AKR Trip Report 11/14 – 11/21/2015

[Colo Hippie]

This sounds like what I remember AKR to be from the last time we stayed there except the food.

As I mentioned on Captain Sinbad's TR, we will get to compare the food to our last stay @ AKR as we arrive at AKR on 1-9-15.

For the wreck dives - The 2 are the El Aguila and the Odyssey. One has no penetrations as the storms have pretty much torn it apart and the other wreck only has swim through type penetrations so even silting it up would not be an issue. I will tell you that you missed some great dives on both wrecks and the surrounding reefs and eel garden.

I also agree with what large-diver wrote, it sounds like you did not know/research AKR & Roatan, pretty much everything you identify as negatives have been discussed in this forum With the exception of the food and most of your negatives are what most people love about Roatan & AKR.

 

[drrich2]

Two places I forgot to mention in my report that are 4 star resorts, serviced by a first class dive op are Little Dix Bay Resort on Virgin Gorda, and the Scrub Island Resort, both in the BVIs. They are both serviced by Dive BVI! Honestly, they're both pretty pricey places to stay. But it is exactly that high-end experience some of us are looking for.

This is interesting. From what I've understood, both from personal experience and reading forum postings, I think the large majority of 'dive tourists' to dive resorts aren't after a high-end resort experience. Some are. I wonder what %?

DiverSteve posted:

I've been to Little Dix. You're not going to find that on Roatan.

Or a number of other places, I suspect. Kind of like in discussions of Bonaire, I see a lot more 1st hand accounts of Buddy Dive Resort than Harbor Village.

I'm not in the market (for paying for) high-end resort experiences, but as it may interest the poster & like-minded travelers, I wonder what other options in the Caribbean region are to be had?

Would Cozumel Palace in Cozumel, Harbor Village in Bonaire, or Sandals in St. Lucia (if you dive with an outside operator, based on the impression I get from other threads talking about diving with Sandals generally) make the cut?

Farther afield, there was a recent thread about Wakatobi, which has a rep. for high-quality at a high price.

Richard.

 

[coldwaterlloyd]

Thanks , great report .

 

[robint]

Each to his own.... my husband and I prefer rustic when we go on a vacation to a rustic country. I don't need fancy bling-bling resorts, I live in a pretty nice house at home. When I go to a foreign country I like to feel like I am there, not at a Hilton hotel.
As far as the food goes... we have only stayed at CCV, and it is all you can eat ever meal. The water is purified and delivered to your room daily, so you never drink out of a faucet. I don't understand why AKR does it that way.
Weather and visibility.... if you go during the cheapest time of year (the BOGO offer) then you get the worst diving conditions of the year. Our first trip to Roatan was in Nov, and it rained alot and vis sucked. Last trip was in June and vis was much much better. You get what you pay for.

just my thoughts.

robin

 

[BDSC]

We (group of 15) are going next April and taking advantage of the 2-1 offer. It's good thru all of 2016 by the way. My favorite place to stay on Roatan was Bay Island Beach Resort but they closed and my second favorite is Reef House Resort. CCV was decent and this will be our first try at AKR. I guess for the price we are paying which works out to $1040 per person for their Deluxe room on the Key, I'm not over expecting but most of the trip reports I have read have all been positive. We are definitely looking forward to checking it out and I appreciate the trip reports as they give me an idea of what to expect.

 

[Jersey]

Comprehensive report, thank you. Recently spent a day on Roatan and was considering a return trip to dive. I too like to occasionally sleep in while on vacation, one of the things I love about shore diving Bonaire and GCayman. Good to know to confirm AC. I'm fine with rustic, just need a comfy bed and AC to sleep (MUST! I've lived without it in summer on VI and wearing a suit to work every day, never again.)

 

[BARdiver]

Wow a real detailed report, but not the way I remember it from 2 years ago, hope things have gone that far down. When it comes to who sets up your gear, as I tell students if DM sets up your gear any issues found on the boat are the DM's, any issues found in the water are the divers issues so you decide. If you don't want to dive solo don't, speak up and ask for a buddy or two. Yes the SI back at the dock is nice and allows you to skip a dive here and there but why would you? Aren't you there to dive? I don't miss any, 19 dives offered, 19 dives done.

Hey BDSC I also have a group of 15 going to AKR in April (23-30).

 

[BDSC]

We'll just miss you. We are the 16th - 23rd.

 

[AdivingBel]

Tagging on a week at AKR following an already planned pilgrimage to CocoView. Want to get the most bang for our airfare buck. Should make for an easy, fun trip.

 

[BDSC]

Two weeks is always better than one! Nice.

We actually got a sweet deal on airfare to Roatan. As soon as we booked the trip I started watching the price. I'd check it once a day when on the computer. Then one morning it had dropped to $458 r/t from Raleigh/Durham. I sent out an email to the group and we all jumped on it. By the next afternoon is was back around $675.

Have fun on your trip.