Favorite Memories from the SB Invasion 2025 Belize

[SETX scuba]

I was a first timer for an invasion on this trip and had read the reviews about the resort so wasn't expecting much and it still disappointed . I didn't let it bother me and met a ton of wonderful people and had some great diving even in some challenging conditions with the wind. The DM's and captains were great and definitely made for a fun diving experience. The staff at the hotel did their best to make up for some of the issues and the bartenders were great! At the end of the day I am blessed to be able to to enjoy this life and if those little inconveniences are the worst part I would say it's still pretty dang good!

 

[gypsyjim]

Our DM and his Lil friend.
View attachment 906117

She really was interested in him!

 

[Dive Barrister]

Thought y'all might find our recent host's life story interesting. Sir Hakimi - Hakim Optical

Guess it goes to show you a knighthood can’t be very hard to get.

 

[gypsyjim]

Thought y'all might find our recent host's life story interesting. Sir Hakimi - Hakim Optical

Guess it goes to show you a knighthood can’t be very hard to get.

Knighthood for sale or rent, royal titles, fifty cents?
No style, no cool, no class.
I aint much but I got cash....
....sung to the tune from Roger Miller's, King of the Road.

 

[Fat Daddy]

That $500 a night included three amazing dives every day plus a night dive, and very nice rooms, not just the subpar food and grounds (and some boats, though our little group hit the jackpot with The Whale every day except Sunday).

Yeah, it was more than we've paid before for much better, bet Dennis and the TA are working on getting some clawback. Even if they aren't successful, I refuse to allow the crappy venue to destroy the enjoyment I had from my compatriots, the great dive and resort staff, and the diving.

I squarely blame who Jim called "Hakim the Arrogant" - and he can rot for all I care. Still had a great time last week; I guess my "small expectations" were a bonus.

But you do you. And I have no doubt you will.

Actually it did not. Diving cost $400 plus $200. That was the diving cost with Nitrox. You paid the rest for what was crappy borderline prison food that was never enough, and never enough for me to burn that amount of calories and can’t replenish them. Thank God we brought extra Cliff bars and trail mix. Despite my name, I’m 6’4 190lbs. I run lean and didn’t expect this bs. Yeah, I’ll pass on sny trip organizers who would book this hell hold, despite all the warnings and bad reviews, that were ignored btw. Keep dreaming Scubaboard fanboy, that wasn’t anything other than a colossal **** up here. This was a train wreck we all stupidly and willingly stepped into. But hey “Scubaboard can have fun in a mud puddle!”. I wish I had a dime for all the times I heard it this trip.

 

[Fat Daddy]

People. Take a step back. Look at the reviews of the other 2 actual “resorts” we could have stayed at. I called the one at the south end. We could have had actual buffet instead of rationed 5th grade cafeteria food. On top of the small portions, it was always cold and sucked.

Turneffe is an awesome place to dive, and one of the best trips (diving only) I’ve gone on with Scubaboard. But it was a horrible choice vs Turneffe Island Resort.

I’m not going to rain sunshine about this trip. It was hell and we couldn’t wait to get off the island. I feel good about telling the story about this sad trip. My night dive sucked, because they were conserving fuel. 10 minutes to dive site, 25 ft. I know. I hung out with all the employees who had to work the fuel situation etc.

It was so bad that most people tipped out their DMs personally. It was a total **** show. I was one of a few who bought the “drink package”. lol. It included everything except wine. And the bartenders allowed me to buy shots or any drink for anyone! The end of the pier bar parties were crazy Thursday and Friday! The employees were pounding booze on drink package customers. No tracking of anything.

Whoever booked it needs to own it. I lived, it sucked. I made a ton of friends after hours. I especially appreciate the head of house cleaning who was at the fun bar at 12 who offered to “clean my room” at any time. I told her my wife probably wouldn’t like it and we’d simply like a roll of toilet paper. Got a roll the next day lol.

