VillaBlanca vs. Barracuda

[5615mike]

cxg31s

Yes I was there for 10 days but it nevers seems to be long enough. How long are you staying? Who will you dive with this trip? We have gotten spoiled with Aldora. We know all the DM and really like the way they operate. A bit more expensive but we feel like it's worth it.

Do you use a local TA or someone else? Worry-Free Vacations and another one I can not rememeber right now have decent fares out of Dallas.

I have heard and read the same about DP but I have gotten decent feedback on the experienced diver program you mentioned so that is worth checking out.

Have a great time and we'll all be looking forward to your trip report.

 

[cxg31s]

You're right about that--I NEVER want to leave Coz once I get down there and relaxed. And it's the weirdest thing--I get so used to the fresh air and sea breezes down there and my sinuses close right back up as soon as the plane gets close to Dallas and I'm sneezing and coughing by the time I am headed to my car! Guess my body is telling me it's time to move to the beach! LOL

I'm leaving Sat and we're staying for a glorious 7 nights--my first week-long trip since I went to Roatan in Jan and boy do I need it! I hear good reports about Aldora but have never dove with them. This trip we are chartering a private boat through a friend on the island, so we will have it all to ourselves and can go where and when we want to. I'm going as a single but I'll be with a group of wackos from OKC, Wichita Falls and Shreveport so we decided a charter would be easier than trying to coordinate staying together with a dive op. Should be interesting to say the least!

I actually have a TA I work with here in Dallas for all my trips and she booked this one through Worry Free. This will be the last week Worry Free is flying direct from DFW to Coz until next summer so it's going to be crowded! She usually books my trips with Worry Free, Funjet or Adventure Tours, depending on who is running the best deals and you're right--they all have pretty good fares out of Dallas. In fact, the group I'm going with is all driving into Dallas tomorrow night and flying out with me since it was cheaper than trying to fly from their cities. Do you use the charters out of Dallas or do you fly from OK?

And I will definitely give a full report when I get back especially if the whale shark tour we're planning works out!

 

[5615mike]

OK, now I'm really jealous;-0 or sad. I don't know which.

Private charter, Whale Shark trip planned. Can't get much better than that.

Coz has the same effect on my sinus' as well. We get within a half hour of Houston on the return trip and I begin to get stopped up.

Would love to hear about your Roatan experience. Have thought about making that trip myself but we keep returning to Coz. Going to St. Croix in Sept. for something different. Have not been to VI so that will be a new experience but the diving won't be near as good I'm sure......hope I'm pleasantly surprised.

The charter is a great idea. We have not been with a group before so we have not tried that. What is the daily charge for the boat?

We either fly Continental or use the Charter.......I think it's Champion Air which is used by both Worry-Free and Funjet if I'm not mistaken. Good deal but nicer flying with Continental which we do about every other trip and use our air miles.

We fly into Dallas as it's only about $100 RT from Tulsa but the drive would not be bad. Sounds like your going to have a great time getting together with the gang. Thanks always fun.

Looking forward to your report. Dive Safe

 

[ggunn]

Who is Worry Free? Are they similar to Funjet and Adventure Tours? I've never booked with FJ or AT, as they won't do air only for a 10-12 day stay, and for a diver and fisherman, a week just isn't enough! It has to be air only, too, because I am attached to La Perla/Lorena, and there haven't ever been packages available. Under the new owner, though, that may change.

Can you book directly on Champion? When FJ was using Sun Country Air, I once was able to book a 12 day stay directly with them.

 

[5615mike]

ggun

Do a search on google for worry-free vacations. They use Champion Air out of Dallas I think. I always get them, Funject and Apple Vacations mixed up since they all do they same type of trips. Also check out Bay Adventures. Scuba Travel out of CA I used this past May to book with FA in Coz and they got me the same rate. I have the guys email address if you will PM I will forward to you.

Is Sun Country still around? Have not heard that name for a while.

 

[ggunn]

5615mike once bubbled...
ggun

Do a search on google for worry-free vacations. They use Champion Air out of Dallas I think. I always get them, Funject and Apple Vacations mixed up since they all do they same type of trips. Also check out Bay Adventures. Scuba Travel out of CA I used this past May to book with FA in Coz and they got me the same rate. I have the guys email address if you will PM I will forward to you.

Is Sun Country still around? Have not heard that name for a while.

I got a great deal thru Bay Adventures last year, but this year they couldn't book me air-only. Some new rule from Continental. I always put my own package together, since I have a preferred hotel and dive shop which are both too small to be on the lists with the agencies. Thanks for the tip on Worry-Free, though; I'll check them out.

Sun Country may indeed be gone. I couldn't find them when I was organizing our trip last May.

 

[5615mike]

ggunn

I am in the same situation since we have our favorite DO. The air only deal I have had success with Worry-Free as well but they prefer, most do, to do your entire package.

 

[ggunn]

5615mike once bubbled...
ggunn

I am in the same situation since we have our favorite DO. The air only deal I have had success with Worry-Free as well but they prefer, most do, to do your entire package.

Will they book you air-only for more than a week? That has always been the show-stopper for me with FJ and AT. Sometimes (usually), a week just ain't enough, y'know?

 

[5615mike]

ggun

We always stay 9 or 10 days and have not had much of a problem with the airlines but we travel using miles about half the time. The last time we booked with Champion Air or Worry-Free was in Sept. of '02. Bay Adventures is always running their internet air only programs.......are they not offering that any longer? I will have to check the website out. Oh, I think I heard that Continental was not flying to Coz with the TA prgms until next summer. Something about it being a spring through last summer deal. What a drag. Let me know how you find your best Air only deal as I would be interested. We won't be going back to Coz until May of next year.

Who is the DO that you have come to know and love?

 

[ggunn]

5615mike once bubbled...
ggun

We always stay 9 or 10 days and have not had much of a problem with the airlines but we travel using miles about half the time. The last time we booked with Champion Air or Worry-Free was in Sept. of '02. Bay Adventures is always running their internet air only programs.......are they not offering that any longer? I will have to check the website out. Oh, I think I heard that Continental was not flying to Coz with the TA prgms until next summer. Something about it being a spring through last summer deal. What a drag. Let me know how you find your best Air only deal as I would be interested. We won't be going back to Coz until May of next year.

Who is the DO that you have come to know and love?

I talked to Susie at Bay Adventures last March (booking for May), and she told me that Continental was for some reason not allowing them to book air-only any more. That was a drag, since she was able to book us the year before for about 1/2 the Continental website fare for the same dates.

What is "TA prgms"?

Every year it's different. I start researching in Feb and buy in March for our annual May trip; this past May it was 8-20.

My DO of choice is Cozumel Equalizers. My hotel of choice is Lorena, formerly La Perla, now Caribe Blu. I hope the new owners don't change it.