Best day on our tour!!!! It was so incredible to see reefs that were so alive!!! I've snorkeled in a lot of places around the world and this was the second best place!!!!! Immediately when we got in the water there were TONS of fish! I had a magical moment with a spotted eagle ray. There were tons of barracuda. My only complaint........ I didn't get to see the 6-7ft hammerhead that some other ppl on the boat saw. I realllllly wanted to see some sharks. 10 outta 10 for the tour, 1 outta ten for my wanna be shark experience, 20 outta 10 for free the dolphin cruise lol!!!! read more

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The snorkeling tour was booked last minute and we joined an amazing team including Lee and Captain Stetson! I got stung by a mantowar and they knew what to do immediately. They're so fun and it was a great experience! I will be coming back!! read more

Starfish Marathon Snorkeling Tours - The best Snorkeling tour! Ask for Lee and captain Stetson. They're amazing and we had a great and fun time - Snorkeling Near Me - Marathon, Florida

Excellent snorkel service. Masks with corrective lenses available to rent for a reasonable additional fee. They take you to a great location. Way more colorful and plentiful fish and coral than the time I went snorkeling in Hawaii. read more

Booked a bay side snorkel on a whim because the wind was too strong for a snorkel trip to the reef (with another company). We were so glad they had something available on this windy day because no other companies offered anything else. Lee and captain Stetson were kind and knowledgeable and I could tell they cared about everyone's safety and experience. read more

We booked a snorkel trip two months in advance. They canceled two hours prior to departure due to "insufficient bookings". If you're planning a vacation, do not use Starfish Snorkeling! read more

Booked a morning trip with them 3 days ahead of time. They called me the night before at 6:30 and told me the boat I booked is full and I can't do that tour. The entire phone call the lady gave me attitude as well. Very unprofessional all around read more

Meghan and the captain were great! Ready for everything and super companionate to customers that were seasick. read more

Starfish Marathon Snorkeling Tours - Sombrero light house in Marathon, Florida! - Snorkeling Near Me - Marathon, Florida

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The team that took us out were not very professional or helpful during the time on the reef. And we felt the tight area restrictions (we could only go halfway to the lighthouse and the last time we were here we saw some great stuff in that "forbidden" space). Treated us like children. And the owner this boat must be a piece of work--we were told even water was $6 because "the owner" set that price. And no shoes on deck because "the owner" says so. How ridiculous. I would not recommend this company. There are several more professional companies who let you explore the reef and who allow you to wear your flip flops on the filthy boat deck! Also, the stuff they gave us to use to clear our masks was complete bogus, my mask was smeared the entire time I was on the reef in our little confined area. There are many reputable companies to choose from. Make a better choice than this place. read more

Fantastic, knowledgeable, and caring guides on a somewhat choppy day. Also took extra time at the end of the tour to stop to watch sea turtles and dolphins in the harbor. The experience of snorkeling and swimming with my wife and family could've not been improved with better conditions - which no one has control over! Give this place a try? read more

Starfish cancelled our tour for 7/22/24. They cited they were taking people out for lobster season ( which started 7/24/24 not the 22nd). Which I assume they got a more lucrative offer of fisherman that wanted the boat. The person that my sister spoke to was very rude and told her she should have been more conscientious of the seasons in the Keys......well since they operate in the Keys maybe not take a booking that was close to Lobster season? I recommend Dive Tildens, we stopped there after our tour was cancelled and even though we couldn't find a time that worked for us to go out the staff was so nice and knowledgeable. read more

Easy to book, informative and accurate website, easy to check in. Crew Stetson and Megan were friendly, capable, and competent. It was clear they wanted us to have a good time - and we did even with rolling wave conditions! Definitely recommend. read more

Starfish Marathon Snorkeling Tours - Snorkeling Near Me - Marathon, Florida

Cancelled a tour we had booked for months at the last minute due to not having enough people. Didn't leave us enough time or give us any forewarning to book at another place. They were not very nice on the phone any time I spoke to them either. Would not recommend. read more

Due to windy conditions, the guide suggested we go to an alternative location instead of the coral reef we signed up for. The guide originally said he was going to give us the option of going to the original cove but then proceeded to not give us an option and take us to the "alternate location." This alternate location was basically a sand bar with no coral and very few fish to see. It was murky and like 3 feet in depth. I feel as though the guide took advantage of the fact that none of us had been snorkeling in this location before and implied that the alternative location would still be really neat when in reality it was the worst snorkeling place I have ever been. Everyone was back on the boat in an hour because there was nothing to see. We called about getting a refund or a voucher for a different day and they claimed they were unable to do that for us. I'm sure the original cove is beautiful but unfortunately I was not able to see it and never will as I refuse to book with this company ever again. They need to be up front about what this "alternative location" actually is and offer refunds to those who do not wish to go there. read more

