Frequently Asked Questions

We highly recommend making reservations right here on our website, it is the only way to ensure your spot on one of our trips. We only sell walk-up tickets the day of the trip at our ticket booth.

Please arrive a minimum of 30 minutes before the cruise departure time. Late arrivals will have to forfeit their tickets due to high demand.

*If you purchased vouchers from an outside source, they are NOT tickets and must be redeemed for boarding passes at least 30 minutes prior to the trip at the Rudee Tours ticket booth. These vouchers do NOT guarantee you a spot on the boat.*

We accept cash, Mastercard, Discover, American Express, Visa, Discover and Traveler’s checks. We do NOT accept personal checks.

Yes, all of the boats have two restrooms with the exception of the Rudee Rocket which only has one restroom.

If the trip is cancelled by the captain due to unfavorable boating conditions or another unforeseen circumstance, you will be given an option to reschedule your trip or issued a refund if that is not feasible.

Yes, and we would love to have your group join us! All of our boats are available for private charters for any events including weddings, birthdays, bachelor/ette parties, and more! Contact us for more information.

All wheelchairs, including motorized ones, are able to be brought aboard our boats. Our crew will gladly set out our custom-built wheelchair ramp to ensure an easy board. Here is a testimony from one of our customers:

“Rudee Tours dolphin watching is awesome!! I am disabled and in a larger wheelchair. Rudee Tours is 100% ADA approved. They have a 36″ ramp that made loading the boat a breeze. The staff was kind, considerate and helpful. The captain was excellent getting us as close to dozens of dolphins. The tour guide was amazing and pointed out landmarks along the Virginia Beach coastline. If you are reading this and are disabled and in a wheelchair, or use a walker do not hesitate to book your trip. It will be the adventure of a lifetime, It certainly was for me. I will be back again I’m sure. Thank you Rudee Tours for making a dream come true!!”

As a matter of fact, we can and we are the only company that does. We have a 100% guarantee for the dolphin on our 9 am, 11 am, 2 pm, and 4 pm trips aboard the Rudee Flipper, Memorial Day-Labor Day. The 7 pm trip we cannot guarantee as the dolphins are most active during the day. However, we can guarantee a beautiful sunset on the 7 pm trip! We also guarantee dolphin sightings on all trips aboard the Rudee Rocket!

*Our guaranteed dolphin sightings policy is in place only from Memorial Day to Labor Day.*

Our guests are like family to us, and we take the utmost pride in making sure that your excursions are safe and enjoyable. Safety is our top priority. Each vessel exceeds all standards and is licensed and inspected annually by the United States Coast Guard. Our team of owners, captains, and crew has over 40 years of experience operating head boats in the area. Our knowledge of the local waters and how to navigate them is unparalleled.

We undergo extensive training and are prepared to handle any situation. We also have a safety briefing at the beginning of every trip.

Dress appropriately for the weather. It can be slightly cooler out on the water especially in the spring, fall, and winter. During the summer months, you may want to bring sunscreen and sunglasses! Of course, don’t forget your camera!

If you are prone to motion sickness or have never been on a boat in the ocean before, we suggest taking a motion sickness preventing medication 30-60 minutes prior to your trip departure. We do have some available for purchase on the boat.

Food and beverages are available for purchase from our snack bars and adult beverage bars. We accept cash and credit cards on all of our boats.

*We have an ABC license to serve beer, wine, and liquor. Therefore, we cannot allow you to bring your own alcoholic beverages on board.

Your mates work for and appreciate tips! They work hard to ensure your cruise is enjoyable, educational, and safe! Please remember a tip for your mates!

Tickets and reservations may be purchased right here on our site or at the Rudee Tours Ticket Booth on the porch of the Virginia Beach Fishing Center.

Please arrive a minimum of 30 minutes before the cruise departure time. Late arrivals will have to forfeit their tickets due to high demand.

*If you have bought vouchers from an outside source, they are NOT tickets and must be redeemed for boarding passes at least 30 minutes prior to the trip at the Rudee Tours ticket booth. These vouchers do NOT guarantee you a spot on the boat.*

Adults rates are for ages 12 and up.

Kids’ rates are for ages are 4 to 11 years old. 3 and under are free but require a ticket.

We accept Cash, Traveler’s checks, Visa, MC, Discover, American Express.

We do NOT accept personal checks.

Yes, we have two restrooms inside our climate-controlled cabin.

If the trip is cancelled by the captain due to poor boating conditions or another unforeseen circumstance, you will be given the option to reschedule your trip or issued a refund if rescheduling is not feasible.

Yes, we do! The Flipper is available for private charters for weddings, birthdays, bachelor/ette parties and more! Contact us for more information.

Yes, strollers can be brought on the boat, but must remain on the first level of the boat.

All wheelchairs, including motorized ones, are able to be brought aboard our boats. Our mates will gladly set out our custom-built wheelchair ramp to ensure an easy board. Here is a testimony from one of our customers:

“Rudee tours dolphin watching is awesome!! I am disabled and in a larger wheelchair. Rudee tours is 100 % ADA approved. They have a 36″ ramp that made loading the boat a breeze. The staff was kind, considerate and helpful. The captain was excellent at getting us as close to dozens of dolphins. The tour guide was amazing and pointed out landmarks along the Virginia Beach coastline. If you are reading this and are disabled and in a wheelchair, or use a walker do not hesitate to book your trip. It will be the adventure of a lifetime, It certainly was for me. I will be back again I’m sure. Thank you Rudee Tours for making a dream come true!!”

