Goby vs Dive Bus, or... Goby AND Dive Bus?

[mje113]

Does anyone have experience with both Goby Divers (at the Marriott) and the Dive Bus?

I finally got my October Curacao trip booked! Yay! I'll be staying at the Marriott Beach Resort with my non-diving girlfriend. Because Goby Divers is onsite I was thinking they may be the most convenient to use. But the people at the Dive Bus seem like a really fun group! I'm debating how to put this all together. Non-diving girlfriend likes to snorkel and would probably be content at some shore-diving locations if there's a nice place to hang out and read a book top side.

I was thinking about doing a couple days of boat diving with Goby, providing they get out early and are back by lunch time. Then tacking on some shore dives with Dive Bus, and bringing girlfriend along. I'm open to any suggestions!

 

[Altamira]

We spent a month is Curacao in 2021, and split diving between Ocean Encounters at Sunscape for boat diving, and The Dive Bus for shore dives. On the shore dives, my wife accompanied me (we had a rental car) and she either snorkeled or enjoyed the beaches at the shore dive sites. After a two tank dive, we stayed at the dive site and snorkeled some more, or stopped at several other dive sites on the way back to the resort. The next time we go to Curacao, I'll probably just dive with The Dive Bus, unless we are staying at the Marriott, and also assuming The Dive Bus has a sufficient number of divers booked to do shore dives other than at their house reef. That way, my wife can go with me to all dive sites and still lounge around on the beach or snorkel. The beaches at the dive sites are excellent for the most part.

 

[mje113]

That way, my wife can go with me to all dive sites and still lounge around on the beach or snorkel. The beaches at the dive sites are excellent for the most part.

That sounds excellent! If you are doing a 2 tank dive with Dive Bus, are you typically doing 2 different sites? Or surface interval on the beach then back in at the same spot?

 

[RIHappyDiver]

@lexvil raves about the Dive Bus. Maybe he’ll chime in.

Erik

 

[Altamira]

That sounds excellent! If you are doing a 2 tank dive with Dive Bus, are you typically doing 2 different sites? Or surface interval on the beach then back in at the same spot?

Typically do a two tank dive at the same beach. The beach entries/exits are extremely easy, generally starting in sheltered coves with gentle, sloping sand into shallow water. Enter, don boots and off you go. SI is at the beach, and The Dive Bus supplies water/juice and snacks. Normally if you turned right at the reef for the first dive, you will turn left on the second dive. The dives are very safety oriented, yet laid back, and fun. Although boat dives are also excellent in Curacao, it is frequently breezy, which can sometimes make for a sporty boat re-entry. Because of the winds, I really like shore diving in Curacao from the sheltered coves. Even when it is choppy above the reef, the coves are usually free of surge.

Edit: If you have not dived with them before, they may ask you to do a checkout dive on their house reef across the street from their dive shop, but you might be able to talk them out of that if you are current and would have trouble getting to their dive shop. If you don't have a rental car, The Dive Bus has a van that takes you to/from the dive sites and back to their dive shop very near the Sunscape, and perhaps would be willing to pick you up at the Marriott, but that is just me thinking out loud. If there is enough room for your girlfriend in the van, they will usually take her too, but we rented a car for the entire time there to give us maximum flexibility as to what to do with our time when not diving/snorkeling. Well worth the money in my opinion.

 

[Ontwreckdiver]

Does anyone have experience with both Goby Divers (at the Marriott) and the Dive Bus?

I finally got my October Curacao trip booked! Yay! I'll be staying at the Marriott Beach Resort with my non-diving girlfriend. Because Goby Divers is onsite I was thinking they may be the most convenient to use. But the people at the Dive Bus seem like a really fun group! I'm debating how to put this all together. Non-diving girlfriend likes to snorkel and would probably be content at some shore-diving locations if there's a nice place to hang out and read a book top side.

I was thinking about doing a couple days of boat diving with Goby, providing they get out early and are back by lunch time. Then tacking on some shore dives with Dive Bus, and bringing girlfriend along. I'm open to any suggestions!

We (non diving wife & I) are booked for our first trip to Curacao in October. We are staying at the Sunscape and I'm diving with Goby Divers. They were very quick and helpful answering my emails, they pick up at the Sunscape and my wife can go on the dive boat to snorkel while we dive if she wishes.

 

[Altamira]

We (non diving wife & I) are booked for our first trip to Curacao in October. We are staying at the Sunscape and I'm diving with Goby Divers. They were very quick and helpful answering my emails, they pick up at the Sunscape and my wife can go on the dive boat to snorkel while we dive if she wishes.

@Ontwreckdiver. Just a heads up from my discussions with Goby Divers a couple months ago when we were planning a 3 week trip to Curacao, which did not go for a variety of reasons. Although my wife is certified, she prefers snorkeling now, and the answer I got from Goby was "...Yes they would take her on the boat if there was room after getting all the divers sorted out, but would not know that status until the day of diving. She could snorkel the house reef if no room on the boat, but she could not use any of the Marriott facilities, including using beach chairs, etc., since we were not going to be Marriott guests..." Marriott's facilities policy certainly was not Goby's fault, and Goby was very responsive and friendly in my conversations with them. However, I elected not to schedule dives with them unless my wife wanted to hang around our apartment rental in Blue Bay instead of accompanying me to the Marriott. There was too much uncertainty as to what options my wife would have on any particular day.

 

[Ontwreckdiver]

@Ontwreckdiver. Just a heads up from my discussions with Goby Divers a couple months ago when we were planning a 3 week trip to Curacao, which did not go for a variety of reasons. Although my wife is certified, she prefers snorkeling now, and the answer I got from Goby was "...Yes they would take her on the boat if there was room after getting all the divers sorted out, but would not know that status until the day of diving. She could snorkel the house reef if no room on the boat, but she could not use any of the Marriott facilities, including using beach chairs, etc., since we were not going to be Marriott guests..." Marriott's facilities policy certainly was not Goby's fault, and Goby was very responsive and friendly in my conversations with them. However, I elected not to schedule dives with them unless my wife wanted to hang around our apartment rental in Blue Bay instead of accompanying me to the Marriott. There was too much uncertainty as to what options my wife would have on any particular day.

I'm not to concerned because wife likely only go once if even at all.

 

[mje113]

Change of plans. Decided to save some money and stay closer to town and Dive Bus, so rebooked at Avila. I think I'll stick with five Bus for all dives in this case.

If you have not dived with them before, they may ask you to do a checkout dive on their house reef across the street from their dive shop, but you might be able to talk them out of that if you are current and would have trouble getting to their dive shop.

I am current and will have a rental car. I don't mind doing a checkout dive if that makes them more comfortable. I think that would also provide a convenient dive/snorkel opportunity.

 

[rhwestfall]

With the Dive Bus, don't be put off with a "check out" dive. The house reef (Pier Baai) is really a great site. We actually request at least 1 or 2 dives at it when we arrive to just "get in the mindset" for a week of diving. Seen some good stuff on it, and it is great as a night dive.

We usually arrive late afternoon in Curacao, use the next morning to stock provisions and set up gear, then take a splash with them doing 1 or 2 dives that afternoon. I'd rather do a "shakedown" there then after a drive to a site and maybe not have resources available if something happens to not be right.