Economy affect your dive travel plans?

[divemoreworkless]

I've dived in the Keys, and as much as we enjoyed it, last year when we were thinking of going there again, I compared the overall cost a week in Cozumel and 5 days in the Keys (which was the length of the last trip we did there). Air was cheaper to FL, no real surprise there. BUT, when we added on the car rental (have to get from MIA or FLL to Key Largo), the hotel (crappy place for more then we pay in Coz for a better place), diving and food & drink, our week in Cozumel was actually less.

I would like to go back to the Keys. Maybe I'm missing something in my figuring, but it hasn't added up to be any savings so I'd just as well go to Cozumel, Cayman, Belize...

I was looking for air to Cancun for anytime in July or August (much cheaper and non-stop vs Cozumel from our area). Prices were crazy. More then I paid in April and more then what I saw over Easter time. So, right now it looks like no diving for us until we go back to Curacao in October... and that air was $200 more then we paid last Sept.

We totally agree with you regarding prices to dive the FL Keys! We too love the Keys but again by the time you price in crappy, expensive FL hotel, rental car, etc., Cozumel still turns out to be cheaper so far.

Incidentally, how do you like diving Curacao? It's on our list. We love Bonaire and are probably going back in Oct. but wanted to know more about your Curacao experiences... Thanks!

 

[Diver Kat]

We totally agree with you regarding prices to dive the FL Keys! We too love the Keys but again by the time you price in crappy, expensive FL hotel, rental car, etc., Cozumel still turns out to be cheaper so far.

So true! The only reason we manage to do the Keys every other year is we have a timeshare to trade for another timeshare spot there. Even with that, it's still pretty pricey.

 

[scubawife]

We totally agree with you regarding prices to dive the FL Keys! We too love the Keys but again by the time you price in crappy, expensive FL hotel, rental car, etc., Cozumel still turns out to be cheaper so far.

Incidentally, how do you like diving Curacao? It's on our list. We love Bonaire and are probably going back in Oct. but wanted to know more about your Curacao experiences... Thanks!

We loved Curacao. We stayed at Habitat last Sept and will do so again in October. Nothing fancy, and I know it gets very mixed review, but we thought it was great for a dive resort. (Who needs or wants to pay the prices for a 5 star resort with several pools, bars, restaurants and activities when you're out diving most of the day anyway?)

The house reef at Habitat was on par with just about everything we dived from the boat, and for night diving you couldn't ask for a better set up. You can also just grab tanks at the fill station by the parking lot and go shore dive anywhere you want. Our package was for 3 boat trips (2-tank) and 6 days of unlimited tanks for shore diving. Add on additional boat dives if they're going somewhere that interests you.

Air isn't that cheap. The hotel/dive package was reasonable (and with unlimited tanks and good shore diving you can get your $$ worth). We found restaurants around the island to be on the pricey side and since we were there for the coral spawning and wanted to get in one or two night dives a day, we did have dinner at the hotel restaurant most evenings. That was fine.

If I could take the overall Cozumel vacation and combine it with the ease of the diving and the reefs that Curacao has, then I would say I'd found my perfect dive vacation destination.

 

[jbjclj]

As a comparison...I booked our 14 day trip to FA (AI) in February for travel April 24-June 8. The cost was $2800 for 2 - air included from LAX.

Good friends are going in June and talked us into going back June 18 - 26 (8 nights). The cost for 2 at FA (AI) air included from LAX is $2500. Quite a price increase.

This does not include diving. We dove with Christi and Blue XT Sea and had a fabulous time as always (except for the screaming currents). We will dive with Dive House this time just because that is where the friends booked. (Back with Christie next year-bringing the friends)

 

[jayjoans]

^^^ is it just me or does that look like $300 less?

Never mind, I didn't notice the 8 day vs. 14 day.


..and you really ought to have Christi do something about those currents. Maybe Dive House will have better control over them.

 

[ggunn]

^^^ is it just me or does that look like $300 less?

Never mind, I didn't notice the 8 day vs. 14 day.


..and you really ought to have Christi do something about those currents. Maybe Dive House will have better control over them.

I was having a beer with Big Mike (husband of Jeanie at Blue Angel) a couple of weeks ago and he told me about a customer of theirs complaining to one of their DM's about him taking him to all those "fast reefs". ;^)

 

[divemoreworkless]

We loved Curacao. We stayed at Habitat last Sept and will do so again in October. Nothing fancy, and I know it gets very mixed review, but we thought it was great for a dive resort. (Who needs or wants to pay the prices for a 5 star resort with several pools, bars, restaurants and activities when you're out diving most of the day anyway?)

The house reef at Habitat was on par with just about everything we dived from the boat, and for night diving you couldn't ask for a better set up. You can also just grab tanks at the fill station by the parking lot and go shore dive anywhere you want. Our package was for 3 boat trips (2-tank) and 6 days of unlimited tanks for shore diving. Add on additional boat dives if they're going somewhere that interests you.

