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Small Group 2 Hour Dolphin Cruise with Snorkeling to Shell Key

Badge of ExcellenceSt Petersburg, USA

From $64.95

Select Date and Travelers

up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)

2 hours (approx.)
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

Look for dolphins around Boca Ciega Bay in St. Pete Beach on a cruise in the Tampa Bay Area. Continue into the Gulf of Mexico to visit Shell Key island, a wildlife preserve where you can snorkel, swim, or collect shells on the beach. Depending on the season, you might spot dolphins, manatees, rays, and a variety of seabirds. This family-friendly tour offers both a late morning and afternoon departure, making it easy to suit your schedule.

Head out on a dolphin watching cruise from St. Pete Beach
See local wildlife like rays, seabirds, and manatees
Choose from multiple departure times to fit your schedule
Snorkeling equipment and bottled water are included

What's Included

Bottled water
Use of Snorkeling equipment
Parking at the marina
Cooler with ice on board
FREE parking at the Tierra Verde Marina Resort
BYOB welcome

Food, unless specified
Gratuities

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

Tierra Verde Marina Resort
200 Madonna Blvd, Tierra Verde, FL 33715, USA
We depart from the Tierra Verde Marina Resort, located at 198 Madonna Blvd next to the Island Grille Restaurant, and the Residence Inn Marriot. Please report to the Check-In area at the Island Ferry sign.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Make your own way to the marina at St. Pete Beach to meet the crew and board your boat.

Set out for Boca Ciega Bay where you are likely to see dolphins and, occasionally, manatees feeding near shallow sandbars. Observe the remarkable animals in their natural habitat for a memorable experience of Florida’s wildlife.

Continue to the waters of the Gulf of Mexico to visit Shell Key Island Wildlife Preserve, which includes a picturesque white sand beach with many seashells. Spend time at Shell Key Island and snorkel from the beach in shallow water. During the warmer seasons, you might spot rays and manatees there.

Your tour ends with return to the marina.

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
You must check in 30 minutes prior to your departure time. All trips leave promptly at their departure time
Not wheelchair accessible
A minimum of 2 people per booking is required

Stroller accessible
Service animals allowed
Most travelers can participate
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 6 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

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Q:Can I bring an infant on the boat during the Shared 2 Hours Dolphin Watch Cruise with Snorkeling to Shell Key?

A:Yes! Children of all ages are welcome on board! Due to capacity on the boat, all guests pay the same rate, regardless of age.

Mar 2021

Q:What type of boat is used for the Shared 2 Hours Dolphin Watch Cruise with Snorkeling to Shell Key?

A:We use 25-foot luxury pontoon boats with cushioned seating, cup holders, and lounge tables. These boats are fitted with the most advanced hull designs available for a safe, stable & comfortable ride in a wide variety of surf conditions.

Mar 2021

Q:Are there restrooms on board the boat during the Shared 2 Hours Dolphin Watch Cruise with Snorkeling to Shell Key?

A:There are no restrooms onboard, however, there are facilities at the Marina for use before and after the tour.

Mar 2021

Q:Can I bring my own food/drinks on the Shared 2 Hours Dolphin Watch Cruise with Snorkeling to Shell Key?

A:Yes - We provide bottled water, however, you may bring your own food and or drinks. Alcoholic beverages are welcome on board as well. We also have a cooler with ice onboard that you may use.

Mar 2021

Q:Are we able to swim with the dolphins during the Shared 2 Hours Dolphin Watch Cruise with Snorkeling to Shell Key?

A:No - this is not a "Swimming with Dolphins" experience. Contact with dolphins and manatees is strictly prohibited.

Mar 2021

Q:What should I bring with me on the Shared 2 Hours Dolphin Watch Cruise with Snorkeling to Shell Key?

A:Bring your swimsuit and towel. We also recommend sunscreen, a hat, and a camera.

Mar 2021

Q:Is there parking near the departure point for the Shared 2 Hours Dolphin Watch Cruise with Snorkeling to Shell Key?

A:Yes, there is free parking available at the Tierra Verde Marina Resort.

Mar 2021

Traveler Photos

Featured review

Rachel_B

This was the highlight of our week in Florida. I was a little nervous planning this with my kids because there is always something you can’t plan for. But our guide was AMAZING. He went above and beyond what we expected. He was easy going and full of information. He never tired of my kids questions. He salted the cove we snorkeled on with sand dollars while the kids weren’t looking so they’d have treasures to find. After my kids collected 11 million shells (not really, but it for sure felt that way), he even had a bag for them to carry them all home in. We saw dolphins, manta rays, conch snails, live sand-dollars, lots of fish, and a few sea turtle nests. The boat ride was beautiful and relaxing. 10/10 definitely recommend. My 11 yr old said it was the best day of his life.

Reviews

5.0

1,219 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 1,219 reviews

Relax and enjoy.. dolphins for the bonus

Chris_C, May 2024

The whole experience was great!! Easy parking and getting to the marina. Our captain Noel was great!!! He explained a lot of the area and a lot about the fish or wild life. We were able to see dolphins in a few different spots. Unfortunately no manatee, but it was fun going to shell island and looking around. Overall, great experience, would definitely do it again.

Great experience with Captain Justice

Richard_K, May 2024

Captain Justice was a fabulous guide. He made our experience great! We got to see a wide variety of wildlife and add to our collection of native shells. Could not have asked for more!

It was fun

dani_p, May 2024

Shell Island was really nice. Beautiful day. Only saw a few dolphins. Wish we had more beach time to snorkel.

