Captain Joe

Excellent boat, crew and experience

Amazing experience! The best I ever have at Lake Michigan!

Captain Joe and Ryan were absolutely phenomenal hosts! If we could give them 6 stars we would! We highly recommend them. They helped make our friend’s bachelorette party an absolute blast and even let us extend for an additional hour the day of. Thanks again Captain Joe and Ryan! We’re already looking forward to next time.

We had an excellent time! Captain Joe and his first mate were great. Highly recommend.

Great day trip with Captain Joe and Ryan. We had a multigenerational group and their boat was perfect for our group. The communication was excellent and we had a great time. I recommend booking if you are looking for a day out on the lake.

We had a great experience with Joe! We booked super last minute and he was extremely responsive and communicative. The boat was spacious and clean, and both Joe and Ryan were friendly and helpful. And the raft was a fun way to get into the lake! Highly recommend.

Perfect experience!! Captain Joe and Pauley were great! We rented this boat for 4 hours on a Saturday afternoon for my sister's bachelorette party. Captain Joe and Pauley were the best. They made sure we had a great time, we docked in a great location at the playpen, and they even made sure our drinks were replenished while we floated in the water. Our entire group would highly recommend booking with Captain Joe and we will definitely use him again next time we are able to go out on the water. Thank you for such a great time!!

Capt Joe and Ryan were awesome, great experience and would definitely use again.

Captain Joe was very and nice and extremely accomdating. If you want to spend a fun day on the water, then I highly recommend going through him!

Captain Joe and Ryan were awesome - skilled, professional and FUN! We had such a nice time and several members of my group asked for Captain Joe’s booking information so they can book again. Would recommend!

It was great. Super nice guy. Everyone enjoyed their time. Would do it again.

Captain Joe and Ryan were great! Friendly, hospitable, and knowledgeable. Easy process start to finish. Strongly recommend.

Great experience! Would love to go again soon.

The trip with Captain Joe was amazing. Our family had an experience of a lifetime visiting the sites of Chicago and fireworks show!

Amazing outing with family and friends. Thanks to Captain Joe and Ryan for their outstanding attention to detail, safety, and making it a great outing!

The boat was clean & beautiful.

Captain Joe and Patrick were fantastic. My finance, her three friends and myself (5 total) took the boat out on a beautiful Saturday afternoon / evening and it was great. Joe and Patrick were great hosts and a lot of fun! Will definitely look to book them again.

The 8 of us had a great time on the Emerald Isle. From the start, Captain Joe was very responsive to all my emails and the process to rent the boat and firm up details was incredibly easy. We then had an awesome half-day out on the lake with Joe and his son, Mike. Both of them were very friendly and accommodating. Joe steered the boat through choppy waters like a real pro and the boat was very comfortable. We loved the 5-person raft that they blew up for us when we anchored in the Play-Pen by Navy Pier. The coolers with ice and the bluetooth speakers also were great additions. It couldn't have been a more relaxing day out on the water for our girls' weekend. Thank you Captain Joe and Mike!

Captain Joe and Ryan were great hosts, very accommodating and fun! Such a fun and safe way to enjoy the lake!

Joe and his crewmate were lovely. The boat was exactly what I was expecting and they had coolers and ice to keep our things fresh. They went over boat safety in the beginning and everything you needed to know for a safe and fun trip. They were both very polite and stayed to themselves, but were very friendly to chat with if you were so inclined to do so :) Joe was very accommodating with scheduling and was happy to take requests for plans (ie going to anchor and swim rather than go up the river, where to position for the fireworks based on our desires).

The only comment I would make was there was some slight confusion with meeting up. We were instructed to wait at J dock by 6 for pre-loading and instructions, so we did. However they ended up coming in to a temporary arrivals dock and not until after 6:30. It was close by so that wasn't a problem. However they had just come back from an earlier trip that day and so they were out of contact for a while, which had me slightly concerned since they said arrive by 6 and we didn't hear from them until a little after 6:30 (the start time).

Captain Joe was AMAZING! Very responsive, amazing energy, and super fun & kind. The boat was also beautiful and very spacious. The deckhand was attentive & helpful too, which not all boat rentals have. Absolutely booking with Joe again in the future!

Joe and Ryan were absolutely wonderful! They were very responsive to what we wanted to do with our time on the boat (cruise, swim, eat) and extremely friendly. They shared some facts about Chicago and the lake and tended to our needs with a smile. The boat was beautiful with lots of seating in the front, back and in the cabin. We especially liked the round table in back with cushioned seats surrounding it. As a family of five we were comfortable and all agreed we would come back in a heartbeat.

Perfect boat for 5 people! Had a great experience

The experience was amazing, thank you captain Joe.

Had a great time celebrating my birthday. Captain Joe couldn’t be nicer or more hospitable! Definitely will be back on that boat soon!

Captain joe was extreme accommodating. We had an absolute blast!

