Roatan vs Belize for March 2024

[bavdg]

Hello!
I am planning a dive trip for my husbands 50th birthday next year. We are both fairly new to diving but he absolutely loves it. We spent a week last year at Anthony's Key and loved the diving in Roatan. He especially loved the night dive and shark dive. I am thinking that a liveaboard would be a great way to go for our vacation next year. We have a week in March available for travel and there are Agressor trips in Roatan and Belize (as well as Bahamas and Caymen but those flights looks much more expensive from Houston). Seems like there is a remote chance of seeing whale sharks on the Roatan trip. Does anyone have input between the two trips? Is there a boat/crew that you prefer? Does one have better diving?
I would appreciate any input.
Thanks!!

 

[rongoodman]

I was less impressed with the Roatan boat than any of the other Aggressor boats in the Caribbean. I’d go with Belize.

 

[BoundForElsewhere]

Get a couple of spots on the Dolphin Dream and dive with tiger sharks.

Guarantee neither of you will ever forget it.

 

[bavdg]

Get a couple of spots on the Dolphin Dream and dive with tiger sharks.

Guarantee neither of you will ever forget it.

Okay, I'm looking it up now.

 

[scubadada]

Hi @bavdg

I did the Belize Aggressor IV last April. Very good boat, crew, and diving

Trip Report - Belize on the Aggressor IV April 9-16, 2022

Belize on the Aggressor IV April 9-16, 2022 Reservations: I reserved my spot ton the Belize Aggressor IV directly with Aggressor. I made my reservations during last fall’s sale and got 25% off. I made my airline reservations directly with American Airlines, a flight from Philadelphia to Miami...

scubaboard.com

I did the Dolphin Dream to Tiger Beach and Bimini last March. It was a really great trip, completely different diving, not for everyone, bunks

Trip Report - Tiger Beach and Bimini on the Dolphin Dream, March 11-19, 2022

Tiger Beach and Bimini on the Dolphin Dream, March 11-19, 2022 My friend and dive buddy, @Dan and I recently had the pleasure of going to Tiger Beach and Bimini to dive with Tiger Sharks, Lemon Sharks, Reef Sharks, a Great Hammerhead, a few Bull Sharks and many Nurse Sharks. Reservations: I...

scubaboard.com

I have only done Roatan from Turquoise Bay, can't help you with the Roatan Aggressor.

I travel by myself, prefer boats with single twins over bunks. May not make a difference to you as all 3 boats have Masters, Deluxe with double bottom bunk, or Deluxe with combinable twins.

Best of luck, your husband is very lucky

 

[bavdg]

Hi @bavdg

I did the Belize Aggressor IV last April. Very good boat, crew, and diving

Trip Report - Belize on the Aggressor IV April 9-16, 2022

Belize on the Aggressor IV April 9-16, 2022 Reservations: I reserved my spot ton the Belize Aggressor IV directly with Aggressor. I made my reservations during last fall’s sale and got 25% off. I made my airline reservations directly with American Airlines, a flight from Philadelphia to Miami...

scubaboard.com

I did the Dolphin Dream to Tiger Beach and Bimini last March. It was a really great trip, completely different diving, not for everyone, bunks

Trip Report - Tiger Beach and Bimini on the Dolphin Dream, March 11-19, 2022

Tiger Beach and Bimini on the Dolphin Dream, March 11-19, 2022 My friend and dive buddy, @Dan and I recently had the pleasure of going to Tiger Beach and Bimini to dive with Tiger Sharks, Lemon Sharks, Reef Sharks, a Great Hammerhead, a few Bull Sharks and many Nurse Sharks. Reservations: I...

scubaboard.com

I have only done Roatan from Turquoise Bay, can't help you with the Roatan Aggressor.

I travel by myself, prefer boats with single twins over bunks. May not make a difference to you as all 3 boats have Masters, Deluxe with double bottom bunk, or Deluxe with combinable twins.

Best of luck, your husband is very lucky

Really excellent report on the Belize Agressor IV, thanks! I actually don't have a huge desire to dive the blue hole as every video I've seen shows very little life, lots of people and not much to see. Too bad it seems to be an obligatory dive when you are in Belize.

 

[rongoodman]

A good morning go sleep in, then. The visit to the bird sanctuary following is interesting.

 

[scubadada]

Really excellent report on the Belize Agressor IV, thanks! I actually don't have a huge desire to dive the blue hole as every video I've seen shows very little life, lots of people and not much to see. Too bad it seems to be an obligatory dive when you are in Belize.

They actually asked if the guests wanted to visit the Blue Hole or not, it was voted in. Now that I have done it once, I would vote against but would probably do it if it were on the itinerary. We had relatively poor visibility, I have seen photos with better light and visibility that look OK. The visit to Half Moon Caye was definitely worth it, very interesting. The diving off the Belize Aggressor was very good. They had a guide in the water for every dive or you could go with a buddy/group. I was lucky to join a group of 3 from California.

 

[Carlos Diver]

Really enjoyed Belize. The diving was much better than I anticipated. I have every intention of doing another liveaboard there.
Can't complain about my time on the BA 4. The company has its issues, but this boat is well run.

 

[JossRincon]

Late to the game, but we just did the Roatan Aggressor this past Sept. - it was really wonderful. The crew was absolutely fantastic, and the dives were beautiful. Loved the meals and we had a great group of divers on the boat. We did a reef shark dive, and then a nurse shark dive on another morning. I am excited to try out the Belize trip at some point too, but I'd happily go back on the Roatan boat any time.