Unexpectedly ended up on this excursion, and ended up being a highlight of our trip. The shelling experience was phenomenal, the captains were super friendly and knowledgeable, and the bar was a plus. (: We also got to see dolphins on our trek too and from the island. For the great price would definitely recommend this experience to any one of any age. read more

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I booked this adventure in October 2025 and got very sick and could not go. They gave me a year to redeem it. We finally went 6 months later and they remembered me!! We boarded the boat and the excursion began. The captain was so informative and the bartender was fantastic. We saw dolphins right next to the boat!! We went to an island and collected shells. It was an exceptionally beautiful day and I will do it again!! Thank you so much for an amazing time. read more

We had such a wonderful time on the Sunset Dolphin Tour with Island Shelling with Spongeorama Cruise Lines. What a great experience this was. We had friends visiting from the UK and it truly did not disappoint anyone. The captain and tour guide were fantastic, friendly and made the whole cruise enjoyable from start to finish. The views were beautiful and stopping at the little island during sunset felt absolutely magical. Watching the sky change colors over the water was something we will not forget. It was the perfect way to spend the evening and share a special Florida experience with friends. We highly recommend this cruise to anyone considering it. You will be very happy you did. Just a quick heads up - bring something a little warmer to wear for the ride back once the sun goes down, as it can get a bit chilly. We would definitely do it again read more

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We experience Spongeeorama at least twice a year. They love what they do. I see they keep improving their look. We will keep coming back read more

I found this place on Tripadvisor and it's basically a hangar that is a store with all kinds of sponges and then they have a room with bunches and a TV with information about the sponges and there is also a photo of plus they sell boat trips out of here too read more

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Very affordable cruise out to Anclote Key. The staff was kind and informative on the ride out. Saw some dolphins on the way! The island is absolutely stunning and a popular place for boaters. A great way to get out on the water in Tarpon Springs! read more

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The captain was nice and seemed knowledgeable about most things but he never gave us his name and not as outgoing as a tour guide. We saw a couple dolphins right in the harbor but only the fins. We never got close enough to actually see them like advertised. In fact, the captain told us that the green water is where we would see more. We saw green water, but buzzed right by and never saw another dolphin. The island was a nice place to gather some sea shells. Just disappointed because the ad was for dolphin watching which we didn't do. Saw no wildlife so, basically, we paid for a boat ride to get sea shells. Not worth the money. read more

This sponge factory is located in Tarpon Springs, Florida. We were walking by and decided to check it out. At first glance, it's a gift shop with natural sponge from the Gulf of Mexico nearby and goat milk soap; there were other various knick knacks too. A typical and common gift shop for the area. Tarpon Springs is known for their sponge diving and harvesting. This place also offers sightseeing cruises; you are able to view dolphins and manatees swimming by. The cruise also stops by a beach; you can pick up shells for souvenirs. There was a photo op outside with a sponge diver structure. Parking was spacious and they have a Greek restaurant nearby called Yiannis. We didn't go on the cruise or go to the restaurant but we did shop at the gift shop; I bought some goat milk soap that was on sale. Overall, decent spot to buy some souvenirs, soap, and sponges. read more

Spongeorama - Photo op outside of the gift shop - Gift Shops Near Me - Tarpon Springs, Florida

Was met with a very disgruntled clerk who closed the establishment early. When very innocently inquiring about it was met with rudeness and apathy. Was over charged for sponges and didn't even get to see the informational video that was shut off and locked up early. Might have been a nice experience if someone else was in the shop. Hopefully someone else takes over asap, it's a shame our experience was ruined by one with a sour continence and we were only here for a limited amount of time. Disgraceful We would have been inclined to buy more if we weren't being rushed felt unwelcome Shame on you read more

I highly recommend this tour . It was great seeing the Dolphins play , and the captain's commentary about all the homes was also very informative . It was very relaxing to get off on the island and just wander around searching for shells . I would absolutely do this again ! read more

Spongeorama - Gift Shops Near Me - Tarpon Springs, Florida

Absolutely! The gentlemen were very courteous and entertaining. Did an excellent job at finding multiple dolphins!

