Looking for reliable dive centers in Varadero, Cuba

[jdiv]

Anyone got experiences of diving in Varadero, the sites and the dive centers and their rental gear?

I'm going there this Christmas and I'm just now finishing my PADI OWD certificate. However there seems to be little reliable information about the dive centers there - and who is running them, and how reliable they generally are. The travel agency has mentioned a dive center, Centro internacional y escuela de buseo Gaviota Varadero, but there's not much info out there about it that I've found. I won't be having my own gear except for the snorkeling stuff (wetsuit, mask & snorkel, fins) so I'll need to rent everything else. From what I've read, some have complained about the Barracuda dive center, others have said it's just fine... would love to hear some first hand experiences. I kinda have the impression that safety isn't their no.1 focus.

They're teaching SSI & ACUC courses it seems (cuba diving .org - Scuba Diving in Varadero) so I'd assume they should be reliable. However being a new inexperienced diver I'm a bit cautious - and at the same time happy that I decided to take the certification here in Finland in demanding conditions with experienced instructors.

 

[pepon]

Hello the bad thing about these chops (Barracuda and Gaviota) is that they both are very big centers, I used to work for the Barracuda dive center actually spent 10 years with them and we always tried to do our best but it just doesn’t work that good when the same company uses a single bus to pick up 40diver from 20 different hotels, prepare and load the bus for everyone to then try to split the groups depending on the experience. I believe this is what the people most complain about.Now there is about 3 more new operators to choose from, 3 of them included us are located in Varadero and there is another one in Matanzas, the staff that work for these chops is the same that used to work for Barracuda and the Gaviota just that now thanks to the opportunity of opening small private business some of us have decide to offer what the others cant. We do private trips, with no more than 2 stops before getting in the water, small groups and very safe dives.I know this sounds very much like selling our product but if you don’t choose us: varadiving I can recommend somebody else or help you with info about the dives in varadero.Take care.

 

[Mike L]

Pepon. My friend and I will be in Varadero (Memories Resort Hotel in Punta Hicacos), we are both ACUC certified diver (he's an instructor and I a Rescue Diver) who would you recommend that is nearby the hotel to contact for our dives. Our plan is to start with a couple of shore dives on our first day, on the second day the Russian patrol boat "Remolcador / Rebocador" not sure of the spelling and finally the Bay of pigs. Any advices would be appreciated.