Total Snorkel Cancun

A snorkel operator working out of a Cancun marina

Total Snorkel Cancun runs its own guided snorkeling trips and multi-activity packages from Marina Punta Norte on the Carretera Puerto Juarez - Punta Sam, Km 2, in Cancun, Quintana Roo, Mexico. Almost everything it sells happens in the water off Cancun: the reef at El Meco, the underwater museum (MUSA), a turtle spot, a shipwreck and "underwater cenotes," with parasailing, wave runners, ATVs and the El Meco Mayan ruins bolted on in the packages. The one trip outside Cancun is the Total Snorkel Essential tour in Puerto Morelos, which the site says visits 2 snorkeling sites in the heart of the Mexican Caribbean. Pickups run from Cancun hotels in the Hotel Zone and downtown; the Splash page says Riviera Maya hotels cost extra. Prices are shown in US dollars. The homepage pitch is "the best snorkeling tour in Cancun and Riviera Maya," and the company says its guides speak English.

Snorkel tours and combo packages

The homepage lists the single-activity snorkel tours, each with a group cap of 8 and a "free cancellation" tag:

• Snorkeling In Cancun With Turtles, Reef, Underwater Statues, Shipwreck And Underwater Cenote, 2.5 hours, $75.00 USD. The same 5-area route also sells without transportation for $70.00 USD.
• Snorkeling For Non-Swimmers In Cancun, 2.5 hours, $75.00 USD.
• Total Snorkel Essential In Puerto Morelos, 3 hours, $75.00 USD.
• Swim With Turtles and Stingray in Cancun Plus an Exclusive 6-Area Snorkeling Tour, 3 hours, $95.00 USD.
• Open Waters And Virgin Reefs Snorkeling Tour In Cancun, private only, 2.5 hours, $510.00 USD.
• Moonlight Bioluminescence Snorkeling Tour Cancun, 1.5 hours, $356.00 USD, marked "Coming Soon."

The Splash page walks through the 5-area route stop by stop. It starts at El Meco reef, which the page says is only 8 to 12 feet deep; moves to the underwater museum, where the group visits 2 galleries, "The blessings" and "Aquarium Family"; goes on to a turtle spot where the company says it sees turtles 96-98% of the time; then a shipwreck; and ends at cenotes that "lay on the sea surface."

The combo page lists Swim and El Meco Ruins (2.5 hours, $129.00 USD), Splash Ruinas (snorkel, parasail and the El Meco ruins, 4.5 hours, $199.00 USD), Swim and Ride (snorkel plus jet ski, 4 hours, $230.00 USD), Total Pass (snorkel, parasail, jet ski and ruins, 5 hours, $304.00 USD) and Splash (snorkel, parasail and jet ski, $370.00 USD). The homepage adds Swim and Fly (snorkel plus parasail, 2.5 hours, $139.00 USD) and the Cancun 5-in-1 Adventure Tour with snorkeling, ATVs, a zipline, a cenote and transportation (6 hours, a cap of 10, $169.00 USD).

The private tours page lists private versions of the main 5-area snorkel tour, the Open Waters reef trip, the Moonlight tour, a whale shark tour, a snorkel and El Rey ruins trip, and a snorkel, parasail and El Meco package.

What the Splash day looks like

The Splash Tour Package page is the most detailed. It lists 3.5 hours in total, snorkel departures daily at 9:00, 12:00 and 2:30 pm, and wave runners and parasailing daily at 09:00. Snorkeling is 2 hours in the water plus 1.5 for briefing and transport; wave runners run for 30 minutes or 1 hour; and on the parasail, the page says, "the boat runs a 3 miles ride once you're flying," about 10 minutes in the air.

The itinerary: hotel pickup "on air-conditioned vans," check-in (the moment to sign the e-waiver if you have not already, or to pay on the Reserve Now and Pay Later option), a briefing in shallow water, the 5 snorkel areas, then a freshwater shower at the marina and the van back. Included, per the page: roundtrip hotel transport from the Hotel Zone and downtown, showers, lockers and bathrooms, full snorkel gear with a life vest, a 15-20 minute lesson, passenger insurance, a radio link to the parasail crew, and an "Extraction" service because the marina is about 1 mile from the reef. Non-swimmers get a life vest and a guide at their side with a float to hold. Not included: a surcharge of $20 USD per person, transport from Playa del Carmen and the Riviera Maya, and tips.

Ages and limits are set per activity. The Splash page gives a minimum age of 10+ for snorkeling and parasailing, and says only individuals over 18 may drive a wave runner, accompanied by an adult. The 5-in-1 page gives a minimum snorkel age of 4, 16+ to drive an ATV with an adult and 18+ alone, a maximum weight of 130 kg and a maximum waist of 1.24 m. The company says that tour is not wheelchair accessible, and lists it as not recommended for pregnant travelers or for those with back or heart problems. It asks guests to contact it first about any health issue, and bans sunscreen on the 5-in-1 snorkel as a reef protection measure. The 5-in-1 extras are $5 USD per locker, an optional $10 USD ATV damage insurance and a $20 USD dock fee.

Booking, cancellation and refunds

Booking is online, with a "Reserve Now & Pay Later" option ("Secure your spot, pay at check-in!") and a phone line for "special offers." The site shows 2 numbers: +52 998 23 40 871 in the menu and +52 998 82 34 08 71 in the homepage call-out.

Cancellation is stated per product. The Splash page shows "Free Cancellation Up to 12 hours in advance" and describes a "Bad Weather Warranty": if the port is closed, you can move the snorkel to another day or take your money back. For combo packages the terms are different: no charge to reschedule up to 24 hours ahead, a full refund if canceled at least 48 hours ahead, and every activity in a package must be used within 15 days of the first. An e-voucher arrives by email within 24 hours. The site promises "No bookings fees and no hidden charges," while the tour pages still list the per-person surcharge or dock fee as not included.

Group size: the homepage promises "small groups of maximum 10 people" and says larger groups can be handled "as a special request," with vans of 10-14 seats. The homepage star badges carry counts such as 120+, 98+ and 140+ next to each tour; the site does not say where those ratings come from.

Gaps and who it suits

The site lists private-only products but does not show private prices for most of them beyond the Open Waters trip. Star counts are shown without a source. Two phone numbers appear with no note on which is for what. The minimum snorkel age differs between pages (10+ on Splash, 4 on the 5-in-1), so check the specific tour. The company says all activities include medical and liability insurance, but the site does not name the insurer.

Total Snorkel Cancun suits Cancun visitors who want a short, well-described snorkel trip near the Hotel Zone with hotel pickup and small groups, and families or nervous swimmers who like the non-swimmer version and the guide-at-your-side setup. The combo pages suit anyone wanting snorkeling plus parasailing or ruins in one booking. Those staying further down the Riviera Maya will pay extra for transport, and anyone after dives rather than snorkel trips will find mostly surface-level options here.