Limited funds, Travel in Feb!

[WaterDance]

Looking for a scuba trip from the NYC area to somewhere warm that will not break the bank.
Duration: 7 to 10 days
Time Period available: Feb 18th to March 2nd
Person's traveling: 2 AOW divers - one with 60 dives, the other with 110 dives
Deepest Dive: over 130
Longest Dive: over an hour
Love: Critters, Walls, Sharks, REAL Drifts, Pass thrus
Don't like: being bored, feeling unsafe, dive masters who "stimulate" the wildlife
Purpose: TO DIVE

Have airlines miles on Delta and American, but probably not enough for 2 tickets

The Wife (me) has personally dived Roatan, Honduras, Isla Mujuers, Florida Springs, and a quarry in Pennsylvania. Don't mind repeating any of the above, but the quarry.

Would LOVE warm water. Good food. Comfortable bed.

Loosing my mind, please help!

 

[scubafanatic]

....understand all about limited $, but it's kinda hard to comment unless we are provided your 'budget'......leaving aside airfare expenses.

 

[WOODMAN]

This has been discussed ad nauseum here, so I will just offer the usual couple of comments. You don't indicate prior travel to either Cozumel or the upper Florida Keys, and these are usually prominent in everyone's list for cheap, close, warm water getaways. Hard to go wrong with either place, and a short stroll around this forum (and the specific forums for the places indicated) will yield a wealth of data and opinions. I wish you luck, but you probably won't need it with either of these two places. Woody

 

[greylion]

Roatan has some good deals these days at Anthony's Keys and Coco View, also consider Utila and Cozumel. Here's a few examples:

Scuba diving vacations. Scuba Voyages Dive Travel.

 

[WaterDance]

travel to either Cozumel or the upper Florida Keys, and these are usually prominent in everyone's list for cheap, close, warm water getaways. . Woody

Budget is LOW, looking to spend less than $1,500 for diving, lodging, and possibly meals for two people. Isla Mujures is off the cost of Mexico, but neither one of us has DIVED Cozumel. When I was there last it wasn't inexpensive. This is in February, thus might not be warm enough in Florida (it snowed there recently).

 

[WaterDance]

Utilia is a possibility. Any hotel or dive shop suggestions?

 

[sdiver68]

Utilia is a possibility. Any hotel or dive shop suggestions?

I have not been there, but Scubaboard member rob@diveinutila.com had a great reply to my query about Utila. Here is his shop Altons Dive Center. Scuba Diving, Whale Sharks. Resort to Backpackers Open Water The reasons I did not choose here were 1) It took a few days for him to get back to me and I already had booked another option and 2) Extra difficulty getting to Utila since I only have 7 days total. If I had the info and 10 days...

I decided on this Feb 20-27 Roatan trip instead: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/tr...ntasy-island-feb-20-27-free-nitrox-class.html You might contact Ken, last I heard there was still the possibility of getting in. Of course I'm psyched about this trip.

Other possibilities I researched with good options close to meeting your budget are CocoView in Roatan, Scuba Cozumel (Winter Special) and the Keys.

 

[oudivegirl]

There are lots of cheap flights to Cozumel or Cancun for that timeframe. February is a great time to go - you will have just missed the big Carnaval crowds and the island won't be overcrowded. There are usually still eagle rays around then too. Also, if you fly into Cancun, you could do a combo trip and spend 1-2 days diving in Isla Mujeres or Playa Del Carmen, both have shark diving I hear. (I've only done the Playa bull shark dives - very cool) Getting to Cozumel from Cancun is very easy & cheap. One of my favorite unique but cheap lodging options in Cozumel is called Mi Casa en Cozumel - or there are many other "cheap" lodging options that would work just fine. Scuba Tony offers great personal service and has one of the best boat captains on the island. I'd also suggest checking rates at Fiesta Americana - it's a much nicer hotel and often has very low price specials (compared to their usual rates) and you can take advantage of free breakfast & being picked up by the dive boat & shore diving (not the best shore diving, but diving is diving) You can eat out in Cozumel for very cheap too - tons of awesome taquerias where you can enjoy tacos & a beer for a few bucks. If you avoid the "all-inclusive" type places, you can easily make it a cheap trip. I have done it many times = Cozumel addict.

 

[scubafanatic]

Budget is LOW, looking to spend less than $1,500 for diving, lodging, and possibly meals for two people. Isla Mujures is off the cost of Mexico, but neither one of us has DIVED Cozumel. When I was there last it wasn't inexpensive. This is in February, thus might not be warm enough in Florida (it snowed there recently).

...WOW ! 7 - 10 days for 2 people totalling under $ 1500 ? that IS low! hmmm, if you like liveabaords I've had positive experiences on:

sailjuliet.com (I've done a 1 week Bahamas trip on this boat)
spreeexpeditions.com (I've done a LOT of trips on this boat when it was still here in Texas servicing the 'Flower Gardens'.)
....you can do 3-4 day trips on those 2 boats (FL Keys and Bahamas) in that price range.

....I'll agree that I don't think Cozumel is all that cheap either.....but you can probably scrape together a package there for 2 morning boat dives X 4 or 5 days.

I've spent a week @ CoCo View / Roatan, I don't really know anything about Utila though...I think Anthony Key in Roatan has run some 'cheap' specials.

You might want to post this over in the Coz/Florida/Honduras forums.

 

[Saltwater Junky]

check with Sueno Del Mar dive resort on Roatan.

Roatan Hotel | West End Roatan | Sueno del Mar Resort and Roatan West End Hotel