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Dive Review of Patagon Divers/Ritz Carlton in
Virgin Islands/St. Thomas

Patagon Divers/Ritz Carlton, Mar, 2010,

by Kenneth J Davis MD, NJ, US (Reviewer Reviewer 6 reports). Report 5438.

No photos available at this time

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Accommodations 5 stars Food 5 stars
Service and Attitude 4 stars Environmental Sensitivity 3 stars
Dive Operation 5 stars Shore Diving N/A
Snorkeling N/A
Value for $$ 4 stars
Beginners 5 stars
Advanced 4 stars
Comments Patagon Divers is the on-premises dive shop for the Ritz Carlton. This is a very well-run operation with personal service. Two boats, one larger one for beginners taking certification classes, a smaller one for certified divers. On the smaller boat there were no more than 6 divers with 2 dive masters, one in the water and one on the boat. No head, but short rides - really didn't matter. Bring down your gear and they bring it out to the boat (short Zodiac ride), set it up for you, bring it back to the shop and rinse and dry it after the last dive. Ready for you on the boat the next day. My power inflater malfunctioned the first day, and was repaired overnight without my asking. They offer 2 tank morning and afternoon dives, which is great for those of us who don't want to get up at the crack of dawn on vacation. We did the afternoon - relatively shallow dives on nice reefs with interesting topography. One sight, Cow and Calf, featured spectacular canyons on one dive and lots of swim-throughs on the other. Stingrays, a turtle, lots of tropicals. The dive staff was excellent - hand up as much gear as you want, easy climb up the ladder. There are some deeper sights for those who need the adventure.

The Ritz Carlton is a beautiful property but VERY expensive. The service was good but not what you'd expect for the money. I was traveling with my wife and teenage son. We had reserved a two-bed room, but when we arrived there was only a king available, and my son had to sleep on a rollaway before we got moved. We did get a credit. Food was good but very expensive, and since the resort is somewhat isolated there was really no alternative for breakfast without a cab ride. St. Thomas is very hilly, so some of those cab rides to restaurants (generally good but expensive) were roller coaster rides.

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience 51-100 dives
Where else diving Caymans, Cozumel, Bora Bora, Maui, Bahamas, Provo, Key West, Curacao, Aruba,
Closest Airport Getting There

Dive Conditions

Weather sunny Seas calm
Water Temp 80-82°F / 27-28°C Wetsuit Thickness 1
Water Visibility 50-100 Ft/ 15-30 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile no
Enforced diving restrictions Guided dive - that's what we wanted.
Liveaboard? no Nitrox Available? N/A

What I Saw

Sharks None Mantas None
Dolphins None Whale Sharks None
Turtles 1 or 2 Whales None
Corals 4 stars Tropical Fish 3 stars
Small Critters 4 stars Large Fish 3 stars
Large Pelagics N/A

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Subject Matter N/A Boat Facilities N/A
Overall rating for UWP's N/A Shore Facilities N/A
UW Photo Comments [None]
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Note: The information here was reported by the author above, but has NOT been reviewed nor edited by Undercurrent prior to posting on our website. Please report any major problems by writing to us and referencing the report number above.

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