Dive trip recommendation January February 2019

[KathyV]

Little Cayman for less than 2K for 8 days. You kidding, right? Including airfare.

In the original post the OP didn't specify that the price was including airfare and that makes a difference, but based on some of the places they've been, I find that price rather unrealistic. Maybe he has air miles to use?

LCBR is currently advertising the 1-week package below which sounds close to what he asked for but without airfare.

Little Cayman Beach Resort

2019 Classic Cayman
For Travel January 1 - December 31, 2019
7 nights' accommodations Breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily (dinner arrival day through breakfast departure day)
21 drinks (Equivalent to 3 drinks/night for 7-night package)
17 boat dives total for 7-night package
No additional charge for dive trips to Cayman Brac/MV Capt. Keith Tibbetts' wreck
Complimentary use of dive computer (we require them)
Complimentary WiFi
Welcome rum punch
Manager's cocktail reception (typically Monday evening)
Airport ground transfers
Resort fees, taxes and gratuities - except dive gratuities which are NOT included

Double Occupancy Pool View Room $2,195 per person

 

[KathyV]

Dive club is three people. Hardcore travelers, only absolute requirement is excellent and plentiful diving.

What kind of accommodations are you looking for? Single, double, triple - it makes a difference.

 

[Dogbowl]

He didn't say including airfare, and based on the places they have already been I am assuming that the $2000 doesn't include airfare - maybe he has air miles - but perhaps I misunderstood.

@KathyV , he said:

8 days is absolute max time door to door. 2000ish air inclusive.

 

[KathyV]

@KathyV , he said:
"8 days is absolute max time door to door. 2000ish air inclusive."

He didn't state that airfare was included in the $2000 until post #19 but I was responding to his post #1.

And he said that they have been to Cayman Brac which it is a little cheaper than Little Cayman, but it's not that much cheaper. He also said that he has been to Belize and it's not cheap, at least not in my experience, and although Bonaire is cheap diving - the airfare can get very pricey.

The same Classic Cayman package that I've listed above is $1,995 at CBBR instead of $2195 at LCBR so a little cheaper, but those packages include food and drinks as well as diving and lodgings.

And I know for sure that the airfare is the same for both Brac and Little Cayman from ORD, so how could they afford Brac? Maybe they went in the low season and not January.

The same package is $1895 at Cobalt Coast on Grand Cayman and the airfare is cheaper (around $600) so that's a little better but still not everything for $2000.

There's so many variables, like do they want to dive Nitrox? That can change the price in some destinations.

 

[diversteve]

Cayman in Jan? High Season..for under $2K a person.

good luck with that...

 

[KathyV]

Cayman in Jan? High Season..for under $2K a person.

good luck with that...

It doesn't include airfare but this is a fairly inclusive package for less than $2000 pp, but I wouldn't count on the shore diving on that part of the island in January.

Cobalt Coast Grand Cayman

2019 Classic Cayman
For Travel January 1 - December 31, 2019
7 nights' accommodations Breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily (dinner arrival day through breakfast departure day)
21 drinks (Equivalent to 3 drinks/night for 7-night package)
17 boat dives for 7-night package
Shore diving on resort's house reef off the dock (weather permitting)
Complimentary use of dive computer (we require them)
Complimentary WiFi
Welcome rum punch
Manager's cocktail reception (typically Monday evening)
Airport ground transfers
Resort fees, taxes and gratuities - except dive gratuities which are NOT included

Double Occupancy Standard Room $1,895 pp

 

[tridacna]

Kathy-do you work in PR for those resorts? I’m doing Indonesia next year for about half the price of a typical Cobal Coast vacation.

 

[caydiver]

I live in Cayman and an involvement in a little dive op but would be very hesitant about recommending travel here in January/February for folks on a tighter budget that want optimum diving conditions. To get the most out if the trip you need a location on the leeward side that can offer great shore diving as well as boat dives. Instead of just looking at packages and cut and paste do some homework on weather conditions (not on tourism sites). Granted they will be averages and Mother Nature can be fickle, but if the area says prone to winter winds, I would definitely make it a consideration point in the planning! There is always a reason for special pricing. If it is an anniversary or opening package that is one thing, if it is seasonal, especially in high season in a specific region, I would want to know why. I agree with diversteves comment about high season!

 

[Dan]

Kathy-do you work in PR for those resorts? I’m doing Indonesia next year for about half the price of a typical Cobal Coast vacation.

13 of us flew to Bali (Houston-Denpasar) for $680 roundtrip with Singapore Airlines last November BTW. With your diving accommodation, OP might just make it for $2000 airfare inclusive trip. It is just so dang far, as far as you can go from Houston (half around the world), but the diving is so amazing. I haven't going back to Caribbean since 2008. Just keep coming back to Indonesia every year since then.

 

[KathyV]

Kathy-do you work in PR for those resorts? I’m doing Indonesia next year for about half the price of a typical Cobal Coast vacation.

Nope, and how much is the airfare to Indonesia and how many hours of travel to get there from PA?

I've just checked the CDC travel site and they recommend using food and water precautions for Indonesia, as well as vaccinations against Typhoid and Hepatitis, and taking anti-malarial medication before, during, and after travel. How much does that add to the cost and enjoyment of the trip?

I'll never pretend that Cayman is a cheap destination, my argument is that there are various options available to help reduce costs. You don't have to stay in a high-end resort on Seven Mile Beach during the peak season, eat in the priciest restaurants, and pay $60 - $80 per tank to dive.

There are other, more economical options that offer good diving, and Cayman is safe and it's easy and cheap for many people to get there - I just get tired of people automatically dismissing it as "too expensive!"

I posted those all-inclusive options above because the OP said that they had been to Brac and were looking for other destinations - and there are 2 other Cayman islands that can be visited and dived. Jan/Feb may not be the be the optimum times to visit for diving, but it is an option that isn't prohibitively pricey IMO.

Do you work in PR for the Indonesian resorts?