It's a positive sign that the snorkel operator is doing something right when people take a snorkel trip two days in a row. One of the participants on our boat did exactly that and she enjoyed herself on both trips. The boat went to different locations on each day, so repeat snorkeler was able to see different parts of the reef. Paradise Island Charters is a small boat that holds only 15 people, and we had 11 on our trip. The sales rep at the dock said the limited capacity allows for a more personal trip with more attention from the crew. This was very much the case as we had a couple of newbies with us and First Mate Al was able to provide them with a lot of assistance (& patience!) Al was very knowledgeable about the fish, the reef, and the overall snorkeling process. She was personable and seemed to enjoy her job very much. She even gave us a few good suggestions for places to dine in Key Largo. Captain Doug was friendly, knowledgeable, and very safety-conscious. He was also an amazing captain. He spotted a family of dolphins and skillfully turned his boat in large circles at just the right speed so that the dolphins could safely frolic in the boat's wake. What an amazing sight! We watched the dolphins jumping for several minutes until they swam off. Thank you Captain Doug for that awesome show! Unfortunately the snorkeling was exciting but not for the best of reasons: numerous jellyfish were floating in the area and we spent a lot of time trying to avoid them. Although the coral and the fish were great to see, the abundance of jellyfish was a big distraction. And some of the snorkelers were stung. If you are comparing snorkeling tour operators, please be aware that Paradise Island Charters does not include the snorkeling equipment in the base price of their tours. They do offer prescription snorkel masks for people who wear glasses. Overall, the trip was really fun and I would recommend this company to other snorkelers. Doug and Al are a key part of their success. read more

Paradise Island Charters - Dolphins playing in the boat's wake - Snorkeling Near Me - Key Largo, Florida

Captain Doug & First Mate Micaela (sp?) were great! We haven't snorkeled in years, since we certified for scuba and had a great time! Great snorkeling locations, like Seagrass Reef, which bring the sea floor up to you. Nice boat and snacks and they were super accommodating to our tardiness read more

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Super nice staff and fun tour guides. Due to the weather we had to snorkel the mangroves instead of the reef but that's not their fault, they can't predict the weather! Even offered refunds. Didn't get to see much fish but the experience and service was amazing! Will be booking again hopefully I get to go to the reef. read more

We took the mid-afternoon snorkeling trip. I was very impressed with their professionalism. I especially liked that it was a small boat - max 10 people. We were not crowded like cattle. It was an easy ride out to the reef and the captain placed us right at the edge of the reef. They provided reef safe sunscreen (other places charge). The equipment is fully included. Other places are forcing you to buy the snorkel. And they also provided noodles, which made floating for us not so stronger swimmers super easy. We are thinking about going back for a second trip before we leave. Thank you for a great afternoon! read more

Great time Thursday 8/6/20 snorkeling white banks reef with crystal clear waters. Boat limited to 10, so our party of 4 and another with 5 felt a bit like a private tour. Bonus: rash guards available for $25 since I forgot mine read more

Paradise Island Charters - Going out of the marina - Snorkeling Near Me - Key Largo, Florida

We loved our snorkeling excursion so much we booked a second trip! Great customer service and you can't beat free reef safe sunscreen!

Our group of West Point graduates from Company I-3, Class of 1982, and our wives had an excellent time out on the waters with Doug and Al. The snorkeling at White Banks Reef was incredible! Al ensured we were safely equipped and trained to see all the sights the reef had to offer. A definite must if you're visiting Key Largo! Enjoyed every minute of it! read more

We just finished with Doug and Al. On the "Christ statue " snorkel tour. Excellent is all I can say. And bonus of a smaller boat. We only had 5 total . And this company doesn't require you to wear a silly snorkel vest floaty. Company with a conscience-reef friendly sun screen provided. Highly recommend .. read more

Had an amazing time! It was my first time snorkeling and the captain and crew were very helpful and knowledgeable! The gear was great, clean and well maintained l. I used a full fave mask which made the experience more enjoyable. Saw a lot of fish and even a sea turtle it was really nice to not be packed into a boat with tons of people. The smaller group made me feel like it was almost like my own private charter. 10 out of 10 would recommend!!!! read more

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We took the mid-afternoon snorkeling trip. I was very impressed with their professionalism from Captain Russel and first mate Nate. I especially liked that it was a small boat - max 15 people. We were not crowded like cattle. It was an easy ride out to the reef and then Captain Russel placed us right at the edge of the reef. They provided reef safe sunscreen and equipment. Thank you for a great afternoon! read more

