FAQs

🏴‍☠️ About Pirate Life

  • Pirate Life Theatre is a children’s theatre company that creates family friendly pirate-themed shows in Toronto, Ottawa and Hamilton. We encourage our patrons to live a pirate’s life by presenting interactive theatrical productions in which you can join our crew and help us search for treasure, fire the water cannons, witness a sword fight and more! Our production is part theatre, part cruise, and all adventure!

  • Submit the form on our site, email us at adventure@piratelife.ca, or call (800) 300-2732. Leave a voicemail if we miss you.

⚓ Safety & Accessibility

  • Yes! We sail rain or shine. Only dangerous weather will result in rescheduling at no cost.

  • They’re not required onboard, but we do have a full complement of lifesaving devices in case of emergency. If you’d like to wear a lifejacket during the show, we recommend you bring your own, ours are not too comfortable for long-term use.

  • Yes, there’s room to sit on the benches during the show.

  • 40 guests max per cruise, plus 1 captain and 2 crew. Larger groups? We can accommodate multiple departures and additional on-shore entertainment.

  • Yes. All ships are accessible with 42-inch wide gangplank entrances.

  • Yes — service animals are always welcome.

🧒 Children’s Theatre Adventure

  • Best for ages 3–12, but pirates of all ages are welcome. Older groups may prefer our escape games or private experiences.

  • 1.5 hours: 30 minutes on shore (face paint, pirate names, games) + 1 hour on the boat.

  • Arrive at your ticket time. Early? Use the washroom. Late? No problem — the ship sets sail 30 minutes after your ticket time.

  • Absolutely! Bring your own or buy from us. We’ll share a costume guide video after booking. We also sell costume kits (eye patch, bandana, hat, sword).

  • You might get a gentle sprinkle from the water cannons — unless you’re really aiming for a splash.

🎉 Birthday Parties

  • A special Pirate Life pin, pirate necklace, and a birthday song. Loot bags available at extra cost. We don’t provide food or drinks for regular sails, but for private experiences where you rent out the whole boat, we have beverages (alcoholic and non) for sale.

  • Food is only allowed during private charters. We recommend eating before or after your adventure at our picnic tables or nearby parks. At our Toronto and Ottawa locations, we have a picnic table for rent. You can add this on at checkout when booking.

🧾 Booking, Pricing & Policies

  • Yes — we recommend booking in advance. Space is limited and schedules vary. Please reserve online using this link.

  • All bookings are final sale and non-refundable.

    If your plans change, you may reschedule your booking or receive a credit toward a future experience by providing at least 48 hours’ notice prior to your scheduled departure time. Credits are valid for 1 year from the original booking date.

    Requests made within 48 hours of your scheduled departure are not eligible for rescheduling, credits, or refunds.

    Please note that shows may be rescheduled or cancelled if they do not meet our minimum booking requirement, due to cast illness or inclement weather. This policy helps us ensure we can continue to provide the highest quality guest experience possible. In the event that a sail or performance is cancelled by us, all booked guests will be notified as soon as possible and we would be happy to reschedule your tickets to another available show of your choosing.

    Trip Insurance:

    We strongly recommend purchasing trip insurance for added flexibility and peace of mind. Trip insurance may be purchased up to 48 hours prior to your scheduled sail.

    If your sail is cancelled by us, trip insurance allows eligible guests to receive a refund of their booking amount, less the cost of the insurance premium.

  • Yes — missed bookings are charged in full. Please notify us ASAP if you can’t attend.

  • Yes. Children 3 and under sail for $14, but they still count toward the 40-person capacity.

  • No. Kids under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. For groups: at least 1 adult per 9 children.

  • No. A 50% deposit is required for large bookings and is non-refundable unless you have purchased trip insurance. We’re happy to reschedule your group booking if you provide more than 48 hours notice.

  • Yes — except for kids 3 and under, who sail for $14.

  • All bookings include a 7% service fee to cover credit card transaction costs and administrative fees.