FAQ

Florida Law requires any person born after 12/31/87 to complete a boater’s safety course. This course can be online by clicking here and a copy of the certificate must be provided at the time of rental.

A fishing license is required if you plan on fishing. We do not sell fishing licenses however you can obtain one at Gulf Breeze Bait & Tackle.

It is your responsibility to know the local fishing laws and regulations, as well as come prepared. The boats do not carry any fishing license, nor do we sell them. We also do not sell bait or tackle. But don’t worry! You may do so at Gulf Breeze Bait & Tackle.

Minimum of 25 years of age.

Yes, we suggest that you pinpoint your location before leaving the dock so you don’t get lost.

Nope! If you have a multi-day rental with us and your own private dock, you are more than welcome to keep the boat at your dock for the night provided location is approved. Please keep in mind that the rental-agreement you will sign expressly forbids the use of our boats for night operation. We ask that you follow that rule and only run the boat during daylight hours.  We have GPS on all of the boats.

Adult snorkeling gear available for rent.  You may bring you own as well.

Life jackets are provided and approximate weights are required on the waiver that must be completed after the renter receives the confirmation email.

By Law, children 6 years old or younger and anyone operating or riding a vessel must wear a life jacket at all times. Frisky Mermaid Dolphin Tours & Boat Rentals requires any guest who is mentally or physically impaired, elderly, medicated, intoxicated or those who are not strong swimmers wear a life jacket at all times.

You may bring your own flotation devices; however, no towing allowed.

No, towing is NOT permitted behind any of our boats for your safety and our insurance regulations.

Yes! Well behaved, non-aggressive pets are permitted on any private boat rental.

Yes!  There are no age restrictions.

Yes, but no glass containers. If we find evidence of glass on a boat, you will be charged a minimum $50 fee.

A captain is not provided to drive pontoon boats. The customer is responsible obtaining or captaining (driving) the boat and driver must demonstrate that they are an experienced boater in order to operate the vessel. Failure to request a Captain in advance and/or lack of experience will result in a non-refundable cancellation upon safety instruction and is solely at the discretion of The Mermaid Crew.  If requested, we are happy to provide you with a list of recommended captains.

No, you may not rotate people on and off the boat. You must not exceed the legal capacity or weight limit at any time.

Yes, all boats have a radio with Bluetooth.

If there is inclement weather (storms with high winds, lightening and thunder) at the time of your reservation and we cancel your outing, you will be contacted and provided the option of a reschedule or credit. If there is inclement weather during your outing and we call you back to the dock cancelling the outing, you will be provided a partial credit for the time unused. Weather decisions are not made until the day of the rental at the marina and are solely at the discretion of The Mermaid Crew.

If you are more than 30 minutes late for your scheduled reservation and our office has not heard from you, your reservation will be cancelled without a credit. If you are running late and we are aware of it, no problem, we will hold your reservation for one hour. However, you will not be allotted additional time to your reservation and the boat must be returned at the original end time. If you are more than one hour late, your reservation will be cancelled without refund.

If you are late returning the boat, you will be charged $50 for every 15 minutes the at the dock – NO EXCEPTIONS! No shows without notification will be charged the full rental price.

The boat is provided to you clean and you are required to return it as such, picked -up and all trash removed. If you return the boat dirty and it requires additional cleaning, you will be charged a minimum $50 cleaning fee. If the boat is returned “trashed”, you will be charged a minimum $100 cleaning fee.

All boats are housed at a marina, in a slip, does not require or allow trailering.

We always recommend you bring a fully charged cell phone in case of emergencies.  Don’t forget a waterproof bag, sunscreen, snacks/food, water, Beach towels, sunglasses and a hat.

You MUST arrive 45 minutes prior to your rental scheduled departure time to ensure the entire rental time is allotted. This will allow time for check-in, loading onto the boat and going over the operation & safety presentation.  Failure to arrive on time  (45 min. prior to scheduled time) will result in a delay in departure. Our boats are scheduled on a strict 30 min. tutorial schedule and if you miss your time slot, you will be moved to the next available time slot, not to interfere with on-time scheduled guests and your original scheduled end time will not be extended, nor will your rental be credited for tardiness.

You must be an experienced boater to rent and drive our vessels.  If instruction is needed, please contact us in advance of booking and we will do our best to accommodate you.  Riding a jet ski or having ridden on a boat…doesn’t count, sorry.   We go over an instructional presentation educating our customers on the detailed operating procedures, the local boating laws and regulations, Navigational markers, as well as Boater’s safety and etiquette. Also remember that, By Law, the renter and anyone operating a rental boat must take a boater safety course if born after 12/31/87.

Yes. There is no open container law, but remember the DUI laws are even more strict for boat drivers than they are on the road. Anyone consuming alcohol must be of legal age and you must have a designated driver.

NO…never

Yes, all of our boats are equipped with bimini tops covering part of the boat.

No

We offer morning or afternoon, full day, overnight & multi-day rental packages. Each package has a specific departure & return time that must be followed when making a reservation.

We require 100% of the rental fees to be paid when making a reservation.

Each rental boat leaves the dock with a full tank of fuel. Upon return we will refill the fuel tank and the renter is responsible for the amount consumed which will be refilled by a Mermaid Crew Member and the difference will be charged to the credit card on file.

It is nearly impossible to quote an average fuel consumption because there are so many variables to consider (Usage, weight, water conditions, driving speed etc.).  The faster you go, the more you will consume.  On average most of our guests use between 10 and 14 gallons.  Your speed will dictate that number.

It depends on your individual insurance provider. Most insurance providers will cover rental cars but not necessarily rental boats. Contact your provider for specific details.

Please refer to the “where can I go on my rental blog” on the website.  No boats are allowed to go into the Pass to the Gulf of Mexico.  Any guests who attempts to do so will be on their own for safety and liability and would need to contact the USCG for assistance.  Any rental not returned on time and/or driving after hours will also need to contact the USCG for assistance. 

As long as they are at least 25 years old, an experienced boater, have a valid driver’s license on file and has taken a boater safety course if born after December 31, 1987.  It is recommended that any guests who want to drive watch a boating safety video prior to your arrival.