102 replies to this topic

[scubaski]

I have lots of vacation time to use before March 2010.

Value Budget multiple Caribbean -Central America east west coasts, Baja Mexico-Sea of Cortez
( never been) land based trips is my preference. It’s all about the diving so a resort that offers 3 or 4 dives per day with modest even spartan but clean accommodations ( small fridge plus, no pool ok) that I can walk to town area (important) for dinner is best. Easy airport connections with 2 - 3 change of planes that may take 12 hours total of travel is in my comfort zone. As reference air plane trip to Hawaii would be miserable for me. The 2 week once in a lifetime trip has less value for me. Liveaboards are just not for me.

In the past I always planned 9 day trips with Saturday departure and Sunday returns hopefully rolling in a Monday holiday, but I’m reconsidering this plan as airfare seems to be cheaper on flights for T, W, TH out and in bound. So a trip that starts on Wed and ends on Tue ( hope for 5 days diving) works for me.

Go to Destinations : Any of the Caribbean islands except Haiti and Venezuela. Central America east and west coast including Panama. Islands that have special interest USVI, Puerto Rico SW and W coast, BWI, T & C, Saba, Dominica and DR, CUR, CZM, AUA, SXM, Bahamas, NW end of Grand Cayman. I would have to think long and hard about Hawaii. Preferred type of diving walls and drift. Small or large groups fine.


Considering today’s economy dive resort weekly occupancy loads have to be off from prior years business. SingleDivers.com should be able to parley dive travel business contacts into some short notice 60- 30 day out discount trips for 2009 spring, summer, fall and 2010 travel.

I also would like to take the opportunity to float the subject of NON_ESCORTED group travel. I would be equally interested in any trip that Kamala organizes and sells for a group of 6- 20 divers weather she is on the trip or can not attend for whatever reason.

Hope my ramblings help. Looking forward to BON and waiting for air to drop for RTB.

Kamala, Thanks for all your efforts.

[SeaSeeker]

I'm in an interesting situation right now in that the project I'm working on has not firmly established deadlines and go-live dates, yet. So I haven't even booked anything for 2009. But looking forward to the rest of 2009 and 2010 and future, here is what I'm hoping for.

The Red Sea and sightseeing in Egypt is high on my "bucket list", and I'm very keen to do that with SD. I really want to see Egypt and I really don't think that Egypt is a place where I should or could go wandering around on my own like I did in Italy.

Truk Lagoon is also one I'd really like to do. Since this is a 'big" trip, as is the Red Sea, they would need to be far enough apart that I could do both.

Hawaii is on my list - and that would be a less costly trip for me so easier to squeeze in.

I'm curious about the Sea of Cortez and would be interested in a trip there - perhaps a liveaboard.

I want to do some diving with more large life than the "micro" that I have been seeing a lot of in the Caribbean.

I think I would like to try a little more pacific diving and branch out from the Caribbean to explore something new.

I'm absolutly with weescot - as she put it so well...

... I prefer the non-budget option. My vacation time is precious and I want to enjoy it :-)

I would only qualify that with the comment that there is a balance between non-budget and luxury stupid-expensive.

I will be looking for a New Year's trip every year as this has become a tradition for me. Every year since 2004 I have brought in the New Year at sea.

Winter trips from November to March are a blessing in my world where there is winter and cold.

The airfare is always a limiting factor for me, as I have to travel so far from Calgary

I typically will not do dive trips from April to early October. I would make an April-May exception for the Red Sea trip as I understand that May is a very good time of year to travel there.

I think that is likely more than my 2psi share, but I hope it adds value to your considerations.

Thanks,
Tammie aka SeaSeeker

[WreckWench]

In the past I always planned 9 day trips with Saturday departure and Sunday returns hopefully rolling in a Monday holiday, but I’m reconsidering this plan as airfare seems to be cheaper on flights for T, W, TH out and in bound. So a trip that starts on Wed and ends on Tue ( hope for 5 days diving) works for me.

This is an interesting option...we have done a few trips with dates starting or ending on Tues/Wed and I'm not sure how well rec'd they are.

How do others feel about this? Of course SOME places only have 1x/wkly scheduled flights and I see this becoming MORE the norm. For example Bonaire cut all AA.com service to the island after April 28th. They were the primary carrier to offer almost daily flight options. Now its Sat to Sat on Delta or Sun to Sun on CO.

[SeaSeeker]

Kamala,
From reading various threads, I think I have understood that you are working on the Red Sea for 2010 and Truk Lagoon for early 2011. Do I have that right? Or am I just in "wishful thinking" mode - because that would be so very ideal for me and I'd be in for both trips!

Let me know tentative dates so I can "pencil them in".

ciao,
Tammie

[WreckWench]

Considering today’s economy dive resort weekly occupancy loads have to be off from prior years business. SingleDivers.com should be able to parley dive travel business contacts into some short notice 60- 30 day out discount trips for 2009 spring, summer, fall and 2010 travel.

Yes most of our 2009 Group trips were set last year before anyone saw just how bad things might end up getting. So short term ops for 09 will not help SD fill its trips which have to be filled in order to be viable going forward. (Fortunately we have amazing members who are helping to spread the word and traveling on our trips so if its meant to be...we'll survive! )

However for 2010 one of my thoughts was to only have say 5 or 6 SET and preplanned group trips or perhaps only 3 trips and then leave the schedule open for any MASSIVE GREAT DEALS that arise....sort of like our Belize trip this year.

