Mopar
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Economical, short scuba trips to S. Florida or Caribbean
- Thread starter FPDocMatt
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FPDocMatt
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ktkt
Contributor
Some days, the ocean doesn't want you to dive...
Traveling from CO to dive, I've given a lot of thought to the same issues you're facing. It's possible, but difficult to arrange 2-3 dive trips. You need a LOT of cooperation from the airlines. And the TSA...
And you need to be able to sleep on an airplane, or your first day home is going to be...less than fun.
If you can work all that out, then you ought to check options for the Cayman Islands, Cozumel and Cancun.
You might also give some thought to dry suit diving. That would let you do some diving closer to home.
Personally, I don't find the 2-3 day dive trips worthwhile. I settle for 7-14 days every few months.
And in between, I gripe about the poor planning that resulted in Colorado having such great mountains but no beach.
And you need to be able to sleep on an airplane, or your first day home is going to be...less than fun.
If you can work all that out, then you ought to check options for the Cayman Islands, Cozumel and Cancun.
You might also give some thought to dry suit diving. That would let you do some diving closer to home.
Personally, I don't find the 2-3 day dive trips worthwhile. I settle for 7-14 days every few months.
And in between, I gripe about the poor planning that resulted in Colorado having such great mountains but no beach.
robint
Contributor
Yeah, blown out diving sucks and it will happen due to rough seas. And you have to realize, also, that it is not diving 7 days per week at all locations. Winters are very slow in the Keys, so they may not have enough people to take the boat out every single day. Weekends are usually good, but only if the weather cooperates. But you have to realize also that winter is still winter... water is colder in the Keys. And then you have to be concerned about hurricane season from July-Oct in the whole Caribbean.
These weather conditions are another reason you might want to reconsider your short dive trips. If you are spending the expense to fly to a location, you might want to stay there for enough days to ensure you get in some diving.
Here is a tip: When I plan a dive trip, I make a little table of expenses which includes everything from airfare tickets, parking fees, food at airports, hotel and diving costs at destination, food, etc. Then I divide the $$$ amount by the number of dives I expect to do on the trip. That number gives me my cost per dive. I will do this for several locations, then me and my husband will decide which location we want to do.... it may be the one that comes in at the lowest cost per dive, or it may be a different one, but we will at least have a ballpark number ahead of the trip. It really does help understand how much a dive trip DOES cost overall.
We are heading back to Cozumel, Scuba Club Cozumel in particular, in late March. We are going for 8 nts/9 days this time. That will give us a minimum of 24 dives, possibly more. Bang for the buck, YES.
Then this summer we will go out to Calif for 2-4 days of diving, and if we have enough money left over we will also plan a trip to NC wreck diving again for a week. That NC trip is totally dependent of $$$. We just don't have the budget right now.
In the interim, we dive here locally in a fresh water spring year round. It costs us $25pp for an annual pass, then airfills and a tank of gas for our car (2 hour drive from our house). It is cheap, it gets us diving whenever we get the urge. You might want to explore an option like this in your area for in between tropical dive trips.
robin
These weather conditions are another reason you might want to reconsider your short dive trips. If you are spending the expense to fly to a location, you might want to stay there for enough days to ensure you get in some diving.
Here is a tip: When I plan a dive trip, I make a little table of expenses which includes everything from airfare tickets, parking fees, food at airports, hotel and diving costs at destination, food, etc. Then I divide the $$$ amount by the number of dives I expect to do on the trip. That number gives me my cost per dive. I will do this for several locations, then me and my husband will decide which location we want to do.... it may be the one that comes in at the lowest cost per dive, or it may be a different one, but we will at least have a ballpark number ahead of the trip. It really does help understand how much a dive trip DOES cost overall.
We are heading back to Cozumel, Scuba Club Cozumel in particular, in late March. We are going for 8 nts/9 days this time. That will give us a minimum of 24 dives, possibly more. Bang for the buck, YES.
Then this summer we will go out to Calif for 2-4 days of diving, and if we have enough money left over we will also plan a trip to NC wreck diving again for a week. That NC trip is totally dependent of $$$. We just don't have the budget right now.
In the interim, we dive here locally in a fresh water spring year round. It costs us $25pp for an annual pass, then airfills and a tank of gas for our car (2 hour drive from our house). It is cheap, it gets us diving whenever we get the urge. You might want to explore an option like this in your area for in between tropical dive trips.
robin
OP
FPDocMatt
Contributor
Okay, now I'm looking at Puerto Rico. I found a non-stop flight from Baltimore to San Juan, arriving before noon Friday, and a return flight leaving at 1pm Monday.