You will have a great time on Starfish. We saw tons of fish at Sombrero Reef, more species than I have ever seen , conservatively 25+ species.....schools of species. Amazing. My daughter and I had a great time today with Starfish. They got us out to the reef even though it w as a little windy and a challenging day. The couldn't have been more professional and amazing. Thanks guys!! Vacations are really hard to put together and you really made ours special. It was super fun. Great communication before hand, clear instructions and timely departure, all while having a laid back ...good time. No stress, no fuss. Awesome. read more

Captain and crew were awesome! They took us to the best spot on the reef, and we saw so many fish! We even saw a huge sea turtle. This company is family friendly and I would 100% come back to do business with them again! read more

Starfish Marathon Snorkeling Tours - Sea turtle - Snorkeling Near Me - Marathon, Florida

Starfish should have cancelled our snorkeling trip. It was vey windy and not enjoyable for our family that has snorkeled before many times. I understand some folks would have been disappointed with a last minute cancellation but it would have been nice to give us the option. The captain made it seem like it would be okay and when we arrived at the "snorkeling spot" we suddenly received more details like "10 minutes is enough before you get exhausted ". We are used to snorkeling for hours, not minutes. If you decide to book with these people, please do yourself a favor and do a detailed weather check first. There was even a small craft advisory alert! Shame on us for not doing so and shame on Starfish for wasting our precious time here in the Keys. HUGE waste of money-never again Shout out to Stetson-our first mate, he was great read more

Starfish Marathon Snorkeling Tours - Snorkeling Near Me - Marathon, Florida

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Wind prevented us from going to the reef, standard snorkeling, understandable. They substituted this with an incomparable snorkeling in a dredged cove with very few things to see in murky water. They did not give an opportunity to reschedule for another day or refund us. Guide was nice regardless. read more

This was a great snorkeling trip! Captain John and Hope did a fabulous job. We did the 8am weather was great water was clear. They brought us out to a reef where there were lots of colorful fish. Lots of time and lots of room. You can buy concessions on board including beer. Very laid back and enjoyable read more

First time snorkeling. It was a super-awesome experience. The water was a bit rough and kept drifting away from the boat. Definitely need to be a swimmer if you attempt this Highly recommend Starfish Snorkeling. The crew was very knowledgeable and friendly. read more

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We had a great time on the Starfish snorkeling tour! It was a three hour tour (took about a half hour to get to the reef) that we were thankfully able to book at the last minute. Captain Jeff was awesome and explained the safety measures really well. Sombrero Reef was gorgeous & it was truly a beautiful day. The water is so blue it's unreal. Saw lots of cool fish. Unfortunately the majority of the people on the boat got a bit seasick because the water was pretty rough, but it was still really fun. I would recommend taking some Bonine or Dramamine the night before & then again an hour or so before you go! read more

Starfish Marathon Snorkeling Tours - Fish - Snorkeling Near Me - Marathon, Florida

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We previously took a snorkel tour on the Starfish and had a great time. The captain and crewman were very attentive to guests needs, and we liked how they kept a watchful eye on us while we were out snorkeling. The captain even jumped in the water to assist one of the guest who apparently got caught in a current. On our most recent trip to the Keys, we took a snorkeling cruise with a competitor. The boat was much larger, and they crammed 120 guests on that boat. When we got to the reef, the crew was busy sorting gear and did not watch the 100+ people in the water. That was very scary and uncomfortable. We will avoid these large tour boats in the future and stick with the smaller groups, like the Starfish. It took the experience with the competitor to really appreciate the Starfish and its crew. See you soon! read more

My daughter and I booked a snorkeling trip at 9 AM. It took about 30 minutes to get to Sombrero Reef, and the water was beautiful and very blue. The catamaran is very spacious and not packed, there were only 25 or so people on board. There were a ton of fish by the boat and at the reef. Two people ended throwing up because when the boat was attached to a buoy, it was a bit rocky. Captain Dusty was very funny and entertaining. There isn't an actual freshwater shower on board, its just a bucket, but it was quirky and part of the experience. I would recommend booking a trip through their company! read more