I also would like to take the opportunity to float the subject of NON_ESCORTED group travel. I would be equally interested in any trip that Kamala organizes and sells for a group of 6- 20 divers weather she is on the trip or can not attend for whatever reason.

OR just offer you these great services and let you 'pick and choose your own' and travel in small groups. However anything that gets to be upwards of 10+ people really does need a group leader of some sort. I still recall the trip to Bonaire a few years back where my flight was cancelled and I could not arrive until the next day. In one short day an otherwise cohesive group of 11 or so people splintered into several fractured groups which never quite jelled back even after I got there and helped to sort things out. You know...rooming issues, transport issues, diving issues etc.

So there would be some 'challenges' to work out but I'm sure it could be done if people were willing to make it work...anything can be done if people are willing to make things work!

[WreckWench]

Kamala,
From reading various threads, I think I have understood that you are working on the Red Sea for 2010 and Truk Lagoon for early 2011. Do I have that right? Or am I just in "wishful thinking" mode - because that would be so very ideal for me and I'd be in for both trips!

Let me know tentative dates so I can "pencil them in".

ciao,
Tammie

Yes this is what we are tentatively looking at. We can NOT get a group trip to Truk in 2010 even if we wanted too...they only have group dates for 2011.

Now the trick is to figure out how many people want to do what as in the case of Truk I have to book those spots NOW if they are available.

So if people want Red Sea for 2010 since 09 is already filled then I can book that now and let people start planning. If we want Truk we need to book it NOW for 2011.

[WreckWench]

I will be looking for a New Year's trip every year as this has become a tradition for me. Every year since 2004 I have brought in the New Year at sea.

Anyone else COMMITTED to doing a New Year's Eve trip? We have not booked anything for 09/10 yet...

[WreckWench]

I would only qualify that with the comment that there is a balance between non-budget and luxury stupid-expensive.

I think most people see going overseas aka the other side of the world as a luxury option even if you are not staying at a 5 star resort and staying in your own hemisphere a budget option.

Although some may see it as doing a shared liveaboard experience like the Spree vs doing a luxury liveaboard to the same place like Peter Hughes etc.

[uwfan]

I'm interested in a trip for either the week following Mona (vacation break starts for me) or the next week which includes New Years.

[WreckWench]

Is anyone interested in doing NC wreck and shark diving next year? I have a chance to get it back for the 4th of July... diving on history is one of my favorite things to do!

[WreckWench]

I'm interested in a trip for either the week following Mona (vacation break starts for me) or the next week which includes New Years.

Cool! Anyone else?

[dive_sail_etc]

Is anyone interested in doing NC wreck and shark diving next year? I have a chance to get it back for the 4th of July... diving on history is one of my favorite things to do!

WW,

This is the sort of budget diving with alluring perks that I not only support but could actually participate in. for suggesting what was right under my nose... Well okay, Jimmy Durante's nose, but still, thanks!

BTW that's a Yes vote.

[WreckWench]

Is anyone interested in doing NC wreck and shark diving next year? I have a chance to get it back for the 4th of July... diving on history is one of my favorite things to do!

WW,

This is the sort of budget diving with alluring perks that I not only support but could actually participate in. for suggesting what was right under my nose... Well okay, Jimmy Durante's nose, but still, thanks!

BTW that's a Yes vote.

Great! We have traditionally done a NC trip for the past 13 years...yes before SD.com was created and we've done multiple trips to NC at that. Basically we reached a point where people were tired of doing it OR they felt I'd offer it next year so they would do *something* else this year and get to NC next year...only problem is...*next year* never came after awhile and we could not fill the trips.

I will say that US diving outside of Florida is pricey due to long boat rides. Rides in NC are 25-30 miles offshore so prices range from $115 to $125 a day for 2 dives. Night diving is dangerous so not done and most of the NC diving is NOT geared to travel divers. So in order to compensate we do airport pickups, van transfer from RDU to the coast approx 165 miles and we serve breakfast, lunch, drinks and snacks on the boat which is also not supplied by the local operators. (The local boats supply water only.) This keeps you from having to try and shop at the store to buy food for the boat, trying to find breakfast in the am which is hard to do when the boat leaves at 6 or 6:30am as well as rent a car, find your way to the coast, etc. And we do a big cookout on the dock with fabulous grilled foods and homemade deviled eggs by the hotel's proprietors wife!

An estimated price range is $800 to $900 for 3-4 days diving, hotel, rental vans, food, etc...not cheap but an awesome experience for the turnkey pkg!

Oh yeah....the local operators do very little to screen people on the boat. As a walk on you are at the mercy of the group...people getting sea sick...people not being able to handle the depths etc. A group trip IS THE WAY TO GO as we ensure that everyone knows what to expect and that everyone is prepared for this type of diving!

This is where I got my start as a trip organizer and also learned to dive!

[CaptainMorgan]

I'm interested in a trip for either the week following Mona (vacation break starts for me) or the next week which includes New Years.

Cool! Anyone else?

I should have Dec 15-Jan 3 off from work, so a trip during that time frame would work for me. I prefer non-liveaboard if possible, but that is not a total deal-breaker.

Kelly

[WreckWench]

I'm interested in a trip for either the week following Mona (vacation break starts for me) or the next week which includes New Years.

Cool! Anyone else?

I should have Dec 15-Jan 3 off from work, so a trip during that time frame would work for me. I prefer non-liveaboard if possible, but that is not a total deal-breaker.

Kelly

Due to timing of most liveaboards running Sat to Sat...I am more inclined to do a land based destination...suggestions???