Scuba School And Family Dive Center
Scuba School And Family Dive Center
Scuba School And Family Dive Center
5
Scuba & SnorkellingShark DivingBoat ToursWater SportsFishing Charters & Tours
7:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Monday
7:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Tuesday
7:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Wednesday
7:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Thursday
7:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Friday
7:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Saturday
7:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Sunday
7:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Full view
About
Scuba School And Family Dive Center Belize. A premier PADI FIVE STAR dive center in Belize, offering scuba lessons, local dives, Blue Hole, private charters, Blue Hole Overnight, mainland tours and much. We are a full license tour operator company that provides services throughout the country of Belize. We have teach hundreds of PADI dive course. Our dive professionals are among the best instructors with high expiriance on all scuba dive lessons. We are located five minutes boat ride from the second largest Barrier Reef, vivid with marine life, dolphin, sharks, turtles, Caribbian colorful fish... San Pedro, Ambergris Caye is the largest island just fifteen minutes flight from Belize by Tropic Air or Maya Air.
San Pedro, Belize
Meets animal welfare guidelines
Awards
Travelers' Choice
2024
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
1,364 reviews
Excellent
1,333
Very good
21
Average
3
Poor
3
Terrible
7
Day18
Gatineau, Canada18 contributions
Feb 2020
We had an amazing experience with Scuba School and Family Dive Center.
First, we emailed them long in advance of our trip to ask them different questions and options. My boyfriend was doing his referral open water and I wanted to book some dives as I'm already certified. The ladies answering our emails were always patient and really helpful. We felt confident booking with them.
My boyfriend did his open water referral, I did three tanks and we also did the combo dive/snorkelling hol chan marine reserve. We really enjoyed everything.
Once we arrived in San Pedro, the girl as the front desk was really nice as well. They made my boyfriend pay for this referral open water, but waited before making me pay for all my dives as the wind was strong and they were not sure I could do all of them. Turns out we needed to pushed back by one day our second day of driving to be able to go dive past the channel. Because we were leaving that same day of Caye Caulker, they made sure we were able to catch the 1pm boat and even drove us to the ferry. We really appreciated it.
My boyfriend did his referral with Zain. He was a great instructor. I also did some dives with him. He's patient, thoughtful and competent. We also dove with Abdi and really enjoyed him as well - he was funny. Our captains were MJ and Carlos - they were both very good company.
I highly recommend this company - they were professional, the equipment was in good condition and everyone was very pleasant.
First, we emailed them long in advance of our trip to ask them different questions and options. My boyfriend was doing his referral open water and I wanted to book some dives as I'm already certified. The ladies answering our emails were always patient and really helpful. We felt confident booking with them.
My boyfriend did his open water referral, I did three tanks and we also did the combo dive/snorkelling hol chan marine reserve. We really enjoyed everything.
Once we arrived in San Pedro, the girl as the front desk was really nice as well. They made my boyfriend pay for this referral open water, but waited before making me pay for all my dives as the wind was strong and they were not sure I could do all of them. Turns out we needed to pushed back by one day our second day of driving to be able to go dive past the channel. Because we were leaving that same day of Caye Caulker, they made sure we were able to catch the 1pm boat and even drove us to the ferry. We really appreciated it.
My boyfriend did his referral with Zain. He was a great instructor. I also did some dives with him. He's patient, thoughtful and competent. We also dove with Abdi and really enjoyed him as well - he was funny. Our captains were MJ and Carlos - they were both very good company.
I highly recommend this company - they were professional, the equipment was in good condition and everyone was very pleasant.
Written February 20, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hey there Day18,
I just want to say on behalf of the whole crew here at SSFDCB: thank you for such an awesome review! I'm thrilled you had such a great time with us and liked the way we operated! Your confidence and trust in us means more than you know!
Congratulations to your boyfriend for joining you in the underwater club of certified divers! You guys are going to have such wonderful adventures together! Thank you so very much for allowing us to be part of the beginning of your underwater adventure together!
