Roatan: Which op?

[skittl1321]

Okay, so originally I thought I'd be scuba diving in Costa Maya, but now it looks like we'll dive in Roatan.

 

Can anyone provide a recommendation for an operator?

 

Right now, I am torn between West End Divers and Subway Watersports, though I'm open to other suggestions. I'm really not sure how to choose.

 

Barefoot has been heavily recommended, however, based on their answers to my questions in my email- it does not appear they will be the best op for me. So lets leave them out for now.

[midnights911]

I'm looking for a shark dive excursion in Roatan. Have you found any dive ops offering them? I took was looking at Barefoot too, I really would like to know what you find out. We are diving in 3 of our 4 ports and only have Cozumel worked out.

[skittl1321]

I have not looked into shark dives, as that doesn't interest me. Maybe if you start a thread with that specifically in the title, so it catches attention, someone can help you out. If Barefoot offers one, they have been heavily recommended both here and ScubaBoard. They just won't work for me personally.

[Laurie S.]

I've used both Barefoot Divers and Subway Watersports on multiple trips. My preference, by a long ways, is for Subway.

[Dabaras]

I did not have the greatest experience with Subway. They were very friendly and competent, but they put nine of us on a boat that would have have been great for six. Also, unless you were on the bow, you were sucking fumes the whole way. (This was two weeks ago)

[Laurie S.]

The underwater maraca shaking of the DMs at Barefoot will drive you absolutely crazy. But, Mary's Place is a wonderful place to dive, although it's not for beginners. We loved Subway because they let us go do our own thing.

[skittl1321]

The underwater maraca shaking of the DMs at Barefoot will drive you absolutely crazy. But, Mary's Place is a wonderful place to dive, although it's not for beginners. We loved Subway because they let us go do our own thing.

 

I wouldn't be going NEAR Mary's Place.

Actually, the reason I won't go with Barefoot is they will not accomodate a shallow dive at 8:30 (which I already worry is cutting it too close since we dock at 8:00). I feel like the 2:00 dive is getting too late. As a nervous nellie, I don't want to dive beyond my training; as someone with a medical condition that possibly (DAN couldn't really confirm) puts me more susceptible to DCS, I don't want to dive beyond OW depths.

[ExpatCanuck]

Best company to take you diving is Roatan Sun Splash. They are excellent, we only use them when we visit. Maybe they can offer you a good deal? We aren't divers, we're snorkelers, but it was amazing!! Great professional team. Nice change :)

[pamawi]

Carnival uses Anthony's Key Resort for a diveop in Roatan and they were great. I went out with Subway the first time and they were good too, but I've been with AKR several other times and saw no reason to use a non-ship op in that port. Although I might like to find an op that could take me to Mary's Place and Calvin's Crack. Hopefully I'll get to stay at Cocoview for a week and get to those sites. Does anyone know of dive ops that will take cruise passengers to those sites?

[skittl1321]

Carnival uses Anthony's Key Resort for a diveop in Roatan and they were great. I went out with Subway the first time and they were good too, but I've been with AKR several other times and saw no reason to use a non-ship op in that port.

 

NCL uses AKR as well. The only reason I'm looking elsewhere is cost. The price does not include gear, and there are no gear rental costs. The costs, without gear, are already higher than elsewhere with gear.

 

 

However, we've thought about AKR for a land vacation, and it would be a good preview.

[releck97]

Okay, so originally I thought I'd be scuba diving in Costa Maya, but now it looks like we'll dive in Roatan.

 

Can anyone provide a recommendation for an operator?

 

Right now, I am torn between West End Divers and Subway Watersports, though I'm open to other suggestions. I'm really not sure how to choose.

 

Barefoot has been heavily recommended, however, based on their answers to my questions in my email- it does not appear they will be the best op for me. So lets leave them out for now.

 

We always dive with Coconut Tree Divers when we cruise into Roatan. First class operation and very cruise friendly! I highly recommend them. If you dive with them, please tell P.J. and Gay I said hi!

