How is Fantasy Island BR? New owners?

[CODMAN]

Yup, the food was terrible... but I'm very hard to please when it comes to food. I love to cook and love good food. Restaurants are often a disapointment to me.

@Jimlap: yes, if you tell them, the DMs will let you do your stuff alone as long as you follow general good diving rules... If I return, that's definetly what I'll do: go off and do my thing. Because the groups were too big (8-10 divers) and it got crouded. Unfortunately, following the DM (and the group) is the only way to get to see the small hard to find stuff, unless you are good at that! I wasn't experienced enough then. But since, my buyancy skills have improved tremendously and my eye for spotting cool macro such as Frogfish and the likes too. I'm pretty sure I'd be able to spot lots of cool stuff on my own now...

@85: I really didn't think the water fell that deep on the south side! All it takes is deep colder water to attract the plancton and pelaghics for the whalesharks! Good to know!

Cheers!

codman, I think u phrased it perfectly! FI is not the place if you need extra care and feeding. If you have equipment problems best to have them ferry u over to CCV where they have an excellent dive shop. I would go back for the value. The food really did not work well for me though... Hope the new owners polish the place up a bit.

 

[keyshunter]

codman, I think u phrased it perfectly! FI is not the place if you need extra care and feeding. If you have equipment problems best to have them ferry u over to CCV where they have an excellent dive shop. I would go back for the value. The food really did not work well for me though... Hope the new owners polish the place up a bit.

I, too, will be interested in any changes the new owners make. I think that one of the major problems arose when the previous owners added 30+ rooms without increasing the size of the dive operation or the dining facility. The boats are now running much more crowded than before, and the dive locker building is a zoo. The dive shop was always pretty dismal. I remember cringing when I saw one of the DM's opening the first stage of one of their Sherwood rentals with a 14" pipe wrench.

As dive guides, some of the DM's are very good, others are terrible--just putting in their time. If we got through a week's trip with out our boat breaking down, we said that, upon our return to the US, it might be a good time to play the lottery. Last year they said that they had new boats coming, I wonder if that ever happened.

It has been my impression that FI views itself as a resort with diving as an adjunct, and operates in that manner. CCV, just across the channel, sees itself, and operates as a dive resort.

 

[Divin' Dave]

We saw a whale shark and pilot whales in October. We've been to FI twice and thought the value was very good. Even brought friends and family for the second trip. Agree that the DMs are guides and should not be relied upon for anything else. The dive shop was meager. Also the tools they used for repairs were inappropriate. We plan on going again in '09. This thread is useful. Thanks.