Starfish Marathon Snorkeling Tours - Snorkeling Near Me - Marathon, Florida

Apparently it was too windy at the reef, but we were only told this AFTER departing. As in most water based tours in the Keys and elsewhere, the fine print in the waiver is that it's the Captains choice of location if once they DEPART and feel the water is too rough they get to pick the location. In this case the Captain picked a nearby (save gas = more $) boating channel that was devoid of most marine life and what was there was covered in sediment. If you don't have a good alternative and you know BEFORE you leave the dock that the water is too rough, an ethical company would cancel. An alternative is to let passengers know and give them a choice of a discounted pleasure cruise. However this was not the case for this company. To add salt to the wounds, they are charging a gas surcharge due to current events and than picking a nearby spot. read more

Overall a very bad experience. Water was way too rough to bring people out to sombrero reef. We are very experienced boaters and have snorkeled many times either independently or with a tour..so we know a good tour from a bad one. First, the marina/snorkeling area at the dock is disgraceful. No shade.. Only one dirty bathroom, no place to change. Just awful. The group is instructed to get there half hour early to fill out paperwork and then wait for the boat to load, at this time the captain is getting the boat ready while we are standing in the sun watching. (This would have been a good time to let people know about seasickness maybe even offer some Dramamine for sale..however this was never said.) At no time was it mentioned that the seas were rough and snorkeling was going to be difficult or that seasickness was most likely going to be an issue. We learned that as soon as the boat hit the choppy water of the Atlantic and had a rolling 25 minute ride out to the reef. So instead of giving instructions before leaving or at least while we were under way, the captain waits to gives 20 minutes of instruction once the boat is tethered to a mooring ball causing the boats pitching to worsen and insuring seasickness to set in on most of the passengers. The entire time this captain insisted that this is not rough water and told the boat load of people the seas were 1 foot. Actually...The seas were a constant 3 to 6 foot swell and it was way too difficult to snorkel and certainly way too rough to make people sit in a pitching boat for 2 hours. Our estimate was that at least 75 percent of the people were not enjoying this tour and many asked to leave early. I stayed out in the water clinging to my vest and a pool noodle the entire time.. and I was not alone. Many of us on this 3 hour tour (pun intended) did not snorkel at all ..we were waiting in the ridiculous waves.. unable to snorkel and unable to be on the boat due to the constant roll. Waiting for almost two hours!! Maybe if you have never seen clear water or a tropical fish tank.. you may be conned into thinking this is a good time.. or if you have a lot of experience in rough water.. this is for you .. Otherwise.. This is a tourism boat with people of all ages, shapes and sizes.. not training for deep sea diving or navy seals. read more

Captain Scott and his First Mate Angie were awesome. They went above and beyond to give us a great time! Price was great, snacks, beer and water on board. Captain Scotts safety speeches were very helpful and entertaining. When we went in the water he threw treats in the water around us and the fish swam all round us. Very exciting! This time of year there are 2 types of stinging jellyfish out. Captain Scott kept watch, warned and navigated us around the jellyfish when they came near. On the way out we saw a sea turtle. At the reef we saw so many beautiful fish I could begin to name, lobster and an octopus. On the way back we saw a pod/school of dolphins, including a baby. Captain Scott stopped and even inched closer to them so we could watch. It was an awesome trip! Can't wait to do it again with Starfish! read more

Starfish Marathon Snorkeling Tours - Front of the boat on the ride out. - Snorkeling Near Me - Marathon, Florida

Awesome time!! Our captain Stenson and first mate Hope were great. Now I know you want to know about the fish and coral. When we jumped in we where surrounded my a couple of schools of fish. Magical. The coral popped with colors that waved to us. We will be back. read more

We had an AMAZING time snorkeling with captain Jeff and dez! It was a a wavy day, but they were encouraging and we felt safe. Snorkeling the reef is such an awesome experience and I highly recommend it to anyone who is in the Florida keys! There is nothing like it. So so amazing! read more

Super trip to sombrero reef today. Boat is very clean and roomy. Captain Jeff and Ashley did a great job keeping everyone safe and were so helpful. The reef was beautiful, can't say enough good things about this trip. read more

DO NOT CONTRACT WITH THIS COMPANY. They are supposed to have free cancellation for the first 24 hours. I made a mistake by booking with them and now they do not pick up the phone (they have the answering machine activated), they do not answer on Facebook and the emails do not reach them !! How am I supposed to get in touch with someone like that? The money has been charged from the minute one! read more

