Roatan & Belize Experiences

[joemdiver]

We just returned from a cruise. One of the main reasons we booked this cruise was because they use Anthony's Key for their excursions in Roatan and that's about the only way to get a taste of Anthony's without actually staying there. We were anxious to check out the resort for a future week long family vacation. My wife and 3 other non-divers in the family booked the Dolphin Encounter and had a wonderful time! My 12 year old son and I booked the wall and reef dives and I'm sorry to say we were rather disappointed. The whole group of 30 divers were made to dive in one large group with 2 dive masters leading us around. Aside from being against PADI guidelines, it made the diving really slow and crowded. Anytime the DM would point out anything of interest people were bumping into each other trying to see what he was showing us. This was far from the outstanding service I was expecting from all I've read. My son had difficulty equalizing on the first dive and I had to take him back to the boat. No DM came to check if there was a problem nor did they ask about his welfare between dives. They did not appear to even realize that he had returned to the boat or that I was missing from the group for the first 15 minutes of the dive.

Hugh Parkey's in Belize was outstanding service! We were in nice small groups (no more than 8). DM's were very careful to make sure everyone in the group saw all the interesting marine life and answered all questions (Karim was our DM). Careful attention was paid to all the environmental rules of the marine park. During our surface interval there was plenty of water and real coke in bottles along with all the fresh fruit and home made raisin bread you could eat. I would recommend Hugh Parkey's to anyone going to Belize looking for first class service.

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

Ah a duplicate post. Good job of cutting and pasting in two different forums.

As I responded in the other identical thread you got the cruise ship experience, not the Anthony's Key experience. We never went out with more than 12 in a boat.

When my wife and I do a cruise we don't bother with diving. It's never good.

 

[Doc]

Al, is there an echo in here?

AKR rocks. Cruise ships are like only leaving your horizontal metal hotel in Ohio for short walks and then showering and scrubbing when you return. Real divers smell funny. Not ha-ha funny, but you know, kinda 5 days wet and soggy funny.

This points up the conundrum crusie ship divers (also sometimes disparigingly called pod people... not by me!) find themselves in. Should I post in the Cruise Ship forum, or should I post in the Regional forum? Do you consider yourself more of a Diver or more of a CSD? Maybe- maybe it's less subjective than that.

Why... here's that other thread, now. http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=136405

When you crack open the encyclopedia, my picture is there under Curmudgeon. Good reason.