54 replies to this topic

[WreckWench]

I can answer some of the questions...

1. THEY HAVE AC!! Sorry I was wrong...they have fans and lots of window for air flow. It should still feel fine even without AC this time of year.
2. Need to find out about the caged animals - SEE REPLY BELOW
3. The house dives are VERY close by...the day of diving at Chinchorro will be a long day and include transport. (Currently the ONLY way to dive Chinchorro is by landbased so we will get a day pass and take 10 divers one day and 10 divers the 2nd day.)
4. So the plan is to include one day of diving for everyone at Chinchorro. The pkg will include the Chinchorro dive based upon 10 or 20 people. If we have less or more...we may have to adjust the price OR I can just make it optional all together.
5. Eco means they generate their own electricity and produce everything they need at the resort But the owners are ex-pats from the US and (California to be exact) and they wanted it to be a slice of heaven away from cities and other resorts. So they are it!
6. All meals are from them but they have menus on the site so you can see what they serve.
7. Sharing the resort...yes we may share with other divers OR fishing groups or no one. The divers and fishermen go to different areas.

I'll find out about the other stuff. It was hard to get the price no only reduced but also to get more value for the pkg. This is a great deal and with help we can get to 20 divers and all save even more money! (And more divers means less fishermen)

Edited by WreckWench, 17 January 2012 - 12:04 PM.

[Resqdew]

If there's aone-way bus ride of 5+ hours, then I would request more information about the actual bus...... is it a small passenger van (AKA as a "sardine ride"- pack 'em in and suffer), or a school bus (more space, windows open, longer ride)or luxury liner (AC, movie, bathroom, etc)?

Unless we can book flights soon, I'll be stuck with an arrival time of 10:30pm. The one flight with a 3:30pm arrival time keeps saying "only 1 ticket left at this price" (which I don't believe). The only departing flights for me are after 4pm, which is probably OK.

Prefer to have a dive package price that has maximum dives, variety of dive options and does not include alcohol. It's logical to note that the more remote the location, the more $ they charge for alcohol, so it should be a separate price for those individuals who would want it.

The "17 dives, Hotel d/o, transfers, taxes & breakfast for approx $1300" sounds nice, however, it won't be much help if we have to spend taxi fare every day to search for other restaurants for the other meals.

*****Do the rooms have refrigerators? After leaving Cancun, the bus could stop at Walmart (or any grocery) in Playa Del Carmen (it's on the mainhighway & we'll pass it anyway) and we could buy food & soda, plus stretch our legs and have a bathroom break.

Also, is SD.com going to the Texas Dive Show in Feb 2012?

Thanks

Susan

Edited by Resqdew, 16 January 2012 - 04:04 PM.

[WreckWench]

If there's aone-way bus ride of 5+ hours, then I would request more information about the actual bus...... is it a small passenger van (AKA as a "sardine ride"- pack 'em in and suffer), or a school bus (more space, windows open, longer ride)or luxury liner (AC, movie, bathroom, etc)?

They will rent 15 pax vans or large surburbans. Luggage may travel in a truck and people in the nice vehicles. Many flights may end up arriving late so we may have to juggle arrival times.

Unless we can book flights soon, I'll be stuck with an arrival time of 10:30pm. The one flight with a 3:30pm arrival time keeps saying "only 1 ticket left at this price" (which I don't believe). The only departing flights for me are after 4pm, which is probably OK.

Yes 4pm departure is fine. Some people may have to arrive a day early and pay for a cheap hotel the day before and sightsee in Cancun or we can set up the dive for the underwater people....we may need to look at some options if all the flights arrive at 10:30pm.

Prefer to have a dive package price that has maximum dives, variety of dive options and does not include alcohol. It's logical to note that the more remote the location, the more $ they charge for alcohol, so it should be a separate price for those individuals who would want it.

That is why I asked if we could have a pkg without it. And I think the price that came back was great!

