Leaving for Anthony's Key

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Hound, how does the gear storage and dive departure work? Is it like Cozumel where they get your gear setup and ready or do you have to get your gear and put it together yourself? Would it be recommended to call to sign up for the shark dive before we arrive? Are you tipping as you go or waiting until the end? Thanks for the pro tips!

No need to call beforehand for the shark dive. I doubt they would even reserve it. They have a prescribed system for everything and it runs like a well-oiled machine. Kevin will give an overall briefing Sunday morning, telling you about the shark dive and having you sign up within a day at the dive shop counter on the pier. Then next day he will use the totals to schedule the shark dives.

When you arrive at airport, AKR guys will be there to take your bags and shuttle you to resort. You'll be served a cold drink and get an hour orientation on how it all works, aside from diving. Then you'll have lunch and check in at the dive shop on the pier where you get your weights and assigned a boat name and a locker in a gear storage room right on the pier. Bring your gear to your boat and take it off at end of day. While on boat, the DMs will change out tanks between dives 1,2 and 2,3. There's a big board sectioned off by boat names and listing dives 1,2,3, and 4. You write your locker number for the dives you plan to do so they can have the tanks loaded. Precede your number with a 'N' if you want nitrox.

Tipping is done at the end on checkout. You leave it in envelopes. They ask you to separate dive team from service staff. Tips are shared. You can leave additional envelopes for named persons if you desire. Also. all your extras during the week such as bar tab, gift shop purchases, shark dive, nitrox, etc. are put on your room number and settled on checkout. You'll sign for each charge as you go and get an itemized printout with all your signed receipts attached for you to verify the amount. No need to carry cash around.
 
Thanks Hound. I always feel better tipping as I go but I guess if that is what they prefer that's what I'll do. I really appreciate all the help.
 
Thanks Hound. I always feel better tipping as I go but I guess if that is what they prefer that's what I'll do. I really appreciate all the help.

Same for me but at AKR you will have the same boat crew all week, almost guaranteed. And the restaurant, housekeeping, and backroom staff are all shared tipping. It's all set up to charge as you go and settle up at the end. It may even be AKR wants it to go through the front management perhaps so that they can track which crews are pulling the best results or maybe for accounting reasons. This is my 3rd trip since 2014 and the staff are 100% the same. This is a career job for them and they get their weekly paychecks (tips included) like the rest of us. There just doesn't seem to be the mindset of expecting to be paid/tipped at time service is rendered.
 
The wifi was pretty crummy when I was there in June 2017. It was broken more often than it worked. They would reboot the router if I went to the desk and mentioned it. Then it would work for a few hours or a day. When it worked it was slow. It may depend on which of their access points/routers you happen to connect to. I heard from others that they had a better time than I did with the wifi. I do remember getting okay cellular data (Verizon, roaming). I used my phone as a hotspot to send videos/photos etc.

I also normally tip as I go. However, at AKR I did as they requested and tipped at the end of the week. One benefit to doing it this way is you can put your tip on a credit or debit card if you want. You just fill out the tip form and they charge your card. The form is on their website, or you can get a printed copy from the front desk.

I remember the staff at AKR being exceptional. Housekeepers, cooks, waiters, dive staff.. they were all really great.
 
My wife and I have been to AKR the last two years and heading back in May 2019. They do such a great job of making everything easy.

The wifi is spotty at best and cell service ok. If you bring a laptop, you may get better wifi in the lobby/reception area or restaurant.

We tipped everyone at the end of stay with a credit card except our divemaster and boat captain, we gave them there tip after our last dive.

One thing I recommend, on one of your dives, AKR will have one of there photographers taking pictures and video. They also do this on the shark dive. It is worth checking out. They normally have some good deals on purchasing the pics and videos.

We can not say enough good things about the staff at AKR. It is always great going back each year and everyone remembers you and welcomes you like family.

Enjoy your week of diving. I look forward to hear what you think of AKR.
 
One thing I recommend, on one of your dives, AKR will have one of there photographers taking pictures and video. They also do this on the shark dive. It is worth checking out. They normally have some good deals on purchasing the pics and videos.

Go into the camera shop next to the gift shop and they will play the video and cycle through the photos on the wall screens. Shark dive video is $45 and the reef dive pics another $45.

This afternoon we kayaked around Bailey's Key and watched the dolphins being fed and trained. Free show.

Still no wifi issues for us.
 
The wifi was pretty crummy when I was there in June 2017.
I literally got back from AKR late last night (and met and chatted with OP Guitarcrazy while there) but I thought the Wi-Fi was strong and reliable. I think I was showing (I checked it through www.speedtest.net) about 4mbps up and 4mbps down. I only used it in my room on the Key (#25) but always had 5 bars. No problems getting on, no problems uploading pix each evening to my Smugmug site (might as well get in a plug - ROATAN 2018 - DAILY TOP 10 PIX), and no problems with e-mail or anything like that. I even used my cell phone on the "Wi-Fi calling" setting and made a few calls back to the US with no problems and a good, strong connection.

- Ken
 

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