Thanks for your patience when the weather didn't want to cooperate, but I'm thrilled you guys were able to get all your dives in and you had a blast with our guys! It was nothing short of a pleasure having you. We hope to have the privilege of diving with you again soon, your tanks are full and waiting!
Kindest Regards,
Lauren
SSFDCB Management Team
Written February 22, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Natalie L
60 contributions
Jan 2020
My husband and I are fairly experienced divers, but had been out of the water for a few years. The crew at Scuba School & Family Dive Center took great care of us, and certainly deserve their 5 star rating. We were able to web chat with someone in the evening we arrived on the island, who assured us we could book a private dive the following day. We ended up with a completely private refresher course and dive. Our instructor, James, was top notch. Such a professional, with a great balance of friendliness and seriousness. He made us feel confident again and then led us on a beautiful dive. It was just what we needed. Some dive shops make you feel rushed and overwhelmed, but these guys were great. They encouraged us to check our own gear (which is so important and I've rarely seen at other shops) and carefully answered all of our questions, while being encouraging and fun. I'd recommend them to any friend diving on the island. Thanks, guys!
Written February 4, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello NatalieSafieh,
I just wanted to drop a quick thanks for leaving us such a fantastic review! I am so glad you had a great time diving with us and brushing up on your Scuba skills with James. Although I'm not surprised he took great care of you, you were in excellent hands. We appreciate you spending part of your vacation with us! We hope to have the privilege of diving with you again soon, your tanks are full and waiting!
Kindest Regards,
Lauren
SSFDCB Management Team
Written February 11, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
dafense
Melville, NY11 contributions
Jan 2020 • Family
I want to Belize with my family over Christmas break and my son had to get certified doing his confined and open water dives in Belize. Well I can tell you is wow! I found these guys online and then spoke to Mike, one owner, while we were still in the US. He actually helped with our golf cart rental and with any other advice we had on the island as a whole. We got down there and it was a mixup with the scheduling but that did not deter them from making things right. They actually certified my son for free. Not withstanding that, the attention to detail and the instruction was first-rate. I’ve never seen someone so concerned about safety. Jr Tillet, who is one of the owners did my sons certification course and my refresher course at the same time. Because I don’t type that frequently, I usually have to take a refresher course wherever I go. This was completely different from any refresher course I’ve ever done. They spent so much time and making sure that we completely understood every aspect of being on the water that it made me feel more comfortable than I even felt when I got certified.. They also made us feel like family. There was a new dive instructor named Jillian there as well, she recently migrated from the states to teach diving in Belize and she was amazing as well. Scheduling was handled by Alexa, JR‘s wife. The whole place made us really feel truly at home and really felt like part of the family, I guess there’s a reason why “Family” in the name. All I can say is if you are in Belize, and want to dive, this is the absolute only place to go!
In fact if you are not in Belize but want to go and get certified, go here because they are just that good and comforting.
I cannot wait to go back and dive with them again!
In fact if you are not in Belize but want to go and get certified, go here because they are just that good and comforting.
I cannot wait to go back and dive with them again!
Written January 14, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi dafense,
Thank you so much for leaving us this great review! Wow, you sure did have an eventful time here with us, sorry about the mix up, but I'm so glad the team was able to get everything straightened out for you in the end. You were in superb hands with Junior so I'm not surprised he took such great care of you, he really is one of the best! The fact that you guys walked away feeling like family speaks straight to our hearts because we always feel the same exact way when we have to sadly say goodbye. It was nothing but a pleasure having you guys, and thanks so much for choosing us. We hope to have the privilege of diving with you and your son again soon, your tanks are full and waiting!
Kindest Regards,
Lauren
SSFDCB Management Team
Written January 17, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Chelsea B.
1 contribution
Jan 2020
First let me state I enjoyed the dive instructor themselves; my experience of actually diving with this team was great.
However, this business has no regard for your time, money, or overall experience with them. I would be doing the general public a disservice to not warn you of the poor, poor management dealings I have had with this company. There are multiple other diving school on San Pedro. Spare yourselves from this one.
