best choice for resort course in Grand Cayman?

[traveljennie]

I've decided it's time to stop making excuses and am going to give diving a chance. My husband (who is certified) and I think it's best that I do a Discover Scuba/Resort Course while we visit GC in June, and if I like it, I will begin the open water certification with a local dive shop and hopefully do my check out dives when we travel to Bonaire next January. After contacting several dive shops, based on schedule (prefer AM), I've narrowed down my choices to: Happy Fish, Living the Dream, Off the Wall, and Don Foster's. Any insight or suggestions as to who I should choose would be much appreciated. I can't make a decision!

 

[Wolfie]

Where you are staying make a difference. Try sunset house or dive tech. I don't like the discover program. Would rather hear you do classes at home and referal dives in cayman. By the way, I don't know if either shops do discover. The program is set up for cattle boats. You may end up with red sail.

 

[traveljennie]

Thanks for responding. We are staying in the Seven Mile Beach area. Sunset House is holding a PADI event during the dates we will be there and their facilities will not be available. I did email Dive Tech, but did not receive a response. Red Sail seems to be more expensive than other dive shops. I definitely won't fare well on a cattle boat. Before I spend money on the classes, I really prefer a beginner course to see if diving is for me.

 

[Drew Sailbum]

Don Foster's a a large operation with contracts with the cruise ships. Still, they will have the same limits on supervision ratios as every other dive operation: 8:1 students to instructor in confined water (usually a pool), and 4:1 for the open water dive.

Happy Fish, Living the Dream, and Off the Wall are all much smaller operations and probably more likely to have a smaller class. Smaller operations are more likely to fill up sooner. I know the owner of Off the Wall and Tom runs a good operation.

 

[EastEndDiver]

I agree with Drew,my recomendations would be Happy Fish or Off the Wall.

There are other dive operators along 7 Mile Beach who also do Discover Scuba.

 

[nfarrar]

Call Dive Tech. They are a GREAT op but slow on email. They answer the phone every time. We are staying at Cobalt Coast and diving from Dive Tech. They are owned by the same person and operate out of the same 2 sites. I have never been to Sunset House but hear NOTHING but great things about it.

I too agree with taking classes at home and doing a Open Water referal in Grand Cayman. The classes are 2 days. The LDS here does them on Saterday and Sunday. Then you are ready to go for your referal dives! Besides if you are going to Bonaire do you really not want to dive??

Later Mon,
Nick

 

[nipi]

jason@ambassadordivers.com

 

[Wolfie]

ahhhhh, just got back tonight, and beside the noreaster that blew out all my shore diving, had a blast.... Dove with In Depth this time. Nat and Art split off from dive tech a few years ago and does everything you are looking for. As well as answering the phone. If you are "On" the beach you could also talk to Jim Soda of Seasports as he pulls the boat up to the resort..... Small groups, personallized instruction etc.

 

[diversteve]

Off the Wall or Neptune's would be my choices. Although Neptune's only does an afternoon course, they include 2 dives.

 

[Damselfish]

You could also look into doing a Discover Scuba at home, then if you like that and can fit it in consider doing the class before Cayman and the referral dives when you're there. It depends what you're trying to get out of an intro. At home it's likely to be a pool experience that gives you a chance to learn a few basic things and get to breath UW, but not a chance to dive in warm water with pretty fish. So are you trying to just figure out if you're ok getting UW, or wanting to be lured into the sport by the critters.