Seeking personal experiences with Aquamarina and Aquadivers, Ambergris Belize

[DandyDon]

I've been invited by the newest LDS in Lubbock to do a June dive trip to Belize - a location that has increasingly interested me. Their package:

Air from Lubbock on Continental: One airline, one connection, one day of travel, 70# bag allowances; I like this already!

7 nights condo with kitchen: I don't have to pack my coffee maker! Pickup some corn flakes, milk, sweet rolls, fruit, sandwhich fixins, and beer.

Puddle jumper transfer to Ambergris Caye: I own an inflatable flotation device.

4 days 3 tank boat dives: My favorite approach

1 day trip to Blue Hole: Rough ride, but I've done those; famous dive. :huh:

1 Night dive: Good

1 shark ray alley snorkel trip: I guess :scratch:



Trips lead by LDS owners, a TDI instructor, and a bubbly Padi instructon, who've done the trip, hotel, operator before.

All this sounds wonderful, but I've found very little about Aquamarina Suites or Aquadivers when i searched SB. Anyone wanta hit me with opinions...?

thanks, don

 

[scubanurse]

Spent a week there last March. Aquamarina suits are very nice. Kitchen is full equipped and all rooms have oceanview. Staff at hotel does everthing possible to make your stay enjoyable. There are several good sized grocery stores within walking distance. We found that the best way to buy beer was to go directly to the distributor and get it by the case. Don,t remember the exact cost but it was alot cheaper than at the store or bar. There are some street vendors up near the main square that have great fajita - like things for about 1.50 and wonderful chicken and rice meals for 3.00 more than you can eat. Don"t be put off by the little shacks that they work out of the food is great. We dove with Aquadives and will never do that again. Boats were overcrowded staff very unorganized. We would have to wait forever each morniong while they tried to get stuff together. Frequently had to have tanks changed because they were not full. One of the guys on my boat had a rental reg blow apart because the air in tank was bad. He tasted as soon as he got in the water and got back on the boat.Luckily the reg wasn"t in his mouth when it exploded. Aqua dive folks did not seem to care and didn"t have extra tank or reg and boat. On one of our dives they had two different head counts as to how many divers were in the water. We all had to wait for one of the dm"s to go hunt a lost diver that really wasn't lost! Overall the diving was ok nice easy diving. . I would go back to Belize but I would not use Aqua Dives. Hope this helps.

 

[DandyDon]

Thanks Scubanurse,

Good to know about the suites & grocery. Doubt I'll have the nerve to eat from street vendors.

I'll discuss your comments about the operator with the LDS I'm going with. They've been there, and I understand that they were happy with the operator. Maybe it was a different one?

It'd cost more, but if I don't get good service, I'll look for another operator, then try to get money back from the LDS on the pre-paid. Better than a ruined trip.

Any night life? What times do the boats leave, if on time? How do they do the 3-dive-days?

don

 

[Gaz]

Aqua Dives tend to be a very large operation with lots of divers on boats etc and if you do a search of this message board you will find several comments about peoples experiences diving with them.

Aqua Marina suites is very nice right in town so close to everthing

I am sure you will have a good trip esecially if your group leader has been there before and knows the ins and outs I amsure they would not take a group to an operator that they are not happy with previously.

Dive Safe

Gaz

 

[Aquatic Eagle]

Thanks Scubanurse,

Good to know about the suites & grocery. Doubt I'll have the nerve to eat from street vendors.

I'll discuss your comments about the operator with the LDS I'm going with. They've been there, and I understand that they were happy with the operator. Maybe it was a different one?

It'd cost more, but if I don't get good service, I'll look for another operator, then try to get money back from the LDS on the pre-paid. Better than a ruined trip.

Any night life? What times do the boats leave, if on time? How do they do the 3-dive-days?

don

I honestly can't say that I have a personal experience with Aqua Divers but...
I work with Norwegian Cruise Lines and we used to use Aqua divers for diving shore excursions in Belize. NCL dropped Aqua Divers because on one trip, they left a diver in the water and left the site, only to go back later when they realized it and pick them up. Because of that, NCL no longer has diving in Belize because they are looking for a good dive operation. So far, we are trying to get Hugh Parkey's Dive operation approved by head office but that's all I can say about it really. I've heard similar complaints about Aqua Divers from other people on the board. Hope this helps a bit.

 

[H2Andy]

NCL dropped Aqua Divers because on one trip, they left a diver in the water and left the site, only to go back later when they realized it and pick them up.

yikes... definetely not good