Wonderful service and trip. 8:15 trip to the Christ statue arrives well before the other tours. Pool Noodles as flotation make the experience easy and enjoyable!! read more

This was my first time snorkeling, so I was a little nervous going in. No worries. Captain Doug and First Mate Al were thoroughly friendly and professional. They went over all the rules and regs on our way out to the reef; safety is their top priority. Then Al offered good snorkeling tips for everybody. Although our group of just 13 ran the range from experienced to rookie (me), she made a point of one on one time with everyone before we hit the water. The water was great, great views of "Christ of the Abyss," but the current picked up so we climbed aboard and head for calmer waters - beautiful. Everything about this experience was 1st rate. read more

They will book your tour and a few hours later cancel. The lady working had a bad attitude ever since booking the tour. 1 missed call an hour before to tell us it was cancelled. read more

This snorkeling experience was amazing! The men on board were so kind, funny and entertaining. I went this morning at the 8:30 AM opening and it was so much fun, the guys working were so helpful and happy to be there. They made sure everyone was happy and ready to have a great time. I felt so safe as well. 10/10 experience i would recommend going with them! read more

Awesome for group. People are very nice and the guides were very knowledgeable. Price was good and the experience was awesome. Would do again. read more

Love this company is smaller. They took out 9 of us and made conversation with everyone. The reef was beautiful, and they gave me great ideas of what else to do on our vacation here! I will use them again for sure! read more

Doug and Alia "Al" were great. Well organized yet lots of fun. Super safety conscious. Got out to the reefs quickly. Great snorkeling. Love the fact that it is a small group. Worth the price and beats the competition in personal care of the customer. read more

We enjoyed our day snorkeling. We took the early morning tour which turned out to be a perfect idea. Our boat arrived at the Christ of the Abyss statue a good 20-30 minutes before other tour boats. It was great to have that time in the water with just a few people before the masses arrived. The boat staff were incredibly polite and knowledgeable. The boat was clean and provided a fresh water shower head to wash off with after the snorkel. I was deeply impressed with how environmentally conscious our crew was. That is so refreshing to see in this day and age. Snack were served in community shared refillable Tupperware so that no trash was created on our journey. We also enjoyed hearing about local places to check out while visiting Key Largo. read more

Owen and mika were exceptional hosts on our sunset snorkeling trip. Owen was determined to ensure we had a great snorkeling site ( the first site had poor visibility so he moved further out) the snorkeling in that one hour was more fruitful than both dives I had earlier in the morning. The boat was very clean and well maintained. We brought our own equipment but the equipment they supplied appeared to be decent. Mika and Owen were great and accomadating and I will highly recommend this tour to any one looking for a great experience. Thanks guys, Justin and Lindsey read more

Just returned from a fantastic tour. Yesterday was to rough to go out, this morning was excellent weather and we called to book a tour. Still some waves so Captain Owen took us to reef that was clear, waves were calmer and we could see lots of fish. First mate Al made sure everyone knew how to use the snorkel equipment and gave us information on the boat. A lovely sail through the channel and a 30 minute ride to our snorkel spot. We had over an hour in the water, plenty of time to explore the reef. Captain Owen moved the boat to the opposite side of the reef so we could all "ride the waves" back to the boat, making sure we didn't have to fight the waves to get back on board. The captain and Al made sure each of us were doing ok, checking on each person as we snorkeled. Back on board, we had a hand held fresh water water shower to use, cold water to drink and some snacks. They provided a cooler filled with ice packs for any drinks we brought, so we could keep them cold. One of our party wasn't feel well and the crew helped her with kindness, shortly she was feeling better. Both the captain and first mate were so friendly. First mate Al gave us fish and coral charts to review before our snorkel. Also told us information about some of the fish and the mangroves, which I enjoyed learning. Snorkel vests and pool noodles were provided as was reef safe suntan lotion and mask clear. We had our own snorkel equipment with us, but equipment was available for rent if you didn't have any. We've been on many snorkel excursions and this was a good one. Highly recommend. read more

This is a great company if you want to experience a first class snorkeling trip! Capt. charles and First Mate Alexia are fun and knowledgeable! read more

Loved the snorkel trip! Only 10 passengers on our boat. Free reef safe sunscreen. Very friendly captain and guide. We went to the Christ Abyss and there are so many species of tropical fish - truly an incredible display of our natural world. We often do not get to experience our oceans with such clarity; snorkeling really makes you appreciate all the different life forms on our planet. After seeing all the fish and the fan coral, I really appreciated how eco-conscious this trip was. Lots of ice cold water with paper cups instead of plastic bottles. Great job! read more

