Trip Report Anthony's Key: Eat, Sleep, Dive, Repeat

[RadHal]

Great report, thanks Patrick Star. I am departing from Boston this weekend April 30th for our first visit to Roatan and AKR, and your post was really helpful. Trying to guage how much cash to bring for tips, can you give me a rough guide based on currents trends. Did you use their Covid Testing, I plan on doing the Navica Abott Binax proctured self test.

 

[ReefHound]

The good thing about AKR tipping is they recommend you tip all at once at the end of the week by leaving money in envelopes marked for different categories - diving, service, backroom, etc. They will cover that in orientation and at checkout. This means you can bring big bills rather than a foot high stack of small bills. I don't remember for sure but you might be able to put tips on credit card. You can aslo slide some cash to particular servers as you go but it is not at all expected.

 

[js1221]

Great report, thanks Patrick Star. I am departing from Boston this weekend April 30th for our first visit to Roatan and AKR, and your post was really helpful. Trying to guage how much cash to bring for tips, can you give me a rough guide based on currents trends. Did you use their Covid Testing, I plan on doing the Navica Abott Binax proctured self test.

Have you looked into the self test procedure? We were looking at it and then found out that there were two places the self test could not be used, China and departing Honduras (Roatan). We are headed to AKR next month.

 

[OMyMyOHellYes]

AKR's onsite clinic is convenient, quick, and pretty reasonably priced. IIRC the cost last August was ~$50.The resort schedules guests one or two days before departure.

Just down past the gift shop, walk in at scheduled time, pay, get brain scraped and come back an hour or so later for very official looking test result certificate. I think that much more convenient than trying to do one online from there.

IR headed back in June.

OMMOHY

 

[RadHal]

Have you looked into the self test procedure? We were looking at it and then found out that there were two places the self test could not be used, China and departing Honduras (Roatan). We are headed to AKR next month.

Yes, I've used the Navica Abott Binax proctured self test on a recent trip to Australia for returning to the US and have heard some people using the test succesfully to exit Roatan, other's have not.

 

[js1221]

Yes, I've used the Navica Abott Binax proctured self test on a recent trip to Australia for returning to the US and have heard some people using the test succesfully to exit Roatan, other's have not.

LOL, sorry but that is too funny. Gotta love bureaucracy. Last time I flew into Cabo the agent at Immigration told the lady in front of me that they do not accept immigration forms that were printed at home and so she needed to go fill one of theirs out. When I was called up to the agent right next to him, he happily took my form without question. According to the AKR website, on-site testing $40.00, just in case you need it. Looking forward to your trip report.

 

[RadHal]

LOL, sorry but that is too funny. Gotta love bureaucracy. Last time I flew into Cabo the agent at Immigration told the lady in front of me that they do not accept immigration forms that were printed at home and so she needed to go fill one of theirs out. When I was called up to the agent right next to him, he happily took my form without question. According to the AKR website, on-site testing $40.00, just in case you need it. Looking forward to your trip report.

Agreed not worth the risk of being turned away at the airport, so I'll play it safe and get tested at AKR.

 

[dflaher]

...dinner in the North End...

That's 2 great memories from this thread: AKR and Boston's North End. Thanks!

 

[Patrick Star]

Great report, thanks Patrick Star. I am departing from Boston this weekend April 30th for our first visit to Roatan and AKR, and your post was really helpful. Trying to guage how much cash to bring for tips, can you give me a rough guide based on currents trends. Did you use their Covid Testing, I plan on doing the Navica Abott Binax proctured self test.

Hi RadHal,

I am not a high roller, so I brought about $150 for tips. It was not nearly enough. The only firm guidance we were able to find was tipping the DM a minimum of $5 per tank. So we went about $7.50 for 17 tanks, then gave another...30%...40%...to the captain. Then there is the housekeeping staff, dining staff, etc.. It goes on and on. We ended up tipping on our credit card, out of necessity. For each of us, the total came to a little less than $350. It seemed steep, but these folks work hard for their money. And the service was exemplary in every way.

I used their COVID test. Super convenient and reasonably priced at $40.

Hope this helps.

 

[Patrick Star]

That's 2 great memories from this thread: AKR and Boston's North End. Thanks!

That homemade lasagna was the kickoff of this trip, and I could not have asked for a better starting gun. Mama mia!