Dive Dominica - Disappointing

[jawfish]

Dominica is also a "new" stop for Carnival Cruises, perhaps this may be changing the way things operate. Lots more timed schedules if that is the case.

 

[pilot fish]

Just returned from a week in Dominica. Stayed at the Fort Young Hotel and dove with Dive Dominica.

Dive Dominica. I had read that they were a good outfit. No limits on dive times, etc. Not true. Every dive limited to 60 minutes. They pushed for short surface intervals. All dives 15-20 minutes from their shop. They refused to go to any of the better sites that were a bit further out. No assistance on the boat or in the water. We have 10 dives for each of the three members in our family. They refused to allow us to use some of the dives from our daughter. Avoid this operation.

Fort Young. Arrived and they said - you know we are doing construction! They did not tell us they were doing major construction fom 7 AM to 8 PM every day - Christmas and New Years included! No offer of compensation, nothing.

Dominica is a pretty island but the diving was very poor. Many people were nice but too many negatives to go back to this island.

I stayed at Fort Young last May for week and was unimpressed with it. It was OK but not something to rave about. I also dove with Dive Dominica, they manintain a dive shop on the hotel property, one tiny rinse tank, and was also sort of unimpressed. It was OK but not great. I have no recollection of shortened BT or short surface intervals. I do remember that I liked the reefs and the diving in general. Each day we were picked up at FY hotel and taken by Castle Comfort to pick up one or two divers, then off to Scotts Head to dive. Castel Comfort looked like a dive mill, short on comfort and high on crowds of dive groups. I'm told, if you want comfort, stay elsewhere. I dont know that to be a fact but it's what I heard from other divers here in the States. Heard that the manager there caters to groups only and overlooks/ignores single divers or a pair of divers.

At a small managers cocktail party we were at the General manager told us that they were about to start a major construction project, new pool and more apts, so that must have been under way when you were there. I can fully appreciate your displeasure at not being told that when you booked. That is major unfair. They should compensate you in some way for that, at least a reduced room price. Vacations are meant to be quiet and comfortable, not listening to jackhammers. In our first room, first night there, we were in a room right under the outdoor terrace where breafast is served, and all we heard was chairs and tables being moved across the floor, at night to set up for morning breakfast, and ealry while breakfast was going on. We went to the front desk and asked to be moved to a quieter room, which they did. At the GM's dinner party the manager gave us a free dinner for our inconvienence. I mention that because they will do something if you bring it to their attention, I think.

I think your opportunity for compensation of some short should have been done while you were there, not now. I would still write them a letter and see what they say. You have every right to be upset.

 

[DCDivenut]

I stayed at Fort Young last May for week and was unimpressed with it. It was OK but not something to rave about. I also dove with Dive Dominica, they manintain a dive shop on the hotel property, one tiny rinse tank, and was also sort of unimpressed. It was OK but not great. I have no recollection of shortened BT or short surface intervals. I do remember that I liked the reefs and the diving in general. Each day we were picked up at FY hotel and taken by Castle Comfort to pick up one or two divers, then off to Scotts Head to dive. Castel Comfort looked like a dive mill, short on comfort and high on crowds of dive groups. I'm told, if you want comfort, stay elsewhere. I dont know that to be a fact but it's what I heard from other divers here in the States. Heard that the manager there caters to groups only and overlooks/ignores single divers or a pair of divers.

At a small managers cocktail party we were at the General manager told us that they were about to start a major construction project, new pool and more apts, so that must have been under way when you were there. I can fully appreciate your displeasure at not being told that when you booked. That is major unfair. They should compensate you in some way for that, at least a reduced room price. Vacations are meant to be quiet and comfortable, not listening to jackhammers. In our first room, first night there, we were in a room right under the outdoor terrace where breafast is served, and all we heard was chairs and tables being moved across the floor, at night to set up for morning breakfast, and ealry while breakfast was going on. We went to the front desk and asked to be moved to a quieter room, which they did. At the GM's dinner party the manager gave us a free dinner for our inconvienence. I mention that because they will do something if you bring it to their attention, I think.