My boyfriend and I scheduled my certification course (2 days) and 1 day of two tank dives (as he is already certified) with this company. The weather abruptly changed once we arrived in Belize. Everyone was talking about how over the last few days, it rained every night. Well, this was the case for our vacation too which made the waters choppy. Per the dive team, no other schools were going out due to the poor clarity of the water and unsafe, choppy waters. For this reason, my boyfriend wanted to cancel his second dive that we already paid for, because he could not go into deeper water as originally planned, or to no other dive site other than the shallow waters we were training in. Even with the state of weather, they encouraged us to prepay for two tanks BUT then would not reimburse us for the second tank stating "we do not refund for things out of our control and that includes weather." Wouldn't it be a proper thing to mention upfront, beforehand as you are aware of the current forecast and his upfront desire to go to other dive sites as he is already certified? In fact, all of this was discussed over the phone with our deposit that we placed before even leaving the States. Nevertheless, he tried the next day but again, they were not going to other sites. We told them at that time to please email us before closing because we already had other prepaid adventures on the island that we could not cancel, and also if we decided to have drinks with dinner, it would make diving the next day unsafe.
LONG story short, I called and sent polite, concise emails for two weeks hoping management would reimburse me my money for a service not rendered. Finally I spoke with Alexis over the phone who told me "not our fault you were too hungover to show up for your dive."
Fastforward to when I finally spoke with the owner... his long reply to me states other customers would "look through your temper tantrum" on the reviews and still book with us because were #1.
I can prove everything quoted with emails. Sidenote: they did send an email to us on our third day of attempting to get a refund as a disagreement in the policy (they were never upfront about) was already occurring.
Had I lost this money on my $400 package to get certified due to weather, I'd be even more upset. Spare yourselves. It sucks to leave such a sucky review.
However, this business has no regard for your time, money, or overall experience with them. I would be doing the general public a disservice to not warn you of the poor, poor management dealings I have had with this company. There are multiple other diving school on San Pedro. Spare yourselves from this one.
My boyfriend and I scheduled my certification course (2 days) and 1 day of two tank dives (as he is already certified) with this company. The weather abruptly changed once we arrived in Belize. Everyone was talking about how over the last few days, it rained every night. Well, this was the case for our vacation too which made the waters choppy. Per the dive team, no other schools were going out due to the poor clarity of the water and unsafe, choppy waters. For this reason, my boyfriend wanted to cancel his second dive that we already paid for, because he could not go into deeper water as originally planned, or to no other dive site other than the shallow waters we were training in. Even with the state of weather, they encouraged us to prepay for two tanks BUT then would not reimburse us for the second tank stating "we do not refund for things out of our control and that includes weather." Wouldn't it be a proper thing to mention upfront, beforehand as you are aware of the current forecast and his upfront desire to go to other dive sites as he is already certified? In fact, all of this was discussed over the phone with our deposit that we placed before even leaving the States. Nevertheless, he tried the next day but again, they were not going to other sites. We told them at that time to please email us before closing because we already had other prepaid adventures on the island that we could not cancel, and also if we decided to have drinks with dinner, it would make diving the next day unsafe.
LONG story short, I called and sent polite, concise emails for two weeks hoping management would reimburse me my money for a service not rendered. Finally I spoke with Alexis over the phone who told me "not our fault you were too hungover to show up for your dive."
Fastforward to when I finally spoke with the owner... his long reply to me states other customers would "look through your temper tantrum" on the reviews and still book with us because were #1.
I can prove everything quoted with emails. Sidenote: they did send an email to us on our third day of attempting to get a refund as a disagreement in the policy (they were never upfront about) was already occurring.
Had I lost this money on my $400 package to get certified due to weather, I'd be even more upset. Spare yourselves. It sucks to leave such a sucky review.
Written February 3, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Chelsea Bullock, thanks for taking the time to review us, we always strive to take any constructive criticism to better our service for our guests and I am so glad that you loved our team and that your diving was great, but I am sorry you feel our management let you down.