Fantastic snorkeling experience. Super friendly, helpful and knowledgeable staff. Captain Joe and Micah were awesome on the boat. They chose reefs with the best visability and awesome fish. Highly recommend. read more

My family and I decided to go on a snorkeling adventure during our trip down to the Keys, and we're very glad we went with Paradise Island Charters. As Florida natives, we are no strangers to water adventures, and honestly, snorkeling usually stresses me out, but the day we went was gorgeous and conditions were ideal. In addition to the prime weather that day, we were also the only party on a boat that usually carries multiple groups, so we practically had a private excursion. Our guides were Doug and Micah, and they were very friendly, knowledgeable and accommodating. Throughout the excursion they made sure to check on how we were doing and provided us with water and snacks on the boat. The reef we went to was great for us especially because it was relatively shallow, so we got to see the coral and colorful fish up close. I had a great time and would absolutely recommend Paradise Island Charters to anyone visiting the Key Largo area! read more

Paradise Island Charters - Snorkeling Near Me - Key Largo, Florida

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I was invited on a charter, it was a few hours and I LOVED EVERY MINUTE. We got to go explore Molasses Reef. The boat has gear if you don't have any of your own, and also has (prefers that you use their) provided Reef Save sun block and various hair & Skin products. I think the brand was Stream2Sea. and it was fantastic! I all around enjoyed the charter and have been recommending them to many friends. read more

Our favorite snorkel group ever! (And we snorkel a lot!) Paradise Island Charters has the best crew, the best spots and a great schedule! We have snorkeled everywhere in the Keys, but they are by far the very best! Energetic, fun and very professional from check-in to end - we look forward to a few trips a year with them! read more

We had a great time snorkeling. We snorkled around the christ statue, lots of fish. The guides were very friendly

Awesome snorkeling experience with Captain Owen and his mate, Doug. Ivy and Jen complete their crew setting everything up. Very informative and personable. Highly recommend. If you have any questions, just ask while on your journey to Christ of the Abyss. Thanks guys, Tina and I had a blast and plan to return. Cheers, Jamie read more

If you are looking for amazing snorkeling with a smaller group of people and a friendly and knowledgeable crew, this is the company to go with!! Being with the owners on the boat means you will get personalized service and people who care. These guys went out of their way to make everyone welcome and we got to spend more time at Molasses Reef because they listened to what their customers wanted out of the trip. Also...feel free to bring your own drinks, they have a cooler to keep them ready for you when you are done snorkeling. Overall, would go with again and again! read more

My family and I had a wonderful experience with Paradise Island Charters. Very accommodating to our small children. They even had a fresh water hose on board, snacks, and they provided eco friendly sunscreen. We saw so many incredible fish as we swam through the reef. Highly recommend! read more

Thank you to the entire staff. Very friendly! We signed up for a one location snorkel but got to go to two because the current was too strong for the first location. It was great that they moved us to another nearby reef. They really want our experience to be great! Free water and snacks is a plus too. Loved the smaller boat with fewer people. Would definitely recommend them! read more

I couldn't imagine a better experience then they have provided for my family and I today! The boat ride to the actual snorkeling sight was a short 15-20 minutes. The captain took us to a beautiful area where we saw every imaginal native fish, and amazing coral reefs. We spent a good hour at the sight which was true to their word on the advertisements! The water was crystal clear which allowed for great visibility. Unfortunately, I became seasick but the crew was very fast to respond and help me till I felt better. After we finished snorkeling the boat even provided a fresh water hose to rinse off the salt water. It is definitely safe to say that all the customers on the boat today were extremely pleased with the trip. I searched high and low for a good snorkeling boat that would accommodate my family and I will be coming back and recommending this charter to everyone! read more

We were impressed with the company's attention to detail, their knowledge and focus on making sure we were well taken care of. Doug, a new Boat Captain and Mica were great. The boat while smaller than the larger vessels was both clean, top of the line features meant easy entry into the water and out for our morning snorkel trip. I have a knee and leg issue and the metal ladder and design made it easy to get in and out. All their snorkel equipment were top of the line and the fresh water hand shower is a big bonus. They even offer prescription masks for greater viewing for persons who require glasses to see long distance. While safety focused, they were knowledgeable of the reef and made it throughly enjoyable. We do a lot of snorkeling in the Florida Keys and the Caribbean and we frequently must rent private charters as mass snorkeling adventures doesn't suit us. However, this new company will have our business for a long time as they clearly are doing things right and we highly highly recommend them!!!! read more