Fury Dolphin Snorkel Cruise in Key West: 3 Hours, Dolphins and a Backcountry Reef

Fury Water Adventures

Dolphin Watching and Snorkeling Eco Cruise Tour

★ 4.6 (871) · from $73

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Prices and timetables checked 2026-10-17. Affiliate note: I earn a commission on bookings made through the links on this page.

The Fury dolphin snorkel cruise is a shared 3-hour trip from Old Town Key West on a 45-foot power catamaran run by Fury Water Adventures. You look for bottlenose dolphins, then snorkel a shallow backcountry site, and finish with drinks on the ride home.

The detail that changes the decision is the sunset option. The listing sells a late afternoon departure with a sunset, but the operator's own page says the sunset version runs only from March to August. From September to February I would plan on a daytime trip and treat any sunset as a bonus.

Below I cover the pier, timings, the order of the trip, what is on board, and how it compares with the other options on my Key West boat tours list. Other ports are on the Harbour Advisor home page.

What do you get on the Fury dolphin snorkel cruise?

You get three activities in one ticket: a guided dolphin search, a guided snorkel stop with gear and instruction, and a drinks run back to the dock. The guides explain dolphin behaviour and the local ecosystem, so it works as a wildlife talk as much as a boat ride.

1. Check-in at the Greene Street kiosk. You sign a waiver and show photo ID before boarding.
2. Dolphin search. The captain heads for waters where bottlenose dolphins feed and holds the boat at a respectful distance.
3. Backcountry snorkel. You get a mask-and-fins set, a briefing, and time over shallow corals, sponges and sea fans.
4. Drinks on the return. Beer, wine and soft drinks come out once everyone is dry.

The listing names stingrays, juvenile fish and sea fans as the snorkel highlights. Treat those as the usual cast, not a promise; the site is the captain's call on the day.

Where does the Fury dolphin snorkel cruise leave from?

The trip leaves from the Fury kiosk on Greene Street, next to the Conch Republic Seafood Company restaurant. Fury has no parking of its own, so every car space downtown is paid public parking.

Open the meeting point before you leave the hotel, because Fury runs several kiosks along this waterfront. This is not the Opal Key Marina booth used by the reef snorkel trip on my Fury reef snorkel page.

How long is the trip and when does it sail?

The trip takes 3 hours, and the operator lists two daily slots at 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM with check-in at 9:30 AM and 1:30 PM. The GetYourGuide listing does not print times, so confirm them on the booking calendar.

A 5 PM departure appears in one reviewer's account from August, which fits the March to August sunset option on the operator's page. Three hours after 5 PM is about 8 PM, close to the 8:02 PM sunset on 15 August.

The 2:00 PM slot returns around 5:00 PM, so in October the boat is back two hours before sunset. If a sunset matters, book the sunset version only for March to August, or choose a dedicated evening boat from my Key West sunset cruises.

What happens on the water, stop by stop?

The route has two working stops, the dolphin area and the snorkel site, with transit time on either side. The listing gives no minute-by-minute split, so the table shows the order and what each block is for.

The listing sends you to the shallow backcountry of the Key West Wildlife Refuge. Shallow water means easy swimming but less to see than an outer reef trip; the listing itself shows a 4.8/5 guide rating and a lower 4.4/5 value-for-money score.

3,800 square miles of Florida Keys waters are covered by the national marine sanctuary, home to more than 6,000 animal species.

What is on board and what costs extra?

Included in the ticket are the cruise, snorkel gear, a guide, water, soda, and beer, wine or champagne. Gratuity and towels are not included, and groups of 8 or more pay an automatic 10% service fee at check-in.

• Included: snorkel gear and instruction, a guide, water, soda, beer or wine after snorkeling.
• Extra: a tip for the crew, a towel if you do not bring one, paid parking downtown.
• Bring: swimwear, towel, a card for the group fee, and photo ID or a copy.
• Not allowed: strollers, drones, glass, coolers and anyone intoxicated.

