Fantasy Island...Here We Come!!!

[Jenbowes]

I do not want to take away from the people who had a great time on their trip at Fantasy Island during that fateful week. I'm not one to post smack about places or people, but Rich, I am VERY disinterested in having you misrepresent our experience for marketing purposes in this thread by saying how much fun we had and that our group has emailed you to tell you so.

My experience there was marginal, and certainly not worth the cost for a dive vacation (perhaps it would have been worth it at $499, but who can say).

For everyone else, I'm glad that your trip was wonderful and all you could have hoped it could be! May all your holidays be that joyful and more!

Safe diving!

 

[RTBDiver]

Starting to get interesting now

 

[CajunDiva]

I do not want to take away from the people who had a great time on their trip at Fantasy Island during that fateful week. I'm not one to post smack about places or people, but Rich, I am VERY disinterested in having you misrepresent our experience for marketing purposes in this thread by saying how much fun we had and that our group has emailed you to tell you so.

My experience there was marginal, and certainly not worth the cost for a dive vacation (perhaps it would have been worth it at $499, but who can say).

For everyone else, I'm glad that your trip was wonderful and all you could have hoped it could be! May all your holidays be that joyful and more!

Safe diving!

Hola Jenbowes -

I think you might have Rich confused with me. I was the one who made the comment about how it looked to me like you guys were having such a good time. What Rich said was:

"I do know that some members of your group have contacted me and were very happy with the outcome. With that being said you must have booked your trip either with the old US booking agent or before the special was offered. I am not sure who your booked your trip through since no one has contacted our office about this. Perhaps you could have them call us at 888-503-6030."

I don't interpret that as saying "how much fun you had", but maybe I'm missing something. Reading your comment about how you didn't get your trip for the $ 499 rate now has it making more sense to me. I guess you booked your trip with someone else and missed out on the special that was announced here on ScubaBoard when Rich officially took over as their marketing agent for the U.S. We had lengthy discussions in that thread about the change in management and what to expect at Fantasy Island. I'm sorry you guys missed out on that opportunity.

As I posted in this thread earlier, the resort was absolutely AWFUL the weekend before the new management took over. But you know what else I DIDN'T post? Rich was right in the middle of things busting his tail to make sure the guests were taken care of to the best of his ability. When two of the rooms in our party didn't have toilet seats, he went and found new ones and INSTALLED THEM HIMSELF while we were out diving! When outgoing management confiscated the alcohol to have a party for themselves, Rich was the one taking bottles from them so certain customers could enjoy cocktails. The resort was handed back over to them in deplorable condition, but that didn't keep the new managers from doing the best they could to take care of us.

I don't think Rich has any need to "misrepresent" your experience. From what I've seen, Rich is the type of person who is willing to do whatever he can to do things the right way, and I observed him attempting to do just that the entire week.

Fantasy Island Resort is blessed with an incredible location, gorgeous beaches, a staff that feels just like family and diving that is to-die-for. While the resort has not been operated to its full potential in the past couple of years, now that I have met Rich and Francisco and Marianela, I have no doubt that Fantasy Island is on its way back to being the fine resort it once was. If you base your opinions of the resort on that one awful week, you will be missing out...but we all have our own priorities, don't we?

 

[pamdiver]

I believe what jenbowes was referring to was Rich's comment "I do know that some members of your group have contacted me and were very happy with the outcome". This is not true. We did have fun but that was due to our group and the other hotel guests. The hotel sucked.

 

[CajunDiva]

I believe what jenbowes was referring to was Rich's comment "I do know that some members of your group have contacted me and were very happy with the outcome". This is not true. We did have fun but that was due to our group and the other hotel guests. The hotel sucked.

I'm glad to hear the other resort guests were fun

 

[RTBDiver]

I certainly will not take any "side" in this thing as I have never and likely will never visit Fantasy island but its some interesting reading. Maybe the new manager has taken a few minor liberties in his posts or interpretation of how, who and what has been said , done etccc.. But hey, he is all set to get on track and has the promotion thing going.
what I have a little trouble understanding is that someone (Who has been a Scubaboard member for over a year ) could book a trip there and be so out of the loop as to what to expect. As i said, i really have no interest in the place but even so i have read so many posts about things needing repair, food not great, and often referred to as a dive/camping type place there really should have been IMNSHO little doubt as to what tyo expect. The specials had been heavilly promoted and talked about here as well and at $499 there is little to compare with.
While the average Joe may believe everything they see on a full page advertisement in skindiver or the promotional brochure, you would think an active diver and member of the this forum would have taken advantage of the feature and had a better idea of what to expect, and we all know if any FI questions were brought up prior to the trip or even booking there are at least a couple here very willing to share the info.

 

[DandyDon]

what I have a little trouble understanding is that someone (Who has been a Scubaboard member for over a year ) could book a trip there and be so out of the loop as to what to expect

Many members register, then come back and look only now and then - and still miss a lot. It takes a lot to learn how to get around here and many don't get into it.

Some of us get into it too much, I suppose.

 

[herbdb]

We board the plane on Sunday the 5th for our first trip to Roatan. We are very excited and will give a status report on improvements. I am sure they had that in mind when they ran the special.

 

[CajunDiva]

We board the plane on Sunday the 5th for our first trip to Roatan. We are very excited and will give a status report on improvements. I am sure they had that in mind when they ran the special.

Have a great trip Herb! I can't wait to hear what's going on at Fantasy Island. I'm sure the routine is beginning to settle by now and things will be much calmer. They were moving very quickly with the improvements when we left a few weeks ago - I'll bet lots more has been done and I can't wait to hear about it. Also see if you can get any scoop about what else is coming Can't wait to hear from you

 

[pamdiver]

RTBdiver - yes, I'm at new at scubaboard (don't know if you realized put I earlier posted 'out of sequence' stuff). And I don't spend much time here - it was originally intended for my local area. Believe me I will check next time but I will take the info here with a grain of salt. I think some of the reports were way too glowing of FI. And I believe my opinion was not well received - so where do you go to get all sides of the picture? This was a first for such a terrible hotel - all the other times/places have been great. I say that so you know I'm not a complainer in general and I felt this hotel to be bad enough to tell others. I really don't expect much when diving but unless I know I'm going someplace rustic there are some things I do expect. Hopefully, next year I'll post something glowing about another dive destination.