Where is best to scuba Belize or Rotan?

[skachelmeyer]

I am posting this in both the Belieze and Rotan forum. We are on the Carnival Valor next spring for the Western Carribean sailing and my DH and DS want to scuba. We are trying to decide which port will be better for diving. What are your opinions. DH has not gone in either place and has heard such good things about each one he is torn. Which have you liked better.

[pamawi]

Just wondering if you ever got an answer to your question about whether diving was best in Roatan or Belize? I'm wondering the same thing.

[skachelmeyer]

No I never got an answer, but we did make a decision. DH & DS are going to dive in Belize. My DH has dove 2 times in Cozumel and he and DS may end up doing a shore dive at the Chaakanub (sp?) park. Anyways they are going to dive in Belize. They booked the dive through the ship and they use Hugh Parkey. No flaming on the cruise dives, DH is comfortable with his decision. With the tendering and logistics of Belize he is taking the no brainer way. He has done private and cruise dives and is quite experienced so he is good with his choice. Cost wise it is a little more, but not that much. This is DS first warm water dive, he has done WI lakes before. So he is very excited.

[pamawi]

Since no one else seems to be on this thread, I'm not embarrassed to ask what DH and DS mean. Is it Diving Husband and Diving Son? I've seen it a lot online and have been wondering.

 

I haven't seen any complaints about Hugh Parkey's ship excursion either and the convenience of being picked at the ship really is tempting.

[irishgirl]

DH = Dear Husband

DS = Dear Son

BF = Boyfriend

DD = Dear Daughter

 

From what I've read, Belize has the best diving and snorkeling. Although it's the same barrier reef from Belize to Cozumel.

[JoeU]

I am posting this in both the Belieze and Rotan forum. We are on the Carnival Valor next spring for the Western Carribean sailing and my DH and DS want to scuba. We are trying to decide which port will be better for diving. What are your opinions. DH has not gone in either place and has heard such good things about each one he is torn. Which have you liked better.

 

 

We'll be on the same trip in April, and I was wondering the same thing. I am not PADI certified, so DW and I will be doing the "resort course" thing (she's still a little nervous about scuba and has only done it once in Manzanillo).

 

Would you mind posting a quick trip report when you get back on Belize. I've also toyed with the idea of scuba in Cozumel on the same trip. I have never been to Belize or Roatan, but I've been to Cozumel (and Cayman) twice.

 

Thanks

 

Joe

[treasurespast]

Just got back from all places mentioned. If you have a choice, the diving in Cozumel is far superior to Roatan or Belize. I saw more nice fish in Cozumel than in Cayman, Roatan and Belize combined.

[pamawi]

Just got back from all places mentioned. If you have a choice, the diving in Cozumel is far superior to Roatan or Belize. I saw more nice fish in Cozumel than in Cayman, Roatan and Belize combined.

 

Thanks for the feedback. Who did you dive with in all those ports? Where did they take you? I spent a week diving in Cozumel in 2005 (right before Hurricane Wilma). I loved it and have heard several people say it's better. It's the standard that I judge all other dives against now. IMO it was definitely better than St. Thomas and St. Marteen. I just want to keep checking out new places underwater. I may end up diving in all 4 ports afterall especially since I chose this cruise because it had 4 good diving ports. Then I started thinking that carrying my gear off at all 4 ports might be a real chore and that I'd probably get back to Cozumel on future cruises and/or dive trips. Also, I've been to Cozumel several times and never done a ruins trip. I've heard it's something you should do at least once. I've also read there is a ton of walking to do, so it may not be any easier than a diving day where I have to haul my gear with me. Of course, I could make it easier on myself and not haul all my gear with me. I wonder if I take my own regulator if I could use it with rental BC's because my alternate air source built in to my BC's inflator. I can check with the dive ops I've already booked to see if this is doable. I just feel more comfortable with my own stuff that I know is comfortable and has been maintained.

[pamawi]

We'll be on the same trip in April, and I was wondering the same thing. I am not PADI certified, so DW and I will be doing the "resort course" thing (she's still a little nervous about scuba and has only done it once in Manzanillo).

 

Would you mind posting a quick trip report when you get back on Belize. I've also toyed with the idea of scuba in Cozumel on the same trip. I have never been to Belize or Roatan, but I've been to Cozumel (and Cayman) twice.

 

Thanks

 

Joe

 

I will be glad to post a report when I get back. Since your DW if nervous, you might want to consider taking a regular paced class at your local dive shop and getting certified before you go. My local dive shop has 2 for 1 classes every January in an indoor heated pool. Shops in your area may do this also. That way you both could learn scuba without rushing and perhaps do your checkout dives at one of the cruise ports. Then you would be certified and able to dive in other ports on that trip. Of course, you wouldn't have your C card yet, but maybe they'd work with you if you had appropriate documentation of your classes and checkout dives. Our dive shop does checkout dives in March for the January classes. If yours does that too, you might be able to get totally certified before going on the cruise.