Anyone 14 or younger needs an adult (18+) with ID alongside for the whole trip, and every passenger needs a ticket. Alcohol is served only to guests 21 and over with photo ID.

How does it compare with other Key West dolphin and snorkel trips?

This is the mid-priced dolphin-and-snorkel combo, cheaper than the evening version from Sunset Watersports and more expensive than Sebago's short dolphin sail. The table lines up the closest rivals by price per person and length.

For a straight snorkel with a bar and no dolphin search, the Fury reef snorkel with drinks costs $24 less and goes to the outer reef. For dolphins without a swim, Sebago's afternoon catamaran dolphin sail is $23 cheaper and half an hour shorter. All three sit on my Key West dolphin watching and snorkeling tour pages.

Is the Fury dolphin snorkel cruise worth it against the other Key West boats?

Yes, if you want dolphins and a swim in one afternoon and are fine with a shallow site. At $24.33 an hour it undercuts the $30.00 median, and its 4.6/5 from 871 reviews is the highest of the three dolphin trips I list.

1. Best for first-time snorkelers - shallow water, gear briefing and a guide in the water.
2. Best for dolphin focus - the operator says it holds a NOAA Dolphin SMART designation and watches dolphins from a distance.
3. Weak spot - the snorkel site; GetYourGuide's own review summary says some travelers found it underwhelming.

I have not been on board, so this rests on the listing, the operator's page and the review sample, not a personal verdict. NOAA's viewing guidance sets the baseline: keep at least 50 yards away from dolphins when watching from a boat, and never feed them.

When is the best time to go?

The best months are March to May, when rain days are lowest, highs sit near 75 to 82 degrees F and the sunset option is offered. Summer is hotter and wetter, with 15 to 19 rain days a month from June to October.

The Open-Meteo figures are daily highs and rain days with 1 mm or more, averaged over 2015 to 2024. Check the live forecast from the National Weather Service Key West on the day, because sea state and wind decide whether the captain reaches the snorkel site.

• March to May: driest stretch, 4.3 to 10.8 rain days, sunset option available.
• June to September: warm water, 15 to 19 rain days, mostly short showers.
• December to February: cooler, 70 to 76 degrees F highs, daytime departures only.

What do passengers say?

In the 20 reviews I read, all were 5/5, so the sample is positive-only and the pattern matters more than the score. Crew and guides came up in 15 of the 20 reviews and dolphins in 12, with 10 mentioning the snorkel stop.

• Crew: 15 of 20 reviews name the guides as the highlight.
• Dolphins: 12 of 20 report sightings, one of them within minutes of leaving the dock.
• Marine life: 6 of 20 mention rays, sharks or turtles on the snorkel stop.
• Drinks: 3 of 20 mention a mimosa or beer on the way back.
• Miss: one reviewer's sunset slot did not work out, and GetYourGuide's summary notes some snorkeling complaints.

Who should skip the Fury dolphin snorkel cruise?

Skip it if you cannot swim, want a guaranteed dolphin sighting, or are booking mainly for a sunset outside March to August. The listing states that sightings are not guaranteed.

• Non-swimmers: the gear needs swimming ability, so choose a no-swim boat such as the Sunset Watersports open bar sail.
• Big groups: 8 or more trigger the 10% service fee.
• Light packers: no coolers or glass, and you need cash or a card for the fee.

The wider list of alternatives is on my Key West boat tours hub.

How do you book the Fury dolphin snorkel cruise?

Pick the slot first: the 10:00 AM or 2:00 PM daytime sailing, or the sunset version from March to August. Reserve ahead on holiday weekends.

Frequently asked questions

Sources: Fury Water Adventures dolphin watch page (times, price range, Dolphin SMART, sunset season); GetYourGuide listing 74152 (checked 2026-10-17); NOAA Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary; NOAA Fisheries marine life viewing guidelines (50 yards, no feeding); National Weather Service Key West; Open-Meteo archive API (climate); sunrise-sunset.org (sunset); Nager.Date (US holidays); OSRM on OpenStreetMap (walking times).