I did want to clarify a couple of inaccuracies and half-truths in your review. First, yes, the weather did hamper the entire island for one day of your visit, but we did try numerous times to reschedule you. What you failed to include in your review was that there was only one day where the diving was not suitable while there were TWO other days of two tank dives outside the reef for deep dives available for your boyfriend, Zach, to have completed his remaining one tank dive. You were both made aware of this availability and had rescheduled his dive on these days. The team was ready to take you out, but you failed to show up on time for the dives and had told our Belize office team you were too "drunk and hungover" from your partying the night before. This resulted in us sending our morning dives late due to waiting on you. Again, your boyfriend missed two days of opportunities to complete the dive and since he “no-showed”, this is not within our control, and thus, not grounds for a refund per our refund policy which you clearly knew as I’ll detail below.
Second, you state that you sent concise polite emails and called for two weeks. The truth is that we received only one email from you and due to my travels, I was not able to answer it in a timely manner. I apologized to you for not answering it much quicker, but then you called our BZ office and when our office staff reminded you that you did not show up for the scheduled dives and reminded you of our refund policy, which you were made aware of prior to even booking with us. You then proceeded to become verbally abusive, threatened them with bad reviews and even stooped to the low level of saying "listen don't play with me B$%CH". I don’t know what businesses you try these threatening tactics with, but it doesn’t work with us. At no time will I ever tolerate anyone sinking to the level of using foul language or abusive language to any of our team, it is just not acceptable, and you should be ashamed of yourself.
Third, with regard to our refund policy you stated: "Wouldn't it be a proper thing to mention upfront, beforehand as you are aware of the current forecast and his upfront desire to go to other dive sites as he is already certified? In fact, all of this was discussed over the phone with our deposit that we placed before even leaving the States". Yes, I was the one you spoke to originally on the phone and I clearly informed you of our refund policy and even told you that if the weather becomes a factor we will just reschedule your dives to another day to get your dives in and I have detailed notes of our conversation. You were happy and satisfied and then initiated booking clearly knowing our policy. This in fact is exactly what we did when we had one bad day of weather, but unfortunately you guys needed to show up and on time in order to actually complete the dives booked. We cannot control your alcohol consumption or your decision to no-show on the dives scheduled which inconvenienced our other guests while we waited for you to show. Further, we are extremely transparent and our refund policy is on our deposit invoice, which you knew and executed, as well as on our final payment invoice, which you initialed as being read and signed for in our shop on your first day of diving and prior to us taking any payment. You as with all of our guests are presented these invoices showing all of our terms and conditions prior to ever executing any payment. I am not sure how much more we could have done here to make you aware of it, but we will certainly see if we can present the information in a different manner.
Fourth, your statement about speaking with me is also not factual. The fact is following your dives you never spoke with me, you only sent an email. I offered you my number in two emails and said I would be happy to discuss with you at your convenience and even advised you when I would be available the next day. You also sated we were never upfront about our policy. In fact, I sent you the copies of your deposit invoice where it is clearly stated as well as the copy of the invoice you executed, agreed to, and signed for in the shop on your first day that again clearly states our policies, which contains your initials as having read and understood the policy right next to it.
Lastly, here is the exact verbiage I stated from the email you are referencing; "I also find your threats of a bad review to be very telling. I am confident when I reply to any negative review you may initiate with copies of your emails stating how much you loved us as well as the facts as to why Zachary did not actually complete his one dive along with the copies of the invoices you agreed to and signed, any reasonably sane person will see through your temper tantrum and move on to any of our other 1000 5-star reviews for reference". As you can see I did not state "because we are #1" and yes, I do believe that the vast majority of savvy travelers will see through your childish actions and rant for exactly what it is.
I believe amidst this 1-star review, readers will be able to dissect the important parts of it, which are you admited you loved diving with us, did not show up for dives and then blamed us, and then in attempt to hurt our business you write a 1-star ransom review trying to get a refund. The great news, however, is we got you fully certified and you loved diving with our team.
