Divi Flamingo good fit for my group?

[KeithG]

Good plan. I have stayed at both places and much prefer Divi for reasons listed by giffenk and diversteve.
Don't worry about ships. Unless they are coming or leaving, no big deal. I have experienced one pulling out of mooring while I was shore diving from Divi dock. Lots of noise and vibration. In a word, scary.
They give fair warning to their passengers with airhorn, so divers can heed this as well to time your dive.

The timeshare suites at Divi are quite nice.
I would not even think about an AI at Plaza, too many good cheap places to eat at around town. Also, too far from rooms to shop to shore dive site for convenience.
Also, you would not get the full island experience.

Buddy Dive and Habitat are good dive lodges with great shore diving but don't meet your needs in terms of walking to town.
Buddy dive runs a dive and drive package. One truck per 4 people. This would also be suitable if your group is OK with driving to town instead of walking. Buddy Dive and Habitat are completely away from cruise ship mooring as well. Worth considering.

Agreed. I claim Divi (or Plaza?) is better suited to non-truck divers since they are very close to town. Maybe.

We use Divi since we do not truck dive and want to be able to walk home from supper.

The resorts north of town (Don's, Buddy's) are also great dive ops, but you will need a truck to get to a variety of supper choices. If you want to truck dive, then your supper travel issue is solved (except for the designated driver, which is always me).

In town restaurants are too far to walk home after a few adult beverages. Our last stay at Dons included a 45 minute walk just to get to supper at the closest divebuddy approved restaurant in KrinkyDink. We zombied the walk back to our room after supper. This caused my divebuddy to strike Don's off the list.

 

[diversteve]

Here's why they don't want you diving under the cruise ships. Carnival Elation Azimuth Pods (thrusters)



All that blood will just upset the cruise pax...

 

[tridacna]

Does Divi provide IP access in guest bedrooms?

 

[KeithG]

Does Divi provide IP access in guest bedrooms?

Do you mean "internet"? No, IIFC.

They have free extremeSLOW (tm) wifi that covers the complete resort lobby and several feet beyond. I think in room coverage was a complete bust. But this may have changed. I would not hold my breath.

 

[cuddlefish]

More great info. Much appreciated.

 

[tridacna]

Do you mean "internet"? No, IIFC.

Thanks. What does IIFC mean?

 

[lmorin]

Thanks. What does IIFC mean?

from theFreeDictionary

Acronym	Definition
IIFC	India Infrastructure Finance Company
IIFC	Infrastructure Investment Facilitation Center (Bangladesh)
IIFC	Inhibition of Incoming Forwarded Calls
IIFC	Islamic International Foundation of Cooperation (Qom, Iran)
IIFC	International Institute for FRP (Fiber Reinforced Polymer) in Construction (Canada)

 

[tridacna]

Seriously? Could you also explain any one of these in the context of Giffenk's post?

 

[cuddlefish]

From Divi, can you walk to a grocery store/market/convenience store?

 

[diversteve]

There's little one across the street. I can't remember the name of it.

Two of the largest markets - Warehouse Bonaire and Van Den Tweel are within 1/4 mile or so. Due east on the road in front of the Divi. I doubt there's a resort any closer...



http://www.vandentweelgroep.nl/voordeelmarkt-warehouse-b.v./21/v
http://www.vandentweelgroep.nl/van-den-tweel-supermarket/16/v

Something I just saw also:

http://www.tourismbonaire.com/press...rt-in-bonaire-to-undergo-multi-million-dollar

Aug. 14 | Divi Flamingo Beach Resort in Bonaire To Undergo Multi-million Dollar Renovation

Divi Resorts announced that it would undertake a top-to-bottom refresh of its Bonaire property, Divi Flamingo Beach Resort. Renovations on the 129-room resort begin in September, with completion scheduled for June 2015. The upgrade covers rooms, grounds, lobby, pools, beach, restaurants and bars, back of house, exterior décor, dive facilities and retail. It is the largest hospitality capital investment on Bonaire in recent years. According to Marco Galaverna, president and chief operating officer of Divi Resorts, the renovation will make Divi the undisputed leader in guest services and amenities and the freshest, most stylish product on the island. The modernization of Divi Dive, the in-house dive operation, along with the hotel's makeover will be a boon to the resort's robust dive business; but also is expected to create a new mecca for Caribbean-bound vacationers from around the world.