Curacao bound in October any info?

[diggerled]

You absolutely must dive the jetty in front of the resort at night. Do it an hour after dark and stay in twenty feet of water or less. You can go back and forth and see different stuff each time. It was by far the best dive I did on my trip last December. We did this dive and everyone went to deeper water except me. They sucked down their air and reported a so so dive after 45 min. I stayed on it for nearly two hours. Water was 82F with great viz.
first week of December '09.

Loved Breezes. Top shelf liquor, good food. Booked good deal through OE.

Caveat: Beach is NOT sand! It is crushed coral from a quarry on the island. If you play vollyball and go down to dig one out, your knees will be cut to ribbons. (or if a drunken team mate steps on your foot)

Shopping in Punda would be great if you like very unique and colorful womens wear.

 

[scuba guy ron]

We're staying at Breezes and diving with The Dive Bus in a few weeks.

The Dive Bus gets great reviews and I'm really looking forward to their daily tours around the island and then doing some shore dives in the afternoon/evening/nights. We're gonna try to do a boat trip on a Sunday w/OE as well.

From what I've heard and read, the Breezes can be hit or miss - depending on how picky you are, what building your room is in, etc. The more reviews I read online, the more I am concerned. This happens every time I go on a trip...just keep in mind that people are 10-20 times more likely to complain than give praise.

I hear you when it comes to complaints. When my wife and I travel, we use the room merely for sleeping after all whats the point of taking a trip if you stay in the room. As long as we have some food and drinks to keep our bellys full wat could we complain about.

 

[scuba guy ron]

You absolutely must dive the jetty in front of the resort at night. Do it an hour after dark and stay in twenty feet of water or less. You can go back and forth and see different stuff each time. It was by far the best dive I did on my trip last December. We did this dive and everyone went to deeper water except me. They sucked down their air and reported a so so dive after 45 min. I stayed on it for nearly two hours. Water was 82F with great viz.
first week of December '09.

Loved Breezes. Top shelf liquor, good food. Booked good deal through OE.

Caveat: Beach is NOT sand! It is crushed coral from a quarry on the island. If you play vollyball and go down to dig one out, your knees will be cut to ribbons. (or if a drunken team mate steps on your foot)

Shopping in Punda would be great if you like very unique and colorful womens wear.

Good to hear. Can you tell me what the jetty is like as well as how Breezes handles the tank usage. I've heard that they kinda just leave tanks out for you to use whenever you want. Is this true because as I understood, You are alotted one tank a day. Do they have Nitrox?

Is the jetty in front of Breezes actually part of a reef? Did you do any dives on it during the daytime? Is it a good photo spot?

 

[TheDiveBus]

Hi there scuba guy ron! Just sent you a PM.

Thanks heaps to you other posters for your kind words - making us blush ... :cool2:

All best!
Suzy

The Dive Bus - HOME

 

[jeepguy]

Can you tell me what the jetty is like as well as how Breezes handles the tank usage. . , You are alotted one tank a day. Do they have Nitrox? Is the jetty in front of Breezes actually part of a reef? Did you do any dives on it during the daytime? Is it a good photo spot?

Hey Ron,
Been to Breeze's CUR 6 times in past 7 years. For us it works great. We like to stay oceanfront and not in the royal towers. Definately not 5 star but more than adequate. Most of the trips were for 2 week stays and yes, they do serve the same menus every week, but is always enough to choose from for even the pickiest eater. We go to dive, so very little time in room. This past April, the room we stayed in was newly renovated and kept clean for us. Little problems, bathroom light cover fell off, ants outside of door were all handled quickly when we mentioned them to housekeeping. One dive from Breeze's dock per day is included. Deal's with Ocean Encounters are available for other dive's. The "jetty" is actually a breakwater running parrallel to shore. Good snorkling inside, great snorkling and diving outside. You can just walk around the resorts westwall to get to the Dive Bus Hut. My wife and I have each made close to 100 dives with them. Everything said about the Dive Bus is true. And to Suzy and Team Dive Bus, you do deserve all of the kind words.:cool2:
Ron, have a great time in CUR.
Tom & Isabelle

 

[scuba guy ron]

Hey Ron,
Been to Breeze's CUR 6 times in past 7 years. For us it works great. We like to stay oceanfront and not in the royal towers. Definately not 5 star but more than adequate. Most of the trips were for 2 week stays and yes, they do serve the same menus every week, but is always enough to choose from for even the pickiest eater. We go to dive, so very little time in room. This past April, the room we stayed in was newly renovated and kept clean for us. Little problems, bathroom light cover fell off, ants outside of door were all handled quickly when we mentioned them to housekeeping. One dive from Breeze's dock per day is included. Deal's with Ocean Encounters are available for other dive's. The "jetty" is actually a breakwater running parrallel to shore. Good snorkling inside, great snorkling and diving outside. You can just walk around the resorts westwall to get to the Dive Bus Hut. My wife and I have each made close to 100 dives with them. Everything said about the Dive Bus is true. And to Suzy and Team Dive Bus, you do deserve all of the kind words.:cool2:
Ron, have a great time in CUR.
Tom & Isabelle

thanks for the response tom and Isabelle.

