theduckguru
Contributor
What criteria do you use when selecting a vacation dive resort/liveabord/dive op?
What criteria do you use when selecting a vacation dive resort/liveabord/dive op?
- Thread starter theduckguru
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
- Messages
- 10,954
- Reaction score
- 4,127
- # of dives
- None - Not Certified
I look for a Dive Resort, not a Resort that offers diving. Liveaboards can fall into that same flip-flop category, notably from the Maldives to the SE Asian rim.
I look at their dive schedule with a critical view of how often I can actually access the diving.
It is one thing to "run" 5 dive boat departures per day. How many of them can I actually be on? Many resorts that cater to Eur-Asian divers have multiple dives offered that look enticing until you realize that it's all but impossible to do very many of them due to overlap.
I look for bottom time limitations also by looking at that schedule. I'm looking for a night dive each evening.
I look at their website and expect to see detailed images of their dive boats. If their website is devoid of "SCUBA details", it is very, very suspect immediately. There are also obvious signs of a "contrived and generic" SCUBA program that is simply inserted into the "activities" pages.
On land based, I do look for All Inclusive (AI), specifically to achieve the above with greatest efficiency. I do not want to luxuriate with 2 hour meals. The dive op should be under the same ownership. It should be getting consistent reviews over time.
On a liveaboard- can I just simply do the exact same diving more cheaply by doing land based? Is there sufficient "extra return" for going aboard or was I better off just doing day-dives from a land based? For many reasons, this distinction is invisible to many potential divers. Most of the marketing hype must be recognized for what it is. There are many liveaboards that provide no such benefit yet they make it through our susceptibility to the scuba magazine articles.
I try to look at the dive world from a different longitude. Do this by subscribong to dive magazines from England, Europe and some Asian countries. We look at the world from this North American Continent. If you see it from another perspective, it's even wider. The Brits think of the Red Sea as we do the Caribbean, they think of the Galapagos as we might look at the Maldvives. Conversely, they are attracted through heavy marketing to the Bahamas, an area of interest to us, but whould be travel 3000 miles?
Marketing will cause us to spend huge money and time to be "guaranteed" of seeing that "one big fish". I heartily counsel against that.
I look at their dive schedule with a critical view of how often I can actually access the diving.
It is one thing to "run" 5 dive boat departures per day. How many of them can I actually be on? Many resorts that cater to Eur-Asian divers have multiple dives offered that look enticing until you realize that it's all but impossible to do very many of them due to overlap.
I look for bottom time limitations also by looking at that schedule. I'm looking for a night dive each evening.
I look at their website and expect to see detailed images of their dive boats. If their website is devoid of "SCUBA details", it is very, very suspect immediately. There are also obvious signs of a "contrived and generic" SCUBA program that is simply inserted into the "activities" pages.
On land based, I do look for All Inclusive (AI), specifically to achieve the above with greatest efficiency. I do not want to luxuriate with 2 hour meals. The dive op should be under the same ownership. It should be getting consistent reviews over time.
On a liveaboard- can I just simply do the exact same diving more cheaply by doing land based? Is there sufficient "extra return" for going aboard or was I better off just doing day-dives from a land based? For many reasons, this distinction is invisible to many potential divers. Most of the marketing hype must be recognized for what it is. There are many liveaboards that provide no such benefit yet they make it through our susceptibility to the scuba magazine articles.
I try to look at the dive world from a different longitude. Do this by subscribong to dive magazines from England, Europe and some Asian countries. We look at the world from this North American Continent. If you see it from another perspective, it's even wider. The Brits think of the Red Sea as we do the Caribbean, they think of the Galapagos as we might look at the Maldvives. Conversely, they are attracted through heavy marketing to the Bahamas, an area of interest to us, but whould be travel 3000 miles?
Marketing will cause us to spend huge money and time to be "guaranteed" of seeing that "one big fish". I heartily counsel against that.
Last edited:
DeputyDan
Contributor
As to liveaboards - they are great but can you access the same dive sites from land based operators. If you can then is the liveaboard worth the extra money. Maybe and maybe not - that's an answer that is unique to everyone.
If you have been to Cocoview Resort on Roatan - that is my ideal dive vacation. They set the standard for everything else. Are they rustic -yes - is the food cafeteria quality - yes and I don't mind in the least because the entire experience is top shelf.
If you have been to Cocoview Resort on Roatan - that is my ideal dive vacation. They set the standard for everything else. Are they rustic -yes - is the food cafeteria quality - yes and I don't mind in the least because the entire experience is top shelf.
K
KeithG
Guest
Ability to dive my own profile without a mandatory dive guide.
All else is secondary.
All else is secondary.
modustollens
Contributor
I always calculate the cost per dive...
MT
MT
pjhansman
Contributor
If cost was the issue I would've stuck to something cheap, like golfing and sports cars.
Kharon
Contributor
The less I spend on air and accomodations the longer I can stay. Example: My dive club is going Nov 6-13 to Curacao and the cost is $2000-$2500 depending on room. Included is airfare, diving, and room (double occupancy required) - no meals, no transportation. For the same amount I'll be on Bonaire Nov 6-20. Includes airfare, apartment with kitchen single occupancy (I'd rather cook for myself, don't want to listen to someone else snoring, nor smell their farts), unlimited air, and a truck. The place I stay has one of a number of local resturants come in to provide a buffet twice weekly for $10. I'll take the freedom to set my own schedule and stay 2 weeks instead of 1 every time.
As far as the original question (What criteria do you use when selecting a vacation dive resort/liveabord/dive op?)
I want the freedom to dive where I want, as much as I want, on my own schedule, abiltiy to cook my own meals, and have my own transportation - at the least possible cost and therefore the longest possible stay. I can always add boat dives (for $10 more than if I included them in the unlim air package) and eat out anytime I want. But then I'm an independant curmudgeon who prefers freedom and solitude to socializing.
PNW Dive Girl
Contributor
I look at the type and quality of the diving first. I'll not go to a destination based on price just because it's inexpensive, there has to be decent diving too! I prefer to dive at my own pace and really enjoy shore diving. I know that many destinations have mainly boat diving though. I prefer shorter boat rides to the dive location.
The number of divers on a dive boat is huge! I hate being on a "cattle boat". That said, if it were a larger boat, and they limited the number of divers in a group with a DM, that would be OK.
Safety equipment and prcedures is a large factor.
Some people really need shade on a dive boat. Check with those you're travelling with.
The number of divers on a dive boat is huge! I hate being on a "cattle boat". That said, if it were a larger boat, and they limited the number of divers in a group with a DM, that would be OK.
Safety equipment and prcedures is a large factor.
Some people really need shade on a dive boat. Check with those you're travelling with.
Similar threads
