Cruise to Shell Island and search for wild dolphins on a catamaran sailing trip from Panama City Beach. The catamaran’s broad, stable deck makes it a comfortable alternative to smaller boats prone to rocking in the waves, and since it’s stocked with paddle boards, snorkeling gear, and a waterslide, it’s the perfect base for playing in the clear water off Shell Island.

Choose between a range of activities at Shell Island
Enjoy room to relax on the spacious catamaran
Look for wild dolphins in their natural habitat
Choose between a range of convenient departure times

What's Included

All taxes, fees and handling charges
Captain / deckhands
Use of Snorkeling equipment
Use of paddle boards
Use of life jackets

Gratuities
Alcoholic drinks (available to purchase)
Snacks

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

5201 N Lagoon Dr, Panama City Beach, FL 32408, USA
Turn onto North Lagoon as if you were headed to Captain Anderson's. After the turn you will continue past their parking lot AND past the Lighthouse Marina. We will then be on the right hand side down a paved road. There will be tall signs out front with our company name.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Meet for this Shell Island snorkeling and dolphin-watching cruise at the designated spot in Panama City Beach. After checking in, board the catamaran for this half-day cruise that takes you through the Gulf of Mexico, too.

The boat is stocked with paddleboard, snorkeling equipment, and a waterslide, so you have plenty to keep you busy when it docks at Shell Island. Plus, you can snorkel at St. Andrews Bay, and look for tropical fish, sand dollars, and other creatures that call the area home. Keep an eye out for dolphins in their natural habitat.

Once your cruise ends, it drops you back off at the original meeting spot.

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
CHECK-IN: You must arrive 30 minutes prior to departure time.
Minimum drinking age is 21 years old
Weight restrictions for slide is 250lbs, for paddleboards 200lbs
Bottled water is the only outside food/drink permitted. NO OUTSIDE ALCOHOL PERMITTED.
No smoking allowed
Infants must sit on laps

No chewing gum
Please wear your swimsuits under your clothes. Also pack a beach bag with towels, sunscreen (no aerosol sprays), sunglasses, hats, cameras, etc. You may also want to bring water shoes.
Snorkel gear is provided but you may bring your own if you'd like. Young kids may prefer to bring their own goggles instead of the masks we provide.
Most travelers can participate
Dress code is casual - wear swim suits under casual clothes. • Bring a beach bag with towels, sunscreen (no aerosol sprays), hats, sunglasses, and cameras. • You are not allowed to bring drinks or coolers. • No smoking allowed • Due to the nature of this tour and the safety of all guests, the tour operator reserves the right to refuse service to passengers who are intoxicated or show signs of intoxication. If, as a result, your tour is canceled, you will not be entitled to a refund. • Not recommended for participants with heart complaints or other serious medical conditions especially during hot summer weather • Inclement weather may cancel a cruise, but is up to the cruise company and is generally a last minute decision. Plan to arrive as scheduled unless otherwise notified.
18% gratuity will be added for parties of 15 or more.
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 65 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.

Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.

Frequently Asked Questions

The answers provided below are based on answers previously given by the tour provider to customers’ questions.

Q:Can I participate if I am over the weight limit?

A:Absolutely! The weight limit only applies to the slide and paddleboards. All guests are welcome onboard the catamaran to enjoy the day!

May 2023

Traveler Photos

Featured review

Whitney_T

Captain Clay and the crew were awesome!! We saw dolphins, the water and shell island were beautiful.

Reviews

5.0

2,457 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

We perform checks on reviews

Showing 1-10 of 2,457 reviews

Amazing

Hamiles_H, Apr 2024

The dolphin sighting was amazing! Luke was very friendly and Cisco was an amazing captain! Everything was well structured and organized. Def will recommend and be back!!

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Thank you for the 5 star review! We are so happy to hear that you had an amazing experience with us! We look forward to your next visit!

Family friendly fun with dolphins!

Jimmy_W, Apr 2024

The captain and crew were awesome! They were friendly and helpful during the trip. The captain watched for dolphins and stopped near them so we could watch them swim around the boat. The sailing itself was pleasant and the boat had plenty of seating and space to get up and move around. Walking across the dunes on Shell Island to the gulf side was absolutely beautiful!

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Hi Jimmy, thank you for the 5 star review! We are so happy that you had a great time with our Captain and crew! We look forward to your next visit!

Perfect family fun!

Chad_S, Apr 2024

Absolutely love the crew, they are so nice and friendly and really want you to have a great time. They promise everything and come through every time! Really treat you like they care. This is our 2nd trip with island time, and we're going to come back every year!

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Thank you for the 5 star review Chad! We are so happy that your family had a great time with our crew! We look forward to your next visit!

Great mid afternoon trip

Tom_W, Apr 2024

Great trip and great crew. Was a lot of fun. The drinks were good and the crew never stopped working to make it fun.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Hi Tom, thank you for the 5 star review! We are so glad to hear that you had a great trip with our crew! We look forward to your next visit!

Great experience! Saw...

Alexis_R, Apr 2024

Great experience! Saw lots of dolphins and crew was really nice. Already recommended to our family. Will do again next year.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Thank you for the 5 star review Alexis! We are so happy to hear that you had a great experience with us! We look forward to seeing you again!

My husband and I went for...

Kimberly_L, Apr 2024

My husband and I went for our Anniversary. It was so nice to see the dauphin and snorkel. The captain and crew very nice and sweet. Would recommend.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Hi Kimberly, thank you for the 5 star review! We hope you had a wonderful anniversary! Thank you for letting us be a part of your celebration!

