6+ hours
Taking safety measures
Recommended by 92% of travelers
This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher
from
$190.00
per adult
Yankee Freedom
Yankee Freedom
4.5
7:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Monday
7:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Tuesday
7:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Wednesday
7:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Thursday
7:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Friday
7:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Saturday
7:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Sunday
7:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Full view
About
Discover the eighth wonder of the world aboard the Yankee Freedom Dry Tortugas National Park Ferry. Cruise in spacious comfort to Fort Jefferson Dry Tortugas National Park seventy miles southwest of Key West. Our veteran captain and friendly crew will take you to one of the most unique and spectacular national parks in the United States. Your trip includes breakfast snack, lunch, snorkel gear and guided tour of the largest brick structure in the United States.
Key West, Florida
Awards
Travelers' Choice
2022
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
2,572 reviews
Excellent
2,126
Very good
286
Average
77
Poor
30
Terrible
54
Sarah D
Albany, NY6 contributions
Nov 2022 • Couples
The history of this national park is incredible and Hollywood tells the story perfectly. The journey there and back was semi seamless - I say semi because this yacht was clearly built to weather the seas and the seas were not made of glass on our journey there and back. And though not perfect, our journey was definitely nicer than the ones earlier this week, and for all of those journeys, the Yankee Freedom cannot control the weather.
What can they control? The experience, which was unparalleled. Jeff in the galley was always ready to serve. Hollywood knows the history inside out and backwards and shares it with incredible enthusiasm. Tim was on point docking us (both times!) and ensuring we had the right snorkel gear. Kim engaged not only us, also everyone I noticed she came in contact with, ensuring they were having a great time and sharing knowledge they could use for the rest of their trip on KW.
This crew has it under control and, even while being great, they’re always striving to be better.
This review is not about the dry tortugas - they are incredible and amazing and they will be that way no matter who takes you there. This review is hats off to Captain Meg who runs an incredible crew of passionate people who we had the honor of them taking us there.
When we go back, and we will, we will choose this crew again.
What can they control? The experience, which was unparalleled. Jeff in the galley was always ready to serve. Hollywood knows the history inside out and backwards and shares it with incredible enthusiasm. Tim was on point docking us (both times!) and ensuring we had the right snorkel gear. Kim engaged not only us, also everyone I noticed she came in contact with, ensuring they were having a great time and sharing knowledge they could use for the rest of their trip on KW.
This crew has it under control and, even while being great, they’re always striving to be better.
This review is not about the dry tortugas - they are incredible and amazing and they will be that way no matter who takes you there. This review is hats off to Captain Meg who runs an incredible crew of passionate people who we had the honor of them taking us there.
When we go back, and we will, we will choose this crew again.
Written November 25, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
TrailTrekker15
Tallahassee, FL3,858 contributions
Jul 2021 • Solo
I took the Yankee Freedom Ferry to Dry Tortugas National Park for the day from Key West. The trip was about 2.5 hours each way. The cost was about $165 per person ($15 cheaper with a National Park Pass). It was worth every dollar! The staff on the boat made it such an enjoyable voyage each way. There was an open bar with food, drinks, and souvenirs. On the ride out to Fort Jefferson, it was raining; however, the weather cleared out beautifully. A few things I recommend is having some card games and books with you for recreation on the long boat rides. Once on the island, one of the crew members led a detailed tour of Fort Jefferson which was fantastic and informative. Snorkeling equipment is included with the ferry fee. The whole experience was amazing! I did see some folks flying in on seaplanes, but this really felt like the best way to arrive in a way similar to those who were stationed out there in the 1800s.
Written August 22, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
emhogg9999
Hollywood, FL10 contributions
Nov 2021
We loved our trip on Yankee Freedom. Parking and check in were as described in our confirmation emails. We We opted for second deck indoor seating due to the length of the trip but we spent plenty of time on the aft deck especially on our way to the fort. Dana was an excellent tour guide. We think she may have overdone it on warning us about seasickness but the crew pays the price for guests that aren't prepared. We think that the level of enjoyment is completely dependent on sea and weather conditions. We had an exceptional day and really enjoyed the ride over, touring the fort, and snorkeling. We brought our own snorkel gear but the gear provided looked good and the crew gave excellent advice on where to snorkel. The food was fine and plentiful. Garrett was very accommodating in the galley. This is an expensive but really worthwhile day. It is probably most appropriate for people who can walk on the uneven steps, bricks, and beaches. Staying on the boat would make for a long day.
Written December 4, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Fearless624609
Canada1 contribution
Oct 2021
For any of you planning to book this day trip in advance and think your plans may change - BEWARE! I got shafted by this company. Booked a day trip for 2 well in advance and paid for it directly to them. Because the Canadian US border is CLOSED to any leisure travel we had to cancel our plans with more than a month notice. I asked for a refund and was told "we used to but don't any more". I asked, but don't you sell out every day and they said yes, matter of fact they were booked for almost a month every day when I asked for my refund. The only thing they offered was if you come back in a year you could use it, but you'd still have to reserve for the day you wanted. I've tried over the years to take this boat but every time I was in Florida it was booked.
