Tampa History Cruise
Tampa, USA
- 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Overview
Explore one of Florida's most picturesque harbors on this Tampa history cruise that transports travelers back in time across stunning blue waters. See the real-life pirate ship known as Gabriella up close and take in views of million-dollar homes, popular museums, and the famous 'Plant Hotel' as you listen to expert commentary about the city's rich past.
- Learn about Tampa's history on a cruise
- Listen to live on-board commentary while you sail
- Multiple departure times make it easy to fit into any schedule
- Light refreshment are provided
What's Included
- History Cruise
- Bottled water
- Soda/Pop
- Parking
- Transportation to/from attraction
- Gratuities (optional}
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- PWT3 - History Center/Amalie ArenaTampa, FL 33602, USA
Departure Point: Behind The Tampa Bay History Center at the dock Tampa FL. Address: 801 Old Water Street Tampa, FL 33602 Directions: Dock (water taxi dock #3) behind the Tampa Bay History Center 801 Old Water Street. Parking at parking lots on Chanelside drive Board the blue boat with yellow top
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Itinerary
This history cruise starts at the dock, where you can seamlessly board the boat, without having to wait in long lines to buy your ticket.
As you glide past Tampa’s picturesque harbors, live onboard commentary helps you learn about how the city grew from a Spanish outpost, including stories about a local pirate ship called “Gabriella”.
To help boost your comfort and hydration levels, the trip includes soft drinks as well as bottled water.
Access plenty of great photo opportunities, including million-dollar mansions, museums, and the Plant Hotel, then finish the experience by docking at the port where you started the tour.
As you glide past Tampa’s picturesque harbors, live onboard commentary helps you learn about how the city grew from a Spanish outpost, including stories about a local pirate ship called “Gabriella”.
To help boost your comfort and hydration levels, the trip includes soft drinks as well as bottled water.
Access plenty of great photo opportunities, including million-dollar mansions, museums, and the Plant Hotel, then finish the experience by docking at the port where you started the tour.
Henry B. Plant Museum (Pass By)
Tampa Water Taxi Company (Pass By)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking, unless booked within 1 day of travel. In this case confirmation will be received as soon as possible, subject to availability
- Child rate applies only when sharing with 2 paying adults
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 30 travelers
Supplied by
Frequently Asked Questions (4)
Q:Is there parking near the departure point for the Tampa History Cruise?
A:Yes - the nearest parking is at either the Garrison Street parking lot or the Channelside Parking Garage. Note: There may be fees for parking.
Mar 2021
The answers provided are based on answers previously given by the tour provider to customers’ questions.
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Maria_R
Great activity! Educational and well organized. Mark is very knowledgeable and engaging. He knows a lot about the history and modern state of Tampa and shares it in easy and understandable way! Our 9 year old loved the trip and fun facts about the area. Simple but clean boat with beautiful views along Tampa. Great value for a reasonable price and central departure location close to many popular places to visit in Tampa before/after the tour. Highly recommend for a relaxing family friendly activity.
Reviews
4.2
based on 881 reviews
Bob_I, Apr 2026
Very informative ride on the boat. Learned about the history of the area. And saw a few of the mansions along the Bay.
Diane_S, Apr 2026
Small group size ensured it was easy to see planned and unplanned (like the dolphins we saw) sights. Beautiful day for a cruise!
Barnez_C, Apr 2026
Would recommend this tour. Great views. Very informative and an enjoyable experience all around! 👍 🛥️
Robyn_L, Apr 2026
Fun and informative! The boat and the speakers on the boat were a bit old but overall a beautiful afternoon
Lorraine_M, Apr 2026
Fantastic day on the water learning so much about the area of Tampa! Mark was fabulous! Lovely touch adding the cool beverage!
Debra_D, Apr 2026
This tour was above what it is advertised as. Our captain and narrator was amazing. Full of so may facts. He had our full attention whenever he was speaking.
Tim_S, Apr 2026
Shows a good slice of Tampa. Captain Larry is very responsive. The boat is conveniently located near trolley stop 9 behind the History Museum.
Martin_Q, Apr 2026
They canceled last minute. They claimed it was because of weather but it was sunny and beautiful. My feelings is they didn’t sell enough seats so they didn’t go. A real shame since we were looking forward to it.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
We only cancel a trip because of bad weather. Your safety is our first thought. Weather changes quickly in Florida and we must respond ASAP. Weather is not whats over your head but what will happen during a tour.