As a matter of fact, we can and we are the only company that does. We have a 100% guarantee for the dolphin on our 9 am, 11 am, 2 pm, and 4 pm trips, Memorial Day-Labor Day. If you don’t see dolphins, you ride again FREE! We cannot guarantee this on our 7 pm sunset cruise as the dolphins are most active during the day. However, we can guarantee a beautiful sunset on the 7 pm trip!

*The dolphin guarantee runs from Memorial Day through Labor Day.*

Our guests are like family to us, and we take the utmost pride in making sure that your excursions are safe and enjoyable. Safety is our top priority. Each vessel exceeds all standards and is licensed and inspected annually by the United States Coast Guard. Our team of owners, captains, and crew has over 40 years of experience operating head boats in the area. Our knowledge of the local waters and how to navigate them is unparalleled.

We undergo extensive training and are prepared to handle any situation. We also have a safety briefing at the beginning of every trip.

Dress appropriately for the weather. It can be slightly cooler out on the water especially in the spring, fall, and winter. During the summer months, you may want to bring sunscreen and sunglasses! Of course, don’t forget your camera!

If you are prone to motion sickness or have never been on a boat in the ocean before, we suggest taking a motion sickness preventing medication 30-60 minutes prior to your trip departure. We do have some available for purchase on the boat.

Food and beverages are available for purchase from our family-friendly snack bar and adult beverage bar. We accept cash and credit cards aboard the Rudee Flipper throughout your cruise.

*We have an ABC license to serve beer, wine, and liquor. Therefore, we cannot allow you to bring your own alcoholic beverages on board.

Your mates work for and appreciate tips! They work hard to ensure your cruise is enjoyable, educational, and safe! Please remember a tip for your mates!

We highly recommend making reservations right here on our website, it is the only way to ensure your spot on one of our trips. We only sell walk-up tickets the day of the trip at our ticket booth.

Please arrive a minimum of 30 minutes before the cruise departure time. Late arrivals will have to forfeit their tickets due to high demand.

*If you have bought vouchers from an outside source, they are NOT tickets, and must be redeemed for boarding passes at least 30 minutes prior to the trip at the Rudee Tours ticket booth. These vouchers do NOT guarantee you a spot on the boat.*

Bottled water, T-shirts, stuffed Rocket Toys, and visors are for sale.

Pictures of your party are taken as you board the boat. You can purchase the photo when you return to the dock.

You will probably get wet during the ride, so please dress appropriately!

Feel free to bring sunscreen, sunglasses, a video camera, a digital camera, etc.

We take a photo when you board the boat that can be purchased at the end of the trip!

Your mates work for and appreciate tips! They work hard to ensure your trip is enjoyable, educational, and safe! Please remember a tip for your mates!

As a matter of fact, we can and we are the only company that does. We have a 100% guarantee for the dolphin on our 10 am, 12 am, 2 pm, and 4 pm trips, Memorial Day-Labor Day. If you don’t see dolphins, you ride again FREE!

*Dolphin Guarantee runs from Memorial Day through Labor Day.*

Yes, we have a restroom on board.

Adult rates are for ages 12 and up.

Kids’ rates are for ages 11 and under with a required height of 39 inches. We check height at the ticket booth! NO EXCEPTIONS!

Cash, Traverler’s Checks, Visa, MC, American Express or Discover.

We DO NOT accept personal checks.

We highly recommend making reservations right here on our website, it is the only way to ensure your spot on one of our trips. We only sell walk-up tickets the day of the trip at our ticket booth.

Please arrive a minimum of 30 minutes before the cruise departure time. Late arrivals will have to forfeit their tickets due to high demand.

*If you have bought vouchers from an outside source, they are NOT tickets, and must be redeemed for boarding passes at least 30 minutes prior to the trip at the Rudee Tours ticket booth. These vouchers do NOT guarantee you a spot on the boat.*

Reservations are a must on our offshore deep drop trips as the boat is limited to a certain amount of anglers! These trips are offered throughout the year.

*Please note: once you make a reservation on an offshore trip, there is absolutely no refund, unless the captain cancels the trip due to bad weather!

Everything is furnished for your fishing needs – rod, reel, bait, tackle, fish bags & fishing license.

You are welcome to bring your own tackle, as well as coolers with food and non-alcoholic beverages.

Please remember, the mates work extremely hard for tips. Please be generous!

DO NOT BRING:

ANY ELECTRONIC DEVICE WITH GPS CAPABILITIES (INCLUDING WATCHES, CAMERAS, CELL PHONES, ELECTRONICS EMBEDDED WITH GPS OR ANY HANDHELD POSITIONING SYSTEMS) ARE PROHIBITED. WE WILL CONFISCATE ANY OF THESE DEVICES AND THEY WILL NOT BE RETURNED!

NO! Beer is not allowed to be brought on board. Our boats have ABC licenses so it is sold on board.

Yes, we offer a full snack bar on board. We also offer roomy, comfortable, air-conditioned and heated cabins. You can even enjoy DirecTV (sports: football, races & more) on our offshore trips!

You may also bring your own food and non-alcoholic beverages for your group if you wish.

Yes, we are available year-round for private charters and company events.

We have done (but are not limited to) private company fishing trips, bachelorette/bachelor parties, birthday parties, weddings, receptions, as well as scattering of ashes at sea.

There is a 15-20 percent gratuity added for all private trips.

All wheelchairs, including motorized ones, are able to be brought aboard. Our crew members will gladly set out our custom-built wheelchair ramp to ensure an easy board.

Yes, we have two restrooms on board.

Adults rates are for ages 12 and up.

Kids’ rates are for ages are 4 to 11 years old. 3 and under are free.

Cash, Traveler’s Checks, Visa, MC, American Express or Discover.

We DO NOT accept personal checks.