Scuba Diving at Catalina Island - 2 tank | 2 spots

Still good but

I enjoyed my time, but instructions were quick and hard to hear. There was waayy too many people on the boat; enough to hinder your experience. There were both divers and snorkelers on the boat too. The employees did seem like nice people, so no hate. I did seem other dive boats with divers only and way less people in the same area though. Had me wishing I booked a different company to be completely honest

Response from the operator: Thank you very much for sharing your opinion with us and for highlighting the kindness of our team! Indeed, offering a friendly and professional service is a fundamental priority for us. We are glad you enjoyed the experience. Regarding the instructions, we make sure to explain the complete tour operation, safety procedures, and all the details to every client so that the day goes perfectly. Concerning the group size, we understand your observation. Our excursion combines two activities in one: diving and the visit to Catalina Island. That is the main reason why it attracts more people, as many clients seek to enjoy both experiences. There are options that offer only diving, but the demand is much lower precisely because most people prefer the combination we provide. We appreciate your time once again. We look forward to welcoming you back soon for a new adventure.

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Poor travel communication, great diving

From Cap Cana area the transport was additional $25. And the communication on what boat to get on and who was our dive master was non-existent leading up to the dive. Also the return trip was entirely unclear, so we were confused on what shuttle to go to and if we needed to pay $25 again for transfer back, though we ended up getting on the right shuttle and it turned out we did not pay again for transfer back. But the lack of clarity made it quite uncomfortable in the moment. All that said, the actual diving itself and the beach time with food and drink was excellent.

Response from the operator: Good morning. I do remember that I personally spoke with you and informed you that in the Cap Cana area, the transportation fee is $25. That's $25 for round-trip service. If at the meeting point when you arrived, you asked another transportation provider—not ours—then they gave you that rate. But with us, you didn't have to pay anything at all, as I myself told you that the $25 was for the round trip due to how far Cap Cana is. That you asked another taxi, which has nothing to do with us, is another matter. In the end, you realized that we did not charge you anything extra—only the $25 we told you about—and we even rounded it down to $23 because you didn't have exact change.

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You get what you pay for

The initial communication was good detailing pick up time and sending a picture of the van that would collect us which was helpful. The transfer to the port took place in two stages - local mini bus to a meeting point and then onwards to La Romana port from there. It’s was a long transfer, taking about two hours in total. The trip itself was a bit strange in that no one really knew what was going on - or we weren’t told what to expect, just expected to go along with being shuffled about. This is likely due to the language barrier and I accept that in a Spanish speaking country, I should have made more effort to learn basic Spanish. However the trip was advertised as catering to English speakers so we figured we would be fine. However there was very little understanding between the guests and the crew. The dive sites themselves are unknown to us - there were no pre-dive briefings and I’m not sure our diver knew what to do when signing our log books. He didn’t add his dive number or instructor number. I’m unsure how legit it was as a dive provider. As experienced divers, myself (PADI Rescue) and my partner (PADI OW) felt uncomfortable with the process and implementation. No buddy checks - we were ushered into the water very quickly and one of our group had a leak in their jacket which I felt should have been identified pre-dive. When swapping BCDs, the leaking jacket was thrown into a pile with the others and I suppose will be used again in another dive. Our guide was good under water, even more impressive that he was able to fulfil his duties with a disability. He was easily the hardest working member of the crew from what I saw and I am grateful for his support i.e. getting out of the water etc. after our two dives, which were interesting with lots of wildlife, e.g. lion fish, spotted eagle ray, trumpet fish, etc, we were shuffled onto a speed boat to be taken to Catalina island for an ok buffet lunch. Various members of our own boat left the island at different times which was confusing. I asked the staff about it but they seemed to get annoyed at the questions. I think at this point we were supposed to sail back to port but Other people in our group said they hadn’t had the chance to snorkel, so we made another stop and didn’t leave the Catalina area until 4.30pm. This was the time we expected to return to our hotels by according to the description. We had evening plans, so messaged the tour operators to confirm return time and after some back and forth they said that they would organise a private transfer back to the hotel so we could get back in good time. They sent a picture of the car and the name of the driver who would pick us up. On arrival at the port, there was no private transfer and we were shuffled onto another minibus - it was apparent no one really knew what was going on. I messaged the tour operators again and they assured us we would be dropped off first, but that wasn’t the case, doing hotel drop offs elsewhere before our own. Eventually we arrived at our hotel 2 1/2 hours after the advertised time, which scuppered our evening plans. Further contact with the tour operators to said that they would organise original transfer we had booked had to be redirected or something like that, but we didn’t find this our until the next day. Ultimately, the day was OK. The language barrier was an issue and none of the guests knew what to expect. It became a standing joke that we needed to just go along with it and jokes were shared among split passengers that they ‘hoped the other would survive’. I’d advise spending a bit more money on a qualified dive company and people who are able to communicate clearly - unless you speak Spanish coherently. I was disappointed that the resolution we were promised didn’t happen and it put a bit of a dampener on our day. A final note on the on-board toilet - DON’T do it! It was unclean and unsanitary, which meant that many passengers preferred dehydration (in 33C temps) over needing to use it!