 

Just my 2 cents worth.

[tvwebguy]

Well, I haven't dove in years, but we just got back from both locations and the snorkiling in Belize was the best I have ever seen. It looks like a divers paradise.

[JoeU]

I will be glad to post a report when I get back. Since your DW if nervous, you might want to consider taking a regular paced class at your local dive shop and getting certified before you go. My local dive shop has 2 for 1 classes every January in an indoor heated pool. Shops in your area may do this also. That way you both could learn scuba without rushing and perhaps do your checkout dives at one of the cruise ports. Then you would be certified and able to dive in other ports on that trip. Of course, you wouldn't have your C card yet, but maybe they'd work with you if you had appropriate documentation of your classes and checkout dives. Our dive shop does checkout dives in March for the January classes. If yours does that too, you might be able to get totally certified before going on the cruise.

 

Just my 2 cents worth.

 

Its funny you suggested this because I said this to her this morning. It does make sense to try and get certified before the cruise so we wouldn't be limited to 25-30ft of water. I've been pushing this idea since I first did a resort dive in St Marteen in 2001.

 

I also looked and saw that I can do a resort course in every port. Also, Cayman has a wreck dive in 25ft of water (Wreck of the Cali). This really peaked my interest. If I stick with a resort dive, do you recommend this? Has anyone here done this particular dive?

 

Thanks for the 2 cents. I appreciate the reply (and the fact I was thinking the same thing!:)).

 

Joe

[pamawi]

I'm not familiar with GC sites or resort courses anywhere. I've just heard of a few bad experiences where people were rushed through the class and weren't really prepared to deal with problems such as flooded masks and bouyancy issues. You mentioned your wife had only scuba'd once before. Did she do a discover scuba introduction or resort course before and have a bad experience? If your wife is nervous I suggest you do the classes at home, so she won't feel the pressure of having to remember everything all at once or trying to keep up with you. Plus you develop a relationship with your local dive shop and meet fellow divers in your area in case your wife doesn't want to dive as much as you do. You may think you only want to dive in clear warm water now, but you may decide that local diving (quarries, lakes, Springs, ocean) is a good way to stay in practice between your vacation diving. If you both were already certified, I think you'd get taken to better dive sites because they don't want newbies crashing into a healthy reef due to poor bouyancy control. If they take you to a wreck, please don't go inside it even if they say it has been made safe for divers and you have a guide. I took a guided trip inside a wreck in Cozumel because my buddy really wanted to and I don't think I'll ever do that again. We were gliding along the ship corridors/rooms/ladders practically on our bellies and although I didn't realize it, the velcro for one of my weight pockets snagged on something and I lost a weight. Why I didn't get pinned up on the ceiling, I don't know, but as soon as I exited the wreck, I had to fight bobbing up like a cork. I pulled my way along the wreck to the ascent rope and made a controlled ascent. In one area of the ship it was pitch black and no one turned on their lights. I didn't even bring one with me because I was told you could always see daylight inside this wreck. NOT!! We had been told you could feel your way through the wreck on a permanent line if you remembered it was there. I held on to the ankle of the person in front of me until we got out of that dark room. I could have easily had my mask or regulator kicked off.

 

Another suggestion to consider. Try SNUBA in a port before doing SCUBA resort class. It lets you get comfortable breathing underwater and dealing with clearing your ears and your mask without having to deal with the BC and heavy tank. I snorkeled and did SNUBA on a cruise and then came home and signed up for SCUBA lessons. I don't know many people who have taken a resort course, that have stuck with the sport. Often it is because one partner had trouble and it was all thrown at them so fast. Also I wonder if they didn't get to see enough good stuff to whet their appetites if the operators take them to less desirable parts of the reef because of their lack of bouyancy skills.

 

One more thing, most local dive shops offer a Discover Scuba experience for about $45 where you learn the basics and get to dive in the pool. If you like it and decide to sign up for lessons, the cost of your Discover Scuba is generally applied to the cost of your lessons. If you don't like it, you probably can save your money and not buy the resort course.