Absolutely terrible experience. It was a windy day and we asked the crew if we would be able to go to Sombrero Reef. They were elusive and dodged our questions until we got on the boat. Then they said "unfortunately we can't go to the reef but we are going to pirate's cove instead". I could tell that they were embarrassed when we arrived. Pirates cove was no more than old trash and sand. There was no coral, no fish, absolutely nothing to see and they knew that when they took us there. We went on another snorkel trip later in the week through Robbie's. It was amazing. They said that they cancel their snorkel trips if it's too windy to go out to the reefs. Starfish snorkeling stole our money!!! To make matters worse, the listed price online is $47 per person for the tour. They charged us over $58 per person when I looked at my credit card. They didn't say anything about a price change when we booked. When I called about the credit card charge, she said that they had to raise their prices $2/person for gas. Which still didn't add up. She just kept making excuses and never could explain the upcharge. Save yourself some heartache and go with a different snorkel tour. These guys were dishonest and misleading just to make a buck. There are more reef options up in Islamorada area. Lots of other options in the keys. read more

Starfish = The snorkeling trip from Hell! Our tour on the afternoon of 12/30/20 was a disaster. The boat should not have left the harbor, but greed prevailed. Due to windy/stormy conditions, we went to an "alternate" location (Molassas Key - what a joke) where there was nothing to see in the water except weeds and churned-up sand. The boat lost both anchors, got lines wrapped around the engine propeller, and the captain yelled at the first mate (who almost drowned) and customers during the chaos. The trip was cut short (thankfully), but requests for a refund or rain-check have been ignored from Starfish management. I would never go back to Starfish, and would caution others to avoid them (at the very least - immediately request a refund if your boat is not going to Sombrero Reef / Lighthouse). read more

The weather was not cooperative to go to Sombrero reef so we were told right before boarding that we would be going to Pirates Cove instead. I would have rather been offered a chance for a refund. This was not a great place to snorkel. Crew was nice enough, but I would have rather just snorkeled in the ocean right outside my resort, where I would have seen more. read more

Captain Jeff was amazing. He was very energetic and was great explaining how the trip would go and what to expect in the water! The water visibility on our trip was amazing. We were on the reef for almost 2 hours! Be prepared as you will be with 24 or so people on the boat but they have everything down that you it doesn't feel crowded and didn't have to wait to get in the water or out! Would highly recommend starfish! read more

Starfish Marathon Snorkeling Tours - Snorkeling Near Me - Marathon, Florida

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My boyfriend and I chose to do a last minute snorkeling trip to Sombrero Reef after an issue with our boat rental. We were very pleasantly surprised! It was on a Saturday morning and there was plenty of room on the boat. Our Captain (I wish I could remember her name) and the mate, Maddie were awesome. They were very helpful and kept a watchful eye to make sure everyone was safe and comfortable. You get a good amount of snorkel time on this boat, it only took us about 20-25 minutes to get to the reef. They also have snacks, sodas, waters and beer for sale on the boat (which was very reasonably priced). The reef was absolutely beautiful even though we had a bit of cloud cover. I think that the afternoon tour may have better visibility (sun position) but it was still good during the morning trip. There is a lot of life on Sombrero Reef! We saw big groupers, snappers, rays, parrotfish, barracudas, a moray eel, and countless colorful, little reef fish. I would definitely go again. read more

HEAVY PEOPLE NOT ALLOWED, SKINNY PEOPLE ONLY!!! I have never had a more embarassing experience in my life and want to share with everyone how unprofessional and horrendous this was. I booked my snorkeling for two people online, and immediately got an email confirmation. The first line in the email stated that you have to be under 190 lbs to snorkel with them due to "regulations". Seriously? I would venture to guess that many many people over 190 lbs snorkel with them every year, and I have never heard of this supposed regulation from the multiple other surrounding companies that we took trips with. Regardless, I am well over 190 lbs and didnt want to be embarassed the next day so I called to cancel the trip. The guy who answered acted like he had no idea what I was talking about, asking me where I saw that. I explained everything to him about the email, and he said that because its off season they dont have a lot of people riding on the boats and it would be fine. I specifically asked if he was sure because it was over an hour away from where we were staying in Key Largo, and I didnt want to be embarassed. He assured me it was. The next day my 17 year old son and I showed up and they were having an issue finding it in the computer. The older lady assisting us said VERY loudly, I found it -but I see a bigger issue, we dont allow people over 190 lbs because of regulations. By this time a line had formed behind me and there were at least ten people within ear shot.. She then proceeded to scoff and ask me how much I weighed in front of all these people. She was loud, rude, and condescending. It was beyond embarassing in front of all these people and my child. She could have pulled me to the side and said listen, I know this is uncomfortable but we have this rule, etc but no she enjoyed berating me in front of everyone, she had a smirk on her face the whole time. We went back and forth with her repeatedly stating how much I weigh, and I said you know what just cancel it and refund my money, which she did. I walked next door to Spirit and had the best snorkeling trip of our stay, AND it was cheaper. Do not give your money to these awful people, go next door and have a better time with a wonderful crew. read more