Fun on the water!

Kathleen_T, Apr 2024

Nice, relaxing ride, fun walking in clean white sand of Shell Island, great tunes and crew. Really enjoyed running the sails on the way back.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Thank you for the 5 star review Kathleen! We are so happy that you had a great time on the water with our crew! We hope you'll come back to see us soon!

Must do!

Whitney_T, Apr 2024

Captain Clay and the crew were awesome!! We saw dolphins, the water and shell island were beautiful.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Thank you for the 5 star review Whitney! We are so glad that you enjoyed your cruise with us! We look forward to seeing you again!

Fun Trip- Recommend!

Danielle_S, Apr 2024

The crew was very friendly. The captain stopped to let us view several dolphins. The snorkeling was great and we got to see crabs, sea urchins and fish. Also great for shell hunting.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Hi Danielle, thank you for the 5 star review! We are so happy you had a great time with our crew and enjoyed snorkeling! We look forward to seeing you again!

I believe the name was...

Amanda_h, Apr 2024

I believe the name was Christo? His crew was awesome and we had a great time. He explained where everything was and what we were going to experience.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Hi Amanda, thank you for the 5 star review! We're so happy to hear that you had a great time with Capt. Christo and his crew! We hope you'll come back to see us soon!

from your fav detroiters - DO IT!

Taylor_P, Apr 2024

everyone was so friendly and accomodating! christian was such a huge help and the whole experience was just beautiful. the water and the dolphins made it memorablr. so glad we booked this! if youre in the area and you dont, youll regret it!!!

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Hi Taylor, thank you for the 5 star review! We are so happy to hear that you enjoyed your cruise with us! We hope you'll come back to visit us soon!

Great Time

Andrea_R, Apr 2024

The crew is great! You always have a great time on board. This was our second time and our daughters loved it! They were able to see dolphins, and starfishes! Super relax trip! Very recommendable!

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Thank you for the 5 star review Andrea! We are so happy to hear that you had a great time with our Island Time crew! Come back and see us soon!

Nice people but disappointing

Deb_F, Apr 2024

The crew was very nice. The boat was nice. There were not enough seats on the boat up top so we had to sit below. The view from the opening (for an hour each way) was a line of people’s behinds who actually got seats up top or the side view was legs as people walked back and forth. The snorkeling spot we went to had almost nothing to see and there was not enough time to snorkel and go to Shell island (which really didn’t have many shells anyway). 2 hours was spent just getting there and back. Saw a few dolphins in the distance which was really cool. Sorry but this was so disappointing and not worth the money

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Hey there! Thank you so much for taking the time to give us your feedback on the trip. We appreciate good and sometimes not-so-good reviews, they help us to improve and make things better for the future! We sincerely apologize that you did not have a good time on our cruise. Normally, everybody has an amazing time!! Especially with the crew that you guys had, they are the absolute best. We would love to make this right for you. Please call or email us @ islandtimepcb@gmail.com so we can talk more about your experience. Thank you!

Great day at Shell Island

Amy_D, Apr 2024

Great crew, lots of dolphins and plenty of room on the boat to seat everyone. Overall good value if you want a day out on the water!

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Thank you for the 5 star review Amy! We are so happy you had a great day on the water with our crew! We hope you'll come back to see us soon!

Highly recommend. Great entertainment for a good price.

Denice_S, Apr 2024

We saw probably 10 Dauphins and also a Shark. The guides were super nice guys. The beer was super cold . Very smooth ride so no concerns of seasickness.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Thank you for the 5 star review Denice! We are so happy you had a great time with our crew and got to see dolphins! Come back and see us soon!

great day

Ashley_W, Apr 2024

Everything was amazing!! we had the perfect day. nice staff. great weather. the paddle board was a big hit for my teenager. the sais out when heading back to dock was beautiful

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Hi Ashley, thank you for the 5 star review! We are so happy you had the perfect day with us! We can't wait for your next visit!

10/10 GREAT EXPERIENCE

Diana_M, Apr 2024

First things first, Beware of the Rum Punch it will come back and punch you in the face! 😜 Experience was a 10/10! We had a great time on the boat, we were able to see dolphins and we stopped at Shell island! Loved how calm the water was. We did go to the Gulf side but the waves were a little rough for my little one so we made our way back to the Shell island side to snorkel in the calm water. The bartender Emma was great vibes and the captain Heath is Hot! We will be back, I'm going to bring my mother for mother's day ! I'm Already planning my next trip coming down from Georgia 🐬😁 We will see y'all soon!

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Hi Diana, thank you for the 5 star review! We are thrilled you had a great experience with our crew and we hope you'll come back to visit us soon!

Fun in the sun

Nick_P, Apr 2024

Great crew! Fun time. Great price. We found the snorkeling near the boat to be the best part. We saw sand dollars, starfish and other things

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Hi Nick, thank you for the 5 star review! We are so happy you had a great time with our crew and enjoyed snorkeling! We look forward to your next visit!

Great time

Jacqui_B, Mar 2024

Had a wonderful time. The captain and team was great. All the good events we all could choose from made it fun for whole family.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Thank you so much for the 5 star review! We are so happy you had a great time and can't wait for your next visit!

Great time with island time

Christina_F, Mar 2024

We had an amazing time with Island time. We saw dolphins, hung out on shell island and enjoyed some Rum Punch. I definitely recommend.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Thank you for the 5 star review Christine! We are glad that you had a great time on Island Time! We hope you'll come back to visit us soon!

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