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VIP Heated Manatee Snorkel Tour: Affordable Luxury
5.0
787 Ratings
Crystal River
Experience the ultimate luxury of snorkeling with heated manatees in Crystal River’s Kings Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Affordable prices, expert guides, and all-inclusive amenities.
Experience the ultimate luxury of snorkeling with heated manatees in Crystal River’s Kings Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Affordable prices, expert guides, and all-inclusive amenities.
Duration:
3 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- River Ventures - Embark on your journey with a Coast Guard Certified Master Captain who will be your in water chaperon, educator and photographer. Your tour will run four hours from start to finish and everything you will need is included for one price. You will begin at our full-service tour facility, where you will be educated about the animals…
- River Ventures - Embark on your journey with a Coast Guard Certified Master Captain who will be your in water chaperon, educator and photographer. Your tour will run four hours from start to finish and everything you will need is included for one price. You will begin at our full-service tour facility, where you will be educated about the animals in a classroom type setting and receive tips for your snorkel tour to make the most of your day. You will be taught the in’s and out’s of ‘passive interaction’ as this ensures that the animals enjoy the experience as much as we do! You will then be suited up and transported to the dock, where a Coast Guard certified covered pontoon will be waiting for you. This rich estuary will amaze…..birds, fish and wildlife abound! Submerge yourself in the manatee’s world! Finish your adventure by viewing your Captain’s photos back at our facility and be sure to visit our one-of-a-kind gift shop! Our well-informed staff will direct to other local attractions, restaurants and answer of your questions before you are on your way.
What's Included
- Professional guide
- Use of equipment (mask, snorkel gear and wet suit)
- Introductory/instructional video offered in English, French, German, Japanese, or Spanish
- Beverages (bottled water, coffee, hot chocolate, tea and adult)
- Professional guide
- Use of equipment (mask, snorkel gear and wet suit)
- Introductory/instructional video offered in English, French, German, Japanese, or Spanish
- Beverages (bottled water, coffee, hot chocolate, tea and adult)
What's Not Included
- Gratuities
- Food and beverages (unless otherwise specified)
- Photo DVD (available to purchase)
- Towel and swimsuit
- Gratuities
- Food and beverages (unless otherwise specified)
- Photo DVD (available to purchase)
- Towel and swimsuit
Additional Information
Here’s an insider tip! Enjoy luxury at a budget-friendly cost! Our new season-heated, deluxe pontoon aspires to enhance your experience of viewing manatees by creating more intimate encounters! Witness the protected West Indian Manatee in the serene surroundings of Kings Bay National Wildlife Refuge in Crystal River. Our licensed US Coast Guard captains…
Here’s an insider tip! Enjoy luxury at a budget-friendly cost! Our new season-heated, deluxe pontoon aspires to enhance your experience of viewing manatees by creating more intimate encounters! Witness the protected West Indian Manatee in the serene surroundings of Kings Bay National Wildlife Refuge in Crystal River. Our licensed US Coast Guard captains and guides will lead you into the 600-acre spring water sanctuary for a chance to see and snorkel with these majestic creatures in the wild. All supplies, charges, refreshments, and drinks are covered.
- Adult pricing applies to all travelers
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Wetsuits are available in sizes from toddlers (2 years old and up) to adults up to 5X
- It is advised that you have your swimsuit on underneath your clothes for a quicker check-in
- Please bring a towel and a plastic bag to hold your belongings
- Children Under 3 years old are not allowed on this tour. Please call for other options.
- Post COVID-19 Policy- We are mindful to thoroughly clean water vehicles between visitors.
Location
River Ventures
Southeast Kings Bay Drive
Please arrive at River Ventures 15 minutes prior to your tour departure.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
5.0
(787 Ratings)
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650clairem
Nov 13, 2024
Great Tour you won't be disappointed - Yes they are open!
