I had a negative overall experience with Belize Pro Dive Center in San Pedro. I posted a review about that on TripAdvisor that promptly got reported as "inappropriate" and suspended by TripAdvisor. I contacted them and they told me to repost my review. I did yesterday and sure enough, it promptly got reported as inappropriate as well this morning. I strongly suspect that it's the dive shop owner that's going through the negative reviews on TripAdvisor every morning and flagging them as "inappropriate." That's how he's managing to keep his 5-star only reviews on TripAdvisor. I re-verified my review on TripAdvisor, and it should stay this time. However, I wanted to post it here as well. In the short few hours that my review was up on TripAdvisor, it was marked as "Helpful" by three people. I'm sure some of you will discard it, but I hope some of you will find it as helpful.
Ruined Blue Hole Trip for my wife and I
Review of Belize Pro Dive Center
Reviewed yesterday
"The dive shop ruined the Blue Hole trip for my wife and I. Small boat, inept handling of logistics and rudeness of the crew made it a frustrating experience. There were a few other lapses over the course of my 4 days of diving with them that added up to me stopping my diving with the shop.
The shop uses archaic payment processing methods. They ask you for a credit card information in to be sent to them in an unsecured email. Or else you can call it in. As I found out, they write down all of your credit card info in a ledger. If someone breaks into that dive shop, all your credit card info would be stolen. Something to be aware of.
Their Hol Chan and Shark Ray Alley excursion (dive and Hol Chan, snorkeling at Shark Ray Alley) was a so-so experience for me. Dive master didn't warn we were at 4-foot depth for backward entry. I was OK but one other diver hit his head on the bottom because it was so shallow. The viz was dismal and current crazy strong. The dive seemed shorter than it could be. I had way over 1000PSI left when we came out. The snorkeling at Shark Ray Alley was horrible. First they told us we would stay around the boat and sharks and stingrays would be attracted by the boat sound. In reality, after we jumped in the water, the dive master started telling everyone to buddy up and swimp up to another boat that some other company owned. Normally you buddy up before jumping in the water, but OK, whatever. Swam up to the other boat. That boat was chumming the water with some bait in PVC tubes. There were a few nurse sharks and stingrays that showed up. The space around the boat was totally overcrowded with people from two different boats and it was hard to take pictures or even look. The entire feeding session lasted like 10 minutes and our "snorkel master" tells us we are done, get back to the boat. Overall it was a waste of time. Very poorly done. Also, the boat was so overcrowded they didn't even have a camera tank.
Next day was trip to Turneffe started bad. They forgot to pick up my wife and I. I ended up waiting on the pier for almost half hour, texting and then calling the shop for the boat to come back. The boat was smallish. They insist that people sit in the back of the boat, in the sun (I believe to make it easier for them to drive it). While it could be fun for a bit, after a 4 hour round-trip my scalp was totally burnt. It was painful to comb my hair the next day. Also they never explained passengers (many of whom were very inexperienced) how to use the head on the boat, so you would go to use the unflushed toilet, etc. I mentioned that to the captain but that got ignored. Also they made us take of our shoes and leave them at the shop as the shoes are not allowed on the boat. I wasn't a problem that day but unfortunately was a major issue for us the next day. The prep for the dives was rushed because you are not allowed to get up or walk around the boat while the boat is moving, and you need to get into the water as soon as the boat is stopped. They did have a bucket for my camera that kind of worked, but no real space to set it up or even change the batteries. If you are a photographer, look elsewhere.
Last day of diving with the shop was the Blue Hole trip. Again, same small-ish boat. Again a request to seat in the back of the boat. Can't get up while the boat is moving (except for a brief slow down during a two-hour each way trip). I was trying to be a good sport. Sat there with a T-shirt tied on my head to protect my burnt scalp from the day before. Again our shoes were taken before we got onto the boat. As soon as the boat stopped, dive master were jumping up and down on the benches getting the gear ready. I had to put my camera on the floor, and got a nasty comment from one of the dive masters (Dimas) "Don't put your cameras on the floor, I don't want to have to pay for it if I step on it". OK, fair enough, but there is no room on that tiny boat. Between not being able to set up the equipment while the boat is moving, and not having space to setup the equipment once the boat is stopped, not great.
There were many inexperienced divers on our Blue Hole dive. They kept pushing passed me instead of following in a line. A couple went above me and I got kicked in the face with a fin at 140ft. Not super safe. I understand it's the shop's money maker, but many people weren't even PADI Advanced ceritified. They were certified just to 60ft. Taking them down to 130-140ft is dangerous and irresponsible.
