Private · Up to 10
Single Deck Pontoon Charter
The entry boat, lily pad and boards aboard.
| Per charter | $400 |
|---|
Editorial spotlight · 530 Harbor Boulevard, Destin
2026 Sunshine Awards nomineeBest Crab Island Fleet
Emerald Island Charters
Seven captained pontoons sized from six guests to eighteen, every one of them carrying an eighteen-foot lily pad, paddleboards, floats, goggles, a cooler and a speaker. Most have a double slide; the bigger ones have a restroom. All of it points at the same place: Crab Island.
- Four-hour charter
- from $400
- 18-guest tiki
- from $600
- 5.0
- Reviews
- 2,232
Editorial spotlight. Emerald Island Charters is a nominee in the 2026 Sunshine Awards. They did not pay for this page and had no say in it. We earn a commission when you book through the links here; your price is the same.
The operation
Seven boats, one destination
The fleet is built around Crab Island, the shallow submerged sandbar just inside Destin’s East Pass where the water sits waist deep and half the town anchors on a summer afternoon. Seven boats cover the range: a six-passenger slide pontoon and a six-passenger clear boat, ten-passenger single-deck and double-slide toons, a twelve-passenger slide toon with a restroom, an eighteen-passenger luxury pontoon with an inflatable lounge set, and an eighteen-passenger tiki pontoon.
What comes aboard is the same on every boat: Bluetooth speakers, a cooler, goggles, floats and inflatable toys, an eighteen-foot lily pad, paddleboards and a professional captain. The main dock is 530 Harbor Boulevard in Destin; some boats leave from 38 Miracle Strip Parkway SW in Fort Walton Beach.
“Private captained charters. Premium boats tailored for Crab Island.”
The site does not list captains by name; reviewers mention Aiden, Sailor, Diego, Easton, Corbin, Nick and Kayla.
The one to book
Double Slide Pontoon with Restroom
The twelve-passenger boat with two slides and a restroom is the sweet spot for a family day: enough room to spread out, the lily pad and paddleboards aboard, and nobody having to head back early.
Four hours runs $550 or $600 depending on boat. The smaller double-slide pontoon is $500 and the single-deck six-guest boat $400.
| Four hours, with restroom | $550–$600 |
|---|---|
| Double slide, four hours | $500 |
| Single deck, six guests | $400 |
Checked against FareHarbor on October 2, 2026.
Check AvailabilityThe fleet
Six to eighteen guests
Per the fleet page. Every boat carries the lily pad, paddleboards, floats, goggles, cooler and speaker.
Six guests
- Boats
- Slide pontoon, clear boat
- From
- $400
Ten to twelve
- Boats
- Single deck, double slide, double slide with restroom
- From
- $500
Eighteen
- Boats
- Luxury pontoon, tiki pontoon
- From
- $600
Book it
Charters
Private, priced per boat. Checked against FareHarbor on October 2, 2026.
4 hours · Private
Double Slide Pontoon with Restroom
Two slides and a head, for a longer day.
| Four hours | $550 |
|---|
4 or 8 hours · Up to 18
Luxury 18-Seater Pontoon with Restroom
Double slide and an inflatable lounge set.
| Four hours | $700 |
|---|
3 or 5.5 hours · Up to 18
Luxury 18-Seater Tiki Pontoon
Thatched roof, double slide, lounge dock.
| Three hours | $600 |
|---|
Evening · Up to 18
Tiki Pontoon Sunset Cruise
The harbour at dusk on the tiki boat.
| Per charter | $495 |
|---|
4 hours · Up to 6
Crab Island Clear Boat
Glass-bottom panels over the sandbar.
| Four hours | $500 |
|---|
Before you go
Know before you go
Departure
530 Harbor Blvd, Destin. Some boats leave from 38 Miracle Strip Pkwy SW, Fort Walton Beach; check the listing.
Included
Captain, Bluetooth speaker, cooler, goggles, floats and inflatable toys, 18-foot lily pad and paddleboards on every boat.
Crab Island
A submerged sandbar inside the East Pass, waist deep across most of it. Busiest at summer weekends.
Restrooms
On the 12-passenger slide toon and both 18-passenger boats only.
Reviews
What guests say
- 5.0Google2,232 reviews as of October 2, 2026
- 7BoatsSix to eighteen guests
- 18 ftLily padOn every boat in the fleet
Reviewers name Captains Aiden, Diego, Easton and Corbin, mention the slide and lily pad with kids, and single out crews who found seahorses and gave restaurant recommendations.
Questions
Good to know
Where does it leave from?
530 Harbor Blvd, Destin, with some boats from Fort Walton Beach.
What does it cost?
From $400 for a private captained charter. Checked October 2, 2026.
What comes with the boat?
Captain, cooler, speaker, goggles, floats, an 18-foot lily pad and paddleboards, on every boat.
Which boats have a restroom?
The 12-passenger slide toon and both 18-passenger pontoons.
Everything aboard, captain included
Private pontoons from $400, eighteen-guest boats from $600.
Check Availability