LeBarge Tropical Cruises

What LeBarge Tropical Cruises does

LeBarge Tropical Cruises is a family-owned, private cruise operator based in Sarasota, Florida, running a single "floating island" vessel on Sarasota Bay since 1985. The vessel is distinguished by four real palm trees aboard, two full bars, two restrooms, and wheelchair-accessible lower-deck boarding via ramp, and is capped at 120 passengers by a non-negotiable Coast Guard limit. The company serves tourists, families, local residents, and event planners through a direct-to-consumer model that combines a website with FareHarbor-powered booking, a phone reservations desk, and limited walk-up sales.

The core product is a portfolio of 2-hour narrated public cruises — the signature Tropical Sunset Cruise, the morning Dolphin & Manatee Watch Cruise, the afternoon Sightseeing & Nature Cruise, and the Sunday Rhythm on the Bay live-music cruise — priced at $45–$50 per person. This is supplemented by a calendar of holiday- and seasonal-themed special event cruises at $55–$100 per person, private charters for weddings and corporate events priced at $3,100–$5,000 (2026 rates) for 60–120 guests, and onboard food and beverage sales. Gift cards are sold for cruise reservations only.

LeBarge is part of a small common-ownership portfolio that includes sister companies Sarasota Bay Explorers and Tarpon Bay Explorers, which broadens the bay-experience ecosystem. The company markets primarily through its website, email newsletter, TripAdvisor listing, and the Marina Jack dock location in downtown Sarasota. No revenue, headcount trends, or external funding are disclosed.

Name

LeBarge Tropical Cruises

Legal name

LeBarge Tropical Cruises

Website

https://lebargetropicalcruises.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

LeBarge Tropical Cruises is a family-owned, single-vessel cruise operator in Sarasota, Florida, running a palm-tree-topped "floating island" on Sarasota Bay. It sells 2-hour narrated public cruises, holiday-themed special event cruises, and private charters to tourists, families, and event planners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sightseeing Boat Cruises and Charters

NAICS

Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (48721), Tour Operators (561520)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Water Transportation (4400)

akta.pro primary industry

Sightseeing & Scenic Boat Tours (Harbor, Sunset, Dolphin/Whale Watching) (THAJAJAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Day & Short-Horizon Private Cruises (Half-Day/Day/Overnight) (THAEAEAF)

Keywords

• Sightseeing cruises
• Private boat charters
• Narrated wildlife tours
• Tropical event cruises
• Boat tour services

Headquarters

HQ city

Sarasota

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Public Cruise Tickets: Revenue from selling tickets to regularly scheduled cruises including Tropical Sunset Cruise, Sightseeing & Nature Cruise, Dolphin & Manatee Watch Cruise, and Rhythm on the Bay. Prices range from $45-$50 per person depending on cruise type.
2. Private Charter Bookings: Revenue from private boat charters for weddings, corporate events, birthdays, family reunions, and holiday celebrations. 2026 charter rates range from $3,100 to $5,000 depending on time of day, day of week, and season. Additional fees apply for extra hours, staffing, entertainment, and off-dock pick-up locations.
3. Special Event Cruises: Premium-priced themed cruises for holidays and special occasions including Mother's Day, Father's Day, Valentine's Day, Fourth of July, Christmas, St. Patrick's Day, Mardi Gras, and others. Event cruise pricing ranges from $55-$100 per person.
4. Food & Beverage Sales: Onboard sales of tropical cocktails, frozen island drinks, beer, wine, and casual coastal food items. Full bar service and light food menu available on all cruises. No outside food or beverages permitted.
5. Gift Cards: Gift cards sold for cruise reservations. Valid for cruise bookings only; cannot be applied toward onboard food or drinks.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

LeBarge Tropical Cruises operates a single floating island vessel on Sarasota Bay, Florida, selling tickets to 2-hour narrated public cruises (sunset, sightseeing, dolphin/manatee watch, and Sunday live music) at $45-$50 per person. The company also books private charters for weddings, corporate events, and celebrations (60-120 guests, $3,100-$5,000 in 2026) and runs a rotating calendar of holiday-themed special event cruises priced $55-$100 per person, complemented by onboard food and beverage sales.

