really friendly and make the trip enjoyable. It would be nice to have them tell you what you’re looking at due if the trip. It wouldn’t need to be narrated but there are a few things that could have bee pointed out that I think could make it better. I also wish there was some way to get a picture of the schooner while it is sailing with you on it. It would be a wonderful memento.

Are you looking to take your St. Augustine vacation to the NEXT plateau of romance and adventure? Our Sunset Tour with Schooner Freedom remains one of my most cherished memories from 2012. If you are looking for a family activity or date ideas, there is NO better choice than THIS!
For our first Wedding anniversary we celebrated by taking a family Sunset Cruise in June. Immediately after boarding the vessel we felt the camaraderie of the crew and they easily bantered and conversed with us. I must admit I was fascinated by their lifestyle and enviable of their profession (not to mention their tan!)
The two hour cruise includes wine, beer, or soda and I sipped on a plastic glass of Chardonnay while chatting to different members of my family near the Stern of the Schooner. You are also free to bring your own snacks on-​board as well. The waters were calm enough not to induce motion sickness but also invigorating enough to get your heart pumping! The crew members were certainly capable at their craft! The weather that June evening was paradisaical and we basked in the waning sunshine.
Besides the silvery water, the marshes and the hopeful views for Dolphins, the Schooner was the perfect backdrop for a photo-​shoot too! One of the coolest parts was how interactive it was for guests! They chose my husband to help with the rigging and I got a lot of great photos as he pulled the line (rope) through both his hands as FAST as he could!
It was extremely relaxing and exciting to be on a sailboat again surrounded by the people I love the most. I think the alcohol combined with the consistent swaying of the boat really went to my head and I felt absolutely tipsy even though I wasn’t. We all laughed and joked that every time our balanced wobbled or we fell on someone we had the catchphrase, «It was the boat!»
According to their website, they NOW have a Marineland Dolphin Cruise where you are not only educated about Dolphins from their instructors but you also get a ticket INTO Marineland afterwards too! So cool! The website states, «We are partnering up with Marineland, the dolphin experts, for a one-​of-​a-​kind sailing experience! Come on board, help raise sails, and then kick back and relax while educators and trainers from the world’s first oceanarium talk about dolphins. Learn all sorts of interesting tidbits about these magnificent creatures. «
What a lovely excuse to sail away again!

We did the sunset cruise on our final night in St Augustine this last trip, and this will become one of our regular must-​dos when we are here. The view is gorgeous, the service is courteous, and it has a nice, family-​run attraction feeling that you don’t always experience in Saint Augustine. Highly recommend.

The captain and crew were very hospitable and pleasant. We did the sunset cruise, and it was the highlight of the trip to St. Augustine. The views from the bay were stunning, and it was a very relaxing experience to unwind on this luxurious schooner.
The captain and crew interacted with the passengers throughout the cruise, which added to the experience. We learned some of the intricacies involved in sailing, and were treated to a magnificent sunset in the process. The captain is VERY skilled and he expertly directed his crew. I would emphatically recommend a sail on this fine ship as part of any visit to St. Augustine.

We did the sunset cruise. The crew and captain (Captain Craig, I think) were all great. They were fun to talk to and kept things lively.
The cruise itself was a nice break from the other things to do. The ship is built in the pre-​civil war style, meaning that the everything is done old school. Neat to watch.
As the sunset at the end of the cruise, we saw some dolphins, too.
I may do this again, next time I’m down there. But this time do the twilight (moonlight) cruise.

We did a moonlight cruise, which is apparently something new for them. They do the trips the day before and the day of the full moon. The crew and the boat were very nice, and your ticket price includes beer, wine, or soda while you’re onboard.
My only complaint had to do with the annoying people that were on the boat with us, but you can’t blame the charter company for that…

We have been on this boat ride 3 times total now. The ride is nice, the staff is friendly, and they serve drinks. The sunset ride can be rather romantic. Very nice experience over-​all.