Recommendations for Ambergris Caye PADI dive shop for certification and family dives

[rye_a]

Our family of five is heading off on a spontaneous trip to Ambergris Caye on Saturday (the day after tomorrow), and the nature of the trip means that our 13 year old son didn't have a chance to get OW certified before we go. We are planning for him to start the PADI e-learning tonight and hopefully complete it on the flights to Ambergris, and then to start his pool sessions and open water dives early in our trip. The rest of our family (me, my wife, and our 14 and 17 year old daughters) are all certified and have vastly different levels of diving experience.

Can anyone recommend a PADI outfit for both instruction and diving excursions (preferably on smaller, non-cattle boats)? I've primarily been focusing on PADI 5-Star centers like Island Divers, Ecologic Divers, or the Scuba School and Family Dive Center, but am open to ideas and would particularly appreciate knowing if I should avoid one of these groups.

 

[rye_a]

OK, I signed up with Scuba School and Family Dive Center. They are very responsive, and will pair just our family with two DMs per dive to ensure safety and so we don't all need to cut the dive short if someone sucks down their air too fast. I'll report back...

 

[getafixdruid]

@rye_a
I know this is and old post but I can't DM you yet

I'm considering going with the Scuba school for our (me+my 12 yr old) certification and am checking with the school for a private divemaster as well.
Do you know if you had to pay extra for the private divemaster and how much this was?

 

[rye_a]

@rye_a
I know this is and old post but I can't DM you yet

I'm considering going with the Scuba school for our (me+my 12 yr old) certification and am checking with the school for a private divemaster as well.
Do you know if you had to pay extra for the private divemaster and how much this was?

They didn’t wind up charging us anything extra, and in addition to our immediate my in-laws who are in their 70s joined us on our dives. I don’t know if my in-laws paid extra, but they are TERRIBLE divers and arranged to have DMs at their sides the whole time, which allowed me to enjoy my dives. We visited some outstanding sites, including a long day trip to Terneffe.

All in all, I’d definitely recommend SSFDC!