[JoeU]

I'm not familiar with GC sites or resort courses anywhere. I've just heard of a few bad experiences where people were rushed through the class and weren't really prepared to deal with problems such as flooded masks and bouyancy issues. You mentioned your wife had only scuba'd once before. Did she do a discover scuba introduction or resort course before and have a bad experience? If your wife is nervous I suggest you do the classes at home, so she won't feel the pressure of having to remember everything all at once or trying to keep up with you. Plus you develop a relationship with your local dive shop and meet fellow divers in your area in case your wife doesn't want to dive as much as you do. You may think you only want to dive in clear warm water now, but you may decide that local diving (quarries, lakes, Springs, ocean) is a good way to stay in practice between your vacation diving. If you both were already certified, I think you'd get taken to better dive sites because they don't want newbies crashing into a healthy reef due to poor bouyancy control. If they take you to a wreck, please don't go inside it even if they say it has been made safe for divers and you have a guide. I took a guided trip inside a wreck in Cozumel because my buddy really wanted to and I don't think I'll ever do that again. We were gliding along the ship corridors/rooms/ladders practically on our bellies and although I didn't realize it, the velcro for one of my weight pockets snagged on something and I lost a weight. Why I didn't get pinned up on the ceiling, I don't know, but as soon as I exited the wreck, I had to fight bobbing up like a cork. I pulled my way along the wreck to the ascent rope and made a controlled ascent. In one area of the ship it was pitch black and no one turned on their lights. I didn't even bring one with me because I was told you could always see daylight inside this wreck. NOT!! We had been told you could feel your way through the wreck on a permanent line if you remembered it was there. I held on to the ankle of the person in front of me until we got out of that dark room. I could have easily had my mask or regulator kicked off.

 

Another suggestion to consider. Try SNUBA in a port before doing SCUBA resort class. It lets you get comfortable breathing underwater and dealing with clearing your ears and your mask without having to deal with the BC and heavy tank. I snorkeled and did SNUBA on a cruise and then came home and signed up for SCUBA lessons. I don't know many people who have taken a resort course, that have stuck with the sport. Often it is because one partner had trouble and it was all thrown at them so fast. Also I wonder if they didn't get to see enough good stuff to whet their appetites if the operators take them to less desirable parts of the reef because of their lack of bouyancy skills.

 

One more thing, most local dive shops offer a Discover Scuba experience for about $45 where you learn the basics and get to dive in the pool. If you like it and decide to sign up for lessons, the cost of your Discover Scuba is generally applied to the cost of your lessons. If you don't like it, you probably can save your money and not buy the resort course.

 

Wow, that was a great post full of suggestions.

 

Actually, our experience in Manzanillo was very good. We had one guide for just the two of us. Since I was fairly familiar with the equipment and procedures (mask clearing, ear clearing), he got me set up in the pool and spent the time with my wife going over everything. We did at least an hour of pool work before he was convinced she could do it. Then, we walked into the water and in about 5-6ft of water, we went over everything again. The dive was in a calm lagoon. My wife had issues because she tends to be claustrophobic, and the mask and gear didn't help. She actually wants to do it again. She felt like even though she didn't see too much because she was nervous, scuba has so much more to offer than snorkeling.

 

I will check the resort course thing with the local dive shop. We may do at least that to "get her feet wet" prior to the full course or our resort dive wherever we decide to do that.

 

Thanks again for all the info.

 

Joe

[pamawi]

You may want to look at the forums on scubaboard.com also. They have several threads that might be of interest to you: New divers and those considering diving, local diving for different areas of the US (so you can meet fellow divers and learn about dive sites in your area), threads for each carribean destination where people discuss their experiences with different operators, and a cruise forum where peoplel discuss the cruise excursions versus booking privately.

 

Do these resort classes get you certified or is it just more of a discover scuba experience? I know I've heard of people going to a tropical destination and spending 3 days in a resort scuba class and getting certified. I'm assuming something done as a cruise ship excursion would be more of a discover scuba experience rather than a resort course with certification.

[trim2gofast]

A few years ago, while staying on GC we took the resort course. We had such a good time, that last winter, we took the classes at our local dive shop and finished our checkout dives back on Grand Cayman. We needed 4-5 tank dives to complete our checkouts, but when we were done, we felt exceptionally well training and certified. I would be nervous if we had to be rushed through a cruise to get certified. We did our checkouts over 2 days.

 

I am cruising to Belize and Cozumel and January and hoping to dive in both locations. We snorkeled at Chakanaab several years ago and loved it. I will probably dive there this time.

[rasvision]

We just got back from Belize, Roatan & Grand Caymen.

We went diving in Belize with Hammerhead Watersports (Coral Breezes). tHe dives were beautiful. We have gone snorkeling in Caymen, and its nice as well. As for Roatan, we are planning our next vacation to stay on the island for 3 weeks.

Can you tell that we love the Carribean!

Anyway, we booked our dives online thru Hammerhead. Ash was our dive master, Red our captain. They made sure we had plenty of time to get back to the tender boat on time. I would definatly use them again.

[H20life]

I did a resort course dive at Roatan with Luna Beach Resort. Our dive in the blue channel was amazing. I've dove about 10x since then (Grand Caymen, Cozumel, etc.) and it is still the best I've ever seen. Luna Beach was great - very professional. We were the only people there from the ship and there were only 4 total on our dive.

 

I did a resort course with Eagle Ray divers in Cozumel. That was also a great dive, but not quite as good as Roatan. I'd go with eagle ray again.