hogs, martin, or dressel?

[wetbehindtheear]

Heading to Iberostar on Dec. 11th for a week, with a newly certified ow diver. not looking for aggressive diving, but 3 or 4 days of comfortable relaxing diving, within ow limits (for the most part). dressel is on site and posts their dives on a schedule so i can pick what sites to dive and won't get stuck with a deep/advanced dive that my buddy won't be comfortable with, but they're more expensive and definitely a cattle boat. hogs and dwm both sound relatively cheap and i hear good things (dove with hogs 2 yrs ago - very pleased).

any recent feedback on suitability for new divers & service?

 

[Jester]

If you dove with Hoggs and were happy, I'd suggest you stick with 'em. I also think you should make arrangements in advance, and let them know your experience level and that of your dive buddy. Then, they can schedule accordingly.

I've stayed at the Iberostar (great place) and dove with Dressel (you're right on with your assessment), but I try to dive with Blue Angel (just my personal preference). I think you get better service when the dive op knows you're a return customer and are likely to come back numerous times.

Just my .02 Have a great time!

 

[wetbehindtheear]

good advice. i like the free video offered with dwm, but having been very satisfied with hogs in the past, have booked with them again.

 

[waldick]

I'd go with Scubatony... he was our DM about two weeks ago...me, wife, 2 kids (12,14)...he tailored our diving to our abilities...we were the only ones on the boat...you can find him at www.scubatony.com

j

 

[5615mike]

Can't go wrong with DWM. They do a very nice job and aim to please.

 

[bethbsting]

Both DWM and Papa Hogs are great. Just let them know your experience level and expectations. They will treat you right. Have fun!

 

[ednedfred]

You can look in the Coz telephone book and randomly choose a die op. and they would be better than Dressel. I personally use Blue Angel but have never heard anything bad about Papa Hogs or DW Martin.

 

[5615mike]

You can look in the Coz telephone book and randomly choose a die op. and they would be better than Dressel. I personally use Blue Angel but have never heard anything bad about Papa Hogs or DW Martin.

ROFLMAO

 

[nwdiver2]

Hogs give you more than you pay for. Good service, fast boats, $6.00 tanks for the beach dive out frount of the shop and great host/hostess.

 

[sharky60]

Dove with Martin in Sept., great op, we dove a total of 6 days and with the package got the free night dive and video. the captains and DM's were very good and attentive to the novice divers on the boats. he also has about the best prices on the island, cash only, but if you book several days you can get a 10% discount along with the free night dive and video. I really liked these guys and am looking forward to diving with them again.
don't know anything about Papa Hogs except some folks here on the board have liked them.
Dressel on the other hand has had very bad reviews, bad customer service and inexperianced DM's is what I have gotten out of the reviews.
the Iberostar charges other dive ops than Dressel to use their pier for pickups and drop offs, this is the only resort on the island that does this, a very poor practice in my opinion.
I don't want to discourage you before you get there, but some other things I've read here on the board also lead me to believe that the resort in general is not very "diver friendly", the times to make a reservation for the "fancy" restaurants are usually when you are out diving and they won't let another person make a reservation for you. It seems like the guy writing the review I read said they don't want you to use the balconies to dry you equiment and the rooms have no place to hang your gear either so he used the tv and furniture.


QUOTE=wetbehindtheear]Heading to Iberostar on Dec. 11th for a week, with a newly certified ow diver. not looking for aggressive diving, but 3 or 4 days of comfortable relaxing diving, within ow limits (for the most part). dressel is on site and posts their dives on a schedule so i can pick what sites to dive and won't get stuck with a deep/advanced dive that my buddy won't be comfortable with, but they're more expensive and definitely a cattle boat. hogs and dwm both sound relatively cheap and i hear good things (dove with hogs 2 yrs ago - very pleased).

any recent feedback on suitability for new divers & service?[/QUOTE]