Michael
Owner/CEO SSFDCB
Written February 5, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Boyce R
Kansas City, MO19 contributions
Dec 2021
After researching and contacting a number of dive shops in San Pedro, we ultimately selected Scuba School due to their great online reviews and incredibly responsive staff (Carmen and Lauren were wonderful). I let them know we were interested in obtaining our Advanced Open Water Certification and diving the Blue Hole, and they put together a wonderful itinerary that included everything we requested, as well as a few adventure dives out in Hol Chan. Overall, we really enjoyed the Advanced Open Water certification process, as each instructor, including our primary instructor, Zain, made sure the skills courses were beneficial (Peak Performance Buoyancy was perhaps the most impactful SCUBA course I have ever taken), but also enjoyable. Even while other groups were off on adventure dives, it still very much felt like we had great opportunities to see ocean life while working on our required skillsets. The guides were all kind, funny, and extremely knowledgable. In the end, we obtained our Advanced Open Water certifications, completed Boat, Navigation, Deep, Buoyancy, and Night dives, as well as multiple adventure dives, and dove the Blue Hole (arranged by Scuba School, but handled by another dive shop), and had one of the best underwater weeks of our lives. Could not possibly recommend Scuba School more, for everything from snorkeling to advanced-level SCUBA certifications. If we are ever back on San Pedro, we will unquestionably dive with them again.
Written January 21, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello samuraihawk,
I just wanted to leave a huge thank you for giving us this phenomenal review as these more than anything help our small business more than you know. I'm so glad you loved earning your AOW with Zain and the guys, and thank you for your kind words, they have already been passed along. Congratulations on your AOW certifications and we're thrilled you had one of the best underwater weeks of your life, what an awesome adventure! Thanks again for choosing us! We hope to have the privilege of diving with you again soon, your tanks are always full and waiting!
Kindest Regards,
Lauren
SSFDCB Management Team
Written January 26, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Tina R
9 contributions
Feb 2020
SUPER professional and funny dive team! I absolutely loved it.
The spots they brought us were stunning and I always felt in good hands. Also I appreciated checking the dive equipment bevor every dive - as it unfortunately not common in all dive centres. I bought the Shark Package and it was a perfect choice for me. Not only did I see my favourit animal, a shark, every dive but also after these 10 dives I felt super secure. I lost all my fear and finnaly it felt natural to breathe underwater! :D
The dive team is very supportive and funny which makes the dive experience unforgettable and just perfect!
I will never forget it!
I would always come back and I will ! THANK YOU! :)
The spots they brought us were stunning and I always felt in good hands. Also I appreciated checking the dive equipment bevor every dive - as it unfortunately not common in all dive centres. I bought the Shark Package and it was a perfect choice for me. Not only did I see my favourit animal, a shark, every dive but also after these 10 dives I felt super secure. I lost all my fear and finnaly it felt natural to breathe underwater! :D
The dive team is very supportive and funny which makes the dive experience unforgettable and just perfect!
I will never forget it!
I would always come back and I will ! THANK YOU! :)
Written April 3, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Tina!
Thank you so much for leaving us this fantastic five-star review! I cannot believe you were able to see sharks on each of your dives with us, what an amazing experience! I'm thrilled you not only enjoyed the shark package, but also our team and operation. The fact that all of your fears went away after diving with us speaks straight to our hearts; thanks so much for allowing us to come along on your underwater adventure. We hope to have the privilege of diving with you again soon, your tanks are always full and waiting!
Kindest Regards,
Lauren
SSFDCB Management Team
Written April 7, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
missmartilu
Kansas City, MO6 contributions
Feb 2021
This dive shop is absolutely the best I have ever worked with after years of dive travel and group dive plans. Alexa and Carmen worked with me for weeks to nail down an amazing itinerary for our group. They are responsive, helpful, and just flat fantastic. If we wanted a tour that Scuba School was not offering, they found a way for us to go with a partner dive shop. If a plan changed, they were flexible and while I know it must have been lots of work for them, every day they had smiles and said, 'sure, no problem' for most any request.