After the second dive and Half Moon Caye the day changed for the worse for us. We stopped at the island to have lunch. We were supposed to see Red-footed Booby bird sanctuary as well. We were told to disembark and be back on the boat at 1:15pm. The lunch was prepared and was eatable (beans & rice and stewed chicken, plus some cake and cole slaw). After that we tried finding the bird observation platform. Unfortunately nobody cared to give us good directions. Dive masters just waved along the beach, basically "go there". My wife and I started walking along the beach. My wife can't walk very fast, and the path was starting to get rougher and rougher. We realized the boat crew never gave us our shoes, and we weren't even sure if they brought them with us. Unfortunately it was close to the time to return back to the boat, so our choice was to miss the bird sanctuary completely, or try to push through barefooted. My wife ended up cutting her feet on the branches and rocks as the path suddenly veered into the woods in the middle of the island. It became almost impossible to walk barefoot. My feet hurt as well. I ended up pushing through and got to the observation platform. It was scolding hot! I still managed to run up the steps and take a few pictures of the birds nesting in the trees. It was amazing to see, and I really would've loved to spend more time there, but I literally couldn't stand on the platform. I was jumping around because it was burning hot! My wife was never able to make it onto the platform at all. Her feet were already cut, and the steps were so hot that she could not climb them at all. I should add that my wife is a diabetic and should be very careful about the cuts. Between her feet getting cut and her not even being able to see the bird sanctuary, I was pretty upset about that experience. We made our way back to the boat, with my wife barely limping back. When I asked the dive master (Dimas) how come nobody warned us about the path or why did they take our shoes, his response was "Why didn't you ask?" What? That really got me irritated. The dive masters are our guides on the tour. They are the ones that know the island paths are rough and rocky. They know where the bird sanctuary is, and that that platform is scorching hot. I expect the guides to tell me stuff like that instead of telling me it was my own fault I didn't ask them about it! How arrogant. Anyway, I got so irritated at that point that the rest of the day (including the last dive at the Aquarium) wasn't enjoyable for me. I know some of you might think it's petty and I should've just let it go, but unfortunately I couldn't. I spend $500 on that one day, and I was certainly expecting better service than having to run around the island barefoot, cutting and burning our feet, and then have arrogant remarks like "You should've asked" thrown in my face. No, you should've told me. You are the guide. I paid $500 for the trip. I expect service. It's a lot of money to waste.
Anyway, spoke to the owner back at the shop, who said something to the effect of "I don't think they did that on purpose". No, of course they didn't. They just didn't care. We spent $500 for two of us on a one day tour that I ultimately can't call a good memory.
Funnily enough, while checking out, heard another couple complain about the same thing. They said there was a hundred little things wrong over several days of diving, like the shop forgetting their gear they were supposed to be taking care of. The shop's response? "Why didn't you check that your gear was on the boat!" So basically you can expect "half service" from this shop. They pretend like they do things for you, and then blame you when they go wrong."
Ruined Blue Hole Trip for my wife and I
Review of Belize Pro Dive Center
Reviewed yesterday
"The dive shop ruined the Blue Hole trip for my wife and I. Small boat, inept handling of logistics and rudeness of the crew made it a frustrating experience. There were a few other lapses over the course of my 4 days of diving with them that added up to me stopping my diving with the shop.
The shop uses archaic payment processing methods. They ask you for a credit card information in to be sent to them in an unsecured email. Or else you can call it in. As I found out, they write down all of your credit card info in a ledger. If someone breaks into that dive shop, all your credit card info would be stolen. Something to be aware of.
Their Hol Chan and Shark Ray Alley excursion (dive and Hol Chan, snorkeling at Shark Ray Alley) was a so-so experience for me. Dive master didn't warn we were at 4-foot depth for backward entry. I was OK but one other diver hit his head on the bottom because it was so shallow. The viz was dismal and current crazy strong. The dive seemed shorter than it could be. I had way over 1000PSI left when we came out. The snorkeling at Shark Ray Alley was horrible. First they told us we would stay around the boat and sharks and stingrays would be attracted by the boat sound. In reality, after we jumped in the water, the dive master started telling everyone to buddy up and swimp up to another boat that some other company owned. Normally you buddy up before jumping in the water, but OK, whatever. Swam up to the other boat. That boat was chumming the water with some bait in PVC tubes. There were a few nurse sharks and stingrays that showed up. The space around the boat was totally overcrowded with people from two different boats and it was hard to take pictures or even look. The entire feeding session lasted like 10 minutes and our "snorkel master" tells us we are done, get back to the boat. Overall it was a waste of time. Very poorly done. Also, the boat was so overcrowded they didn't even have a camera tank.
