I Took Fury’s Key West Snorkel Tour Twice — Was It Worth It?

If you’re considering booking a snorkel tour in Key West, you may be wondering how much marine life you’ll actually see—and whether joining a larger group tour will still feel worth the money.

During our Fourth of July weekend in Key West, my friends and I booked the Double Dip Snorkel Tour with Fury Water Adventures. We actually enjoyed the experience enough to take the same tour two days in a row, which gave us the chance to visit four different snorkeling locations and compare what the tour felt like with different group sizes.

The short answer: snorkeling in Key West was absolutely worth it. We saw tons of colorful fish, coral, reef sharks, and even a large school of fish I hadn’t seen before. However, the boat can feel crowded when the tour is sold out, so travelers who prefer a quieter or more personalized experience may want to compare this tour with smaller-group options.

In this Fury Adventures snorkel tour review, I’ll walk you through exactly what to expect, what is included, what I would do differently, and whether I think the Double Dip Snorkel Tour is worth booking.

Quick verdict:
Fury Water Adventures’ Double Dip Snorkel Tour is a well-organized, beginner-friendly way to experience Key West’s reef and marine life without taking up your entire day. The variety of colorful fish and coral was easily the highlight, but the larger boat may feel crowded during busy travel periods.

What to Expect on Fury’s Double Dip Snorkel Tour in Key West

Booking, Check-In, and Where to Meet

We visited Key West over Fourth of July weekend and booked our spots on the Double Dip Snorkel Tour about a month in advance. Booking online was straightforward once we decided which of Fury Water Adventures’ snorkeling tours fit our plans best.

After booking, we received an email with liability waivers that needed to be completed before arriving for the tour.

On the day of the tour, we headed to the meeting point — a booth across the street from Kermit’s Key Lime Shoppe — about an hour before our scheduled departure. There is a small paid parking lot next to the check-in kiosk, but you will most likely need to find street parking nearby.

Once you find parking, check-in is quick and straightforward. You’ll receive a colored card based on the tour you selected and then wait near the dock until the captain calls your group to board.

One thing to note: there isn’t much shade around the dock. Bring sun protection or pop into one of the nearby shops while you wait — just don’t wander too far and miss boarding!

What the Double Dip Snorkel Tour Is Actually Like

The experience begins with a quick greeting and safety briefing from the captain. The crew collects your colored check-in card as you board, and you’ll be asked to remove your shoes as you get on the boat.

Snorkeling equipment is provided for anyone who doesn’t bring their own.

As the captain heads toward the first snorkeling location, the First Mate shares additional safety information and explains what to expect once you enter the water. After that, you can relax and enjoy the ride. This is also a good time to apply the reef-safe sunscreen available onboard and drink some water — the Florida sun is strong!

The exact snorkeling locations change depending on the day’s weather and water conditions. At each stop, the crew explains where it is safe to swim and tells everyone when they need to return to the boat.

We took the Double Dip Snorkel Tour two days in a row, which meant we visited four different snorkeling locations. Each site offered something slightly different. Across the two tours, we saw reef sharks, coral, large tropical fish, tons of smaller colorful fish, and a huge school of tarpon swimming together.

The boat carried around 45 guests during our sold out first tour. On the second day, there were closer to 30 people onboard, and I found that experience noticeably more enjoyable.

Even on the full tour, I was usually able to swim away from the main group. However, there were moments when I wished the group were smaller. I spotted reef sharks twice, for example, but both quickly swam away once more swimmers approached.

After the first snorkeling stop, water, soda, beer, and wine are available onboard. Guests who plan to snorkel at the second location need to wait until after they finish swimming before having an alcoholic drink.

The second stop follows the same general process as the first. A horn lets everyone know when it’s time to return to the boat. We had approximately 45 minutes at each snorkeling location, and the entire tour lasted around three hours.

Once we were back on land, my friends and I decided to stop at Kermit’s Key Lime Shoppe across the street for key lime ice cream — it’s not part of the tour, but was a refreshing way to end the afternoon!

The Best Parts of Our Key West Snorkeling Experience

I was genuinely impressed by how much marine life we saw. That was easily the highlight of the entire experience.

I’ve been fortunate enough to snorkel and dive in some incredible parts of the world, and I wasn’t sure how Key West would compare with destinations like Indonesia. I’ve also taken snorkeling and diving tours in other parts of the Caribbean that didn’t particularly impress me.

Key West exceeded my expectations.

We saw so many colorful fish, including several varieties I hadn’t encountered before. Based on the amount and variety of marine life alone, I would absolutely recommend including a snorkeling tour in your Key West itinerary.

I also loved cruising to and from the snorkeling sites and watching the bright blue water around us. On the second day, I realized guests were allowed to sit on the upper deck near the captain, and the views from that higher vantage point were amazing.

A Few Things I’d Change About the Double Dip Tour

Overall, I thought the Double Dip Snorkel Tour was very good, and I would book the same tour again. However, there are two limitations that could affect which Key West snorkel tour is best for you.

The Tour Can Feel Crowded

Our first tour was sold out, with approximately 45 people onboard, and it felt crowded to me. The second day’s tour had closer to 30 guests and felt noticeably more relaxed. If you’re curious what this looks like, the earlier photo showing the boat seating was taken during our less full tour.