Josh and Zain are incredible. It only took them a few dives with our group for them to understand exactly the kind of dives, information, dive style, and experiences we were after. They were spectacular. Zain finding all the critters we wanted to see on a night dive was great. Josh leading us through "swimthroughs" was another highlight! I felt like we could dive the same site 3 times and have a new and amazing experience each time. These guys are so knowledgeable about diving, Belize, dive conservation, fish identification and behavior, and are just an absolute blast to hang out with. When we were not blowing bubbles, we were all laughing and having a great time.
We will certainly be returning to this shop and would highly recommend it to anyone from beginners, to the experienced.
Carmen, Alexa, Josh, and Zain; we cannot wait to see you again and appreciate EVERYTHING you did for our group!
Josh and Zain are incredible. It only took them a few dives with our group for them to understand exactly the kind of dives, information, dive style, and experiences we were after. They were spectacular. Zain finding all the critters we wanted to see on a night dive was great. Josh leading us through "swimthroughs" was another highlight! I felt like we could dive the same site 3 times and have a new and amazing experience each time. These guys are so knowledgeable about diving, Belize, dive conservation, fish identification and behavior, and are just an absolute blast to hang out with. When we were not blowing bubbles, we were all laughing and having a great time.
We will certainly be returning to this shop and would highly recommend it to anyone from beginners, to the experienced.
Carmen, Alexa, Josh, and Zain; we cannot wait to see you again and appreciate EVERYTHING you did for our group!
Written March 1, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Marti,
I just wanted to drop a HUGE thank you from all of us here at SSFDCB for your spectacular 5-star review! We are all blown away by your kind words. Thank you for recognizing our fantastic crew, I have shared your review with the whole shop and we can't express how grateful we are. We're thrilled you had such a great time diving with us, it was so much fun having you guys with us. Thanks for joining our family for your underwater adventures in Belize. We hope to have the privilege of diving with you again soon, your tanks are always full and waiting!
Kindest Regards,
Lauren
SSFDCB Management Team
Written March 9, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Jrawson88
Hoboken, NJ7 contributions
Jan 2020 • Solo
Came down to Belize to do my initial PADI certification. The instructors were fantastic, the dive sites were incredible and they all made us feel very safe while teaching us the basics of Scuba. Zain was an incredible instructor and his passion for diving and having fun was infectious. I would highly recommend coming here any time you are on San Pedro island for an incredible dive experience.
Written January 4, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi James,
Thanks for taking the time to leave us this awesome review. We're so glad you not only had a great time getting certified with Zain, but that you felt safe at all times. This is music to our ears as it truly is what's most important at the end of the day. Thanks for choosing us and congratulations on your certification! We hope to have the privilege of diving with you again soon, your tanks are full and waiting!
Kindest Regards,
Lauren
SSFDCB Management Team
Written January 9, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Mazmaster98
8 contributions
Mar 2022 • Family
This was my second time to Ambergris Caye to dive and my second time diving with Scuba School and Family Dive Center. The professionalism and expertise starts with booking and continues throughout your dive experience. My teenagers and I enjoyed 9 dives and 1 snorkel trip during our vacation including our first night dive (octopus & bioluminescence were so cool!) and Holchan nature reserve. All were fantastic - beautiful coral reefs just a 10 min boat ride away, gorgeous marine life, and a fun experience thanks to our dive master, MJ. MJ was incredibly attentive - making sure we were all safe and comfortable and having a great time. He’s also a fantastic videographer. :) We took advantage of the free Nitrox certification offer which was easy to fit in between dives. We highly recommend diving with Scuba School and Family Dive Center and can’t wait to come back!
