The Queen Mary is the most polished party boat experience in Point Pleasant, a clean, comfortable 85 foot Gulf Craft headboat restored in 2017 and run by Captain David Riack. The boat is well kept and well equipped, the crew draws steady praise, and fish cleaning is included, all of which make for an easy, family friendly deep sea day. It ranks last of the boats we placed for one reason: the fare runs more than double the other party boats for similar fishing, and a cluster of sharp reviews sits under an otherwise strong overall.
The verdict and where it ranks
At 7.4 the Queen Mary is a strong choice and the sixth boat in our Point Pleasant ranking, behind the Dauntless and the other party boats. It earns a place on a clean, restored boat, a named captain, and a service record that reviewers genuinely like, with the cleanliness and the crew called out again and again. What holds it at the foot of the list is value. The 7 hour deep sea fare is $240 to $280, more than double the Norma-K III or the Gambler for comparable bottom fishing, and while most reviews are warm, a real cluster of sharp ones sits underneath. Book it for a roomy, comfortable day when that matters more than the price.
The boat
The Queen Mary is an 85 foot Gulf Craft headboat, built in 1990 and fully restored in 2017, powered by two 700 horsepower Caterpillar engines that cruise around 20 knots. It is licensed for up to 95 passengers but sails a smaller open boat crowd, which keeps the deck less packed than the biggest head boats. It carries a large cabin with covered seating and tables, a spacious main deck and top deck, separate restrooms, and top of the line electronics, and the reviews repeatedly call it clean and well maintained, “the Clean Queen Mary.” For comfort and room, it is one of the better boats in the port.
The fishing and what you target
The 7 hour deep sea trip bottom fishes and trolls the nearshore grounds for a wide seasonal mix: black sea bass, striped bass, bluefish, porgy, fluke, weakfish, bonito, little tunny, and mackerel, depending on the month. It is a nearshore and bottom operation rather than an offshore tuna boat, and the catch follows the season like the rest of the port. Most reviewers report bringing home fish, and the crew earns praise for helping anglers unhook and box their catch, but the species list is the standard Point Pleasant spread rather than anything the cheaper boats cannot reach.
Trips and prices
The Queen Mary sells by the seat on its open trips, and the price is the sticking point. The 7 hour deep sea trip, leaving 6:30 a.m., is $240 for adults on weekdays and $280 on weekends, with children $170 and $180. A private charter is $2,500 for up to 20 people. The fishing license, live bait, and fish cleaning are included, and rod rental is $10 to $15, but the per person fare runs well above the $90 to $125 the other party boats charge for comparable bottom fishing, and trips are non-refundable. Our cost guide sets these fares against the rest of the port, and the party boat versus private charter guide weighs the formats.
The crew
Captain David Riack runs the boat, and the service is the Queen Mary’s strongest suit. The reviews are consistent on a crew that is attentive and helpful, willing to unhook your fish and get it in the cooler, and on a boat kept noticeably clean, with the captain responsive to feedback. The honest qualifier is the spread: under the strong overall rating sits a cluster of sharply negative reviews, including complaints about a captain’s conduct on specific trips. Read in volume the weight is positive and family friendly, but the low end of the record is harsher than the boats above it, and worth reading yourself before you book.
Booking and what to know
Book online or by phone, and arrive early to park at 415 Broadway and board for the 6:30 a.m. departure. The boat sails seven days a week from May into December. The license, live bait, and fish cleaning are included, with rod rental available, so you bring food, drinks, a cooler, and cash for a tip. Note that trips are non-refundable, so watch the weather and your plans before you commit. For the same kind of bottom fishing at less than half the fare, the Norma-K III and the Dauntless are the value alternatives.
How we scored it
The Queen Mary scores 7.4: the cleanest, most comfortable, best serviced party boat in Point Pleasant, a restored 85 foot headboat with a named captain and fish cleaning included. Service and boat are its top factors. It ranks last of the boats we placed because its fare runs more than double the other party boats for similar fishing, and a cluster of sharp reviews sits under the strong overall. See how we scored this boat, and compare it against the rest of the Point Pleasant fleet.