I live 3000 miles away NW of Seattle and who knows if I can get to Key West in the next year? I checked today and the boat is booked for the day I was to take it, so they obviously aren't out any money.
In todays covid world that is a pretty unfriendly customer service policy, not to mention insensitive to the reality of the times.
I live 3000 miles away NW of Seattle and who knows if I can get to Key West in the next year? I checked today and the boat is booked for the day I was to take it, so they obviously aren't out any money.
In todays covid world that is a pretty unfriendly customer service policy, not to mention insensitive to the reality of the times.
Written October 8, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Leigh T
1 contribution
Jul 2021 • Friends
We had 32 people in our group. Two of them were not allowed to get onto the ferry because one of them removed his mask to take a drink and when he said he had his mask and would put it on he was told that he had to leave regardless of his reason for not having the mask on. The staff then wanted their tickets so that they could sell them to the people on the stand by without giving us a refund. Several of the staff at the ferry terminal should definitely find another form of employment because they definitely do not belong in customer service. As far as the staff on the ferry, they were very accommodating and exactly what you would except from people in the service industry. The overall experience was not what we were expecting from all of the positive reviews. The snorkeling was disappointing due to lack of sea life to observe, despite good visibility. We have had a better experience in an artificial environment of Discovery Cove than what we experienced there. The Fort was also not worth the $190 it cost per person to travel to see it. Overall the relaxing ride on the ferry for the return was the best part of the trip, that was because we were able to board the ferry early and get seats outside for a small portion of our group. I don’t believe that anyone from our large group would recommend this trip to anyone else. Even those that were experiencing snorkeling for the first time were disappointed with this day trip.
Written July 18, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Chelsea L
1 contribution
Nov 2021 • Couples
HORRIBLE! Make sure you are 100% certain the weather will be nice when you go. They will only cancel/refund you if the captain deems it unsafe. Based off our experience, the bar for unsafe is pretty high. It rained the entire time and was extremely windy. It rained so much you could barely see the fort and the water was too rough to snorkel. On the way back, the waters were so rough that I honestly thought the bit was going to capsize. They handed out barf bags (they lovingly call these “souvenir bags”) like they were candy. These is absolutely no doubt this fort and the waters around it are beautiful, but if you value your money and your life, do not take this ferry as your means of transportation.
Written November 21, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Coast_Confessions
Harrisburg, NC192 contributions
May 2022
In today's times, it is hard to find great service. However the staff of the Yankee Freedom delivered and seemed to enjoy their jobs. I was fortunate enough to camp at Fort Jefferson for three nights, which meant that I interacted with their staff for four days. Despite being short staffed (who isn't) and working long weeks of 14 hour days, the staff took care of their guests and their boat. Great attention to details, including vacuuming the boat when it was at Fort Jeff, cleaning the salt spray off the windows for clear views on the ride back, etc.
The Dry Tortugas are an amazing place, but prepare for a long day 7:00 am to 5:30 pm and potentially some bumpy seas. The staff has dramamine if you need it. Also, this is an attraction that doesn't gorge you on prices. Soft Drinks and Candy on the boat are $1, beer in $3 and mixed drinks are $4.
The Dry Tortugas are an amazing place, but prepare for a long day 7:00 am to 5:30 pm and potentially some bumpy seas. The staff has dramamine if you need it. Also, this is an attraction that doesn't gorge you on prices. Soft Drinks and Candy on the boat are $1, beer in $3 and mixed drinks are $4.
Written June 3, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
johnbuoy1
Alexandria, VA17 contributions
Sep 2021
Enjoyed our trip to the Dry Tortugas (Ft Jefferson) the last week of September '21. The sea was about 2' which made for a comfortable ride. The narrator Carrie kept us well informed though they could use a better speaker system since we couldn't hear everything she had to say. There was a few video screens around the ship to describe certain things pertinent to the trip, but the volume was too low to hear what was being said.
The lunch (a sub from Jersey Mikes with chips, cookies and a drink) was passed out once we reached the fort were fine. The bar was open on the vessel on the way back, which made for a nice end to a relaxing day.
On the island visitied the fort (no elevator), but a great view of the surrounding area and fort if you make it to the top. They have a guided tour, but we chose to self-explore. If you get too warm and need a break visit the fort's gift shop - it was delightfully air conditioned and cool. Then went snorkeling in one of the two areas designated for swimming. We brought our own gear, but the ship does have enough on hand out if you don't have your own gear. Saw a few jellyfish and some colorful fish and just relaxed on the beach.
The ship had fresh water wash down stations for your after-swim rinse off, but beware the water is warm (not hot) .
Bring a hat, sun screen and a towel.
You can also take a flight to Dry Tortugas, but the price is expensive. We preferred taking the Yankee Freedom because we weren't in a hurry (we planned to make a day of it), it was relaxing and we got to meet some interesting people.
