Passeios Ria Formosa House Boats

Getting back from Fuseta Island by taxi boat was a really disappointing experience. They make you pick a return time when you buy your ticket, and although ours was booked for 4:00 PM, no boat arrived then, perhaps because there were only three of us. We kept calling and got a different instruction each time, first to wait on the island's left side, then to go to the right. After 40 minutes, a boat came to drop people off. The driver wasn't even assigned to collect us, but took pity on us and gave us a ride back. I don't know how much longer we'd have been left waiting otherwise. The organization is terrible, and the phone support is a joke. They stopped answering my calls, but picked up immediately when I called from another number. I absolutely don't recommend it. And this was only June, before it was crowded. Imagine what August will be like.

The service was good apart from the ticket inspector, who was rude and bossy. I didn't think there was any need to act so authoritatively, especially for a ferry ticket inspector. The woman at the ticket office, on the other hand, was really friendly and explained everything clearly and simply.

Getting a return ticket was easy and cost €2.25. The ferries run regularly, and it's a pleasant ride to a very nice beach.

The company is very poorly organized, and the staff are generally unfriendly. Most of the boat drivers were polite and helpful, but one was not. There were children and elderly people playing in the water on the river side when he took us to the beach. He didn't slow down or steer carefully, and made them get out of the boat's way without consideration. When we challenged him, he answered rudely, raised his voice and showed no understanding or responsibility. We also had several major problems with the service. We bought tickets for a boat transfer to the beach and waited an hour and a half. Boats were already going back in the same direction to collect other passengers, but instead of taking us along, they chose to make empty trips. That made no sense for customers or economically. We also bought tickets for a dolphin-watching trip at sea. First we were told there were no tickets, then later told nine places had opened for Friday. We bought them straight away. But on Friday, we learned the booking had been made for Thursday. Five people witnessed the purchase, and they took our phone number in case we were late. Nobody contacted us on Thursday, which confirmed to us that we had understood the trip was on Friday.