Written March 25, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Teresa,
Thank you so much for not only your fantastic review, but also for being part of the SSFDCB family and choosing to come back and dive with us again! It is always so wonderful diving with you and your family, thank you for trusting us with such precious cargo! I'm thrilled you loved the night dive, they're my personal favorite and the bioluminescence is truly a bucket list item that all divers should tick. Thanks again for choosing to come back to us, we hope to see you guys again soon!
Kindest Regards,
Lauren
SSFDCB Management Team
Written March 28, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Tim L
Dallas, TX1 contribution
Apr 2021 • Couples
I never leave reviews but these guys and gals are the best.
My wife and I came to dive with some friends in late March and were only able to do a one tank dive and Shark alley due to the weather. We were not able to go outside the reef for a dive but still had an amazing experience with MJ, Zane and Josh. I told them I would be back in a few weeks and I am sure they thought I was kidding. My wife and I came back the last week of April for a few days and everyone recognized us upon arrival. We again had some weather issues, only wanted to dive outside the reef, and a tight time schedule, but Carmen and Alexa were so amazing in trying to accommodate us to get us past the reef for some dives. They went well out of their way to make sure we could get our dives completed outside the reef. We have only had the pleasure to dive with MJ, Zane, and Josh but this is a first class organization all around. I’ve done a lot of diving and these guys and gals are the top of my list. Very knowledgeable, very accommodating, and super fun! MJ has such a great personality and great sense of humor / attitude. Josh is so knowledgeable and patient (it was my wife’s first time diving after getting certified), and Zane is the master Captain (hopefully he will let me drive the boat next time). You will do yourself a disservice if you don’t use these guys/gals. Look forward to diving with them again in a few months.
Only negative is that they don’t serve beers on the boat after dives :)
Tim and Megan
My wife and I came to dive with some friends in late March and were only able to do a one tank dive and Shark alley due to the weather. We were not able to go outside the reef for a dive but still had an amazing experience with MJ, Zane and Josh. I told them I would be back in a few weeks and I am sure they thought I was kidding. My wife and I came back the last week of April for a few days and everyone recognized us upon arrival. We again had some weather issues, only wanted to dive outside the reef, and a tight time schedule, but Carmen and Alexa were so amazing in trying to accommodate us to get us past the reef for some dives. They went well out of their way to make sure we could get our dives completed outside the reef. We have only had the pleasure to dive with MJ, Zane, and Josh but this is a first class organization all around. I’ve done a lot of diving and these guys and gals are the top of my list. Very knowledgeable, very accommodating, and super fun! MJ has such a great personality and great sense of humor / attitude. Josh is so knowledgeable and patient (it was my wife’s first time diving after getting certified), and Zane is the master Captain (hopefully he will let me drive the boat next time). You will do yourself a disservice if you don’t use these guys/gals. Look forward to diving with them again in a few months.
Only negative is that they don’t serve beers on the boat after dives :)
Tim and Megan
Written May 2, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi timlH8188YT,
Wow, thank you so much for not only such a fantastic and thoughtful review, but also coming back to dive with us! We love when our underwater family comes back to visit! I'm so glad Carmen and Alexa were able to work around the crazy weather we were having so you were able to see the amazing dive sites in our back yard! Thanks again to you and your wife for coming back to see us, it was wonderful having you. We might have to work on serving beers after dives, I for one think it's a fantastic idea ;) We hope to have the privilege of diving with you guys again soon, your tanks are always full and waiting!
Kindest Regards,
Lauren
SSFDCB Management Team
Written May 4, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
What about sharks? And not the nurse sharks? I want to dive but need to get past my fear of sharks..
Written September 22, 2022
Like you, I had a fear of sharks. We saw both nurse sharks and reef sharks on every dive. They are actually quite amazing to see. They keep their distance and just gracefully swim around. I was never fearful when I saw them, I was more mesmerized than anything! Just read more about reef sharks and that should help too. They are not great whites! Good luck and enjoy!
Written September 22, 2022
A couple of us would like to learn how to scuba dive. Is there a package to just learn and then beginner dives? My husband and I are seniors (65yrs old). Will it be a problem for us to learn how to scuba?