Joe and his first mate, Mike, took us on an excellent trip on his boat this past Saturday. Joe was responsive to questions and accommodating to changes along the way. Additionally, he and Mike were attentive to the group, making sure we had a fun, safe time. The boat was great, exactly as expected, and the perfect size for a day out on the river/lake with a group of 10 guests. We had an awesome time, and hope to rent again from Joe before the end of the summer! Thanks for a great day Joe and Mike!

Had a fantastic 3-hour family outing on the Emerald Isle. Captain Joe and first mate Ryan were very professional.
Sightseeing cruise along the shoreline, and an hour stop in the Playpen for swimming. Would highly recommend
for a group up to 7. We saved big $$ compared to the larger boats that accommodate up to 12 people.

Captain Joe was awesome!!! Before the trip, he was super responsive and answered any and all questions we had prior to the trip. During the trip, everything went very smooth thanks to him. He was very kind and made the day much more enjoyable by being our captain! We will definitely be returning in the future!

Great day on the lake! Captain Joe was a solid, friendly host and facilitated a really fun experience for my group of 6. The boat had everything we needed for a couple hours of swimming and sun. Clear communication from start to finish. That's about all I can ask for when planning a Boat Day!

We had the most perfect boating day with family while celebrating a birthday. For three dreamy hours Ryan spoiled us with his professional and impeccable attention in catering to our needs while Capt. Joe toured us around the lake in this beautiful small yacht and entertained our fancies as well. Thank you Capt. Joe and Ryan! We look forward to doing this again next year :-)))

Great hospitality, joyful captain had an amazing time out on the waters! Thank you Joe!

Great time!

Great experience from start to finish! Will definitely book again!

Had a great day with Captain Joe! Took us on a beautiful ride, will return when we’re back in Chicago!

Captain joe and Ryan where amazing !!!!

Usually I don’t write reviews, but in this case I wish I could put 6 stars - amazing boat and crew. It was the best experience we could even think about! Highly recommend! We will be back!

Joe and Ryan are incredibly kind and hospitable!

Captain joe was awesome! Very responsive and accommodating. Will definitely try to book again next year if possible! Thanks captain joe!

My friends and I had a great trip with Capt Joe and his co Capt! They were very accommodating, provided music, and let us choose where we wanted to go on the boat. It was such a fun day we are already looking forward to planning another trip! Definitely recommend!

Captain Joe & team were wonderful from start to finish. Attentive to every need, more than willing to help out, and always looking out for our group. Will definitely be booking again, and don't hesitate to book with Captain Joe!

Captain Joe and his boat were as good as it gets. Joe helped in every way and made sure we had a wonderful experience. Great time!

Went out on a 4 hour charter with Capt. Joe and 1st mate Ryan.
Had a great day on the water because they make everything smooth and perfect. from the easy check in to the final goodbye. I will definitely return in the future for another great day.

One of the best experiences out there!! The boat fit seven of us perfectly to do a little dancing and photo shoot! The captains were AMAZING!! 100% recommend!!

This was our second time with Joe and Ryan and could not have asked for a better time! Joe and Ryan practice safety and fun and a good time was had by all. Highly recommend!

Had a great time with Captain Joe! Appreciate the easy communication, advice and lots of fun!

The experience was great! Captain Joe was funny, safe, responsible and very nice. Would definitely book again thank you Captain Joe !!

Boat and crew clean and professional.Thank you

Capt Joe was very professional and informative with Ryan providing superior service to add up to a bunch of fun and relaxation.

Amazing experience! We had such a blast and Joe was fantastic. Couldn’t recommend more! 100% will book again!

Captain and first mate were exceptional!!

I'm DEFINITELY Booking with Joe. On Time, responsive, extras. Professionals that know what they're doing!!

Great boat and great captain!

Everything was on time, and we appreciated the advice on where to go to stay warm since it was slightly cooler that day. We had a nice time with Captain Joe, everything felt very safe and relaxing, and we appreciated Ryan's assistance navigating the boat and helping with beverages.

Captain Joe and Ryan are the best and kindest crew anyone can ask for. Joe is an excellent communicator and is very big on safety. Before our charter took off he was well aware of the weather conditions and made sure my group was aware of them as well. He also addressed all my questions and concerns prior to boarding.
Ryan is extremely attentive and kind, his presence really elevated our experience overall.
I couldn’t ask for a better experience for my first boat ride in Chicago!

Captain Joe and Ryan were amazing! Made my birthday so much fun! 😁

Amazing experience with out of town friends. Great boat. Fantastic host in Captain Joe! Highly recommend!

Captain Joe was very accommodating. We had to move around our time a little bit due to weather and he was very responsive. We had a great time out on the water and he made it well worth it, even recommending some of the best sites to see.

We had the best time on the boat with captain Joe and Ryan. Both go above and beyond and were helpful, thorough and fun to be around. We felt safe during a windy day and well taken care of. I would recommend Joe for any boat day in chicago and can’t wait to book again!

All around excellent time. Thank you for such a wonderful experience!

Captain Joe was amazing!!!!! The boat was perfect for a party of 6 and he was extremely accommodating throughout the entire cruise. I will definitely be booking again. Thank you Captain Joe... you helped make my birthday the absolute best!!!!

