Solmar v. Rocio Del Mar

[i<3turtles]

Hi there everyone,

I am new to the scuba boards (so I hope this is posting in the correct forum...).

I was wondering if anyone has thoughts on Rocio del Mar compared to the Solmar V. My husband and I have a very limited window during which we can go on the trip due to the training program he is in. Unfortunately Solmar is completely booked up, and I am blue because I have definitely been a fan of their video trip reports, photos, and other marketing efforts.

We noticed that Rocio has an opening during the time we are looking to go, and we are seriously considering heading that route. I have seen good things on this dive board about Rocio, and while we would have loved to have had the trip report video to show family and friends , we really just want to have an opportunity to visit Socorro and see the amazing wildlife. The extra space on Rocio may also enable other members of our family to go along.

Anyways, if folks think the Rocio is a good alternative, please lift my spirits and let me know!!

thanks!

 

[diversteve]

My buddy is just back from the Rocio - last week - he said it's a fabulous boat. The crew, service was excellent. He said it seemed like they were always doing something. And the food as expected was excellent also. They're doing the Midriff trips now so he wasn't at Socorro. It's at least his fourth liveaboard so he has some experience in assessing operations. Dora and her husband built it from the ground up to be a dive boat - vs. Solmar which is an older converted fishing boat.

I used to plan diving with Solmar also, but now we're talking about going on Rocio in a couple of years to the Socorros. I think the word is just getting out beyond our area about what a nice boat Rocio is - most people are used to thinking of Solmar or Nautilus Explorer as the only options. Most of the dive shops in our area have known about/sold the boat for 3-4 years now. I think Dora mentioned to my buddy that they're mostly booked thru 2013.

Or you could ask my "boss" - [user]Netdoc[/user]. He's going with them this weekend. I think for the 2nd time. Dora is really as nice as she seems also - we have mutual dive friends.

 

[TSandM]

A good friend who was also my OW instructor has done, I think, two trips on the Rocio del Mar.

He's organizing another one for next year, and we're going on it, based on what he has had to say. A first class operation in every way, is what we have heard.

 

[ThisFishee]

I did the Socorro Islands with Rocio Del Mar in March of this year. The boat is beautiful, the rooms are spacious, the staff is attentive and the diving is out of this world. In addition to the sharks, dolphins and huge manta rays we were even able to dive with Humpback Whales. It's a trip I will forever hold dear to my heart. Don't hesitate, you will not be disappointed. : D

 

[divengolf]

I have done both boats in the past 18 months; the Solmar V twice (Sorocco and Guadalupe). Physically the boats are comparable. The Rocio's staterooms are a bit roomier. I felt that the Solmar's food was a bit better, but not a big difference. Rocio's galley and mess deck (where the food is served; sorry- I'm ex-Navy) is in the bow mostly below the waterline. So you don't see the outside world while eating, etc. Rocio does have a nice salon room above the dive deck that's great to relax in, gather, watch videos, etc. Solmar doesn't have anything similar, but they do have video in the dining area. Solmar's dive deck is larger and more comfortable. Their photo table, etc. is excellent and uncluttered with crew stuff. On both boats, I did all my battery charging in my stateroom. On Solmar there wasn't enough outlets (it was a dedicated photog trip with Bonnie Pelnar) and on Rocio, there wasn't enough room on the photo table. On Rocio, I did all my camera/housing maintenance in my room. I would not even consider opening my housing on the dive deck (hot air and lack of space problems discussed below).

I had two big issues and one small one with the Rocio and discussed them with Dora and Rey (head DM who I knew from Solmar) before I left. First, what passes for a photo table is way too small. And it was cluttered with crew junk and non-photo stuff. Secondly, the Rocio only has one air/nitrox compressor. If that goes down, you're done diving. I've never been on a liveaboard with only one compressor and have had one of the two go down on occasion. The minor issue is the way in which the hot engine room ventilation exhaust is dumped directly onto the dive deck. While I was aboard, they kept the watertight door to the engine room open most of the time. So the air dumped and it got pretty hot while gearing up. On the positive side, our wet suits dried real quick.

Dora told me that they had plans to enlarge the photo table. but given the dive deck layout, I don't see how much can be done. Perhaps they have solved that problem. Until they do I will not be returning to Rocio as I'm a dedicated UW photog.

Both operations are good, but Solmar has been doing this for many years and it shows. But Dora is trying real hard to fix Rocio's problems and should get serious consideration, especially for the Midriff Is. trip. As I recall, Rocio is a bit cheaper.

PM me if you would like anything further.

 

[memoran]

So I have now lead 5 trips of divers on the Rocio and I will continue to go back with them every time. With a 24 hour boat ride to and from the Socorro Islands, you want the largest and most comfortable boat experience possible. That is definately the Rocio. With their large staterooms and open spaces to hang out in, it is easy to relax and enjoy the voyage. They have added stabilizer bars to the boat to increase the beam width and make it an even calmer voyage. The crew are top notch and I could not be hapier with them and our diving experiences in both the Midriff and Socorro trips. They have taken a lot of time and listened to customer feed back and made changes to the dive deck and camera tables. I never spent a lot of time on the dive deck. I always took my laptop/ipad and camera up to the salon and just relaxed in the leather couches and worked on my equipment there. The food has always been fantastic and I always go back home missing second breakfast!

I would highly recommend all three of the trips that the Rocio Del Mar offers. So much that I am going back again in September to the Midriff's and Socorro in January 2013. Socorro has ruined me for diving anywhere else as I LOVE big animal encounters.

 

[i<3turtles]

Thank you everyone for your very helpful feedback! We have booked for January 2013! Can't wait!

 

[Shasta_man]

Nice comparison thread. Thanks all.

 

[richh32]

which boat?

Thank you everyone for your very helpful feedback! We have booked for January 2013! Can't wait!

 

[i<3turtles]

We booked with Rocio Del Mar