The "17 dives, Hotel d/o, transfers, taxes & breakfast for approx $1300" sounds nice, however, it won't be much help if we have to spend taxi fare every day to search for other restaurants for the other meals.

There will be no taxi fees...the ONLY restaurant is the one at the resort. But since they serve lobster and shrimp and steak they have to assume you will eat that every night. If you are allergic to seafood and don't eat beef then it would be much cheaper to just pay for your meals. I will post the link to the menus but I think you can eat lunch and dinner and any drinks you want for less than the all inclusive price.

*****Do the rooms have refrigerators? After leaving Cancun, the bus could stop at Walmart (or any grocery) in Playa Del Carmen (it's on the mainhighway & we'll pass it anyway) and we could buy food & soda, plus stretch our legs and have a bathroom break.

I do know know...I will ask.

Also, is SD.com going to the Texas Dive Show in Feb 2012?

I did not get a lot of feedback on getting the needed support to work the show and so I think we will pass on this year's show.

Thanks

Susan

You are welcome! kamala

[WreckWench]

Note: The transfers are a huge part of the price...gas is high as are the use of nice vehicles in Mexico. The tradeoff is we may need to hang out at the airport longer than we like as transfers will not necessarily be a few minutes after you arrive.

[WreckWench]

OFFICIAL REPLIES:


1. Even though you are an eco lodge you said you did have AC in the rooms right?

NEVER SAID WE HAD AC...SAID I'M FROM LA AND NEEDED THE ROOMS TO BE COOL WHICH THEY ARE AS WE HAVE FANS ABOVE THE BEDS AND WINDOWS ALL AROUND


2. What are the air temps in late April and early May?

85-ISH...AND IF YOU GO TO WEATHER.COM THERE IS AN ALMANAC THAT GIVES YOU WATER AND AIR TEMPS FROM BEFORE


3. What are the water temps during this time?

IN THE 80'S


4. Do the rooms have small refrigerators?

NO


5. When you have divers and fishermen...do they go to different areas? Or do they visit the same sites?

DIVERS GO OUT TO THE OCEAN SIDE, FISHERMEN ARE BACK IN CHETUMAL BAY.


6. Do you still have any animals in cages...seems there is a 2010 post and some of my divers are worried about having caged animals.

NO, THAT WAS A RACCOON THAT WAS INJURED, AND WAS RAISED BY ONE OF THE STAFF...UNTIL IT WAS BETTER TO BE OUT ON ITS OWN. WE DID HAVE A PARROT AND RESCUED TOUCANS.
BUT I REMEMBER THE POST, AND IT WAS THE RACCOON ISSUE.


QUESTIONS STILL PENDING:

1. Are there any other places to eat nearby?
2. Can we have the lionfish we catch prepared? What would you charge for that?

[Diver Ed]

I have seen a couple questions about the fishermen sharing the resort here. As someone who has done a lot of fishing in the past, I will pass along my expectations for this area and the fishermen. The resort does not seem to be catering to commercial fishermen. It is a tourist activity, most likely with American vacationers there to do some fishing, just as our group is there to do some diving. They advertise fly fishing, so, it should be done mainly in water less than five feet deep. I would expect that it is mostly catch and release fishing, done in an area that is rather distant from the diving areas. As their menus show seafood, I would expect that they have some employees or local fishermen that will fish the reef areas, to provide food for the restaurant, as well as the local community. That is the same situation that you will find in pretty much all of the dive destinations that we travel to. I do not have first hand knowledge of this area or resort, but figured that I would try to add some input about the fishing concern that a few have had. I do not believe that the fishermen will have any impact on the divers or the quality of the diving. Ed

[WreckWench]

Thank you Ed...I think that is exactly the case since the fishermen fish in the Bay and we will be diving in the open ocean.

[Yoshimi]

Oh, sign me up too please.

[Landlocked Dive Nut]

Got you on the list, Julie!

[WreckWench]

Thia trip is open HERE!!

Thank you! kamala