Alla_G, Mar 2026
Very old, super noise boat! Uncomfortable seats!
The tour guy was super nice and knowledgeable, but has to scream in Mike that we can hear his speech
Krystina_L, Mar 2026
Definitely get there early for parking and walk time. But what an amazing time! It was the perfect day and Mark was so kind and very knowledgeable! Great for an afternoon date idea.
Steve_F, Mar 2026
Very relaxing. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable. 1.5 hours was a perfect amount of time. Great time!
joann_h, Mar 2026
The tour guide was excellent. It was hard to see at times because of the tall front of the boat. The seats were hard.
Lynn_H, Mar 2026
Mark was extremely knowledgeable, professional, and friendly. Fun facts about Tampa and the boat ride was so nice.
Lawrence_E, Mar 2026
Leisurely cruise along the downtown Tampa waterways. Captain had many interesting facts and stories about the history of the area, and spoke very clearly. It was fun to see some of the mansions, too.
Anna_B, Mar 2026
Our guide Mark was so knowledgeable and friendly! He talked for the whole hour and a half and he did not stutter once. He knows his stuff! He seems very passionate about his city and its history.
jordan747, Mar 2026
Our boat captain was so well versed in the history of Tampa it made for a fun trip. He added little known fun facts and kept up a lively commentary the whole trip. Beautiful trip on the water.
Kristen_F, Mar 2026
Great experience on a beautiful day! Friendly guide with good and interesting facts. Perfect length to enjoy the water and see the town.
Laura_V, Mar 2026
Beautiful day on the water. Great tour! Guide was friendly and very knowledgeable about the history of Tampa. He gave an entertaining presentation.
Jill_G, Mar 2026
Mark was a very good captain and exceptional knowledgeable about Tampa. The dock is conveniently located near the Columbia Restaurant & the History Museum. Allow extra time to park and walk.
Gary_B, Mar 2026
We arrived an hour early in Tampa, had issues finding parking and then could not locate the boat. The email said to look for a white boat with a blue top behind the history museum at Taxi 3. It turns out that you can not see the boat from the promenade and we did not see the taxi signage. it should have said look for a yellow sign with the number 3 in it with a smaller sign above saying Pirate Taxi. After wandering the whole length of the walk looking for it, I finally found it at 12:30. The captain said that he could not wait a few minutes for my wife and sister to catch up and left without us. So, the whole thing was a waste.
Barry_a, Mar 2026
Mark was very professional and very informative. Please pass this information on to Mark. The name of the book we recommended is A Land Remembered written by Patrick D Smith. It's about excellent book about early Florida.
Kemraj_S, Feb 2026
It was a great experience to get to see Tampa city from the boat. The guide Mark did a great job explaining the history and many of the sights around.
Steven_W, Feb 2026
Captain Mark had a continuous stream of historical and current Tampa information. Seats could have used cushions otherwise great. Also, impressed that Mark said the next boat would be cancelled because of incoming rain.
Mary_G, Feb 2026
We got to see some dolphins which was a bonus! Directions easy to follow and was nice to see Tampa on the waterside.
Kelly_M, Feb 2026
We had a wonderful time on the water. Weather was perfect and guide was amazing. The tour was very insightful and the guide was very knowledgeable. Loved the plane story and the info on houses and hotels and hospital.
Ronald_D, Feb 2026
Very informative tour. Our Captain was a very knowledgeable person about the history and life of Tampa Bay . Thanks for a great tour.
Marnie_W, Feb 2026
Captain Mark did an excellent job and made the experience informative. The second visit was just as awesome as the first!
Patricia_B, Feb 2026
Guide was excellent. Good speaker. Clear and concise. Good information. Weather was great that day although a little cool on the water so I recommend bringing a jacket regardless of weather standing on the dock.
James_R, Feb 2026
This trip was a very informative ride. Lots if history of the development of Tampa and the areas in downtown. Our guide was very knowledgeable of the area and provided a ton of goid tidbits!
Susan_S, Feb 2026
Interesting history as we sailed around the islands. The boat could be more comfortable, though, and the PA system cut out occasionally. I would have left a tip if the captain had made it easier to do. But it's too hard to dig through my purse for my wallet and cash while trying to disembark. Could Viator play a role in this by offering an automated way for the customer to tip after the trip like Uber does?
From $30.77
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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