Next day was trip to Turneffe started bad. They forgot to pick up my wife and I. I ended up waiting on the pier for almost half hour, texting and then calling the shop for the boat to come back. The boat was smallish. They insist that people sit in the back of the boat, in the sun (I believe to make it easier for them to drive it). While it could be fun for a bit, after a 4 hour round-trip my scalp was totally burnt. It was painful to comb my hair the next day. Also they never explained passengers (many of whom were very inexperienced) how to use the head on the boat, so you would go to use the unflushed toilet, etc. I mentioned that to the captain but that got ignored. Also they made us take of our shoes and leave them at the shop as the shoes are not allowed on the boat. I wasn't a problem that day but unfortunately was a major issue for us the next day. The prep for the dives was rushed because you are not allowed to get up or walk around the boat while the boat is moving, and you need to get into the water as soon as the boat is stopped. They did have a bucket for my camera that kind of worked, but no real space to set it up or even change the batteries. If you are a photographer, look elsewhere.
Last day of diving with the shop was the Blue Hole trip. Again, same small-ish boat. Again a request to seat in the back of the boat. Can't get up while the boat is moving (except for a brief slow down during a two-hour each way trip). I was trying to be a good sport. Sat there with a T-shirt tied on my head to protect my burnt scalp from the day before. Again our shoes were taken before we got onto the boat. As soon as the boat stopped, dive master were jumping up and down on the benches getting the gear ready. I had to put my camera on the floor, and got a nasty comment from one of the dive masters (Dimas) "Don't put your cameras on the floor, I don't want to have to pay for it if I step on it". OK, fair enough, but there is no room on that tiny boat. Between not being able to set up the equipment while the boat is moving, and not having space to setup the equipment once the boat is stopped, not great.
There were many inexperienced divers on our Blue Hole dive. They kept pushing passed me instead of following in a line. A couple went above me and I got kicked in the face with a fin at 140ft. Not super safe. I understand it's the shop's money maker, but many people weren't even PADI Advanced ceritified. They were certified just to 60ft. Taking them down to 130-140ft is dangerous and irresponsible.
After the second dive and Half Moon Caye the day changed for the worse for us. We stopped at the island to have lunch. We were supposed to see Red-footed Booby bird sanctuary as well. We were told to disembark and be back on the boat at 1:15pm. The lunch was prepared and was eatable (beans & rice and stewed chicken, plus some cake and cole slaw). After that we tried finding the bird observation platform. Unfortunately nobody cared to give us good directions. Dive masters just waved along the beach, basically "go there". My wife and I started walking along the beach. My wife can't walk very fast, and the path was starting to get rougher and rougher. We realized the boat crew never gave us our shoes, and we weren't even sure if they brought them with us. Unfortunately it was close to the time to return back to the boat, so our choice was to miss the bird sanctuary completely, or try to push through barefooted. My wife ended up cutting her feet on the branches and rocks as the path suddenly veered into the woods in the middle of the island. It became almost impossible to walk barefoot. My feet hurt as well. I ended up pushing through and got to the observation platform. It was scolding hot! I still managed to run up the steps and take a few pictures of the birds nesting in the trees. It was amazing to see, and I really would've loved to spend more time there, but I literally couldn't stand on the platform. I was jumping around because it was burning hot! My wife was never able to make it onto the platform at all. Her feet were already cut, and the steps were so hot that she could not climb them at all. I should add that my wife is a diabetic and should be very careful about the cuts. Between her feet getting cut and her not even being able to see the bird sanctuary, I was pretty upset about that experience. We made our way back to the boat, with my wife barely limping back. When I asked the dive master (Dimas) how come nobody warned us about the path or why did they take our shoes, his response was "Why didn't you ask?" What? That really got me irritated. The dive masters are our guides on the tour. They are the ones that know the island paths are rough and rocky. They know where the bird sanctuary is, and that that platform is scorching hot. I expect the guides to tell me stuff like that instead of telling me it was my own fault I didn't ask them about it! How arrogant. Anyway, I got so irritated at that point that the rest of the day (including the last dive at the Aquarium) wasn't enjoyable for me. I know some of you might think it's petty and I should've just let it go, but unfortunately I couldn't. I spend $500 on that one day, and I was certainly expecting better service than having to run around the island barefoot, cutting and burning our feet, and then have arrogant remarks like "You should've asked" thrown in my face. No, you should've told me. You are the guide. I paid $500 for the trip. I expect service. It's a lot of money to waste.
Anyway, spoke to the owner back at the shop, who said something to the effect of "I don't think they did that on purpose". No, of course they didn't. They just didn't care. We spent $500 for two of us on a one day tour that I ultimately can't call a good memory.
Funnily enough, while checking out, heard another couple complain about the same thing. They said there was a hundred little things wrong over several days of diving, like the shop forgetting their gear they were supposed to be taking care of. The shop's response? "Why didn't you check that your gear was on the boat!" So basically you can expect "half service" from this shop. They pretend like they do things for you, and then blame you when they go wrong."
