Starboard Suite Review for Fishing Charters
Quick Verdict
7.5 / 10Pros
- All features included at every price level with no upselling
- Award-winning customer support consistently praised in reviews
- White-glove setup and free training included
Cons
- $500/month minimum is prohibitive for small operators
- Not fishing-charter specific, designed for passenger vessels broadly
- Interface can feel cluttered with many navigation options
Full Review
Starboard Suite is a comprehensive reservation and ticketing system designed specifically for passenger vessel operators. Its customer base includes dinner cruise lines, sightseeing boat tours, whale watching companies, parasailing operations, and some fishing charter fleets. The platform is not fishing-charter specific, but it serves the broader marine passenger industry with a deep understanding of the unique requirements that come with running boats, such as weather cancellations, passenger manifests, dockside check-in, and US Coast Guard compliance considerations.
Pricing is positioned firmly at the premium end of the market. Operators generating under $200,000 in annual revenue pay a flat $500 per month. Those generating between $200,000 and $1 million pay 3% of revenue, and operations above $1 million receive custom discounted rates. The significant upside of this pricing model is that all features are included at every price level. There are no feature tiers, no upselling, and no locked capabilities. Every operator gets access to every tool from day one. Operators can also charge ticketing fees to customers to offset the platform cost.
Customer support is Starboard Suite's most consistently praised attribute. The platform has earned GetApp Category Leaders 2022 and Capterra Best Value 2021 awards, and review after review highlights the responsiveness, knowledge, and genuine helpfulness of the support team. White-glove setup is included at no additional cost, as is free ongoing training for staff. For operators who have experienced frustrating support from larger platforms, Starboard Suite's service model is a meaningful differentiator.
The feature set is robust and covers the full lifecycle of passenger vessel operations. Multi-channel booking handles online, phone, and walk-up sales through a single system. Passenger manifests with group tracking, QR code mobile check-in, real-time passenger counts, and electronic waiver forms address compliance and operational needs. Employee scheduling with six permission levels, gift certificates, discount codes, split payments, integrated gratuity collection, and weather cancellation alerts are all included. Distribution channel connections, MailChimp email marketing, and Stripe payment processing are also supported.
The $500 per month minimum is the platform's most significant barrier for fishing charter operators. A solo guide running a single-boat inshore fishing operation generating $100,000 per year would spend $6,000 annually on Starboard Suite, a cost that is difficult to justify when free and low-cost alternatives exist. The platform makes economic sense for large passenger vessel operations with high booking volumes and complex scheduling needs, but it is overkill for a typical 1 to 3 boat fishing charter business.
Starboard Suite does not include fishing-charter-specific features. It serves the passenger vessel industry broadly, which means fishing charters receive the same tools as a dinner cruise or a harbor sightseeing tour. Charter captains who do not need enterprise-level passenger vessel capabilities should consider whether the $500 per month minimum is justified when more affordable, fishing-specific alternatives exist in the market.
Features
- ✓Real-time online booking (24/7)
- ✓Multi-channel booking (online, phone, walk-up)
- ✓Mobile check-in with QR scanning
- ✓Electronic waiver forms
- ✓Gift certificates
- ✓Employee scheduling with six permission levels
- ✓Discount codes and promotions
- ✓Automated email confirmations, reminders, thank-yous
- ✓Review request automation
- ✓Passenger manifests with group tracking
- ✓Split payments and deposits
- ✓Voucher redemption tracking
- ✓Guest assignments (seats, tables)
- ✓Integrated gratuity collection
- ✓Custom PDF contracts with versioning
- ✓SEO-optimized booking pages
- ✓Real-time passenger counts
- ✓Weather cancellation alerts
- ✓Resource tracking
- ✓Detailed audit trails
Score Breakdown
| Category | Score |
|---|---|
| Overall | 7.5 |
| Fishing Fit | 6.0 |
| Ease of Use | 7.5 |
| Integrations | 7.5 |
| Value | 6.0 |
| Support | 9.5 |
Scores are based on our editorial methodology. Fishing Fit is weighted most heavily for charter-specific platforms.
Pricing
Summary: $500/month or 3% of revenue (volume-based)
Commission Model: Under $200K annual: $500/month flat. $200K-$1M: 3% of revenue. Over $1M: custom discounted rate. Operators can charge ticketing fees to offset costs.
Prices subject to change. Visit Starboard Suite's website for the most current pricing information.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Starboard Suite cost for a small fishing charter?
Starboard Suite has a $500 per month minimum for operators generating under $200,000 in annual revenue. For a solo guide running a single-boat operation, that translates to $6,000 per year, which is difficult to justify when free and lower-cost alternatives exist in the market.
Are all features included in every Starboard Suite plan?
Yes. Starboard Suite includes all features at every price level with no feature tiers, no upselling, and no locked capabilities. Every operator gets access to every tool from day one, including passenger manifests, QR code check-in, electronic waivers, gift certificates, employee scheduling, and weather cancellation alerts.
Does Starboard Suite offer setup and training support?
Yes. Starboard Suite includes white-glove setup at no additional cost and free ongoing training for staff. The platform has earned GetApp Category Leaders and Capterra Best Value awards, and its customer support is consistently praised as responsive, knowledgeable, and genuinely helpful.
Is Starboard Suite designed specifically for fishing charters?
No. Starboard Suite serves the broader passenger vessel industry, including dinner cruises, sightseeing boats, and whale watching operations alongside fishing charters. It does not include fishing-specific features, and a typical 1 to 3 boat fishing charter business may find the platform to be overkill for their needs.
Alternatives to Starboard Suite
If Starboard Suite is not the right fit, here are other platforms worth considering for your charter operation.
- GoFish:A booking platform built exclusively for fishing charters.
- WaveRez:Booking software built specifically for the watersport and tour boat industry.
- FareHarbor:A general-purpose booking platform with broad distribution reach.