Third time on the dolphins cruise and again spotted a dolphin really up close. Fabulous. A very enjoyable cruise. Love it all: friendly crew, great drinks and music and the views are all top notch. Collecting shells on an island was great fun. Well worth the cost. Seriously, this is a must when visiting Tarpon Springs. read more

We've been to spongeorama and others 10+ times bringing family and friends, and these guys always have it down. The captain is informative, always stopping to see dolphins. They have a snack bar on board that sells waters and sodas for 2-3$ and alcoholic drinks for $6. We were able to have 30-40 minutes out in the island to look for shells and see different sights. Two restrooms are located at the rear of the vessel. We always enjoy our trip and look forward to the next time we are out here. read more

Spongeorama - Gift Shops Near Me - Tarpon Springs, Florida

Our trip was great. It was me, my husband, my daughter and her husband. We had a great time and the caption and the other guy was great. read more

Spongeorama - Me and My Husband - Gift Shops Near Me - Tarpon Springs, Florida

One of the best dolphin boat tours we have ever taken. Buying tickets was easy and they were reasonably priced and the crew was phenomenal. The boat is roomy and provides overall shade. It's also a very interactive experience because the captain encourages you to look for dolphins, point in their general location and then he moves the boat closer and will even maneuver so both sides of the boat can see the dolphins. They are not in a rush and take their time to make sure you enjoy the cruise. I recommend the sunset cruise! read more

Spongeorama - Sunset dolphin cruise - Gift Shops Near Me - Tarpon Springs, Florida

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The cruise was very fun and relaxing with clever narration by Captain Mike. We did get up close to several dolphins. Found several interesting shells that we were allowed to keep. Only negative is that the cruises were all running late that day, and we were in a time crunch. They did notify us of the delay a couple hours ahead, and were able to place us last minute on an earlier scheduled cruise. Snacks and beverages were available for a fair price. Overall, a very good value for a couple hours of entertainment. read more

Spongeorama - A fun and relaxing way to enjoy the outdoors and sea air in Tarpon Springs! - Gift Shops Near Me - Tarpon Springs, Florida

We had a great time on our sunset tour. The captain and the bartender were very nice and informative. Parking was confusing, but we figured it out after a bit.... Could use better signage. Fun time though! read more

We had a fantastic time on the cruise! The weather was getting a little windy and storms were impending later in the day. Being on the water, feeling the wind in my hair, salt water splashed up, literally giggling like a kid. Walking in the Gulf from the island was perfect! Our Captains were entertaining, safety conscious, fun, and knowledgeable, AND rescued two kayakers that could have been a recovery mission (if we hadn't been out there on the water in that place on that day - unsure this man and his two sons would have made it, 2 of 3 kayaks had capsized - the other boat got the 2nd son). The icing on the cake was a good 5-10 minutes watching 2 adults and 1 baby dolphins swimming on the way in. We are very grateful to have caught this particular cruise, we LOVED IT! Highly recommend! Jeri Nolan, Buffalo, NY read more

Overall this is a nice boat ride but gets an average rating. It takes about 30 minutes to get to the island via a large pontoon-like boat and along the way the captain narrates, giving some small nuggets of information and or history. The island is lovely though and the shelling experience was very fun and unique. You have about 30 minutes on the island before going home. Would have loved to be on the island longer. We unfortunately didn't see dolphins (maybe one or two in the far distance but nothing like what is advertised) and it was cloudy so also didn't see much of a sunset for the sunset cruise either. read more

Spongeorama - Gift Shops Near Me - Tarpon Springs, Florida

An amazing afternoon seeing dolphins playing near the boat and lots of shells on the island to sort through. Pleasant and knowledgeable captain and staff. read more

we had an awesome time on this cruise line. There were 6 of us and plenty of bench seating for all of us to sit together. Crew was excellent & didn't fail to give of Dolphin sightings. We even saw BABY dolphins! We had a beautiful day for shelling, just wish we had more than 30 minutes! Drinks on board were well poured too! We will definitely book this tour again! Had a blast! read more

Watched a five minute film about the different types of sponges & how they are caught. Walked through the store with hundreds of different sponges at different price points. They have tour boats going out with a sponge fisherman. read more

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We didn't see many dolphins but that's not anyone's fault! You can't control nature! But we still had a great time and the staff were great! We would definitely use this company again! read more

Spongeorama - Kids looking for dolphins. - Gift Shops Near Me - Tarpon Springs, Florida

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We've gone twice and seen dolphins both times. The little cruise is fun and entertaining. The price is very reasonable. Highly recommend.

