Scuba Caribe and Grand Palladium

[TMJJS]

Thinking of taking a late June/early July trip to the Grand Pallidium this year and saw that Scuba Caribe is the on-site operator. I'm guessing they are like Dressel Divers when we stayed at the Barcelo. Any experience with them? Are they cattle boat? What good dive operators are close?

3 of us are certified and my 10 year old son will have done his classroom and pool work. Any dive operators good with children and doing the referral dives?

Thanks in advance for any help/suggestions.

 

[Fionab]

I know directing people to other forums isn't the done thing. But take a look at Palladiumaddicts.net there is a forum on there where you can probably get a few opinions on the operator, just had a quick look and the Akumal dive shop gets quite a few mentions.

Can't help as I used Zero Gravity when I stayed in December.

 

[freedc]

I'm going with my wife and son to the Grant Palladium in Akumal next month and would be interested in learning about diveops. Still trying to read all the existing threads, but if someone has a good link to existing thread or want to add their two cents here, I'd be much obliged.

I'm looking to do a few dives mixed between cenote and reef. My wife and son are non-divers but I'd like to take them snorkeling to one of the places -- maybe turtles in Akumal Bay if they are around this time of year (April). I'd be willing to check out PDC if the bull sharks are out, but I mainly want to get wet and have some good bottom times, practice my skills, without completely abandoning my family all week.

 

[elletek]

You may want to check with Natalie and Ivan, I know they will pick-up in the Akumal area, but not sure if they will go as far as the Palladium. It never hurts to ask!
Dive With Natalie & Ivan, Akumal, Riviera Maya, Mexico PADI MSDT Master SCUBA Diver Trainers

Also, see this thread for some info.
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/mexico/362156-akumal-cenote-dive.html#post5796618

 

[Misty58]

We stayed at White Sands Palladium last April and used Bahia Divers, just a little dive op off site.
They came and picked us up, which was a bonus, (and dropped off) and took us to their shop on the beach.
Very professional, safety conscience and a blast to be with. They do all sorts of courses, and both Susana and Fabio are awesome to deal with.
We did two days of ocean diving with them, and one day it was just hubby and I with the DM. We could dive our computer also, no 'timed' dives.
Would recommend them in a heart beat.
(I should note that we overheard some divers at Palladium that had used the dive op on site, and they were not happy with them. They didn't like that it was a cattle boat and felt rushed.)

http://www.bahiadivers.com

 

[reefdvr]

I highly recommend Ben Mooney with Scorpio Divers.

 

[smalley]

Hi i have just got back from Grand Palladium. Palladium addicts advised me to use Akumal Dive Shop, not that great in my opinion as i had to assist a novice diver as DM was his buddy and swam on to leave him.

Then i choose the Scuba Caribe at the palladium and the local reefs are alot better plus no travel time. I did 4 dives with them and cannot quote on equipment as i take my own, how ever the DM Diana a German girl was fantastic compared to the DM at Akumal Dive Shop. The dives i did were not rushed however the shallow dive on one occasion was poor due to me buddy with a guy that had learnt with Dressel Divers and god knows what they taught him he was useless, up n down like a cork i finally got Diana to take him off me hands n i buddied up with another diver.

My logged dives were longer with Scuba Caribe and felt more relaxed plus struck a good deal. Give them a try i wished id done all my dives with them.

 

[TMJJS]

Thanks for the post! It turns out we are going the 2nd week of July and my son is going to do everything here at home. Since there will be 4 of us, we won't have to worry about dive partners, just getting someplace to treat us good. Glad to hear someone had a good experience with Scuba Caribe.

 

[jnash1@worldbank.org]

@ smalley: Thanks for the information on the on-site operator at Palladium. My wife and I will be there in August. We did our dives last year with Blue Caribe, which is a great operation, but they pick you up and take you to the beach in Akumal to launch for the dives. As you noted, if you dive with an on-site operator, you save the transport time, so if they have a good one at Palladium, we may give them a try. What were their rates, and did they give multi-dive package deals? Like you, we have our own equipment. Thanks!

 

[bmaber]

We stayed last year at the Grand Palladium. It is a great resort - best in the Mayan, and I stay with 5 others.
But Scuba Caribe is a gong show, really rough equipment every diver had trouble with some renatl gear, miss matched fins flaky regulators, dead dive lights (3 in a row). They just don't care.