Captains Justice and Dave...

Johanna_C, May 2024

Captains Justice and Dave were terrific. Very professional and personable all at the same time. The water was choppy that day, but the ride was much smoother than you would expect. The other people on the boat with us were repeat customers, so that shows you how good they are. Loved it!!!

Great afternoon spotting wildlife

Laura_M, May 2024

Amazing afternoon, just 4 of us on this trip. Captain Roger was a gent and fountain of knowledge on the area, it's wildlife and habitats. Saw dolphins, spotted rays and pelicans. Would love to do it again.

Just ok.

Paula_S, Apr 2024

It really wasn’t a great experience we had fun trying to get the dolphins to play in our wake but we were brought to snorkel in water that was cloudy and nothing much to see. Put a bucket of snorkel gear out without explanation for ppl that never snorkeled before I had to help them. Just ok experience. Too costly just to see dolphins. I can see them from the beach.

Fun, Sun, Sea Life and Relaxation

Anita_N, Apr 2024

What a wonderful way to spend a couple of hours. Wonderful weather, great commentary and truly enjoyed the Captain of our boat

Best tri

Mary_H, Apr 2024

This was without a doubt a fabulous experience! Noel, our captain, was knowledgeable and very accommodating. We saw manatees, a sea turtle, dolphins and many bird species. Best trip!

Great way to spend an afternoon!

Mary_B, Apr 2024

My family of 6, including 4 teens, had a fabulous time on our boat ride! We couldn’t believe how many dolphins we saw. They were very active the day we were out. The small island we went to for shells was just the perfect size and our girls were excited about their finds. Our tour guide was friendly and informative. It was overall a really great way to spend an afternoon!

Shell Key preserve tour.

Akshay_K, Mar 2024

The shell key preserve was amazing. The kids had lot of fun walking in water and picking up shells and conks! The 2 hour trip is an amazing experience for the whole family! Captain Noel was very knowledgeable and friendly! Would love to visit again.

Captain Noel was great...

Madison_K, Mar 2024

Captain Noel was great with explaining different things, as well as finding us as many dolphins as possible! We had an absolutely amazing time, and would recommend to everyone.

Perfect afternoon!

melissanelson3, Mar 2024

The tour was both relaxing & exciting, and our tour guide Nole was knowledgeable & friendly. Would do it again!

Great experience

Jennifer_F, Mar 2024

Captain Roger was friendly, knowledgeable, and full of interesting stories. He was able to get the dolphins to come play with us, which was a highlight! The boat was super comfy and it was a fun way to spend part of the day!

Great tour

molly_g, Mar 2024

Capt. Justice was personable and made sure we had a great time. Kids really enjoyed she'll island snorkeling.

Great excursion

Barbara_P, Mar 2024

Captain Dalton was interesting, shared a lot of information, and was able to get dolphins to jump in the wake of the boat. So much fun!!!!

Cancellation not understood

Bruno_M, Feb 2024

Due to the bad weather, we took the initiative to ask the company to reschedule our dolphin cruise from a very rainy sunday to the very next monday, which was not so easy to organise for us but ok. And then, on the very sunny and wind free monday morning, the cruise was cancelled due to "weather conditions" : we were not called : we were just waiting at the harbor, looking at the others cruises going to the sea....it was difficult to explain to the kids. Indeed, we discovered afterwards that an automatic email was sent 2 hours before, and received in the spams.

Response from Host, Feb 2024

Bruno you left out half of the story. First, it was not easy for you to to reschedule your Sunday tour because you had no working phone or text. There was no means of calling or texting you. So you had to involve the hotel's front desk to make the arrangements for you. And we accommodated you immediately when they contacted us. The inconvenience was your own because you came to this country without a working phone. The following Monday was a sunny day, but with high winds and heavy seas; 6 foot high seas to be exact. The US Coast Guard issued an advisory because of the dangerous conditions, and we sent you an email through Viator more than 2 hours prior. That was the only means to reach you at that time. You left that part out of your review. You are also not being honest because there were *no* other charter boats going out from our marina. Because *we* are the only charter boats at the marina. Of course, I'm sure if we took you and your family out in those dangerous conditions you would have still given us a poor review for putting your family at risk. It's too bad you can't appreciate that we put your well-being and the safety of your family as a priority, rather than taking your money. You also failed to mention in your review that you were refunded in full. I guess that part slipped your mind as well. Safe travels, Sebastian.

Memory maker!

Ericka_R, Feb 2024

Captain was great, took his time to share some stories w us and found a couple of pods of dolphins. Didn't rush us when we were having fun. 10/10 would recommend, good for couples, families etc.

Dolphins and Island Time!

Ellen_M, Feb 2024

Our Captain was friendly and knowledgeable. He shared interesting facts about the ecology of the area, as well as native fish, and bird species. We saw quite a few dolphins and even had several swim in the boat's wake. The water was chilly, so we opted to explore Shell Island in lieu of snorkeling. All in all, a wonderful experience.

Perfect private tour

Elisa_B, Jan 2024

The captain made sure we were all comfortable and had everything we needed for our trip. We saw two dolphins and then had plenty of time to search for seashells and snorkel on the beach

Fun and informative short trip.

nsticca07, Dec 2023

Dalton shared some great facts about the coast and local area. We saw very few dolphins on our visit but he tried up until the last few mins to capture some sighting. It was unfortunately too cold to snorkel on our visit. Our kids had lots of fun.

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