Frequently asked questions

A boat trip where you watch the reef through windows built into the hull, so you see coral and fish below without swimming. The Transparensea has 16 glass viewing windows and a guide who narrates what passes underneath.

No. You stay on board and dry the whole time. There is no swimming or snorkeling on any of our tours; you watch the reef through the glass.

Corals, sea fans, schools of tropical fish, eels and sea turtles are regulars. Guests have also seen sharks, rays, lobster and dolphins. It is a wild reef, so every trip is different.

About 4 miles offshore. The captain picks the spot with the best conditions that day, such as Cheeca Rocks, Alligator Reef or Caloosa Rocks.

Pick the day tour for bright colors and your first look at the reef, and the night tour to see what comes out after dark under the underwater lights. Plenty of guests do both and see different things each time. Compare the tours.

Yes. The Transparensea’s night reef tour starts with the sunset from the water, then lights up the reef after dark with underwater lights. As far as we know, it is the only night glass-bottom tour in Islamorada. About the night tour.

Yes. Every trip has a guide educated in marine science who narrates the whole way and answers questions.

Yes, bring a camera or phone. The viewing windows are right below you, so you can shoot straight down onto the reef.

About two hours on the water. FareHarbor lists the reef tours at 2 to 2.5 hours, and the booking calendar shows the exact length for your date.

Day and night reef tours: $75 for adults (18+), $60 for ages 5 to 17, and free for kids 4 and under. The bayside and sunset cruise is $50 for ages 5 and up, free under 5. Taxes and booking fees are added and shown at checkout before you pay.

Online through our booking partner FareHarbor, which shows live availability and handles payment. If you would rather talk to a person, call (305) 214-5277.

The terms for your trip are shown in FareHarbor before you pay. If you need to change plans, call us at (305) 214-5277 and we will sort it out with you.

Yes. Gift cards are sold through our booking page: buy a gift card.

Give us a call at (305) 214-5277 and tell us about your group. We will let you know what is possible for your dates.

The captain makes the call based on real-time conditions. When it is too rough to run the 4 miles out to the reef, we take the tour bayside instead: two hours in calm water looking for dolphins, manatees and wildlife in the mangroves. If wind is forecast for your date, our team reaches out ahead of time, so you never find out for the first time at the dock.

No. The night tour needs the reef. On windy days only the 12:00 pm and 3:00 pm bayside trips run.

Much less likely than on most boats. The Transparensea is the only Seakeeper-stabilized glass-bottom boat in Florida. Seakeeper says its gyro eliminates up to 95% of boat roll at anchor, at drift and at low speeds, which is exactly when we are stopped over the reef. No boat can promise that nobody feels any motion, so if you are prone to seasickness, bring whatever usually works for you. How the Seakeeper works.

A gyro stabilizer mounted inside the boat. A flywheel spinning at up to 9,750 rpm in a vacuum-sealed sphere pushes back against the rocking motion waves cause, automatically and without anything hanging off the hull. Seakeeper rates it at up to 95% less roll at anchor, at drift and at low speeds.

Because you spend the tour looking down through the glass. On a boat that rolls, the view swings back and forth, which is hard on stomachs and makes the reef hard to follow. With the roll cut down, the reef stays in the frame, kids and grandparents can move around more easily, and photos come out sharper.

Yes, there is a clean restroom on board.

Never a full load. The Coast Guard certifies the Transparensea for 49 passengers, but we keep it to about 30 so everyone has room to move around and get to the glass.

Yes. The deck is open-air for the breeze, with full shade overhead.

Yes, you are welcome to bring your own snacks and drinks along. Soda and bottled water are also for sale on board.

We would rather give you real answers than a guess. Our accessibility page lists what we know about boarding and the questions worth asking, and you can call us at (305) 214-5277 to talk it through before you book.

Yes. Kids can see the reef through the windows without swimming or snorkeling, and children 4 and under ride free. Our guides love questions from kids.

Yes, all ages are welcome on the night tour. Keep in mind it starts around sunset and runs about two hours, so think about bedtime for little ones.

At World Wide Sportsman Bayside Marina (at Bass Pro Shops), 81576 Overseas Highway, Islamorada, FL 33036. See directions and parking.

No. The Transparensea now departs from World Wide Sportsman Bayside Marina at 81576 Overseas Highway. Some older listings and reviews still mention Robbie’s, so please double-check the address before you drive.

Check in 30 minutes before your departure time.