American Beauty Cruises & Charters

FAQ - Sag Harbor Boat Rides

Frequently Asked Questions about boat rentals, boat rides and private charters

General Boat Ride Questions

While the US Coast Guard does not require passengers to wear life vests on vessels with guard rails 42 inches and higher (which is true for American Beauty II), we do have US Coast Guard approved vests for children that weigh over 11 pounds.  The US Coast Guard does not approve life vests for children under 11 pounds.

Yes, we have a ramp to go from the dock to the boat and have crew members to help with boarding and deboarding.

American Beauty II boarding ramp

We have one boat, American Beauty II. It is a 44 foot sightseeing party boat that is US Coast Guard inspected and approved to accommodate up to 33 guests. You can find more details about American Beauty II here. 

Yes, there is a restroom on board. 

Tickets are available at our ticket stand on Long Wharf 1 hour before each scheduled cruise.   If  not sold out, you may purchase tickets for any future scheduled cruise.  We recommend purchasing tickets in advance, especially if you are traveling a distance on a popular day.

Use our Sag Harbor Sunset Times chart to help pick the best viewing time for a private sunset charter or to know where it lands during you sunset cruise.

Ticketed Boat Ride Questions

If we cancel due to weather, you will have a choice of rebooking to another day or receiving a full refund. Many guests request to go out in inclement weather and we will usually cruise on a cloudy day or a day with a light rain. However, Captain Don does not like going out in inclement weather and he will certainly cancel the cruise.  More information on our weather cancelations can be found here.

Please note that we may also cancel a trip due to heavy fog or high winds.

Yes, you are allowed to bring food and drinks on board. We do not sell or provide any food, drinks or ice.

On ticketed boat rides we are unable to hold the boat. We must be able to maintain our schedule as well as respect the time for the other guests.  Many guests have dinner reservations or other events that require us to deboard on time.

Sorry, no. When we purchased American Beauty II, one of our objectives was to get a boat sufficient enough in size to handle large groups. This is one of our specialties and we complete multiple US Coast Guard inspections before every season in order to be able to offer this.  If you have over 25 guests, you can get a better value by simply booking a private charter.

For ticketed boat cruises, dogs may scare or cause allergic reactions to other ticket holders, so they are not permitted on board

Everyone must check in. Check in will be either at the boat, at our ticket stand (see photo), or somewhere in between.  Look for Captain Don.  Our ticket stand is on the left side of Long Wharf. Look for the blue umbrella. Remember to bring your receipt with the QR code. Both paper print outs and mobile devices are accepted. Other notes: Please arrive at least 20 minutes BEFORE the start of the cruise. We depart on time.

Sag Harbor boat ride ticket stand

All ticket sales are final.  If you are unable to attend or are running late and miss the boat, you will not receive a refund.

Sorry, no.  It is too difficult for us to police what one group of guests may feel is appropriate for the other guests aboard the ride. This is reserved for private charters only.

Private Charter Questions

Private charter guests are encouraged to bring food, drinks, and their favorite playlists on a bluetooth mobile device. We have compiled a list of caterers, delivery and take-out restaurants within walking distance from Long Wharf for your convenience when setting up your private charter.

We allow private charter guests to arrive 30 minutes for any set up or food prep time they may need.  The clock starts ticking on the cruise at the agreed upon time and it is up to the person chartering the boat to decide if they want to wait for the late guests.  Please check out the TIMING section of our Sag Harbor Charters page.

For private charters, Captain Don will be waiting and looking for you. He’ll be somewhere between the boat and our ticket stand depending on when you arrive.

Once we have verified availability, you can lock in a reservation with a 50% deposit and by filling out and signing our charter agreement.  If time permits, the agreement and check can be sent via USPS mail.  We can also take a credit card (either to hold or to charge) over the phone and you can email the charter agreement – whichever is more convenient for you.

If we cancel due to weather, you will have a choice of rebooking to another day or receiving a full refund. Many guests request to go out in inclement weather and we will usually cruise on a cloudy day or a day with a light rain. However, Captain Don does not like going out in inclement weather and he will certainly cancel the cruise.  More information on our weather cancelations can be found here.

Please note that we may also cancel a trip due to heavy fog or high winds.

Guests may cancel a locked-in reservation and receive a full refund when canceling no later than 4 weeks before the trip date. A reservation is considered locked-in when a deposit is received and the charter agreement is signed. This policy is necessary because once a reservation is locked-in, we turn down all subsequent requests to book that day and time. Deposits are not refunded with less than 4 weeks to trip day.  Refer to our Charter Boat Cancelation page for details. 

Yes, dogs are permitted on private charters.