We would use Captain Joe again in a heartbeat! He is super responsive, safe, kind, and great to work with. Thanks for such a memorable day, captain Joe! Looking toward to another charter with you soon!

Captain Joe and Ryan did great. Amazing service.

The Captain and Deck hand were awesome! We had a wonderful time!

On time. Felt comfortable, clean boat and really good hosts.

Can't say enough good things about Joe and the overall experience! Would 100% recommend him to anyone and plan to book again!

Complete service! Quick responses and just good friendly folks loving to ride the waves. Will repeat!

Captain Joe and Ryan were great. Perfect day on the lake with an excellent crew. Will be booking again!

Captain Joe was great. The boat was exactly as advertised and he listened to us and what we wanted to do. His helper Ryan was also fun. Look forward to another boat tour with them one day.

Joe & Ryan were the absolute best! They provided an excellent experience. Such professional & cool guys. Definitely will be back soon!

Captain Joe was wonderful! Very communicative in the planning, with great advice on parking and directions. We went out during the Air and Water Show and he offered to stay out a little longer for the Blue Angels after they were delayed due to weather. Captain Joe was friendly and kind. Would definitely recommend choosing Captain Joe and his yacht!

Outstanding day! Joe makes sure that every detail is taken care of. Very respectful and knowledgeable!

Celebrated my birthday with a group of friends on joes boat. Had a great time would definitely recommend!

Captain Joe is great! We were running late so he made sure to get us out to the playpen asap and was super patient with us. He's professional and experienced. Thanks to him we had a great bachelorette party!

We had a great time with Captain Joe & Ryan! They were both so nice & hospitable on their boat! Had so much fun on the sun deck (great if you get sea sick) & loved the raft in the lake! Felt super safe & cared for. Nice touch to have our drinks brought out to us when on raft too :) Definitely would recommend to anyone visiting Chicago!

Captain Joe and Ryan were wonderful. Very organized, responsive and a pleasure to spend the day with. The boat was impeccable and included a super fun raft. We had a great day!

Joe and Ryan were great! Would book with them again!

Keith was our captain on Captain Joe's boat and we had a simply wonderful time. Can't wait to do it again.

Wonderful experience, we were completely taken care of; Captain Joe and Ryan are accommodating, professional, and friendly. Looking forward to next time!

Captain Joe and his crewmate Rian were excellent! It was my first time booking an experience like this and they made it easy to understand and simple to navigate. Very personable guys too!

Booking with Captain Joe was great and easy. We had a fantastic time and got to see the city from an perspective we hadn't been able to yet - the water!

Outstanding boating experience...Joe does a fabulous job!

We loved our experience! Thank you Joe for being patient and flexible with us :) It was everyone's highlight for our time in Chicago!

Joe was great — attentive, helpful … and made sure we didn’t fall in!

Joe and his stew, Ryan were amazing! They were friendly, cared about our safety, and made my friends and I feel very comfortable on the boat! We had so much fun and I will definitely be booking with them again in the future! Couldn’t recommend more.

Was a great time and the captains were very nice. 10/10 would do again

Had an amazing time with Captain Joe and dockhand! They were both super kind and we had an absolute blast. Will be back!

Captain Joe and Ryan were excellent hosts! The boat was nice and provided a great way to explore the lakefront. Overall it was the best part of a great time in the city!

Awesome experience with Captain Joe and Patrick! Can't wait to use them again!

Enjoyed our time with Joe and Ryan. Great people. Very professional. Boat was nice and clean.

Captain Joe and Mike were the best! They were both so attentive to all of the passengers' needs and we could not have asked for a better captain. After our day on the water, we all highly recommend Captain Joe!

Everything was perfect! They took out the floating seating circle for us and we enjoyed every minute of it! Looking forward to another booking with Captain Joe and team.

Captain Joe and Ryan were fantastic hosts for our small bachelorette party. We have not stopped talking about how much fun we had. I would definitely book with them again. Thanks to you both for a memorable day on the lake!

Captain Joe was great. We felt safe and we had fun!

Highy recommend booking with Captain Joe! He was amazing and the entire experience was seemless. We had a blast and will definitely be back.

Captain Joe and Ryan were wonderful! Before the booking date, they were very responsive to any and all questions we had about the reservation, and during the ride they were very accommodating and generous with their offering. He was very informative about the city and kind in sharing his boat with us. We had very high hopes and yet they exceeded all expectations. 10/10 would recommend!

Captain Joe was fantastic! The boat was great and the entire trip was amazing. Truly cannot wait to charter another day on the Lake with captain Joe!

Captain Joe is top-notch. Highly recommend!

We had a wonderful time. Captain Joe was the best: he was the perfect person to show my family from the East coast the sights of Chicago! A great family outing with wonderful memories

Our group had a stellar time with Captain Joe and his Maxum 3000 SCR. The boat provided comfort for everyone, shade for those who wanted it and sunshine + lake access for others. He was open, transparent and friendly from the start of the reservation process to when the boat docked back at the marina after a fun lake experience. Highly recommend considering Captain Joe for your next lake party or cruise.