Built 1973 or later Completed ca. 1973 | Name Victory III | |
Operators St. Augustine Scenic Cruise In commission ca. 1973 to present (2012) Fate built to conduct scenic tours of Matanzas Bay |
The Victory III is the boat on which the St. Augustine Scenic Cruise is conducted. The boat is berthed at the St. Augustine Public Marina, which is in downtown St. Augustine, Florida. The Scenic Cruise and the Victory III are property of the Usina family. The Usinas have had a boat service since 1900. The scenic tour and other excursions have been conducted in St. Augustine since before World War I. The Victory and the Victory II preceded the current boat.
The Victory III, as of 2012, takes tourists on an hour-and-fifteen-minute tour of Matanzas Bay, which is St. Augustine's waterfront. The boat passes by the St. Augustine Lighthouse, in a bay known as Salt Run. The boat captain narrates the cruise, pointing out local sites. The Scenic Cruise website says the cruise is conducted four to five times a day every day of the year except American Thanksgiving and Christmas. The tour is closed the entire month of January to allow for the boat's servicing. The boat has restrooms and snacks for purchase available for the tours.
The boat itself has two decks. The lower deck is mostly inside and protected from the weather, although a section in the bow is covered but open on the sides. The upper deck is completely open, with no roof. The wheelhouse is on the upper deck in the bow section. It is completely protected from the weather, being completely enclosed.
Two websites provide customer reviews of the Scenic Cruise. The Trip Advisor website, as of December 2012, had twenty-one reviews. The cruise was given an average of four out of five stars. All but three of the reviewers gave the cruise a four or a five. The Yahoo Travel website, as of December 2012, had ten customer reviews. The reviewers gave the cruise an average of 3.5 of five stars. Separate ratings for atmosphere gave the cruise 3.5 stars and for value gave it three stars.