Looking for ideas March 7-14 2020

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Redfoot

Contributor
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Location
Detroit, Michigan
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I have a week to travel in March! (7-14)

Trying to stay in the Caribbean, as I need to keep it Saturday to Saturday, I don't have time for extended travel to/from the destination.

Would also like to maximize dives (4-5/day if possible) as I will be traveling solo.

I previously dove the Turks & Caicos Aggressor, and also recently did a week at the Cayman Brac Beach Resort and loved them both.

Any suggestions welcome, I know the Caribbean Explorer has a good deal going, and there is space on the Cayman Aggressor.

Would I be able to get 4-5 dives a day in Cozumel and would the weather be good that time of year?

Budget around $3k

Thanks!
 
Hi @Redfoot

Your title says March 7-14. the body says 14-20 (21). Is your approximate $3000 budget for everything, airfare, accommodations, food, diving, +/- car, or for only part?

One problem with land based is possible single supplement, LOB takes care of that as long as you are willing to share. I don't see any Caribbean Aggressor availability for your dates. The Saba-Kitts Explorer might be fine if you can do the travel.

You might want to look at Cobalt Coast Grand Cayman, everything included $1895 do. You'd have to discuss single supplement, I did CBBR in 2017 for a 20% supplement. This is 3 boat dives/day, unlimited shore at CC. March might be risky for getting out in the north and/or shore diving. Not sure how the solo travel would affect your shore diving. Grand Cayman is generally easy to get to.

Others are far more expert on Cozumel, I would think it is infinitely doable.
 
Thanks! I just fixed the dates in the post.

I was thinking $3k for diving, lodging, meals. I have miles I can use for airfare.

PADI travel has a spot on the Cayman Aggressor for $2895, but I am not 100% how up to date their site is.

Appreciate the feedback
 
Hi @Redfoot

I based my comment regarding the Cayman Aggressor on the Aggressor website. That might not mean that a seat did not come up and is on the PADI website.

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I went on the Cayman Aggressor at the end of 2018, also somewhat of a last minute trip Cayman Aggressor V, November 24-December 1, 2018 It was a pretty good trip, very easy, few problems as a solo, got in 24 dives. In general, I would encourage divers to do the Cayman Islands from land.

I look forward to seeing what you end up doing. I occasionally also get a relatively last minute opportunity for a week trip, it is not always easy. One of those trips was my solo visit to CBBR in 2017, a good trip.

Good diving, Craig
 
March is high season and spring break and a lot of places are already booked but I am sure that you can find something. Shore diving is a good way to supplement boat diving and get more dives per day, but you probably need a dive buddy.

We once did a LOB off of St. Croix and it was a good trip, so you could check out the Juliet LOB and see if they have any availability. And we enjoyed our Saba and St. Kitts trip on the Caribbean Explorer.

You could check out Anthony's Key Resort on Roatan. They offer 3 tanks per day boat dives plus shore diving, the same as Cobalt Coast on Grand Cayman.

Scuba Club Cozumel advertises 2 boat dives per day and shore diving on the house reef. My memory of Cozumel is that it wasn't a great shore dive destination, but I am not familiar with SCC.

Compass Point/Ocean Frontiers on the East End of Grand Cayman offers 4 boat dives per day and some night dives.

@diversteve has a lot of experience with Curacao so he may be able to advise you.

It's a longer flight, but there are 4 spaces left on the Kona Aggressor that week with prices from $3035.

Good luck!
 
Thanks Kathy, there is space on the CE doing the Saba/St Kitts route, and it is discounted, but the flight is very expensive.

I also read a lot of unflattering reviews on the boat and diving.... I take those with a grain of salt, but there are enough to concern me.

Not totally counting it out.

Thanks!
 
Thanks Kathy, there is space on the CE doing the Saba/St Kitts route, and it is discounted, but the flight is very expensive.

I also read a lot of unflattering reviews on the boat and diving.... I take those with a grain of salt, but there are enough to concern me.

Not totally counting it out.

Thanks!

We were on the CE quite some time ago so you should give more attention to recent travelers. We enjoyed the opportunity to visit 3 islands on that trip and the sea mount diving around Saba was unusual, but the reefs and sealife were just typical Caribbean diving. The boat was an older boat and not as comfortable as a modern Aggressor or Explorer. We liked visiting different places and we had a good trip.

You've been doing some of the best Caribbean diving with a T&C liveaboard and land-based diving on Cayman Brac. Other popular choices for some more of the best Caribbean diving include a Belize LOB, Bonaire, Cozumel, Roatan, and the other Cayman Islands, especially Little Cayman. The Bahamas are a good choice to see many sharks but otherwise the diving is usually kind of average IMO and the water will be rather cold in March.

The Cayman Aggressor is a great way to do a lot of Cayman diving on some of the best sites around all 3 islands - as long as they make the crossing to the Sister Islands. Otherwise you will be sitting offshore doing a lot of Grand Cayman diving - which isn't bad - just not what you hope for on that boat.

I just looked at the Cayman Aggressor Captain's log for the first 2 weeks of March 2018 and 2019 and they made the crossing to LC during 3 out of 4 weeks, so it sounds like a 75% chance that you would make the crossing based on that small sample.
 
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