Unfortunately, there isn’t an easy way to know how full your specific tour will be. If you’re visiting during a busy period—like Fourth of July weekend—and have room in your budget, it may be worth comparing this tour with a small-group or private snorkeling tour.

The larger group didn’t prevent me from enjoying the experience, but it did occasionally make it harder to get away from other swimmers. I also think the added movement and noise may have caused some of the larger marine life to swim away more quickly.

This Is Not a Guided Snorkel

The crew does a great job explaining the boundaries of each snorkeling location and making sure everyone understands the safety instructions. However, a guide does not swim through the reef with the group and point out marine life.

I generally don’t mind exploring independently while snorkeling because I enjoy swimming slowly at the surface and spotting things for myself. However, I appreciate having a guide during scuba dives because I don’t always notice the most interesting marine life on my own.

Travelers who want someone in the water actively pointing out fish and coral may prefer a guided snorkeling experience.

My take: Choose this tour for the marine life and convenient two-stop itinerary — not for a private or guided experience.

The abundant marine life was easily the highlight of this experience. If that is what you are hoping to see, you can check current Double Dip Snorkel Tour availability and ticket prices here.

What to Know Before Booking This Key West Snorkel Tour

What Is Included and What Costs Extra

Sometimes it can be difficult to determine exactly what one tour includes compared with another. Fortunately, the inclusions for Fury Water Adventures’ Double Dip Snorkel Tour are straightforward.

Your booking includes:

• Approximately 45 minutes at each of two snorkeling locations
• Snorkel equipment, including fins, a mask, snorkel, and flotation vest
• Water, soda, beer, and wine onboard
• Reef-safe sunscreen
• Safety instructions from the crew

The tour has one standard booking option, so you don’t need to compare different ticket tiers.

You should plan separately for:

• Transportation to and from the Greene Street check-in booth
• Parking near the departure point
• Snacks or a small meal
• Gratuities for the crew, which can be paid by cash or Venmo

How Long Fury’s Double Dip Snorkel Tour Takes

One thing I loved about this Double Dip Key West snorkel tour was how much the experience packed into a relatively short period.

The tour lasted the advertised three hours on both days. Approximately an hour and a half was spent snorkeling, while the remaining time was used to travel between the dock and the two reef locations.

However, I recommend setting aside closer to four hours in your itinerary. Finding street parking can take time, and you’ll want to arrive early enough to check in without feeling rushed.

Even after accounting for check-in and parking, we still had plenty of time later in the day to walk along Duval Street and watch the Fourth of July fireworks.

What to Bring and What to Wear

Bring:

• A photo ID for check-in
• A bathing suit
• A towel
• Sunglasses
• Shoes that are easy to remove
• Cash or Venmo for gratuities

You may also want:

• A GoPro or waterproof action camera
• A change of clothes
• A small snack
• Motion-sickness medication if you are prone to seasickness
• A dry bag or waterproof phone pouch

There are two small bathrooms onboard if you want to change clothes.

Fury Water Adventures provides snorkeling equipment, drinking water, other beverages, and reef-safe sunscreen. You don’t need to bring your own gear unless you prefer using it.

Who This Tour Is Best For and Who Should Skip

This tour works well for several different types of travelers. We saw couples, families, and groups of friends onboard.

Although I didn’t notice any solo travelers during our departures, I frequently travel solo and think this would still be an easy activity to join alone. You don’t need to arrive with your own group to participate or enjoy the experience. In fact, there were several times when I swam off on my own because I was following a fun fish!

The three-hour schedule also makes the tour convenient for travelers with limited time. Several guests were visiting Key West during a cruise port stop, and Fury offered multiple departure times throughout the day.

Our groups included both first-time snorkelers and people with previous experience. I think the tour works well for most experience levels, provided you are able to swim and to follow the crew’s safety instructions.

This tour is a particularly good fit for:

• First-time or casual snorkelers
• Couples, families, and groups of friends
• Cruise passengers or travelers with limited time
• Anyone who wants to visit two reef locations in one outing
• Travelers who don’t own snorkeling equipment

You may prefer another option if:

• You want a quiet, private experience
• You want a guide in the water pointing out marine life
• You would rather combine snorkeling with kayaking or other activities

Is the Fury Adventures Double Dip Key West Snorkel Tour Worth it?

Yes — I think the Fury Double Dip Snorkel Tour is worth booking for travelers who want an easy, well-organized introduction to snorkeling in Key West.

The strongest reason to book this tour is the marine life. We saw an impressive variety of colorful fish and coral across four snorkeling sites, and the two-stop format gave us more opportunities to explore than a tour visiting only one part of the reef.

The main drawback is the potential group size. Our sold-out tour with approximately 45 guests felt crowded, while our second departure with around 30 people was much more comfortable. Travelers who strongly value quiet or personalized guidance may be happier paying more for a smaller tour.

Personally, I would book this tour again — and technically, I already did! I enjoyed our first trip enough to return the following day.

With a larger budget, I would consider a small-group or private tour for a quieter experience. I would also choose a different excursion if I wanted a full-day adventure that included activities like kayaking. Otherwise, I was very happy with Fury’s Double Dip tour and think it offers a fun, convenient way to experience snorkeling in Key West.

Ready to see the reef for yourself? Check current Fury Double Dip Snorkel Tour times, availability, and pricing here.