We are a family of 4 adults visiting July 18-25. I’d like to swim the whale sharks primarily. Will they still be in your waters then? I’m reviewing your other tours.
Written February 12, 2020
You can swim with nurse sharks when snorkeling in the Hol Chan Marine Reserve. Scuba diving isn’t needed. I am not sure about the whale shark season. However if you want to learn to dive, you can take the resort course at the scuba school and they will then take you out on a dive. They are very experienced and safety conscious when out on dives with all levels of divers. They are also very familiar with the marine life locations and seasons. I would highly recommend them.
Written February 13, 2020
What is the cost range for a dive session please? I have yet to do my advanced.
Written January 20, 2019
It looks like the question has been answered above. I honestly don't remember especially because we were getting certified so our dive package included the training plus we added dives to it. It wasn't very much though, maybe $45-$50 I believe. I would check on their website, or call them. The number on the website leads to a USA phone number, if you live in the US therefore no international charges.
Written January 21, 2019
hello
We are planning to head in Belizle in the next couple of weeks
I was wandering how is the seaweed situation in Belizle ?
Are the beaches filled with seaweed?
Does this affect the diving conditions ?
thanks for your time
cheers
paul
Written August 28, 2018
Hi Paul, the sargassum is affecting everyone here but must of the resort clean the beach. Fortunately it doesn’t affect the dives sits, since all of our dive sites are boat dives, five minutes from our shop. We been having great visibility.
Written August 29, 2018
I am a certified diver but my fiancée has only done the discover scuba diving. I am trying to figure out how to do the best of both worlds. Is there a way we can dive together where he can dive more shallow as required for his experience and I can do deeper diving at the same time. Basically him above and me below.
Written May 11, 2018
I agree with the previous comments. We've had a great experience with the Scuba School and they have organized everything perfectly. On one of our dives, we started off as one group on a shallow end of the reef. About half way, we got split up into two groups and some folks went deeper, while the rest remained in the shallow. The dive masters at the Scuba School are really good about finding what works for every skill level. Also it's such a beautiful area no matter how deep you dive. I'm sure you both will enjoy it!
Written May 17, 2018
We are located in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye.
Written April 28, 2018
If I land in Belize international airport, how do I get to your resort?
Written January 30, 2018
The best ways to get there from Belize International Airport are either to take a plane (it's about 15 minutes in the air) or by taking a taxi to downtown Belize City and then taking a ferry. The taxi/ferry option takes longer, but if it's done on a clear night the stargazing is magnificent.
Written January 24, 2019
My daughter will be in Belize February 22 after 1. Can she get her open water certificate on that day. Thanks. Margie
Written February 20, 2017
Good day Helena, if she is Looking to do the open water course she can't do it in one day. If she want to do some diving I'll recommend to do the resort course. She can do it in half day and allow her to dive. This is not a certification.
Written February 20, 2017
Hi, my wife and I are staying at the Royal Caribbean Resort and looking to dive Dec 28 and 29th. I am an advanced open water diver and my is looking to try out an exploratory dive as a first timer. Could you provide us with your availability and rates for an exploratory dive for my wife on the 28th and a few dives on both days for me? Thanks. - Craig
Written November 22, 2016
I would email them directly. They were very responsive to me via email which is why I chose them to get scuba certified.
Written November 22, 2016
Hi! My 19-year-old daughter wants to get scuba certified during our trip to Belize next March. We are planning a Monday-Monday trip, and I know she isn't supposed to fly within 24-hours of civing. Do your classes run all week or is there a certain day where you start everyone? She does plan on completing the classroom portion online before we come down.
Also, is there a hotel close by that you can recommend?
Thanks!!
Christine
Written November 11, 2016
Hi,
Sure we have classes all week to teach, Can you let me know the exact dates you are all planing to come and visit Belize in March. For hotels we have Royal Caribbean Resort, Banana Beach Resort,Mata Rocks Resort as well it all depends on the price range you looking for. Hope to hear from you soon.
Written January 22, 2017
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