Product overview

LeBarge Tropical Cruises operates a single floating island cruise vessel on Sarasota Bay, Florida, offering a unified tourism/experience product. The core offering consists of regularly scheduled public cruises: the Tropical Sunset Cruise (signature evening experience), Dolphin & Manatee Watch Cruise (morning wildlife tour), Sightseeing & Nature Cruise (afternoon narrated tour), and Rhythm on the Bay (Sunday live music cruise). These core cruises are supplemented by Private Charters for custom events (weddings, corporate gatherings, birthdays) and a rotating calendar of Special Event Cruises (holidays, seasonal celebrations). Gift cards and food/beverage service round out the offering. All experiences share the unique floating island vessel with four palm trees, two full bars, and a light food menu.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tropical Sunset Cruise
• Dolphin & Manatee Watch Cruise A 2-hour morning (11am) narrated public cruise focused on bottlenose dolphins, seasonal manatees, and Sarasota Bay's marine ecosystem. Priced from $45 per person, all ages.
• Sightseeing & Nature Cruise A 2-hour afternoon (2pm) narrated public cruise combining scenic waterfront views, local history, and wildlife encounters for all ages. Priced from $45 per person.
• Rhythm on the Bay A 2-hour Sunday (2pm) live music public cruise featuring steel drum entertainment, tropical cocktails, and Sarasota Bay waterfront views. Priced from $45 per person (children 3-12 at $35, infants under 2 free).
• Private Charters Private boat charter of the floating island vessel for weddings, corporate events, birthdays, family reunions, and celebrations. Minimum 60 passengers, maximum 120 (Coast Guard limit). 2026 rates $3,100-$5,000 plus 7% sales tax and add-on fees for extra hours, staffing, entertainment, and off-dock pick-up. Non-refundable 50% deposit required.
• Special Event Cruises Holiday and seasonal themed public cruises including Valentine's Day ($60), Mother's Day ($75), Father's Day ($45), Fourth of July Fireworks ($95), Christmas Boat Parade ($100), Cinco de Mayo ($55), St. Patrick's Day ($55), Mardi Gras, Full Moon ($55), and April Fool's Day ($55). Pricing $55-$100 per person; many events are 21+.
• LeBarge Tropical Cruises Gift Cards Prepaid gift cards redeemable for any LeBarge cruise reservation. Valid for cruise bookings only; cannot be applied toward onboard food or drinks.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• FareHarborcoreTechnology or IntegrationFareHarbor serves as the booking and reservation platform for LeBarge Tropical Cruises. The platform handles ticket sales, reservation management, and payment processing on behalf of the company. Integrated throughout the website for cruise bookings.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Sea Screamer: Clearwater Beach-based sightseeing speedboat cruise operator offering narrated dolphin watching and sightseeing tours. Comparable Florida Gulf Coast tourist cruise targeting families and visitors with a similar per-person ticketed model.
• Starlite Majesty: Florida-based dinner and sightseeing cruise operator offering multi-deck yacht-style experiences with dining and entertainment. Comparable as a Florida-based themed cruise vessel with private charter capabilities.
• Calypso Queen Cruises: Clearwater Beach-based narrated sightseeing and dinner cruise offering tropical-themed entertainment and wildlife viewing. Directly comparable as a small Florida Gulf Coast sightseeing cruise with similar all-ages tropical experience positioning.
• Sarasota Bay Explorers: Sister company under common ownership operating kayak and eco tours on Sarasota Bay. Directly comparable as a same-bay, family-owned guided water experience targeting Sarasota tourists and nature enthusiasts.
• Tarpon Bay Explorers: Sister company under common ownership offering kayak, paddleboard, and eco tours on Sanibel Island. Same ownership group as LeBarge, running a parallel water-based tour business model on Florida's Gulf Coast.
• Marco Island Princess: Marco Island-based sightseeing and dinner cruise offering narrated dolphin and sunset cruises in the Gulf Coast. Comparable small Florida sightseeing cruise operator with a similar premium per-passenger pricing and special-event programming.
• Sun Queen Cruises: Key West-based sunset and sightseeing cruise operator offering narrated small-group tours. Comparable small-vessel Florida sightseeing cruise with sunset and themed sailing offerings for tourists.

Broad incumbents

• Marina Jack II: Marina Jack's larger dining yacht operates from the same downtown Sarasota marina as LeBarge. Comparable as a sister-vessel at the same dock offering overlapping Sarasota Bay sightseeing and dining cruise experiences, though positioned as a higher-end dining option.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about LeBarge Tropical Cruises