Diving with Sandals

[Kat]

RoatanMans post is excellent.

These are resorts that offer diving, not diving resorts.

This doesn't mean that these resorts are all bad. Not everyone who is certified, not everyone who posts here, not everyone with great water-cooler tales of their big dive adventure would fit in at a "real" (or dedicated) dive resort. Some people like the activities and parasol drinks at these Club operations, and God bless them. We just must express what we really want when we seek travel advice.

Very, very true.


I have been on the die hard diving trips. I have done half & half, by booking the hard core diving w/ one hotel & then the fluff part of the trip somewhere else. I have done the family vacation with the kids & only managed to squeeze a 2 tank dive into the intinerary in 7 days. And I have done the all-inclusive, buffet deal, with no diving.
Be true to what you want & you wont be disappointed.

I do find it interesting that there are some divers who believe that unless you do the die hard 5x's a day dive trip you are somehow a substandard diver. You get catagorized as a vacation diver, the lowest of the low. Again, RoatanMans post mentions a friend who is a commercial diver & enjoys the all-inclusive resorts. So obviously hard core divers can enjoy the guilty pleasures of this kind of vacation as well.
It does not make you a bad diver to take a cruise & dive at the various ports. You are not betraying our secret divers sworn oath to never set foot in an all-inclusive.


A couple more great quotes:

To each his own, but don't expect what just simply can't be there.

Exactly

That's a good point. If you're used to eating at McDonalds, Denny's seems like fine dining.

I think most of us have eaten at these types of restaurants. I'm sure that no one is surprised that McLobster is not on the menu.
The same is true of the diving at the all-inclusives. Don't expect much & you will be pleasantly surprised when you find an excellent dive op at an all-inclusive.

 

[Ken abucs]

I'm sure that no one is surprised that McLobster is not on the menu.

McLobster has been on the menu at McDonalds in the past up here in New England during the summer. I haven't noticed it this year, but it's been a long time since I've been to McDonalds.

Ken

 

[ScubaThor]

I dove with Sandals in Negril, Jamaica last year. Several of the tanks also had short fills. They offered three dives each day, 9:00, 11:00, and 1:00. By the time the 9:00 dives were completed, the 11:00 dive was ready to go.

If you have your own gear take it and you will be much better off. Just make sure you go to the dive shop on your day of arrival so you can dive the next day; otherwise, you will have to wait until your third day. Don’t forget your logbook too. Overall, would I do it again? Without a doubt but only with my own gear.

I dove with Sandals Negril last year as well and would echo what tc_rain is saying...ESPECIALLY THE SHORT FILLS. Most tanks are somewhere between 2,500 and 2,700 PSI. The staff was great though...even fixed a busted o-ring on my first stage. Bring your own gear, if you can.
Also, while I agree with those comments about Sandals (or other resorts) not being a diving resort, sometimes we are forced to go to places where our non-diving significant others can enjoy themselves as well...hence Sandals. If it were up to me alone, it would have been some sort of live-aboard vacation.
But, reality being reality, 80 degree plus Jamaican waters (as dead as the reefs may be) still beat 50 degree dark quarries.

 

[d@n]

My intro to diving was a Sandals resort course at the Grande in St. Lucia. It got me hooked!
It is NOT a diving resort. I hear there is a great on St. Lucia but I can't remember the name. Anse Chastinet or something I think.
Sandals Grande was a fantastic couples resort. We thoroughly enjoyed it.
Anyway - The instructor at the Grande was excellent. He was called Rosebud I believe. He made sure everyone was at least semi-confident in their abilities to breathe properly underwater, equalize, clear mask and regulator, recover regulator, remove and replace mask, donate and share air, and control buoyancy. We spent about 4 hours in the pool until everyone had a least some proficiency. He made sure everyone could swim slowly in the pool while maintaining buoyancy. We then went out and had a blast doing some great dives! I wouldn't expect too much more from a couples resort that does - by the way- offer some diving.

 

[c-monkey]

My husband and I had our first experience with warm water ocean diving at Sandals Ocho Rios many years back. We call that trip Jamaica Mistaica. At the time the diving was the ONLY thing we enjoyed.. The equipment was ok, the water was warm and clear, the staff was attentive. Having been to other, better reefs now and with MUCH better land experiences, we will never go back to Jamaica for diving unless it is a free trip. We would rather dive in Lake Travis than pay to go there! As others have said - it depends on what you are looking for - we were not there to "party", we wanted to dive a little, relax alot and eat good food... so we got to dive a little...

 

[mfalco]

It's funny reading how many people mentioned bad diving from Sandals in Negril. I went to a different couples only resort in Negril last year, and the diving was great. Great DMs, decent equipment, and some good dive sites. Nice reefs, a sunken plane, and plenty of marine life. Unfortunately the day I took off from diving was the day a hammerhead shark showed up, so I missed it.

 

[Kat]

McLobster has been on the menu at McDonalds in the past up here in New England during the summer. I haven't noticed it this year, but it's been a long time since I've been to McDonalds.

Ken

Really?!
:11:
It's been a running gag with my friends, for awhile.
What about McSurf & Turf?

Still, I think I'd take a pass on the McLobster.


I did my open Water at Sandals in Nassau. My boyfriend & I had a great time & met some really fun people. Plus we got certified. We thought Sandals was a blast.
My boyfriend is not a die hard diver, at all. He would be happy if we only dove once or twice in a whole week, on vacation. The only thing that saves me is saying 'we brought the gear with us so we might as well use it.' And as far as local diving...I have to suggest it, plan it, talk him into it. Then put up with his b!%@#ing because of all the work of him hauling the gear. OMG, it is just not worth it.

 

[Ken abucs]

McLobster pic...

http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/North_America/United_States/Northeast/Maine/photo229211.htm

 

[Kat]

Thanks for posting the pic...I now have proof that it does exist. Too funny!

We always figured the McSurf & Turf would just be a filet of fish sandwich & a burger. (yuck)

 

[Damselfish]

Oh, they definitely exist. Other fast food chains will have them too, like D'Angelos. It's a New England thing.

I've never eaten one, as I don't like lobster rolls to begin with - steamed with butter, please. But I've heard alot of people wonder exactly which parts of the 100% lobster wind up in there...