I think your opportunity for compensation of some short should have been done while you were there, not now. I would still write them a letter and see what they say. You have every right to be upset.

I just called some of my friends who live on the island and who dive and I have to admit that they unfortunately confirm a lot of what has been said about Dive Dominica. It is a real shame since they used to be a great operation but it sounds like they have modified their business plan to accomodate a different clientele, i.e. the pod people.

I think this is just another example of the negative effects that cruise lines have on destinations in general, at least as far as divers are concerned. It is just another example of the mass market, lowest common denominator mentality that cruise ships promote. It is also the least positive type of tourism as far as spreading money throughout the economy. Unfortunately it is very profitable for the government which is why they are pursuing it so aggresively.

Dominica has always been in a odd economic situation. It was a primarily agricultural based economy (growing bananas) while they enjoyed protected status in the UK for their goods as a former colony. With the EU they lost those protections and they cannot compete against Central American bananas based on price so they lost that market. They have tried to diversify, but there is only so much they can do. With no major white sand beaches, they are not the typical resort destination. They tried eco-tourism but unfortunately a lot of people talk about doing it but the real truth is that the big money is not there. There were several attempts to be the next offshore banking paradise but that pissed off the countries that give them aid so that got cut back. It is a real shame to see them so aggresively courting the cruise ships. One of the great things about growing up there was that tourist who came to the island really came to experience the island, not just look around for a few hours. I know that the reality is more complex, but I wonder if that has anythign to do with any increase in crime towards tourists? When I was living there, the rccomendation was for tourists to just hitchhike around the island (which is how I got around since the driving age was 18) and it was perfectly safe!!

As far as the Fort Young the original poster is absolutely correct to ask for some sort of compensation. I actually work in the hotel industry and while construction/renovation is sometimes a neccesity you had better be prepared to offer compensation to guests it ticks off. I think part of the problem too, especially with some of the places discussed here is that they offer a US type hotel experience and then deliver a "island" one. It is a matter of setting and meeting expectations.

The unfortunate thing is that there are other great dive ops and other great places to stay besides the ones that get tossed around here. Dominica is a unique and wonderful island with genuinely friendly people. I am biased since I grew up there but everyone that I have taken to the island has agreed. I just really hate to see the reputation of Dominica as a dive destination suffering because of the actions of one or two hotels and a particular dive op.

 

[Fishbird]

I have to say, I am very surprised to read such negativity about Dominica. Dominica is the most fantastic destination in the Caribbean. The diving is first rate, the reefs are beautiful and the above-water experiences are literally unmatched anywhere in the world. You can hike to beautiful 100'+ waterfalls and have the place to yourself. The people are friendly (in general). It's gorgeous. I have been to Dominica over 10 times.

I have stayed at Castle Comfort Lodge (i.e. Dive Dominica) 5 times and have always been treated well. The staff is amazing. They remember every guest that comes back a second time. I have good friends there now.

Derek is not only a great guy, but a smart businessman. (He runs the diving part of the operation). Yes, he serves the Fort Young Hotel and the cruise ships, but he does it in seperate boats. If you stay at Castle Comfort Lodge, you get your own boat and your own crew and go where you want. I have never been told to hurry up or limit my dives. As part of the pre-dive briefing they ask people to keep it within reason so everyone else doesn't sit on the boat all day waiting for you, but I think that's perfectly reasonable.

Anyone that has met Derek knows he is very approachable and friendly. In the times I have wanted something special, he has bent over backwards to accomodate me, whether it's a dive site, a rinse tank, a lift to town, or whatever. Ginette, who runs the hotel, is the same. Example: We took our 18 month old daughter to Castle Comfort this year. The hotel is a diver hotel, it's just not set up for children and they don't claim it is. But Ginette found us a crib, a babysitter so we could go diving, some toys for the pool, etc. Simply said, they are wonderful people and if you ask for something, they will try the best they can to help you.

My only complaint with the hotel (and most hotels have this problem) is the proximity of the road to some of the rooms and the noise at night. Unfortunately, the island is steep and there just isn't much space between the road and the ocean to build a hotel on the water.

