Fantasy Island...Here We Come!!!

[DandyDon]

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...

Well, I'll admit that I don't criticize a business much unless the problems were horrible, maybe we need to be asking contributors "What did you like least?" - but you did seem to be there at the worst time. I suspect great improvements for FIBR now, but only time will tell.

 

[CajunDiva]

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.

I think your opinion was well received...we just all have a different opinion and one should receive all of them with an open mind. I disagree about the glowing reports. I did say that the weekend we got there was AWFUL, but improvements began when the new management took over. I think the difference is that this was your first and only time at Fantasy Island Resort. I have been going there for multiple times every year for several years now, so I have a basis for comparison. I know how nice the resort CAN be...unfortunately you visited during a terrible transition time. The bargain price of $ 499 was supposed to compensate for the transition, and as I said in a previous post, I am sorry you guys missed out on that special. :depressed:

 

[DandyDon]

The bargain price of $ 499 was supposed to compensate for the transition, and as I said in a previous post, I am sorry you guys missed out on that special.

Edit: [-]I didn't really look hard at that offer as the timing just didn't work for me but maybe we should have seen it as a possible red flag: outgoing business running a fire sale on leftovers?[/-] See below

Paying more for it and hitting that weekend would be doubly crappy, I understand.

 

[RTBDiver]

RTBdiver - yes, I'm at new at scubaboard .

You signed up in 2009

(don't know if you realized put I earlier posted 'out of sequence' stuff).

Out of sequence? You started as a one post wonder bashing a place and have moved on to a one topic wonder on the same thing, Have you ever offered any insight to places you know of?

And I don't spend much time here - it was originally intended for my local area.

Obviously you do not spend much time here or you would have known about the need of improvement as well as the $499 special as it was all over the place for a while. Have you offered things about your local experiences as that is why you say you joined?

I think some of the reports were way too glowing of FI.

Seriously,
Look through the last years posts about FI and you will find the majority mention needing improvement, food not great, and other issues. Fortunately it seems they are looking to improve.

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.

Why bother posting here? You are complaining about a place that has numerously been tagged a rustic almost dive camping place for quite a while but you say your not a complainer and if you knew it was rustic it it may have been different, what in heavens would have made you expect different when rustic has been used so many times in the past to describe the place. Heck, are not all of the main dive resorts on Roatan rustic? I know CCV and AKR can be described that way.

When i used the search feature this was the first post related to FI that caught my eye, It has some interesting things, Talks about the great deals as well as the rusic nature. Hmmm

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/bay-islands/309136-so-whats-deal-fantasy-island.html

 

[CajunDiva]

I didn't really look hard at that offer as the timing just didn't work for me but maybe we should have seen it as a possible red flag: outgoing business running a fire sale on leftovers?

Paying more for it and hitting that weekend would be doubly crappy, I understand.

No DD...that's completely backwards. Please don't put the wrong information out there. The $499 special was offered by the NEW management to compensate for the changes going on during the transition. I took advantage of this offer and am completely happy with our trip. The inconveniences we suffered were more than compensated for by paying the lesser price and by the fact that Rich Henry did everything in his power to make sure we were taken care of.

The OUTGOING guys were the ones booking at full price and not taking care of the guests. Thankfully the old guys are gone and it's a new day at Fantasy Island. Unfortunately pamdiver's group booked with the OLD guys and didn't deal with Rich, so they didn't get the same deal...unfortunate :depressed:

 

[herbdb]

I leave with my two sons for Fantasy Island in seven hours, 2AM to catch a 5:30 flight out of Newark.

I just finished packing. Sure hope to sleep on the airplane.

I will try to give a couple of reports, but diving comes first.

 

[herbdb]

Here is my report after three nights and two days of diving. The resort and beaches are well groomed. The room is pretty much what we expected, large, clean with working AC, ceiling fan, frig and TV. Plenty of hot water in the shower. The cleaning staff stocks the frig with pitchers of water they fill from large water jugs.

We have three of us in the room and asked for an extra bed. No problem, they had a full sized twin with a regular mattress in the room within 15 minutes. We still have plenty of room even with the extra bed.

Food is not gourmet, but has been tasty and plentiful. Most of the food is on a steam table, buffet style, but they have had the grill active at every meal. Custom eggs in the morning, hamburgers at lunch and so far a different meat dish at dinner. Tonight was sishkabobs, the steam table entrees were chicken in mushrooms and fish. A couple of veggies, a pasta dish and rice. Fresh fruit at every meal and a nice salad bar for lunch and dinner. We have had a choice of two desserts at lunch and dinner plus ice cream is always available.

The dive shop and staff are great. We are using the new boat which is very nice. Water and fruit are available as well as towels and terrycloth robes for after dive. The trips to the dive sites are short, usually 10-15 minutes. Dive times are not limited. Our dive master tries to plan the guided portion for 40-45 minutes, then you are free to stay down if you have the air. One of my sons did two dives in excess of an hour today. The dive master noticed that I was only good for about 35 minutes on a deep dive and had the dive shop prepare 100 cu ft NITROX tanks especially for me. Great service!

The diving has been good, lots of small stuff, excellent visibility. No large marine life so far, except for a really large moray eel and a turtle. On the way back from a dive today we spotted a large pod of dolphins and the boat captain put us in front of them and many jumped with snorkels to see them.

I have been diving with a light even on day dives so I can see in the cracks and holes in the walls. The Prince Albert wreck (a shore dive) is really nice. Much larger than I expected. I may have to forego a boat dive to get more time on it. The afternoon boat dive gets back about 4:30 and by the time you grab a tank and ride the launch to the gazebo it is after 5 PM. It is dark at 6 so we had a twilight to night dive yesterday on the wreck. The dive shop provides full support from 8AM to 8PM. You can dive outside of those hours if you get your tanks early. I don't have the energy, four dives is plenty.

Over all we are pleased with what we have seen so far. I Had a chat with Rich this afternoon (he is down for the week) and came away with the feeling that the new management will continue the improvements. I have no problem recommending the resort with the current conditions and hope they keep going.

I will try to post some pictures when I get home.

 

[DandyDon]

Robes? Sounds like the fixing up is going well. They found you a 100 cf Nx tank huh? Cool!

The Prince Albert wreck (a shore dive) is really nice. Much larger than I expected. I may have to forego a boat dive to get more time on it. The afternoon boat dive gets back about 4:30 and by the time you grab a tank and ride the launch to the gazebo it is after 5 PM.

Take extra tanks on the afternoon trip and get dropped off there on the way back in.

Hey, why don't you start a new thread with your ongoing report?

 

[CODMAN]

Herb, if you want a quick dive on the Prince Albert after the afternoon dive, bring an extra tank with you and have the captain drop you off over the wreck on the way back. Just watch your Nitrogen loading because that's another dive within a very short surface interval...

No bottom time limits? 100cf tanks? Wow, service is definetly improving!!

Have fun!

Here is my report after three nights and two days of diving. The resort and beaches are well groomed. The room is pretty much what we expected, large, clean with working AC, ceiling fan, frig and TV. Plenty of hot water in the shower. The cleaning staff stocks the frig with pitchers of water they fill from large water jugs.

We have three of us in the room and asked for an extra bed. No problem, they had a full sized twin with a regular mattress in the room within 15 minutes. We still have plenty of room even with the extra bed.

Food is not gourmet, but has been tasty and plentiful. Most of the food is on a steam table, buffet style, but they have had the grill active at every meal. Custom eggs in the morning, hamburgers at lunch and so far a different meat dish at dinner. Tonight was sishkabobs, the steam table entrees were chicken in mushrooms and fish. A couple of veggies, a pasta dish and rice. Fresh fruit at every meal and a nice salad bar for lunch and dinner. We have had a choice of two desserts at lunch and dinner plus ice cream is always available.

The dive shop and staff are great. We are using the new boat which is very nice. Water and fruit are available as well as towels and terrycloth robes for after dive. The trips to the dive sites are short, usually 10-15 minutes. Dive times are not limited. Our dive master tries to plan the guided portion for 40-45 minutes, then you are free to stay down if you have the air. One of my sons did two dives in excess of an hour today. The dive master noticed that I was only good for about 35 minutes on a deep dive and had the dive shop prepare 100 cu ft NITROX tanks especially for me. Great service!

The diving has been good, lots of small stuff, excellent visibility. No large marine life so far, except for a really large moray eel and a turtle. On the way back from a dive today we spotted a large pod of dolphins and the boat captain put us in front of them and many jumped with snorkels to see them.

I have been diving with a light even on day dives so I can see in the cracks and holes in the walls. The Prince Albert wreck (a shore dive) is really nice. Much larger than I expected. I may have to forego a boat dive to get more time on it. The afternoon boat dive gets back about 4:30 and by the time you grab a tank and ride the launch to the gazebo it is after 5 PM. It is dark at 6 so we had a twilight to night dive yesterday on the wreck. The dive shop provides full support from 8AM to 8PM. You can dive outside of those hours if you get your tanks early. I don't have the energy, four dives is plenty.

Over all we are pleased with what we have seen so far. I Had a chat with Rich this afternoon (he is down for the week) and came away with the feeling that the new management will continue the improvements. I have no problem recommending the resort with the current conditions and hope they keep going.

I will try to post some pictures when I get home.

 

[bottomfeeder22]

Have a look inside the wing(where it broke off the fuselage) of the DC3 that's just southwest off the Prince Albert's bow. We found a huge moray, equally impressive lobster, and lionfish all in that one little area! Also a nice fat-armed anenome in the rubble near there.