I will DEFINITIVELY book this tour again! My boyfriend and I had an amazing time snorkeling! Captains, Jeff and Rick were great!! Very down to earth, professional and made sure our safety was the #1 priority and that we all had a great time! We were in a Catamaran and it was very clean and spacious. There was about 20 of us on this tour which was perfect size in that you didn't feel like you were cattle being herded. The boat had a net up front where you can lay on as you were traveling to and from the reef, which was an experience i've never had and VERY MUCH APPRECIATED!!! They had drinks and small bags of chips you could purchase while on board. So if you forget to bring water, they got you covered, trust me, you'll need to stay hydrated. It was about a 30 minute ride out to the reef. Snorkels and fins are provided, but after awhile of using the mask, it did get a little uncomfortable, so ill definitely bring my own next time. I didn't keep track of the time, but i felt like we were actually snorkeling for about 2 hours which was a perfect amount of time. The reef was awesome and saw a ton of fish including what seemed to be about an 8 foot moray eel!! So cool! They also gave us some great recommendations on where to eat :) Overall, it was a great value worth every penny!! Can't wait to be back and do it again! You guys are great! read more

Starfish Marathon Snorkeling Tours - Snorkeling Near Me - Marathon, Florida

I had a hard time deciding how many stars to give. Personally, I had a 1 star experience because I got sea sick. I don't think it's fair to rate it that low just because I'm quite susceptible to motion sickness. As far as snorkeling in the Marathon area of the keys, I don't think you'll find a better deal. BRING CASH, though. The $25 rate is for cash. It's $28 with a card. I'm pretty sure that all snorkeling companies in the Marathon area take you out to the same reef. I didn't find the reef that impressive. I don't know if other areas of the keys have better sites. Conditions when we went out were terrible. The waves were huge and overwhelming to swim in. Worse, the boat rocked terribly, so if you're prone to motion sickness, you will get sick on this trip in the conditions I experienced. We had ample space on the boat, but we only had about half the capacity out that day. I asked what the max is they'll take out, and I'm sure I'd be uncomfortable squeezed on board at max capacity. I saw a competitor's boat which looked the same. You might want to ask square footage and how many they accept as max capacity for comfort reasons. I was impressed that they only charged $1 for a water and $2 for Dramamine on board. They certainly are not taking advantage of a time they could gouge customers. I have no complaints about the snorkel equipment, but I'm not an expert on what makes good equipment. read more

had a good experience, friendly, efficient, good service Sombrero lighthouse reef has a lot of fish to see read more

We changed our snorkeling plans to Starfish Snorkeling after being told how great it is by our resort... Total fail. The weather was horrible and after calling to change the day we were told we had nothing to worry about because the storm was on the bay side.. Lies.... Rain just to get there, then lots of waves... Couldn't really even see the sea floor. Plus the school of jelly fish was lots of fun to swim around. I would question calling this a reef. Glad we got a discount through the resort so I don't feel completely robbed. Best thing about the trip was our conversation with the first mate, Ryan. He was funny and gave good tips and "secrets" for the area. I wish we stuck to our original plans. Look elsewhere. read more

My family and I really enjoyed our trip on the starfish. Arthur and Wendy were great captains that kept good conversation going on board. They were really helpful getting everyone fitted with equipment and explaining everything. I know that everyone will have different weather and sea conditions, but ours were perfect. Light breeze, cloudless, and you could see down to the bottom from the boat. The snorkeling was really great with all the different fish and corals. We even got to see a sea turtle! The starfish was priced better than the spirit, and the boats were literally docked next to each other out on the sombrero reef, so why pay more? Definitely recommend this snorkeling excursion. read more