This boat trip was WONDERFUL!! We saw lots of amazing dolphins, the captain was great AND we didn't even know we'd be stopping on an island to collect shells and sponges and watch the sun set! I really loved everything about this...especially the price and the drinks served on board. read more

I took my husband, daughter and her friend on this cruise. It was the best day ever. temperature was perfect in high 70's, we saw two different dolphins, got pictures and videos. learned a ton about sponge diving and the river and Tarpon springs in general. the crew was wonderful. full bar on board, so plenty to drink, reasonably priced. the shell hunting was fabulous, we found many different shells, even a sponge and several sand dollars. Booked on line, parked behind the sponge factory, even listened to the video and movie and got 10% off. if you are considering a cruise DO IT. no motion sickness, boat is covered. definitely worth the price. read more

this is my second time with the cruise. It was very nice. saw plenty of dolphins and picked a lot of sea shells. Cruise Captain and his mate were very informative. I will do again. read more

Boat is dirty and smelly and had damage on side from paddle board. Staff was unfriendly. read more

Spongeorama - Gift Shops Near Me - Tarpon Springs, Florida

Overcharged by $18 for shea butter and no returns. Asked this really rude woman. I just walked out five mins ago and she wouldn't return it. Can get same product on Amazon for $5. Do not buy from here. No returns. Extremely rude staff. Also charged 3.75% service fee for credit card which is unheard of. I dunno what kinda greedy person is running this place But don't be deceived like I was by their must see. There's no informational movie or anything. read more

Spongeorama - Deceptive business do not enter - Gift Shops Near Me - Tarpon Springs, Florida

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The best time! We have gone twice so far and plan to go many more times in the future:) They are great! read more

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We celebrated our Granddaughter's B'day by taking this tour. The trip was amazing seeing the dolphins, the wildlife and many things along the way. Walking the beach getting shells was terrific. I got some beautiful ones. We're planning to do it again with all the family next time. The weather was perfect. We saw several dolphins in the gulf. I got plenty of pictures. The sand on the beach was firm so you did not have to tread through any soft sand, I pickup many beautiful shells, read more

we are residents of Spring Hill, Fl. when we visited before moving here my siblings would always have a trip to Tarpon. Now we find our visiting guess always love this little cruise. We enjoy it so much, it is affordable we pack up the family and take the cruise. Spongeorama is our choice, always. The crew is great anyway but my husband is disabled, the crew super helpful and kind. Hint in the summer take the 11:30 am beats most summer rains Showers. read more

It was entertaining and educational and the crew were great navigators and narrators coupled with great senses of humor! The sunset was mesmerizing! read more

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Left home in NC to visit a friend in FL & went on this FABULOUS cruise that happened to end with a gorgeous sunset. Heading back to shore, we thought we'd missed the opportunity to see any dolphins, but then we saw quite a few, swimming alongside of the boat, plus a lone manatee. GREAT narration/history throughout the trip & the Captains were absolutely the best!!! Would recommend this amazing cruise to EVERYONE!!! read more

There is a free vcr movie about the sponging industry. I remember this being far different than what I walked thru. I had thought the Spongearama was a walk thru museum, but it's mostly a tourist gift shop read more

We took the 4:00pm Dolphin Tour on a whim. The crew was very nice and knowledgeable. They did everything possible to make sure we saw dolphins and we did! Four swam right under our boat. The half hour spent collecting sea shells was also a nice touch. Definitely thought it was a great trip worth the value! read more

Spongeorama - Great Tour and Beach Stop! - Gift Shops Near Me - Tarpon Springs, Florida

Fun comfortable crew is friendly and knowledgeable and knows the water. We enjoyed our experience and even got to see the dolphins read more

We are on vacation and found Island Dolphin Cruise, it was so much fun, and affordable. They take you through the Gulf of Mexico, we saw several dolphins and they also take you to a little island where you can swim or get sea shells (the shells are huge!) Very much worth it, 11/10 recommend read more

Spongeorama - Island cruise - Gift Shops Near Me - Tarpon Springs, Florida

Kinda overpriced, for no reason. Fridge magnets $9 ?! C'mon! Sponges vary from like 5 to about 25 for really big ones. Other than that, they sell a lot of stuff. You can find here a ton of sea treasures, whatever got into the net along with sponges lol read more

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This was our 2 dolphin cruise and are planning on bringing our other grandchildren in a couple weeks. We always have a great experience.I highly recommend this Dolphin cruise. read more