Diving in Roatan

[Tangled Rope]

Going to Roatan on a cruise end of March to first of April. I've narrowed my choices of who I'd like to dive with and would like to get some input. Anybody dealt with West End Divers or Barefoot Divers?

Thanks In Advance

 

[diversteve]

We've dove with Barefoot, they're a good operation. Really do provide a valet dive experience with small boats and limited divers. Since the resort is about 10-12 villas max and not all that stay there are divers - with 2(3?) boats, Barefoot has that covered. Our group of 7 (non-cruise) was their business one morning the 1st week of May - spring is a slower season on Roatan. Nice gear if you need rentals.

With your certs, ask to dive Mary's Place, it's one of the signature Roatan dives and less than 5mins. from their dock. Our 2nd dive we rode over to Cocoview and dove the Prince Albert so saw that area also. Also pre-pay for lunch - the food is great and the setting is nice - they serve waterfront on an open air patio near the dive shop. There's not much else near the Cay.

They're the closest to the cruise port - not panning West End since IDK anything about them - but they likely arrange a pickup/return from their facility. That realistically cuts into your island time by about 1/2 hr. each way since the West End is on the north side and both cruise ports are south. Barefoot Cay is under 10mins. from the cruise port at Mahogany Bay - slightly farther if your ship docks in Coxen Hole. Mahogany Bay is the Carnival cruise port if you're sailing with them.

 

[Tangled Rope]

Thanks a heap diversteve!!

 

[RickyF]

Second for Barefoot. Close to cruise port and great operation! They run two morning single tank dives. Tell Doug I said Hi!

 

[Altamira]

Dove with Barefoot on a cruise in December and highly recommend their entire operation. Easy taxi to/from and they can set it up for you. They have a dive set up for cruise pax that departs at 1030, which worked well for us. We could have done a second dive and still made it back to the ship in plenty of time. We will use them again next time through Roatan.

 

[sparky923]

My son and I used Barefoot a couple of years ago and they were great. First class all the way. We will definitley use them again, hopefully next March.

We arrived at port at 8:00 and were one of the first ones off the ship. Barefoot had a taxi waiting for us just outside the gate (for a nominal fee, 30 bucks, I think), and we made it to their shop before they left for their first dive. We made it and another and were done before lunch. We dove John's spot and Menagerie and they were great dives. They were so close, we did our surface interval at their shop.

Good luck on diving Mary's Place. We were newly certified, and they didn't take us. I certainly understood why.

 

[DEEPLOU]

If you chose Barefoot, don't wait to book. I waited till about 2 weeks before cruise (presidents' week) to book and was told both morning dives were full the only one open was 2pm. This was no help as the ship pulled out at 3pm

 

[Andy Lazar]

I dove with Barefoot last week while on a Carnival cruise. I boarded their boat about 100 yards from our ship and was underwater within minutes of departing the dock. Our surface interval was spent at their dive shop. It could not have been a better experience. They did everything but breath the air for me! Oh, and it was the same price as the other operators on the island that I would have had to take a cab to.