So what happened on MY Fantasy Island trip...?

[sdiver68]

So I guess that means you can not dive on the day of arrival. We were hoping to at least get a quick shore dive in, since we have not dove since last summer.

I don't know...by the time you fight through the flights and airports and get settled, it will probably be at least 3pm. It was nice to just take time unpacking and exploring the place.

For us, the 1st boat dive was a real easy, relatively shallow, no pressure, relaxed, understand-that-people-are-getting-into-the-water-for-the-first-time-in-awhile-dive complete with extra assistance and weights if needed. Robert the head of the dive op promotes real low stress diving. In your week there, you could do 20-24 (or more???) dives in the 5 1/2 days you do dive so I would not worry about not getting enough diving in. I was able to get in 20 despite skipping 3 morning boat dives and doing the shark dive.

Perhaps a confined water SCUBA refresher course would be a good idea? I did one 2 weeks before leaving with all new equipment and it really helped sort all the gear out and refresh the skills. Cost is $50-$75 around here.

 

[MagnaBoxer]

Thanks for the report. My son and I leave Satruday morning for Roatan, and are hopin for good weather, good visibility and good diving. It is our first trip there, and our first time to Fantasy Island.

I've been lurking these boards for a couple of months now and really appreciate the trip reports. Special thanks to DandyDon for the detail on the recent trip! I'm headed to FI this weekend for the first time and I'm looking forward to good diving and a good stay.

Wife, son and I are also heading for FI on Saturday for our first trip!! :dance3: Thanks DD for your most informative write up!!

 

[DandyDon]

Wife, son and I are also heading for FI on Saturday for our first trip!! :dance3: Thanks DD for your most informative write up!!

I don't know informative my report is for a first time visitor. There are so many, good, and frequent reports that are really more informative, so I did take off with my my different, personal views a lot - much of it for fun. :mrcool: I bet y'all have fun too tho.

I think I mentioned tipping the boat crew well at the end of the week. I thot a $50 bill each was a nice statement, but it might have been kinder to give them $10s & $20? Eh, they're so resourceful - I bet they used them ok.

Take a wad of $1s tho, as I think the maids vary each day and know that the waiters do. Or see if the front desk can convert a couple of $20s to local currency in like 20 Lempira notes or coin as 20 HNL is about $1.06 USD. If you have many left at the end of the week, or just a few maybe they can convert back - or drop them in the donation box at the airport as you approach departure screening. I just used $1s mostly; didn't even have any HNL to bring back to my grandson. Whoops. Next time.

Oh, leave a credit card number at the desk for charges, but pay out in cash if you'd like.

I think I will try to go back with Ken next year as he sponsors such a good group, really well with his always smiling personal touch, and it was so nice to wear shorts while the Texas panhandle was enduring snow.

 

[robint]

So Don, was this trip better than you expected?

 

[CajunDiva]

Oh, leave a credit card number at the desk for charges, but pay out in cash before you leave so you won't get hit with the surcharges. I think they may be as much as 16%; probly has to do with Honduran banks.

FYI...there is not a surcharge by either Fantasy Island or the Honduran Banks. Any charges are from your credit card company. I keep a credit card that I got through Cabela's (they use World's Foremost Bank) specifically because they only charge a 1% foreign transaction fee. My other cards charge 4% and 5%, so I can't imagine where the 16% would come in

 

[DandyDon]

So Don, was this trip better than you expected?

Well, it was all I hoped it would be.

FYI...there is not a surcharge by either Fantasy Island or the Honduran Banks. Any charges are from your credit card company. I keep a credit card that I got through Cabela's (they use World's Foremost Bank) specifically because they only charge a 1% foreign transaction fee. My other cards charge 4% and 5%, so I can't imagine where the 16% would come in

I dunno. There was some warning about that I think, but I didn't pay a lot of attention since I intended to pay out in cash anyway. I had notified my bank in advance so they would not shut my card down if I used it down there, but I didn't. Never got off of the cay other than on a FI boat until time to go home.

 

[CajunDiva]

Well, it was all I hoped it would be.

I dunno. There was some warning about that I think, but I didn't pay a lot of attention since I intended to pay out in cash anyway. I had notified my bank in advance so they would not shut my card down if I used it down there, but I didn't. Never got off of the cay other than on a FI boat until time to go home.

The warning came from some people who were charged some kind of surcharge at some other place on the island. I just don't want people to become confused and assume that happens at Fantasy Island...it's not the case. There is no charge to use your credit card other than what your credit card company charges you. Every time we visit, we charge anything we purchase to the room and settle up with our credit card when we leave - and there has NEVER been an additional charge for anything. (I'm an accountant, therefore pretty anal about these things!)

 

[CODMAN]

I think they may be as much as 16%; probly has to do with Honduran banks.

If it's 16%, it's probably the honduran sales tax. I had to pay it when booking my package with them back in 2006. But I didn't get charged anything extra when paying my bar tab at FI with my credit card. The only thing I got was the exchange rate from my ctredit card company. But I don't know if it's still like that...

 

[DandyDon]

I thot I heard someone there warn, but I guess I was wrong. I'll edit out my mention of that ~ thanks!

 

[BTravlin]

FYI...there is not a surcharge by either Fantasy Island or the Honduran Banks. Any charges are from your credit card company. I keep a credit card that I got through Cabela's (they use World's Foremost Bank) specifically because they only charge a 1% foreign transaction fee. My other cards charge 4% and 5%, so I can't imagine where the 16% would come in

Capital One charges no foreign transaction fees, at least that's true for the card I have. Might want to look into that if you travel overseas a lot.