As for dive sites, I don't know where you dove, but sheesh, just diving off the DOCK at Castle Comfort you can see Shortnose Batfish, Frogfish, sea horses, flying gurnards, morays, a huge colony of garden eels, and Spotted Spoon nosed eels. It's macro heaven. The sites in the south of the island around Scotts Head are the best on Dominica and that's why they go there. There are also some nice ones just around the southern tip of the island on the Atlantic side, but you need flat calm weather. There are good dive sites mid-island and in the north, but in my opinion, certainly not any better than the ones in the south that are only 15 minutes away.

If anything is going to be the downfall of Dominica, it's the damn cruise ships. Every year there are more and more of them and they bring absolutely nothing to the vast majority of the tourist business on Dominica. And they crowd some of the easier hikes, which is annoying.

A few years ago they implimented a marine reserve in the Soufriere area to try to bring back the larger fish on the reefs. (Yes, like most Caribbean islands that are not complete tourist traps, they overfished the reefs). I have seen a noticable increase in the fish life over the past few years. The marine park is WORKING. Give it some time. Dominica is still learning how to be a tourism destination. But that's the beauty of it. It hasn't become Grand Cayman yet. And I hope it never does.

If you haven't already figured it out, I am passionately crazy about Dominica. I fell in love with it the first time I went there. I know that everyone doesn't have to like it the way I do and some people can never be pleased no matter what. But bad diving? Not on your life. The diving is way way better than several of the places that are famous for diving that I have visited in the past year. (I'm not naming names).

Here is a more thorough trip report on one of my trips, with pictures:

http://www.oceanicresearch.org/dominicatrip.htm

Jonathan

 

[smokey braden]

fishbird,
i'm glad you made positive remarks about dominica.
i've been doing research on going there to dive.
you mentioned the southern dive sites, but how is the diving up near portsmouth?
can you say anything good about the portsmouth beach hotel, anchorage hotel or picard beach cottage?
thank you in advance.
regards

 

[DontLieToMe]

Not just Carnival. One day the Queen Mary 2 pulled in. On some days there were four or five cruise ships visiting the island.

 

[Scuba65]

I just returned from being in Dominica for 10 days...and I found it to be excellent. Stayed with a friend in Picard and dove with Cabrits Dive Operators in Picard who are friends of our friend there and they were great....the only complaint is that they have a very small boat..but, they have aquired a new bigger boat..otherwise it was awesome...dove different sites there and all were great...Sharkies being the best of them all. Also for 2 day's we went South to Scott's Head and stayed at Anchorage Hotel and Dive Hotel....I really recommend this place for staying at and diving with. All the staff was awesome...no limits on diving at all....between dives they supplied us with juice and towels and they were just tons of fun to hang with and dive with. between dives we were all jumping from the boat into the ocean and it was fun. dove champgne site and tha was tons of fun even if it's a very shallow dive. the dive master's would be looking around for different things to show us....they also encouraged anyone to venture around if you were comfortable in the water...awesome. I'll be doing a report shortly about the whole trip. I really recommend them and same with Cabrits Dive shop. also did some hiking and that was great.

 

[escot]

the soufriere/scott's head marine reserve, on the southern tip of dominica, is supposed to have the island's best diving and i can vouch for it being quite good. lots of coral gardens, some dramatic walls, plenty of swim throughs at swiss cheese, a few great drift dives and at least one seamount nearby. there are supposed to be some very good sites on the windward side of the southern point but the conditions have to be right. i dove with nature island dive in 2001, a small but very good operator, located near the village of soufriere. they were very friendly, professional, safe and attentive. the groups were generally small, sometimes just a few people. the shop has a few cottages or they can help set you up with local guesthouses. soufriere is a beautiful and low key place. its not party central.

 

[ChristineH]

I highly recommend Evergreen hotel and Dive Dominica, the hotel was great and the dives were excellent. NEVER dove with cruise ship divers!

 

[trigfunctions]

We had a great experience with Dive Dominica in 2003. The comple opposite of what the original poster wrote. What caused this thread to be brought up from 2005?