My wife has been reading some rather poor reviews about breezes so she has been a little concerned. I keep telling her not to worry. Im sure alot of the reviews come from alot of americans who think they should be treated different than others showing they feel a sense of entitlement. Weve both seen americans doing this on other trips and figure it is them writing the reviews.

we dont plan to spend any time in the room other then to sleep since it seems that curacao has a ton to do both above and below the water. we do plan to spend some time on the beach however.

Cant wait for this trip. My wife is really looking forward to hitting up the dive bus and doing a little island exploration.

 

[jeepguy]

My wife has been reading some rather poor reviews about breezes so she has been a little concerned. I keep telling her not to worry. Im sure alot of the reviews come from alot of americans who think they should be treated different than others showing they feel a sense of entitlement. Weve both seen americans doing this on other trips and figure it is them writing the reviews.

Hey Ron, not just the Americans, seen some just rude people from other countries too. Not saying that you should put up with really bad service, but remember you are on holiday and are there to have fun. Remember "Island Time". Kind words to the staff works wonders there. A little tip for good service helps too but not always necessary, gotten more places with a "Bon dia" or remembering and addressing someone by name. Try learning a few common phrases in papiamentu(local language), when they see you try some words they are happy to help you learn. It really comes down to what you make of it. We've seen alot of improvements over the last 7 years, and are planning to return next August. To see some of the Island that you normally wouldn't see, try Eric's ATVs tours or take a dune buggy tour. Well worth it. Breeze's does run a beach/snorkle tour, where they take you to some of the prettier beaches, but your wife would probably enjoy tagging along on the Dive Bus trips for good beach time.
Tom & Is

 

[diggerled]

Good to hear. Can you tell me what the jetty is like as well as how Breezes handles the tank usage. I've heard that they kinda just leave tanks out for you to use whenever you want. Is this true because as I understood, You are alotted one tank a day. Do they have Nitrox?

Is the jetty in front of Breezes actually part of a reef? Did you do any dives on it during the daytime? Is it a good photo spot?

jeepguy has described the jetty. there is a reef. It slopes gently away from shore and is very close. I did dive the jetty during the day at the end of a dive deeper on the reef. I did not find it spectacular in any way but it did look like prime habitat for night creatures. Crabs, lobster, shrimp, squid, octopus, three different eels, flounder, drum, barracuda. They will ask you to tow a diver down flag. One day a buddy towed it for the whole dive. One day we just tied it off and picked it back up at the end of the dive. The subsequent night dive rocked. Those who did the night dive out on the reef in deeper water reported not much.

They will leave a tank out for you. Divers not planning to do a night dive can still have a tank set out. Then you use it. That's what I did. I bet you can find a new friend to do this for you. I'm sure the shop would also be happy to rent you a tank.

They do have NitrOx.

 

[scuba guy ron]

jeepguy has described the jetty. there is a reef. It slopes gently away from shore and is very close. I did dive the jetty during the day at the end of a dive deeper on the reef. I did not find it spectacular in any way but it did look like prime habitat for night creatures. Crabs, lobster, shrimp, squid, octopus, three different eels, flounder, drum, barracuda. They will ask you to tow a diver down flag. One day a buddy towed it for the whole dive. One day we just tied it off and picked it back up at the end of the dive. The subsequent night dive rocked. Those who did the night dive out on the reef in deeper water reported not much.

They will leave a tank out for you. Divers not planning to do a night dive can still have a tank set out. Then you use it. That's what I did. I bet you can find a new friend to do this for you. I'm sure the shop would also be happy to rent you a tank.

They do have NitrOx.

so basically it seems that everyone is saying the shallower the better on the breezes house reef. Am I reading this correctly?

 

[jeepguy]

so basically it seems that everyone is saying the shallower the better on the breezes house reef. Am I reading this correctly?

Great diving from 10 to 100 feet. At the top of the reef, with good light penetration, colors are better. Reef great to about 80 feet. Some "junk" to search around. Steel girders, truck chassis at about 60 feet, barge and car pile closer to 100'. Last trip saw a few octopi at about 15'. Lots of standard reef fish. Many juvies in shallows. In past trips, saw turtles shallow and deep. Rumor has it, there is a frog fish hanging around, see Mark @ Dive Bus for current info. But to directly answer your question. Yes, you could (and we have) spend the whole dive shallow because always something new to see if you take your time and look close.:cool2: