Return From Fantasy Island - Roatan

[Sweet Gerkin]

New member to Scuba Board, didn't even know this site existed!

Had a great time celebrating our 30th Wedding Anniversary with a two week stay at Fantasy Island. Long time customers, we've been visiting a couple of times a year since 1997. Seen lots of changes over the years, but always the same great diving, and attentive staff. The staff is totally friendly, and is one of the two main reasons we continue to return year after year, the other of course is the great, easy diving.

Had the opportunity to visit with Mr. Gustav (may be mispelled, but he is the new/returned owner) a couple of times. Love the changes and the attention to the updates (water pumps, backup generator, new dive boats), and also the great staff at both the Dive Shop and the Resort.

Darrin as the Dive Shop manager has the same customer first focus as I remember when we had the opportunity to dive with him over the years.

We dove with Nelson and Miguel this trip and saw turtles, sting rays, healthy coral, lots of juvenile fishlife, and even my second Pipefish.

Captain Pedro keeps the cleanest, most organized dive boat I have ever seen, and both he and Captain Alonso were always there to help us back on the boat carefully no matter what the water condition was....fortunately the first week the water was flat calm....just like September water.

The kitchen and wait staff were attentive and fed us too well! Melvis and his made to order omelets are a great way to start a dive day.

Our housekeeper kept our room refreshed and we had 'bathtowel swans' each day when we returned.

Overall, glad we went and looking forward to our next trip.
kae

 

[SaltyPirateBastard]

I'm surprised to read this. I just did some research on Fantasy Island only to find out their franchise and sponsor, Fantasy Dive Travel left them, and will no longer be associated with Fantasy Island Resort Roatan. I have never been there, but it seemed to me as though the change in ownership was not maintaining the resort, and it was slowly slipping. When I read this http://www.fantasyislanddiveresort.com/ it didn't seem as though the 'present conditions' described the same resort you went to.

 

[DeputyDan]

I was at COCO View the last week of May and to be honest Fantasy Island looked deserted.
Yes it was open because I saw an occasional sun bather and one morning a couple sitting out on the small gazebo that it their dive
starting point for the PA.

Never saw one of their dive boats all week and never saw divers entering or leaving at the gazebo.

Seemed strange?

 

[SaltyPirateBastard]

I was at COCO View the last week of May and to be honest Fantasy Island looked deserted.
Yes it was open because I saw an occasional sun bather and one morning a couple sitting out on the small gazebo that it their dive
starting point for the PA.

Never saw one of their dive boats all week and never saw divers entering or leaving at the gazebo.

Seemed strange?

That's pretty much the report I had got. Thanks for confirming and not making me think I'm crazy.

 

[vjones1957]

I was at CocoView the last week of May and 1st week of June. (Must have crossed paths with Dan) and there was more activity last week. Hardly anyone there the week before out on boats and there seemed to not be many people staying there either week. Coco View had 4 full boats the first week and 3 last week. Fantasy Island looks like it might be a good restort if it can get over its troubles.

 

[DandyDon]

There has been a lot of discussion over the changes on the Bay Islands forum.

 

[gobylvr]

We just returned last weekend from Fantasy Island and I will say that the dive shop is very well run and they have great boats. Kevin was our captain and Miguel was the dive master , awsome folks.
Now on the other hand , the resort needs a total overhaul. I went to throw my booties out on the balcony at night and saw a crapload of roaches scattering . Also heard there was roaches in one of our other divers room, nasty critters and have no business in a resort setting. The resort staff was ok but most didnt know english at all, that was a little surprizing. The food was so bad that I think most of us in a group of 16 lost on average about 10 lbs. I will say that I will agree with sweet gerkin that Melvin did make some mighty fine omlets. I dont know if things were better when sweet gerkin was there maybe because the new owner was there ?
For the week over Memorial I can say that there was only 2 boats running and only about 20 people there at the resort. Sorry I couldnt be more positive but these are the way we saw things. Also when they say WI-FI throughout the resort they mean WI-FI throughout the lobby area only.

 

[lionfish-eater]

Like the recent visitors said, it's all about the dive shop. FI is a liveabord on land, not a 5 star resort. Breakfast, dive, dive, lunch, dive, siesta,dinner,drinks,download cameras,charge batteries, sleep.Repeat for as many days as you are lucky to be able to.

 

[SaltyPirateBastard]

Like the recent visitors said, it's all about the dive shop. FI is a liveabord on land, not a 5 star resort. Breakfast, dive, dive, lunch, dive, siesta,dinner,drinks,download cameras,charge batteries, sleep.Repeat for as many days as you are lucky to be able to.

I like the idea of such resorts. If I'm on a diving vacation, 3 dives a day (not including shore dives/night dives) with meals and sleep scattered in between is the name of the game.

However, I doubt I'll ever choose Fantasy Island because there are cheaper options that offer the same diving opportunities, but have better food and accommodations. Even liveaboards should have decent food, cockroach-free. If you're going to stay in the Bay Islands, you can get diving which is equivalent or better on Utila or Cayos Cochinos, and it's less expensive than FI. Roatan does of course offer a very different vibe than the other two. Haven't been to Guanaja.

 

[Doc]

..... I doubt I'll ever choose Fantasy Island because there are cheaper options that offer the same diving opportunities......

"Same diving opportunities"

Well, maybe not. Like they say: Location, location, location.

FIBR is located in the center of a very small (maybe 10 miles long) reef structure that is absolutely unique to the Caribbean.

This zone features close into shore straight vertical walls that break in 5~30' and hit the first sand ledge at 110'. The Sun exposure because of it's WSW to ENE line is brilliant all day long. This causes an unusual florid growth of critters and corals. It is colorful and alive, and because of the shelter from any storm, even the three shallow wrecks have lain undisturbed and largely intact for many years.

In regards to FIBR, for the last three years, all sorts of people had been raving about how wonderful it was. Then, when it was getting a major rehab, they were equally thrilled over the improvements. (Follow me so far? It confused me.) All I said then, and all I ever say about any operation: Consistency is the key. The recent pissing contest was shameful on both parts, and that behavior is still ongoing through defacto cybersquatting.

In summary: it is located in the single most perfect zone for creature observation and multiple repetitive dives.

...cheaper options...

I've done the math. At an AI where you could do 4 a day and that's all inclusive... I don't know how you could best that. Just across the channel from there is a consistent product of a dive resort, easy to get 5 in a day. I am at a loss to explain how anything could be cheaper... IF you were in the mood to dive.