Two went into the water; two came out of the water
Written: Feb 19 '05 (Updated Feb 20 '05)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Customer service; personalized experience; great for newbies and families; very professional.
Cons: Book early, they really are always busy.
The Bottom Line: I highly recommend Aldora Divers. The personalized service and ability to handle any and all levels is exceptional.
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| parr3's Full Review: Aldora Divers |
Wow! My brother-in-law and I went to Cozumel immediately after certifying (open water PADI).
I spent hours on the internet trying to decide which dive shop would have the misfortune of getting us wet for the first time... and based on reviews, bulletin boards and Dave's patient e-mails... selected Aldora.
What a great choice! They may still be laughing at the Mississippi rednecks showing up with our matching sets of hefty bag luggage but they always made us feel like divers... even when I tried to put my foot through the sleeve of my too small wet suit! Aldora was also able to accommodate my 320 pounds of fried food filled frame with a BCD (no other shop I contacted was able to do that... several of them actually referred me to Aldora as my best hope.)
The first day we were scheduled to dive a Norte blew in and the port was closed but Aldora had provided us with some equipment to take back to the house we had rented because there was great shore diving right off our back deck. We borrowed some aluminum 80's which became quite comical when I loaded myself with nearly 50 pounds of weights on a too short belt (I had never worn a belt since I trained with an integrated BCD) and still floated! We tried to get me under for about 30 minutes... by the time we gave up my backside was still dry so we re-named me bob and declared it a successful snorkel experience!
When we finally got out on a boat with Aldora, Mario showed me what I had been doing wrong and had me under water with 28 pounds (he told me that when I got to four pounds I could consider myself an actual diver)!
The rest of the week was incredible... every dive was unique, the Aldora staff never ceased to amaze us with their skill and willingness to provide creative solutions to make us comfortable. Our biggest concern was making experienced divers suffer short dives due to our inexperience so Dave and Memo arranged a boat for just the two of us! As a result we were able to get lot's of personal attention, fine tuning and input into the day's dive plans. Mario and Aristeo were so professional that our confidence grew by the minute.
For my birthday, the staff arranged a family trip so my wife, daughter and friend could join us for the day and snorkel with a dive master while we went below! The family day is our favorite memory of the trip. Aristeo was able to make my wife love snorkelling (she has hated it for the 5 years my daughter and I have been doing it)he even gave her his mask when he realized that much of her difficulty was related to a poor fitting mask that we brought from home. My nine year old daughter was treated like a princess and was given full respect for her fearlessness and love of the ocean. Great stuff!
Aldora is not the least expensive choice in Cozumel but certainly gives a great return and value for the price. One of our travel companions had arranged a trip with a different outfit... after starting the day watching her frantically try to borrow equipment and a boat from friends we chose not to go into the water and waited instead for a slot to open with Aldora. With our lack of experience we really felt as though a few more dollars was worth it to ensure proper equipment, safety and the invaluable tune up we received from the dive masters.
Dave and Kay have created a wonderful organization... equipment, staff, boats and attitudes are all one could hope for. Next trip we will head right for their door and schedule early... they are always busy and full!
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
parr3
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Reviews written: 1
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