The question now is, where should I dive in Puerto Rico, which hotel should I stay at, which dive outfit I should dive with, etc.
Thanks!
The question now is, where should I dive in Puerto Rico, which hotel should I stay at, which dive outfit I should dive with, etc.
Thanks!
ScubaSteve1962
Contributor
I'm thinking about going in Mar, and using this dive op, Maps & Driving Directions to Sea Ventures Dive Centers in Fajardo, Palmas Del Mar & Copamarina and staying at the Hampton Inn which means I'll have to drive about 1 1/2 to the op. I was there last March and and the east side of the island wasn't good for diving, so if you go during that time you should try to stay on the west side. which is about 1 1/2 hours drive from the airport. This will be my first time diving on the island.
chauncy19
Contributor
Dove many years ago on south side of PR aka La Parguera. Great memories of it. You are on right track looking at flights from baltimore but you also have to figure how far from airport to where you want to dive. its a couple of hours from San Juan to La Parguera by car. anyway good luck with your search and very jealous if you can do it!!!!
robint
Contributor
Matt... I think you need to book your first dive trip to an area that is going to give you the best dive experience possible right from the word GO.
WHEN are you planning this FIRST dive trip? March? If so, you are pretty safe anywhere in Caribbean. (Keys would be better waiting a few months)
PR has diving, but it is not a diving mecca. It may turn out to be a good option for you at some point but I would try something else first.
have you looked at any of the DIVE TRAVEL specialist's websites?
Caradonna Dive Adventures
Bay Adventures
Island Dreams Travel
any of these people can help you book that FIRST trip, or any other successive trip. Look at the websites to get pricing ideas, and names of resorts, dive ops, etc. The prices you see on those websites are usually the best price you can get, even better than going directly to source in some cases. The only exception would be going to the Keys or smaller dive ops in Cozumel as those won't pay a travel agency to book for them.
IMHO... I think you should look at a 5-6 day trip to Cozumel. Bang for your buck and great diving that rarely gets blown out due to weather.
robin
WHEN are you planning this FIRST dive trip? March? If so, you are pretty safe anywhere in Caribbean. (Keys would be better waiting a few months)
PR has diving, but it is not a diving mecca. It may turn out to be a good option for you at some point but I would try something else first.
have you looked at any of the DIVE TRAVEL specialist's websites?
Caradonna Dive Adventures
Bay Adventures
Island Dreams Travel
any of these people can help you book that FIRST trip, or any other successive trip. Look at the websites to get pricing ideas, and names of resorts, dive ops, etc. The prices you see on those websites are usually the best price you can get, even better than going directly to source in some cases. The only exception would be going to the Keys or smaller dive ops in Cozumel as those won't pay a travel agency to book for them.
IMHO... I think you should look at a 5-6 day trip to Cozumel. Bang for your buck and great diving that rarely gets blown out due to weather.
robin
robint
Contributor
Matt.... I just did a quick check for you as an example:
Depart Baltimore Thurs, Mar 15th, 7:45am, stop in Atlanta, arrive in Cozumel at 11:45am on Delta
Return Tues, Mar 20th.... price is $711
So that would be 5 nights in Cozumel. You can book hotel/diving package for around $500-600 additional.
or
Expedia, same search as above... package of Airfare on AA, same arrival and departure times but stops in Dallas, with hotel at Hotel Cozumel for $827. That's a pretty good deal. Then you only have to add on diving for 4 days and food. By getting there so early in the day, you would be able to do 1-2 shore checkout dives there at hotel, then dive Fri, Sat, Sun 2-3 dives per day and Monday 2 dives before noon, then fly home Tues afternoon.
Just an example...
robin
Depart Baltimore Thurs, Mar 15th, 7:45am, stop in Atlanta, arrive in Cozumel at 11:45am on Delta
Return Tues, Mar 20th.... price is $711
So that would be 5 nights in Cozumel. You can book hotel/diving package for around $500-600 additional.
or
Expedia, same search as above... package of Airfare on AA, same arrival and departure times but stops in Dallas, with hotel at Hotel Cozumel for $827. That's a pretty good deal. Then you only have to add on diving for 4 days and food. By getting there so early in the day, you would be able to do 1-2 shore checkout dives there at hotel, then dive Fri, Sat, Sun 2-3 dives per day and Monday 2 dives before noon, then fly home Tues afternoon.
Just an example...
robin
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