I'd suggest you visit their website which has a lot of good information about the trip.
Smooth sailing, but don't forget to drop anchor and enjoy the sunset.
The lunch (a sub from Jersey Mikes with chips, cookies and a drink) was passed out once we reached the fort were fine. The bar was open on the vessel on the way back, which made for a nice end to a relaxing day.
On the island visitied the fort (no elevator), but a great view of the surrounding area and fort if you make it to the top. They have a guided tour, but we chose to self-explore. If you get too warm and need a break visit the fort's gift shop - it was delightfully air conditioned and cool. Then went snorkeling in one of the two areas designated for swimming. We brought our own gear, but the ship does have enough on hand out if you don't have your own gear. Saw a few jellyfish and some colorful fish and just relaxed on the beach.
The ship had fresh water wash down stations for your after-swim rinse off, but beware the water is warm (not hot) .
Bring a hat, sun screen and a towel.
You can also take a flight to Dry Tortugas, but the price is expensive. We preferred taking the Yankee Freedom because we weren't in a hurry (we planned to make a day of it), it was relaxing and we got to meet some interesting people.
I'd suggest you visit their website which has a lot of good information about the trip.
Smooth sailing, but don't forget to drop anchor and enjoy the sunset.
Written October 8, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
J322
20 contributions
Jan 2023 • Family
The staff was amazing! We traveled on a windy rough sea day, and the staff handled all the seasick people like professionals. All were very helpful and kind. Very enjoyable experience despite the rough waves. Dry Tortuga was beautiful!! Well worth the 2 hour boat ride.
Written January 30, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Chris
Poughkeepsie, NY8 contributions
Jul 2022
The staff are fantastic and very helpful throughout the trip there and back. Be sure to take some sort of anti-nausea medication if you're prone to motion sickness - and also because weather can change the seas.
I definitely would recommend the Yankee Freedom though as they also provided an on-island tour with lots of great information. The interior can get a little crammed with seating though, so be sure to pack light unless camping on Dry Tortugas.
I definitely would recommend the Yankee Freedom though as they also provided an on-island tour with lots of great information. The interior can get a little crammed with seating though, so be sure to pack light unless camping on Dry Tortugas.
Written August 4, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
oursuntyme
oursuntyme11 contributions
Has anyone ever done stand-by to get on the Ferry. How early do people line up?
Lulu SQ
Orlando, FL5 contributions
We met Father and daughter from another State who were visiting Keywest. They just took a chance to wait and standby and luckily they were able to get a ticket. They went early in the Yankee Freedom Station. Check Yankee Freedom. Call them. And ask them. They are very friendly.
alj1208
Boston, MA118 contributions
We are going to Key West in April. How far in advance do I need to book tickets on the Yankee Freedom? I’m hoping to check the marine forecast as seasickness is a concern.
Linda S
Pennsylvania55 contributions
May already be too late. If you can't get on ferry, yiu can try the more expensive option of float plane.
Lemoidian
Linthicum Heights, MD18 contributions
Are there vegetarian options for lunch? Do I need to call ahead of time to request?
Keith J
SW Florida84 contributions
Anytime one wants to check on "special options" one should call ahead to check (veggie, gluten, etc). I believe they order a small amount of veggie option sandwich but it's always smart to check.
Lancaster1017
Lancaster, PA49 contributions
Hi! How much time would we actually have on the island if we skipped the guided fort tour?
Kat W
Hendersonville, TN8 contributions
@4 hours. I would do the 20 min intro tour to the Fort history. 100% Worth it. Time goes real real fast!
RebeccaMBiggs
Wrotham, UK31 contributions
Anyone had any contact regarding cancellation of their trip due to Coronavirus? Not heard a thing? I’ve tried emailing - nothing. This is very poor customer service, especially considering the financial outlay. Very Disappointed.
James W
Kansas City, KS438 contributions
I would give them 2 phone calls on two different days, document the dates, times and messages left and send 2 emails over 2 days. After not hearing back for 3 business days, I would call your credit card and dispute the charges with your proof you did your diligence with the latest contact attempts. Good luck.
LexiLulu
Portland, ME1 contribution
My two children and I are going tomorrow! They are 10 and 7 and fairly good swimmers but I worry about them snorkeling without a flotation device. Should we bring some or are there some available on the boat?
Gerry B
St. Catharines, Canada1,075 contributions
I'm not sure if the boat provides them for children. Best to bring your own just in case!!
Do they provide wetsuits or an option to rent some?
BECK M
Ellwood City, PA35 contributions
They did not have wet suits to my knowledge. Fins & masks for snorkeling. But if you have wet suits you can most defintly bring them along.
Diana V
3 contributions
I do not snorkel and get motion sickness. However, willing to go if the feedback suggests that it is still worth going. Thoughts?
lynndL477MF
Chelsea, United States47 contributions
It's a wonderful trip and they have motion sickness chewable in the lobby, just in case anyone has concerns.