Does anyone know of a good diving certification company?

TiphandAaron · 08-05-2008

We want to get certified to dive on our trip this September and we are wondering if anyone knows which company is the best at a fairly reasonable price...
Also any good links?

**Shammy** · 08-05-2008

GEOFISH

Yucatanned · 08-05-2008

Yep. Get Big Daddy at Geofish

jeffandbecky · 08-05-2008

Geofish gets my vote as well. You may want to do your class room and pool work at home so that you only have to do your open water dives in Playa. That will save you a couple of days on your vacation. Give Geofish a shout and see what agencies they do referals for.

pitt alum · 08-05-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeffandbecky

Geofish gets my vote as well. You may want to do your class room and pool work at home so that you only have to do your open water dives in Playa. That will save you a couple of days on your vacation. Give Geofish a shout and see what agencies they do referals for.

They are a PADI center.

jperge · 08-05-2008

My husband got his open water certification at Scuba Playa and had a really good experience. I am not sure how it compares to the other shops in Playa. We worked with Ernesto and he was really patient and we felt very safe with them!

Bumper · 08-05-2008

Did my classroom and pool work at home, and the two days of open water with an outfit called Dive Mike in Playa. The PADI program is completely portable. I was quite pleased with Dive Mike. I hear great things about Geofish, but they weren't in business back when I got my certification. I think you'll find most of the shops in town are PADI affiliated, and from what I could see, there wasn't a lot of difference in the pricing.

jeffandbecky · 08-05-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by pitt alum

They are a PADI center.

Padi, SSI and NAUI (the big ones in the US) are pretty good about recognizing referrals between agencies. If you go to a local dive shop, you should be ok getting a referral recognized in Playa.

TiphandAaron · 08-05-2008

Thanks for all the help!

Rissask · 08-05-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeffandbecky

Padi, SSI and NAUI (the big ones in the US) are pretty good about recognizing referrals between agencies. If you go to a local dive shop, you should be ok getting a referral recognized in Playa.

and ACUC s recognized internationally as well.

**Jesus** · 08-06-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bumper

I was quite pleased with Dive Mike. I hear great things about Geofish, but they weren't in business back when I got my certification.

**james** · 08-06-2008

the most important thing is the instructor you end up with, so make it your priority to be comfortable with the person that will be teaching you. Yucatek has the only good training pool in Playa, which is something to consider. I used to enjoy using that pool to teach divers when I was a Yucatek instructor.

Abyss and Geofish won't do you wrong.

See Turtle · 08-06-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by TiphandAaron

We want to get certified to dive on our trip this September and we are wondering if anyone knows which company is the best at a fairly reasonable price...
Also any good links?

If you're a newbie, you can't do any better than Paulo (Daddy B) at Geofish.

jeffandbecky · 08-06-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rissask

and ACUC s recognized internationally as well.

One problem that is on the rise is the growth of internet based scuba instruction. If you go with the majors you are alright. There have been some posts on Scubaboard where people did the course work and found that no one would recognize it. This is only an issue if tiphandarron decide to go with doing the classroom/pool at home.

jeffandbecky · 08-07-2008

Got to pull a BIG 180 on Goefish, Paulo has left! James is absolutely right, its all about the instructor. Without Paulo being there, my second on Geofish is withdrawn. TiphandAron, look for another dive shop.

See this thread, http://www.playa.info/playa-del-carm...g-geofish.html

08-05-2008	#1 (permalink)
TiphandAaron lost on fifth Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Seattle, WA, USA Posts: 14	Does anyone know of a good diving certification company? We want to get certified to dive on our trip this September and we are wondering if anyone knows which company is the best at a fairly reasonable price... Also any good links?

08-06-2008	#12 (permalink)
james beach geek admin Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: 10 year Playa resident lost in Sweden Posts: 12,273	the most important thing is the instructor you end up with, so make it your priority to be comfortable with the person that will be teaching you. Yucatek has the only good training pool in Playa, which is something to consider. I used to enjoy using that pool to teach divers when I was a Yucatek instructor. Abyss and Geofish won't do you wrong. __________________ Get your own signature countdown image!

08-07-2008	#15 (permalink)
jeffandbecky añejo Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Driftwood Posts: 2,101	Got to pull a BIG 180 on Goefish, Paulo has left! James is absolutely right, its all about the instructor. Without Paulo being there, my second on Geofish is withdrawn. TiphandAron, look for another dive shop. See this thread, http://www.playa.info/playa-del-carm...g-geofish.html Last edited by jeffandbecky; 08-07-2008 at 01:14 AM..

08-05-2008	#2 (permalink)
Shammy Travel Insurance Tester Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: The Joisey Shore Posts: 17,467	GEOFISH

08-05-2008	#3 (permalink)
Yucatanned reposado Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Gaylord Michigan Posts: 1,085	Yep. Get Big Daddy at Geofish

08-05-2008	#4 (permalink)
jeffandbecky añejo Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Driftwood Posts: 2,101	Geofish gets my vote as well. You may want to do your class room and pool work at home so that you only have to do your open water dives in Playa. That will save you a couple of days on your vacation. Give Geofish a shout and see what agencies they do referals for.

08-05-2008	#6 (permalink)
jperge life=playa Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Portsmouth, VA Posts: 555	My husband got his open water certification at Scuba Playa and had a really good experience. I am not sure how it compares to the other shops in Playa. We worked with Ernesto and he was really patient and we felt very safe with them!

08-05-2008	#7 (permalink)
Bumper Class Clown Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Winnipeg, Canada Posts: 14,212	Did my classroom and pool work at home, and the two days of open water with an outfit called Dive Mike in Playa. The PADI program is completely portable. I was quite pleased with Dive Mike. I hear great things about Geofish, but they weren't in business back when I got my certification. I think you'll find most of the shops in town are PADI affiliated, and from what I could see, there wasn't a lot of difference in the pricing.

08-05-2008	#9 (permalink)
TiphandAaron lost on fifth Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Seattle, WA, USA Posts: 14	Thanks for all the help!

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