Hello, Newbie here!

[kristen8416]

Just wanted to check in as I'm a newbie to the site. Well...I've lurked for awhile and finally decided to show myself. :cool2:

I've only been diving for a couple of years, but all of my dives are open water ocean dives. My husband and I try to do a trip about every 4 months to stay as fresh as possible. This, unfortunately, limits our destinations. We've done most of our diving in Florida, mostly the Keys, but also Pompano and Jupiter. Lots of Keys diving. We recently did 10 days with multiple double dips on the Spiegel Grove and the Duane.

We live in Asheville, NC so we are pretty landlocked. :depressed:

We are now looking at venturing outside of our comfort zone and looking for a new destination. We tend to go back to the same locations out of comfort. Our trips are now centered around diving. We aren't the lay by the pool type people drinking. We are thinking about Grand Cayman in April/March time frame. I travel for a living so I earn lots of Marriott points and Delta miles. This saves more money for diving.

Anyway, just wanted to say "HI" and introduce myself.

 

[uncfnp]

Welcome to SB from Asheboro, NC!

If you are looking for a dive intensive trip on Delta, I highly recommend Bonaire too.

 

[kristen8416]

Thanks! I've thought about Bonaire, but there sadly is no Marriott. Where do you stay there? At some point I'll have to start doing trips that have one or the other. I'm just starting to spread my wings though.

 

[uncfnp]

It's true there are no chain hotels at all on Bonaire but that's part of the appeal for us. There are individually owned homes and condos plus many dive resort options. We prefer the more private options over the resorts. The last 5 visits we have stayed at

Beachcomber Villas Bonaire vacation rentals

 

[kristen8416]

That looks incredible! I'm going to bookmark. I guess in Bonaire you what you save on boat trips can pay for room and board?

 

[uncfnp]

It comes close. Plus we rarely eat out so we save a lot by cooking simple, easy meals at the condo.

And on Delta, we arrive in time to get in one or two dives arrival day and average 3 to 4 dives a day other days. Can't do that on a boat dive trip unless it's a liveaboard!

 

[RJP]

Thanks! I've thought about Bonaire, but there sadly is no Marriott. Where do you stay there? At some point I'll have to start doing trips that have one or the other. I'm just starting to spread my wings though.

Go to Curaçao! Same diving as Bonaire... with a nice Marriott. Have stayed there many times on points. Good dive op with boats on-site plus decent house reef. (not "cement" as auto-corrupt wanted)

Lots of good info on the Lesser Antilles subforum.

Ray

 

[kristen8416]

Curaçao was top on my list but seemed like it would be difficult to get to. If I flew Delta, I would have to fly into Aruba and then find a way there. Definitely a future trip, but looking for little hassle right now. I travel every week for my job and it gets old. I know eventually I will need to venture out even more. I like to do 6 day trips every quarter so I can stay fresh. We have the constant debate of longer trip less often or shorter trip more often.

---------- Post added January 30th, 2015 at 05:46 PM ----------

Go to Curaçao! Same diving as Bonaire... with a nice Marriott. Have stayed there many times on points. Good dive op with boats on-site plus decent house reef. (not "cement" as auto-corrupt wanted)

Lots of good info on the Lesser Antilles subforum.

Ray

What is the best way to get to Curacao? Do you take Delta and then hop on another flight?? I just went to book Grand Cayman and found out that Marriott is charging $45 per day in resort fee, but it wasn't listed anywhere when I was researching. I'm irritated because staying in Grand Cayman is already a lot more points. I could stay an extra day in Curacao for the same.

 

[master_diver_UJ]

Just wanted to check in as I'm a newbie to the site. Well...I've lurked for awhile and finally decided to show myself. :cool2:

I've only been diving for a couple of years, but all of my dives are open water ocean dives. My husband and I try to do a trip about every 4 months to stay as fresh as possible. This, unfortunately, limits our destinations. We've done most of our diving in Florida, mostly the Keys, but also Pompano and Jupiter. Lots of Keys diving. We recently did 10 days with multiple double dips on the Spiegel Grove and the Duane.

We live in Asheville, NC so we are pretty landlocked. :depressed:

We are now looking at venturing outside of our comfort zone and looking for a new destination. We tend to go back to the same locations out of comfort. Our trips are now centered around diving. We aren't the lay by the pool type people drinking. We are thinking about Grand Cayman in April/March time frame. I travel for a living so I earn lots of Marriott points and Delta miles. This saves more money for diving.

Anyway, just wanted to say "HI" and introduce myself.

Hi Kristen:

Welcome to the board. Do you and your husband pick a location for your March / April vacation? You can use your Marriott points at the Ritz on GC - that's what my wife and I do. My wife is a non-diver & Grand Cayman gives her plenty to do whilst I fill my logbook. We'll be there the second week of March this year.

Enjoy !

John

 

[kristen8416]

Hi Kristen:

Welcome to the board. Do you and your husband pick a location for your March / April vacation? You can use your Marriott points at the Ritz on GC - that's what my wife and I do. My wife is a non-diver & Grand Cayman gives her plenty to do whilst I fill my logbook. We'll be there the second week of March this year.

Enjoy !

John

Hi John,

We're planning on April 25, but I had to postpone finalizing my plans dependant on an upcoming doctors appt. If all goes well I'll firm everything up. I hadn't considered the Ritz. I figured the points would be dramatically more and I depleted my points recently on my last trip. Looks like you're a fellow Michigander. We moved to North Carolina, but my parents still live in Livonia, MI. We're heading up there tomorrow, providing weather allows.

Thanks!
Kristen.