Friday night at the pier bar was insane. I’m sure my bar tab 221 lol would have been enough to kill 3 people. Thanks Lancelot, Karin, Brittany, the cleaning staff lol, and all the dive staff. If you chose for us to go here, own it, learn from it. I most likely won’t be back if nothing changes.

Loved diving with you all

Jason

 

[Fat Daddy]

If anyone is expecting money back lol

 

[Fat Daddy]

Anyone could cr*p on you and you’d call it icing. That’s a fault. Got what seems like oil on my bags and my new bag was torn. Such a great place, and the staff were awesome. If you believed the 5* reviews and ignored the 1* reviews that were extensive, recent, and said the same thing, you are an idiot. And when I pointed this out during the trip I was still fed the same line “Scubaboard can have fun in a mud puddle!”.

Did not have fun or like my “mud puddle”. The arrogance about the decision. There are plenty dive groups. If nothing is learned from this nightmare. And it was. Reviews years ago had people leaving early. I flew out, because I can’t predict the seas, and honestly I wanted out so badly I was happy to pay the xtra $500.
Times
Who would ever here do this trip again for even half the cost? No one. It was that bad

 

[Dive Barrister]

Actually it did not. Diving cost $400 plus $200. That was the diving cost with Nitrox. You paid the rest for what was crappy borderline prison food that was never enough, and never enough for me to burn that amount of calories and can’t replenish them. Thank God we brought extra Cliff bars and trail mix. Despite my name, I’m 6’4 190lbs. I run lean and didn’t expect this bs. Yeah, I’ll pass on sny trip organizers who would book this hell hold, despite all the warnings and bad reviews, that were ignored btw. Keep dreaming Scubaboard fanboy, that wasn’t anything other than a colossal **** up here. This was a train wreck we all stupidly and willingly stepped into. But hey “Scubaboard can have fun in a mud puddle!”. I wish I had a dime for all the times I heard it this trip.

You've fulfilled my prediction that you'd do you. Since you're determined to whine and wail about the costs, let's go there. The diver rate was $2,700 for double occupancy, $2,900 for single occupancy. That's either $385 DO or $414 SO per night - INCLUDING all of the dives (but not EAN). You claimed the cost was $500 per night. Um... no. Not even close.

Assume you based the $400 cost for the dives on the diver vs. non diver rates. For that $400, we had five days of three tank dives plus a night dive (if you did all of the offered dives) - so 16 boat dives. That comes to a whopping $25 per tank, Even adding on the $200 for EAN it works out to $37.50 per tank. Where else could you get that price for boat dives?? Though this is my 4th straight SB Invasion, I came to BDH for the diving, pure and simple.

You say you read the Trip Advisor BDH reviews before the trip, so you knew what to expect. "Every bad review on Trip Advisor told us this is what you would get, and we got it." Then why do you consider yourself so egregiously affected by the shortcomings of the venue and food insufficiency (you mentioned in several different posts that the conditions at BDH should not have been a surprise)? Why did you still book the trip if you expected the venue's shortcomings? You say you knew what we'd get, yet you still signed up for the trip. Your drama queen moaning is tiresome.

Yet you also said you got well over your money's worth from the drink package (which we didn't buy). You were able to get drinks for anyone without being billed. Apparently you thought that was great, but you complain about the cost of everything else and say you wouldn't go back for half the price? So many inconsistencies...

BTW - since you call me a "fanboy" you obviously have no idea who I am. I'm a female.And yes, I love the trips, and since Dennis and Roxanne went above and beyond to make the best of a bad situation, they have nothing to "own".

As George mentioned, "Maybe these events aren’t for you." No matter how hard you try, you won't tank the fun I had on the trip - and from the other posts on this thread, everyone else seems to have similar opinions. Sorry you seem to dwell on the negatives and ignore the overall positives of the experience.

Every trip is what you make it. I wish you well in your future travels; hopefully you'll be less miserable (and by extension your spouse will have a better experience than having to endure your complaints).

 

[Dive Barrister]

I emaled my lengthy review of BDH to Maduro yesterday, If anyone wants to slog through it, I've attached it here. Enjoy (?).