 

Rick

[skittl1321]

We always dive with Coconut Tree Divers when we cruise into Roatan. First class operation and very cruise friendly! I highly recommend them. If you dive with them, please tell P.J. and Gay I said hi!

 

Rick

 

Their website says they only take AOW on their morning trip. The afternoon trips are too late for us to get back to the ship on time- we will only have OW.

[pamawi]

I've always taken my own gear, but usually notice that Carnival only charges $10 more for dive trips with gear. I've considered using rental gear in the future because it's a pain to haul it around to shop after the dive and it's only $10 more. Do the other dive ops include transportation? I remember Subway did when I used them before and it's a fairly long drive over to Turquoise Bay. If you dock at Mahoghany Bay there is a nice zip line right by the cruise dock and we had time to do it after AKR dropped us off. They let us leave our gear in the zip line office so we didn't have to run it back to the ship. AKR is first class all the way.

[Laurie S.]

Subway includes transportation, Barefoot does not and the cost is the same for both ops. At least it was last year. It's a $20 taxi ride to Barefoot round trip. Bananarama will provide transportation, but there has to be several divers. In 2009, they picked me up, even though I was the only diver from the ship. I think they added $20 to cover the ride.

[skittl1321]

Again, I am not interested in Barefoot. I also don't have enough in my group for bananarama, so I'd rather book a 'sure thing'

 

I am trying to see if anyone has information on West End Divers.

[AtlFolks]

I dove with Bananarama and was very pleased. They even gave me an emergency BC - no extra charge when my inflator hose split.

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[BigRed93]

We went with the ship and used AKR. Did not have an extra fee for gear rental thru carnival shore ex. When transportation figured in, cost was equal and time better spent then schlepping up that hill with the gear we did have

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[skittl1321]

I'm fairly interested in just going with the ship here. I've considered AKR for land vacations, so it would be a preview. But I've just heard horror stories of large groups of people who don't know what they are doing. As someone who doesn't know much about what I'm doing...I'd rather not be in a herd.

 

I liked Bananarama, but they require 4 to book, and we only have 2.

 

So now I'm torn between West End and AKR (ship). AKR emailed me back and told me their rental gear will run about $30 (it doesn't appear to be included with NCL). The thing that worried me most is their first dive is to 70-80. As someone who will only have a few quarry dives behind me, I'm not real interested in exceeding that 60 foot "limit" for my cert. West End told me they do not take beginners below 60.

[BigRed93]

When we went with AKR a few years ago it was our very first ocean dives post certification. Everything done in a quarry. I was pretty nervous about being with a group, going too deep etc. we had 9 people on our boat. Both dives were to 60 ft -70 ft. I had pulled the DM aside to let him know we were brand spanking new. Being so overwhelmed by the beauty and trying to remember everything I had learned, I don't remember the dives much. And we weren't even the first ones up! But you are responsible for taking care of yourself, so if you want to stick to your 60ft max, then let the DM know up front you will just stay above their bubbles if they go deeper.

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[cruisingforsix]

Okay, so originally I thought I'd be scuba diving in Costa Maya, but now it looks like we'll dive in Roatan.

 

Can anyone provide a recommendation for an operator?

 

Right now, I am torn between West End Divers and Subway Watersports, though I'm open to other suggestions. I'm really not sure how to choose.

 

Barefoot has been heavily recommended, however, based on their answers to my questions in my email- it does not appear they will be the best op for me. So lets leave them out for now.

I am not sure if they do diving but we snorkeled with upachaya and it is still one of the best snorkel we have ever done .

[AtlFolks]

Bananarama treated me well. I posted info for them somewhere in this thread.

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[oldmedic]

we recently used sueno del mar... great dives.. very comfortable diving with them my son and grandson's first ocean diving experience after getting certified recently...would book with them again in a heart beat!! if you happen to book with them, please tell them bill, rusty, and wyatt FROM TEXAS say hello!!

[topspot]

We used Bananrama. Got a group together on our roll call. We had a mixture of Divers and a few for their beach package. DD and DH were newer divers at the time, so they were paired with DM, while the more experienced divers were paired with a different DM so the newbies didn't hold back the more experienced divers. ;) All had a great experience.