Dive Center vs Self Booking

[divingjd]

Our LDS is also a travel agency and can do a good job on dive travel and non-dive travel. I just found one really good reason to book through an agent: if something goes wrong, they may have the resources to help you out. In July or August, we booked a trip to Cayman Brac and the Divi Tiara resort, along with another couple. We both bought airline tickets early and on our own. The LDS doesn't get any commission on the tickets and doesn't really have any leverage with the airlines, so I generally book my own air. In September, we found out that Divi had closed the Tiara. By the time I called the LDS to find out what was going on, they had already managed to get us booked into the Brac Reef resort, the only other full-service resort on the island, and had gotten Divi to pick up the extra cost. I probably could not have done this myself, but the LDS books lots of people into Divi properties all over the Caribbean, so they could swing some weight with the Divi corporate office.

On a more basic level, a dive shop will probably know a lot about possible destinations and be able to give you information and make recommendations. They will have personally visited a lot of places and will have reports back from other clients as well, so they can be great sources of information. As someone else mentioned, they often have access to deals you may not be able to find yourself. I do not think it is correct to assume that it will be more expensive through a dive shop. I would say go talk to your LDS and see if they can be helpful. If you don't feel good about it, book it yourself.

 

[FredT]

About 3 miles north of Fresh Creek, Andros, Bahamas.
OTOH it's about a mile west of the 3rd largest barrier reef in the world in the Tongue of the Ocean.

FT

 

[DiverDean59]

You guys are great. Thanks for all the options. We probably won't go until the summer when the children get out of school but I want to look ahead. I had also looked at cruises, but it looks like the diving ops are at a minimum on cruises. Maybe for our first time that might be fine, but I'm ready to get the best use out of my c-card. My son and I hopefully will be able to take the AOW in the summer also.

Thanks again and Merry Christmas

 

[OHGoDive]

You might also want to consider Kid's Sea Camp. Our whole family went to one of their weeks on Grand Cayman and it was perfect. 2 certified adults, 2 certified teens, and 2 uncertified pre-teens. Our two oldest got their AOW, one got her OW, and our youngest loved the Scuba Ranger program. They offered something for everyone in the family, your kids (or even your wife) can get certified, you and your son can take advanced classes, they have programs for kids that are too young for diving, everything is included (meals, drinks, diving, classes, course materials, card/certification fees, gear rental if you need it - the younger kids even got their own "to keep", gear, mask/fins/snorkel/shorty wetsuit) and it was run as smoothly as anything I've ever done.

I'm not big on "packages", but, for a family of varying ages & skills, this was ideal. Plus, it allows for alone time for parents, and if you're someplace like Grand Cayman, there are plenty of activities topside if you get tired of the water. It's not cheap, but if you consider everything that's included, and that it made everyone in a family of 6 very happy, it's a bargain (oh, and kids flew free on Cayman Air, so that helps a lot too).

I highly recommend them.

http://www.kidsseacamp.com/

 

[akbpilot]

I've looked at a lot of trips offered by dive centers or shops, and have never found one I couldn't beat the price on by a substantial amount. That said, I've done all my own trips online since 1997, and have never burned myself, so if you have not traveled much or done your own trips, it might be worth the peace of mind that comes with going with a group. I do agree that most of the organized trips are all about diving, diving,and more diving. That's not the way we vacation, so that's another negative for us. A non-diver is not going to get the value out of a trip like that.

We go to the Yucatan once a year, and would recommend that to a diving/non-diving combo family. I'm not so sure I would recommend Cozumel for a 12 yr old diver (sometimes swift drift dives), but you would be better to gauge your childs abilities then I would. Cozumel has lots for the non-divers to do, great people, safe and easy to access from the states. The mainland Yucatan has great vacation possibilities for all, and some good, somes times excellent diving, not on the level of Coz, but nice.

The kids Sea Camp sounds good for a young family, and Grand Cayman should offer (never been there myself, just going on what I've read) good diving outside the camp