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Local Dive Shops... anybody running a trip? I sometimes travel with dive shops from other parts of the country. Look in our Forum here on :sblogo:
Looking for a Group Trip to Caribbean in December 2014
- Thread starter SeaMarmot
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I must apologize SeaMarmot. The group trip i had in mind for you is end of October in to November. I read it wrong So sorry, otherwise believe it have been exactly what you are looking for. I'll keep my eyes open for you.
That's fine--I was just curious. When I was a new diver, the Internet was young, and I didn't even know there was such a thing as "group trips." To this day, I have never taken a group trip.
As for the dreaded "single supplement," I've never paid one of those, either, because when I was single I didn't stay at resorts. Rather, I'd stay at a hotel or guesthouse and work with a local dive operator separately. In Cozumel, for example, doing exactly this is as easy as pie, as there are loads of hotels in every price range and loads of dive operators that are easy to rendezvous with each morning by taxi or foot or, in some cases, the dock of your hotel.
If you're intent on a group trip, I'm afraid I can't provide input and will bow out of the conversation now. I guess I'm just not a "group" kind of traveler.
Damselfish
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Worrying about single supplements per se is pointless, all that really matters is the bottom line. If you book just a room generally the price is the price, and if there's just one of you you pay twice as much per person as if you're sharing the room - but no one calls that a "single supplement." Which is just a way of listing a package price for something like room/meals/diving, then having a way to account for when there's only one person eating and diving.
I know OP said they're not interested in a liveaboard - but it's worth pointing out that a liveaboard tends to feel much like doing a group trip, except for possibly traveling with the group. As a not so outgoing person myself, and having been on a lot of dive trips, I'd say you're at least as likely to find a good dive buddy and camaraderie on a liveaboard as with a random group of people you don't already know, if not more so. And typically you can sign up alone and they will either find you a roommate, or you may get the cabin to yourself for the same price if the boat's not full. Occasionally resorts may offer a similar option, or offer "no single supplement" at slower times of year when they know they probably won't fill the place.
I know OP said they're not interested in a liveaboard - but it's worth pointing out that a liveaboard tends to feel much like doing a group trip, except for possibly traveling with the group. As a not so outgoing person myself, and having been on a lot of dive trips, I'd say you're at least as likely to find a good dive buddy and camaraderie on a liveaboard as with a random group of people you don't already know, if not more so. And typically you can sign up alone and they will either find you a roommate, or you may get the cabin to yourself for the same price if the boat's not full. Occasionally resorts may offer a similar option, or offer "no single supplement" at slower times of year when they know they probably won't fill the place.
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No one in my area (Phoenix) has anything going in December that I can find. You might check Singledivers.com a large part of what they do is match up comparable divers for group trips to take advantage of not having to pay a single supplement. You don't have to be single - just traveling as one.
If you can travel completely before December 21st - Sunset House has a package deal that waives the single supplement. It's an All-Inclusive dive resort on Grand Cayman, you'll be matched with other diver(s) on the boat trips and there's dozens of people shore diving off the resort there every afternoon. Also My Bar there is one of the diver's hangouts on Grand Cayman - it's really about the best place to find a buddy. http://www.sunsethouse.com/2013/10/16/traveling-solo-singles-special-is-back/ Though there's also an on-site restaurant if you get bored with the food or bar downtown Georgetown is about a 5-10min. walk away. It's also a fairly inexpensive cab ride from the airport (compared to some) and there's decent public transportation if you want to explore the island a little.
You could also look into one of the more isolated AI resorts on Roatan. Cocoview, Anthony's Key, etc. They'll pick you up, put you on the same boat with the same people all week, you do all your meals etc. there, then they shuttle you back to the airport. AKR also is 5mins. by cab from the West End also where most of the nightlife is. The only issue with both of them is there's a single supplement - at CCV it's $200. You may not be able to get into CCV now though - it's really popular.
December isn't low season anywhere reachable in one day.
If you can travel completely before December 21st - Sunset House has a package deal that waives the single supplement. It's an All-Inclusive dive resort on Grand Cayman, you'll be matched with other diver(s) on the boat trips and there's dozens of people shore diving off the resort there every afternoon. Also My Bar there is one of the diver's hangouts on Grand Cayman - it's really about the best place to find a buddy. http://www.sunsethouse.com/2013/10/16/traveling-solo-singles-special-is-back/ Though there's also an on-site restaurant if you get bored with the food or bar downtown Georgetown is about a 5-10min. walk away. It's also a fairly inexpensive cab ride from the airport (compared to some) and there's decent public transportation if you want to explore the island a little.
You could also look into one of the more isolated AI resorts on Roatan. Cocoview, Anthony's Key, etc. They'll pick you up, put you on the same boat with the same people all week, you do all your meals etc. there, then they shuttle you back to the airport. AKR also is 5mins. by cab from the West End also where most of the nightlife is. The only issue with both of them is there's a single supplement - at CCV it's $200. You may not be able to get into CCV now though - it's really popular.
December isn't low season anywhere reachable in one day.
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Well, as you can tell I'm partial to Roatan! I have a friend that just opened a brand new diveshop there. Roatan is a place that you can go and dive for minimal money, as long as you don't feel that you have to stay in a big all inclusive resort setting. PM me for additional information!
Key Largo is viable and I have done it several times but you do have to get from Miami or Ft Lauderdale to Key Largo and that is a one hour drive so you would probably have to factor in car rental, I have not dove with them but one of the dive ops puts a guide in the water. They are often recommended on this site. Believe it is Rainbow Reef. Another op is bluewater. They run a six pack. Captain stays in the boat and the mate/DM/Instructor leads the dive. All the boats leave from the same marina. I usually dive Horizon or Ocean Divers. There are others such as Sea Dwellers but I was not a big fan of their boat. Nice people though. There are other ops there.
I have dove the Key Largo area in Jan and Feb. I usually wear my 4/3 especially if doing 4 dives a day.
I have dove the Key Largo area in Jan and Feb. I usually wear my 4/3 especially if doing 4 dives a day.
Lots of threads and advice on Roatan here on Scubaboard. You could read for hours. 
Lots of threads and advice on Roatan here on Scubaboard. You could read for hours.
That's true.. Most of what I read are posts about CocoView, Fantasy Island, Barefoot and Anthoney's Key. The West End/West Bay side of the island doesn't seem to get as much love here on ScubaBoard for some reason. Maybe a higher or more refined clientele hangs out here? No doubt about it, those are nice resorts with lots of amenities that you definitely PAY for. I happen to really enjoy the smaller diveshops and hotels that have fewer people and small panga boats and typically lower prices. I also like the dive sites on that side, along with all of the bar and restaurant choices that are all within walking or water taxi distance.
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