Just finished a tour with Trisha & Wade, very knowledgeable, within 15mins we were in the water swimming with these beautiful creatures. You won't be disappointed with the trip.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Taralu7021uw
Nov 12, 2024
Great tour - It was so much fun!!!! Carlos and JJ were awesome!! Husband and I had a great time. They had snacks and drinks on board and made sure to take lots of photos for us. Would definitely do it again!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
N1962nzmarciab
Nov 12, 2024
Amazing - It was a great day on the water, Our Captain and In-water guide were a wealth of knowledge we learned so much about Manatees.
This trip was for our grandsons 12th birthday, Captain Wade and Trish went over and above to provide us with an amazing experience, one that will add to our memories.
Thank you to River Ventures and Captain Wade and Trisha Black!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
595trevish
Nov 8, 2024
Nature Coast is open for business!!! - They may have been hit by 2 hurricanes in a row 3 weeks ago, but you wouldn't know it. Any rumors about Florida's nature Coast being closed for recovery are exaggerated. These guys are 100% open and operational and the trip was a top notch guided experience. 10/10 would do again.
Capt. Chris and Maleah had us in the water observing a manatee within 10 minutes of leaving the dock. Well worth the drive, money, and time. Can't wait to take my whole family back to see these beautiful animals.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sylvie
Nov 8, 2024
Amazing experience! - Had a chance to do the tour with Bryan and Nat. Everything was smooth from checking in to going home. There isn’t a lot of manatees at this particular time, however we were fortunate enough to swim with a mom and her baby. It was amazing!
Highly recommend this tour, even if it’s a decent drive from the theme parks. The staff are very informative and very knowledgeable about that area, And overall it was a nice boat tour to explore the area.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tour725836
Nov 7, 2024
Amazing Time with Manatees!!! - We had an amazing experience swimming with manatees. Captain JJ gave us a safe and smooth ride. James gave us a wonderful tour getting to swim with a mom and baby manatee. JJ and James went above and beyond to make our kids feel comfortable both in the water and on the boat. We will definitely be back for another tour in the future as there's no other company I would use.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Seraie2020
Nov 5, 2024
Bucket list item ✔️ - Bucket list item for us. The trip was amazing! Captain Wade and Guide Trisha were the best. Stephanie also joined us as a new guide. We got to see, swim with, and observe manatees. The bonus was swimming near spring heads! Well worth it, highly recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
213jaxp
Oct 27, 2024
Awesome manatee interaction <3 - We thoroughly enjoyed our manatee interactions with Guide James and Captain Bryan. Bothe our very knowledgeable (we couldn’t stump Captain…) and made sure we were all safe while having fun. James shared how special it was to see baby nursing on mama-manatee, and we were a small group (4) which made it even more special. We’d love to come back when the sanctuaries are full, and would definitely go with James and Capt. Bryan for part II. Huge appreciation for keeping the manatees safe and sound, and sharing with us these awesome experiences.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ashleymb967za
Oct 25, 2024
Worth it - We had captain bryan and tour guide james and they were awesome! Full of humor, fun facts and really put their all into giving us a great experience. The entire experience was relaxed and joyful. We were able to witness and engage with multiple manatees among other wildlife. They even recommended some food spots! The entire staff from start to finish was friendly and engaging. They had awesome stickers and merchandise to buy plus some cute dogs running around to play with.
It's a little cold at first in the water and sometimes hard to see but you get over it and the crew does everything in their power to make the trip worth wild. Nature is nature and it's not in their control.
Highly suggest the vip -- the less people on the trip the more you get to engage. They have beverages and snacks too!
Can't wait to go back. Thank you for a wonderful experience! And for those who aren't quite sure how it works -- YOU WILL GET WET 🤪
Review provided by Tripadvisor
K4185nldanielleh
Oct 25, 2024
Perfect 🥳 - Johanna and Troy were absolutely wonderful. We had a great time in the water with Johanna and she got some beautiful pictures for us to be able to cherish forever. And Troy was so kind and helpful trying to keep a watchful eye for any manatees for us to say hello too as well as being extremely knowledgeable. Would 100% do again and hopefully will sooner then later, great people great experience 🥳
Review provided by Tripadvisor
