My then-seven year old daughter went on the pirate cruise last summer and loved it. We were told to arrive at the boat a 1/2 hour early. The children were taken to various areas around the resort where they dug for treasure and were given pirate loot. My daughter had a great time, and more importantly, the children were well supervised. And trust me, my husband and I are VERY concerned when it comes to matters of safety. I might feel a bit different about letting a three year old go. I'd say it would depend on the child-if they feel comfortable separating and going with strangers. I will say the pirate cruise was in no way scary. Also, there were only about 15 kids taken, so book early.