About us
Manthey Hospitality features a cruise for everyone with Tampa Bay’s largest fleet of passenger vessels!
Manthey Hospitality is a family-owned company first launching Tampa Bay dining cruises aboard Yacht Starship in 2001. Over the past 23 years our fleet has grown to 14 vessels making it Tampa Bay’s largest fleet of passenger vessels, with capacities from 24 to 600 passengers. We are first and foremost a Hospitality company with 225 team members that take great pride in safely creating a Sea of Memories for the millions and millions of guests cruising aboard our fleet. We have a cruise offering for everyone, we hope to welcome you aboard soon!
Manthey Hospitality
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Creating a sea of memories
Meet Captain Troy Manthey
Troy Manthey took the helm of the 180-foot, $8-million luxury dining vessel, Yacht Starship, shortly after its construction in 2000 in Biloxi, Mississippi. He first discovered Tampa in January 2001 when Yacht StarShip was chartered for the world-class annual Gasparilla Invasion/Celebration for Superbowl weekend. Shortly afterward, he permanently relocated the Yacht StarShip to Tampa Bay’s vibrant Channelside entertainment district in downtown Tampa.
In May 2007, Yacht Starship expanded with the opening of its second location in Clearwater Beach, adding Yacht Starship II to the fleet. Subsequent additions included Yacht Starship III in 2014 and Yacht Starship IV in 2016. In 2009, Troy Manthey and his wife Jill became the sole owners of Yacht Starship Dining Cruises, LLC, which now employs 220 people.
In February 2016, Yacht Starship launched Pirate Water Taxi LLC, a daily water taxi service with 14 stops and seven vessels in Downtown Tampa. The fleet continued to grow with the addition of the Lost Pearl Pirate Ship in February 2020 and the Bay Rocket jet-powered speedboat thrill ride in November 2022. The most recent addition, Craft, a 150-passenger modern single-deck, low-profile dining river cruiser, joined the fleet in March 2024. Craft offers a unique culinary and cocktail river journey, featuring an open kitchen concept and gas cooking, a first for Florida dining vessels.
Since 2001, Manthey has developed deep roots in Tampa Bay’s civic and business communities. He has served as Chairman of the Board of Directors for Visit Tampa Bay, Past Chair of Friends of the Riverwalk (Board), Hillsborough County Hotel Motel Association (Board), Port of Tampa Maritime Industries Association (Board) and S.S. American Victory Ship (Past Chair and Current Board). On a National level, Manthey served as President of Passenger Vessel Association in 2005, a national trade association with 600 members based in Washington, D.C and currently serves on the Passenger Vessel Foundation Board.
Under Manthey’s leadership, Yacht StarShip Dining Cruises received the Tampa Bay Chamber’s 2016 Small Business of the Year award in the 51-250 employee category. In 2017, Manthey was honored as the Ambassador of the Year for tourism in Hillsborough County by Visit Tampa Bay. In 2022, he received the Park Wright Leadership Award from Leadership Tampa Alumni. Most recently, in December 2023, Manthey was awarded the Captain James McKay Port Tampa Bay Achievement Award.
Manthey holds a Captain’s license from the United States Coast Guard as Master (inland) and 1st Class Pilot – Any Gross Ton. Manthey is a strong advocate for Passenger Vessel Safety and received the Meritorious Public Service Commendation from the Commandant of the Coast Guard in 1996 and Public Service Commendation in 1997. Manthey is a 5th generation Passenger Vessel Operator and Captain, who’s family started in the Passenger Steamboat business in 1884.
Troy Manthey currently resides in Tampa with his wife Jill and their two sons Jack and Patrick. His adult daughter Lindsey resides in New Orleans.
Our brands
Set sail aboard Yacht StarShip! With two decades of service, Yacht StarShip’s dining cruises have become a seaworthy stable. Cruise the waterways of Tampa Bay or Clearwater while enjoying a premier brunch or dinner cruise featuring an open bar that’s free at sea!
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Set sail aboard Yacht StarShip! With two decades of service, Yacht StarShip’s dining cruises have become a seaworthy stable. Cruise the waterways of Tampa Bay or Clearwater while enjoying a premier brunch or dinner cruise featuring an open bar that’s free at sea!
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Welcome aboard Craft, a multi-million dollar river cruiser built to cruise Tampa’s most scenic waterways, offering 2-hour brunch, lunch and dinner cruises. At 10’8″ of air draft the Captain will navigate the many low bridges on the Hillsborough River with only inches to spare, similar to the river cruises in Europe.
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Welcome aboard Craft, a multi-million dollar river cruiser built to cruise Tampa’s most scenic waterways, offering 2-hour brunch, lunch and dinner cruises. At 10’8″ of air draft the Captain will navigate the many low bridges on the Hillsborough River with only inches to spare, similar to the river cruises in Europe.
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Pirate Water Taxi offers daily tours of Tampa with many stops located along our route near attractions, museums, restaurants & parks!
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Pirate Water Taxi offers daily tours of Tampa with many stops located along our route near attractions, museums, restaurants & parks!
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Blast off on Tampa’s newest 45/55-minute adrenaline-filled jet boat thrill ride! Experience the power of Bay Rocket’s 2800 horsepower with thrilling 180-degree spins and turns!
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Blast off on Tampa’s newest 45/55-minute adrenaline-filled jet boat thrill ride! Experience the power of Bay Rocket’s 2800 horsepower with thrilling 180-degree spins and turns!
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Do ye think ye have what it takes to be a pirate? Join the crew of the Lost Pearl as they search for treasure in Downtown Tampa.
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Do ye think ye have what it takes to be a pirate? Join the crew of the Lost Pearl as they search for treasure in Downtown Tampa.
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Tampa Riverwalk Rentals takes pride in providing fun, affordable, and active experiences in Tampa. We offer paddleboard, kayak, and bike rentals that launch directly from the Marriott Water Street on the Riverwalk.
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Tampa Riverwalk Rentals takes pride in providing fun, affordable, and active experiences in Tampa. We offer paddleboard, kayak, and bike rentals that launch directly from the Marriott Water Street on the Riverwalk.
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