Response from the operator: Good morning, Ms. Joan, I remember that you spoke to us, and more so to me. Indeed, the ship always arrives at the port between 4:30 pm and 4:40 pm. The time indicated in the description does not count as the pickup time, since the tour does not depart immediately. Indeed, I told you that there would be a driver waiting to take you directly to your hotel because you told me you had something at the hotel. However, something came up and after waiting, he had to leave in an emergency to go to Bayahibe. So, we had to tell our other driver to bring you on the other transport. We remind you that you purchased a shared tour, not a private one. Therefore, taking you on a private tour was optional, but not mandatory. Even so, we spoke with the driver to drop you off first because you had to get to your hotel, and before arriving at your hotel, there were several hotels before yours, and even so, he left you second. So you can fulfill your commitment... and regarding the diving contract, we don't do that here in the Dominican Republic. It's only done for those taking the course for the first time, and since you said you had an open water license, it's not done. When a client has specific requirements regarding the tour, we always recommend taking a private tour and private transportation.

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HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE. DO NOT RECOMMEND!

4.5 hr to get there, multiple shuttles, 2 unnecessary gift shop stops. Missed half the day. Got to do 1 dive not 2 as promised. No apologies. Extremely rude hosts. All communication in Spanish. Was told (in English) we knew we were coming here so we should have learned Spanish. They refused to try and help us understand communication. Very overcrowded vessel. Small boat taxi to dive boat driven very recklessly. Hit waves at high speed jamming us down into the metal seats hurting our backs. Do NOT recommend!! Horrible experience. Unlike anything I’ve experienced before as a seasoned traveler.

Response from the operator: Good morning, Mr. Leah. Thank you for your review, but let's clarify a few points. First, it didn't take you 4.5 hours to get to the departure point. You were staying at the Chic Royalton Hotel, located in Uvero Alto (not Punta Cana), and this hotel is quite far from the Punta Cana area, 35 minutes from downtown. And from Punta Cana to La Romana, it's a 50-minute drive. The meeting point for all tour operators and excursion companies is there, where you say they took you to a shop unnecessarily (this is part of our operational logistics). There, clients can use the restroom, get coffee, or water (they are not required to buy anything at the shop). There weren't two stops, just one, and it was at the meeting point, where all the clients are. Regarding the two dives, you only did one because you said you didn't feel well after the first one, so this wouldn't be our responsibility or a service not offered. Our guides have been working with our company for 12 years and are fluent in the three main languages: English, French, and Spanish, so instructions are given in these languages. In addition, our staff regularly receive social media training to provide better service. Regarding the boat, remember that a speedboat, not a catamaran, is used to reach the dive site. It's normal for the waves to be felt more on a speedboat, unlike on a catamaran. Speedboats don't go Overcrowded; they only take clients who are going diving. We provided the service you paid for, and then you requested a refund. Our guides would **NEVER** refuse to give information to clients. Thank you.

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An incredible experience! 5/5 ⭐️

An incredible experience! 5/5 ⭐️ The diving tour exceeded all my expectations. From the beginning, the service was impeccable: the instructors are knowledgeable, patient, and very friendly, making the activity safe and fun, even for beginners like me. In addition to the exciting diving, the tour included a visit to Catalina Island, where we enjoyed a delicious lunch with spectacular views. The combination of adventure and relaxation was perfect. It was definitely worth every penny. I would recommend this tour to anyone looking for a unique and well-organized experience! I will be back soon. Thank you for everything!

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