Inexpensive family dive vacation?

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mksmith713

Contributor
Messages
991
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Location
Jupiter,Fl
# of dives
I just don't log dives
We're a family of 5.....Mom,Dad, two young adult aged kids and a 5 year old.
Northeastern U.S. is where we call home.
We'd like to find an inexpensive Dive vacation spot where one of the older kids can do her OW cert, Mom and dad want to do there AOW and the little one just wants to snorkel.
We usually do Roatan but are thinking of changing it up a little to explore someplace new but equally as affordable.
WE can Do Roatan with air fare for right around $750. per person not including diving and meals.

Any ideas out there?
 
With airline and fuel charges where they are, I don't think there is such a thing as a "cheap" vacation anymore.
 
I'd look up Bonaire as you can definitely get those things accomplished there. My wife and I recently stayed there for 650 per person, which included breakfast, a weeks worth of dive tanks, truck rental and a 1 bedroom apartment. Airfare was right around 400 per person out of Newark and the great thing about that was it was a direct flight. Additionally, my wife and I thought about doing some other certs while we were there, however we ended up just diving diving diving.
 
I'd look up Bonaire as you can definitely get those things accomplished there. My wife and I recently stayed there for 650 per person, which included breakfast, a weeks worth of dive tanks, truck rental and a 1 bedroom apartment. Airfare was right around 400 per person out of Newark and the great thing about that was it was a direct flight. Additionally, my wife and I thought about doing some other certs while we were there, however we ended up just diving diving diving.

You won't get anywhere close to $400 from Newark (EWR) to Bonaire (BON). Currently the "cheapest" rate on Orbitz from EWR to BON is on Delta and that is $718 per person. That means it would $3590 for his family of 5 just for airfare.

Flights from EWR to Curacao (CUR) during the same time period would be $536 per person which means the cost would be $2680 for his family of 5. The difference is $910 just in the airfare alone.

I have been diving on both Bonaire and Curacao as recent as last summer (one week on each island). I think the islands are comparable as far as diving is concerned. Curacao is more populated than Bonaire and has more things to do in addition to diving. Bonaire on the other hand has less traffic so it is easier to get around.

The $910 the OP saves on airfare could be used toward the cost of the certification courses.

Caracas Bay (Tugboat) would be an excellent place for the divers to dive and the snorkeling family member to snorkel.

An even less expensive option might be the Florida Keys.
 
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$$750 per person with air is a hell of a deal to anywhere.

You will have a hard time touching that.
 
You won't get anywhere close to $400 from Newark (EWR) to Bonaire (BON). Currently the "cheapest" rate on Orbitz from EWR to BON is on Delta and that is $718 per person. That means it would $3590 for his family of 5 just for airfare.

Flights from EWR to Curacao (CUR) during the same time period would be $536 per person which means the cost would be $2680 for his family of 5. The difference is $910 just in the airfare alone.

I have been diving on both Bonaire and Curacao as recent as last summer (one week on each island). I think the islands are comparable as far as diving is concerned. Curacao is more populated than Bonaire and has more things to do in addition to diving. Bonaire on the other hand has less traffic so it is easier to get around.

The $910 the OP saves on airfare could be used toward the cost of the certification courses.

Caracas Bay (Tugboat) would be an excellent place for the divers to dive and the snorkeling family member to snorkel.

An even less expensive option might be the Florida Keys.


Perhaps you should do some shopping around. Additionally, if you choose the wrong days for going to or leaving from Bonaire you are paying an arm and a leg, however if you choose on their lower fare days your and you shop around on dates you can find good rates. 1st he didn't say when he wanted to go on the dive vacation. 2nd I know how much the flights can be had from Newark to Bonaire. As I flew on them in the last month!!!
 
Look into San Andres Island I just paid $400 from Miami and a friend paid $550 from New York. There are package deals at the hotels here starting at $50/night....my mom just paid $20/night at a cheap hotel. Diving is snorkeling to adavance. With as much to do an any island in the Caribbean or the Keys. There is also Old Providence Island but that would be another $200 flight. I have info on both Islands if you are interested.
Ciao
Tad
 
Give it up, there is no such thing as cheap diving unless you live close to the coast.
 
We're a family of 5.....Mom,Dad, two young adult aged kids and a 5 year old.
Northeastern U.S. is where we call home.
We'd like to find an inexpensive Dive vacation spot where one of the older kids can do her OW cert, Mom and dad want to do there AOW and the little one just wants to snorkel.
We usually do Roatan but are thinking of changing it up a little to explore someplace new but equally as affordable.
WE can Do Roatan with air fare for right around $750. per person not including diving and meals.

Any ideas out there?

what package is that $750.00 to Roatan including air? Is that including diving too?
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/perdix-ai/

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