Trip Report Trip Report - Key Largo 5/13-5/16

[jwarrenod]

I am not sure about food at the resort, but do not think so. From what a friend told me, there are a lot of restaurants nearby and I think he said one or two were walking distance.

As far as a guide goes there is NOT one that goes with you at the resort because the dive in the keys are pretty easy and not real deep. When I booked the trip they made it a point to tell me there are no guides. I guess they had some issues with some who thought they would have guides, and then found it was extra. I've dove many times in the keys and very seldom had a guide with us.

Amoray does offer a guide at an extra cost. I'm thinking of getting a guide for our first dives since this is my sons first diving. Even though I am experienced, I'm thinking it might be better to have a more experienced instructor dive with us in case he has some issues...

Good call on the guide first trip. Just to have some more help. As someone else mentioned, the KL reefs are easy to dive on your own, but for your situation a guide on the first one will be good.

Anna was my buddy when I was there diving without a buddy and they put her with me, $30 extra I think for the trip. Saw lots with her pointing out the fish and features.

JW

 

[homerdoc]

can you elaborate on the dive ship at Amoray? We have stayed at the marriot before it became not the marriott and last time we stayed at a courtyard that had a good dive shop right by it, but your report intrigues me. We are thinking of taking another quick trip down and after your review I asked my wife to check this property out but what are the particulars with dive shop, on site? etc

Good report and thank you for writing.

One thing I found odd - if you look on tripadvisor - 1/4 of the reviews make this resort sound like a third world country - the others love it. You always find some of that but it was extreme.

 

[jwarrenod]

can you elaborate on the dive ship at Amoray? We have stayed at the marriot before it became not the marriott and last time we stayed at a courtyard that had a good dive shop right by it, but your report intrigues me. We are thinking of taking another quick trip down and after your review I asked my wife to check this property out but what are the particulars with dive shop, on site? etc

Good report and thank you for writing.

One thing I found odd - if you look on tripadvisor - 1/4 of the reviews make this resort sound like a third world country - the others love it. You always find some of that but it was extreme.

I haven’t bought anything other than book trips through them. But they’ve need great for that. Paola in the dive shop is super helpful. The rooms are clean but nothing fancy. The Haitian food truck in the front is good for a lunch between trips too…

JW

 

[homerdoc]

I was really ambiguous in my question - and put ship in for shop

What I was really asking -

Does the Amoray dive shop:

Dive almost only shallow sites - it sounded like it to me - thats okay just I would schedule other dives at some frequency.

What percent of the boat is snorklers when you were on it?

Do they supply weights - I have been burned on this before.....dove with no weights at Panama city one time.

I looked online and it looks like the boat docks right by the resort...so that looks easy.

Thanks!

 

[jwarrenod]

They do dives throughout the KL reef system. Much of which is 25-40’ but they do deeper wrecks too.

% of snorkeled varied from 0 to about 30% when I was there. They prioritize divers IMO.

Yes to weights. Crew was very good from captain to assistants. Went out with 2 different captains.

I don’t want to sound like a promoter for them but they were very easy to work with in my experience.

JW

 

[SteveLaz]

Yes, I saw the reviews that were not so good too. But there are also good reviews. I try not to get to hung up on bad reviews, unless of course that's all there is..lol

A good friend of mine who lives in Florida, has been diving for many years, and has been on many dive trips around the world recommended taking my son to Key largo for his first dive trip and highly recommended Amoray. He did say it is nothing fancy but it is reasonable and good enough for diving for a few days, especially with guys. They have also been renovating the resort and rooms and are almost complete. He has not been there since the renovations. They assured me we would be in a room that has been renovated. Looking forward to this trip and a will give my honest review when I get back...