Air isn't that cheap. The hotel/dive package was reasonable (and with unlimited tanks and good shore diving you can get your $$ worth). We found restaurants around the island to be on the pricey side and since we were there for the coral spawning and wanted to get in one or two night dives a day, we did have dinner at the hotel restaurant most evenings. That was fine.

If I could take the overall Cozumel vacation and combine it with the ease of the diving and the reefs that Curacao has, then I would say I'd found my perfect dive vacation destination.

Curacao sounds wonderful. Thanks for your input. Like you, I totally prefer clean, inexpensive no-frills accommodations when diving, as you so aptly stated that not much of the other ammenities matter so much when you are diving anyway. Yes, air fare is outlandish now. We're going back to Bonaire in Oct. probably and all fares have increased with fewer options!

I take it Curacao is similar to Bonaire with plentiful shore diving options? Some other dive buddies of mine like Aruba - more for the after-dive night life - but sounds like Aruba is better explored by boat. Curacao sounds like either boat or shore diving are great, and of course Bonaire is great by boat but is all about the too-many-to-count shore diving options. Thanks again Scuba Wife!

 

[scubawife]

Curacao sounds wonderful. Thanks for your input. Like you, I totally prefer clean, inexpensive no-frills accommodations when diving, as you so aptly stated that not much of the other ammenities matter so much when you are diving anyway. Yes, air fare is outlandish now. We're going back to Bonaire in Oct. probably and all fares have increased with fewer options!

I take it Curacao is similar to Bonaire with plentiful shore diving options? Some other dive buddies of mine like Aruba - more for the after-dive night life - but sounds like Aruba is better explored by boat. Curacao sounds like either boat or shore diving are great, and of course Bonaire is great by boat but is all about the too-many-to-count shore diving options. Thanks again Scuba Wife!

Curacao has sites that you can only get to by boat. So far, the ones that we've done were worth the boat ride... I haven't been to Bonaire yet, but from dive buddies who have done both, the shore diving in Curacao is easier in terms of getting you and your gear to the entry point. Also not the excessive worries about what will or will not be damaged or removed from your vehicle when you get back to it after the dive.

Hearing so much about the car break-ins, hotel and condo robberies, etc., is what's kept us from trying Bonaire. And Aruba doesn't really appeal to me for a dive trip. Seems more a place to go for a beach/party/casino vacation.

 

[divemoreworkless]

Curacao has sites that you can only get to by boat. So far, the ones that we've done were worth the boat ride... I haven't been to Bonaire yet, but from dive buddies who have done both, the shore diving in Curacao is easier in terms of getting you and your gear to the entry point. Also not the excessive worries about what will or will not be damaged or removed from your vehicle when you get back to it after the dive.

Hearing so much about the car break-ins, hotel and condo robberies, etc., is what's kept us from trying Bonaire. And Aruba doesn't really appeal to me for a dive trip. Seems more a place to go for a beach/party/casino vacation.

We will definitely plan to include Curacau for a future dive trip. Thanks for your great insight and info! Like you, I agree that Aruba sounds more of a party destination from a few divers I know who have been there. One can party anywhere if that is your thing. Diving is something altogether different and much more fun!!!!

As for Bonaire, the diving truly is spectacular with unique and splendid reefs unlike any other I have ever dove in. Yes, you are correct that auto break-ins are common. We simply don't lock our vehicle when shore diving, leaving abosutely nothing in it of value, not even clothes to change into afterwards. This is somewhat inconvenient, but we have not had any trouble. We have encountered disheartened divers, however, who were royally ripped off while shore diving. Truthfully, I love boat diving on Bonaire. I always book a couple of boat dives each day and finish off the day with another shore dive or two often close to or at my hotel, so not always a need to drive anywhere. Klein Bonaire, an uninhabited island only accessible via a quick hop of a boat ride from mainland, also features amazing dive sites. I truly recommend trying Bonaire at least once; book boat dives to sample some great sites and see for yourself if you want more. I would be curious to have your opinion on how Bonaire diving compares to Curacao.

Thanks again Scubawife! Safe diving to ya....

 

[driftwood]

Hearing so much about the car break-ins, hotel and condo robberies, etc., is what's kept us from trying Bonaire.

It shouldn't, just stay at one of the larger resorts like Buddy's or Capt. Dan's and your belongings in the room will be fine. Don't leave anything in your truck and make sure that the windows are down.

The only thing that I will say about the diving on Bonaire is; If the house reef at Buddy's was the only reef on the island, its worth the trip. I would not give you two cents for the rest of the island, but the reefs are world class. Check out Bonaire Trip 2007 with Scubaland Adventures - Austin, TX for some photos.

From NY you can catch a red eye on Continental from Newark, avoid American if you can. The San Juan airport, your connection using AA, is known as "the eater of cameras". From San Juan you fly on an American Eagle turboprop to/from Bonaire. Makes for a very long day of traveling.