This review is for their shop: TERRIBLE customer service. My 14 year old bought souvenir, leather bracelets which began to unravel after one day's wear. We returned to ask for an exchange or a refund, happy to accept either. The poor clerk called the manager and then had the unpleasant job of explaining to me that the store doesn't offer either, although nothing in posted in regards to this bizarre store policy. Really? Don't buy anything there, don't let your children buy anything. Stay away. read more

Horrible customer service. Who gives permission to somebody to fish only to get harnessed by 3 employees after he showed up at the appropriate time. DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH THEM !!! read more

Location is fantastic, right on the water. The service is excellent as is the food. The patio with fans was cool enough in an 85 degree day. read more

Great fun. Professionally operated with folks who really care, know and love what they do. Equipment used was good (and they allow use of personal equipment like I did), vessel was seaworthy, clean and safe. We were taken to 2 distinctly different locations 2 miles off shore for reef snorkeling - fantastic. Although the surf was choppy with relatively strong swells, we enjoyed every moment of it. Take it back, my wife and sis are landlubbers so they had issues about half way through with 'sea-sickness' - not the fault of the crew or boat! Highly recommend this outfit - very pro and friendly crew... very informative and humorous, and no Gilligans among them! Ahoy ya'll! read more

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My husband and I booked an afternoon snorkeling trip with deep blue diving. All of the staff displayed impeccable water sports skills, knowledge and flawless customer service. Our captain Bob, and two other staff members on board did everything to make sure we were comfortable and happy. When I went into the water(first time snorkeling for me) I had a hard time breathing and getting myself together to enjoy the experience. The crew were so amazing, knew exactly what to do and did everything in their power to reassure me so that I can have the best experience I could get. Only best recommendations!! read more

A Deep Blue Dive Center - Scuba Diving Near Me - Key Colony Beach, Florida

They certainly do not live up to their namesake. We visited Marathon in late March and read the other Yelp reviews, some of which suggest that this is the best place to go. Unfortunately, our dive was neither "Deep," nor "Blue." We were taken to a dive site on their fairly spacious pontoon boat and, after about 30 minutes, we arrived at a protected marine sanctuary called "The Stake." Granted, our dive was in the afternoon shortly after a small T-storm had blown through, but the visibility was terrible. Our maximum depth was only 20 feet and visibility was closer to 15 feet. The reef, itself, was unimpressive. We were given very little direction from the captain. He finally advised us on the direction of the current and best way to swim the reef only after we questioned him. On the bottom, the fish were typical yellow tail snapper, angelfish, hogfish, etc., but there wasn't anything more exotic that particular day. After the first dive, we were told that we could go to another reef, "but it probably won't be any better, there." The captain proceeded to drive the boat 50 feet to the west and promptly tied off saying, "Okay, we're here for the next dive." We had about 5 minutes to change our tanks and then were back in the water. Granted, a surface interval was not needed because of our very shallow depth, but it would have been nice to get a bit of a breather before diving back in for round 2. Finally, my least favorite part of the experience was when they requested that we pay gratuity before the boat even left the dock. In my experience, tipping the captain and his crew happens at the end and is based on customer satisfaction for services rendered. It is NOT mandatory. Asking for gratuity up front (of 20%, no less), doesn't make sense. The three of us paid it, I think because we were in shock at their request, but looking back I wouldn't do it again. read more

I called and asked many questions about booking a scuba trip with this company. However I called back the next day to reserve our spot and never heard back from them. I called twice and left a voicemail. This was yesterday and I still have yet to receive a call back. Highly disappointed. read more

We had a reservation for snorkeling at the Marathon location that was cancelled without any notice. So we couldn't find another snorkeling tour for the day. We had exchanged texts with the company the morning of our outing and they still never notified us of the cancellation until we arrived ready to leave. Very frustrating!! read more

Went on a snorkel trip with some friends and had a wonderful experience! We had been on a state park snorkel trip before and this crew was more friendly, more helpful and overall just had much better personalities. We found the design of the boat great too - nice and big with platform on the back that made it easier to get in the water. They took us to two different spots, both of which were great snorkeling. I saw moray eels, and a shark! And, of course, lots of fish. They had lots of free soda and bottled water on board. And it wasn't cram packed full of people either which was nice too. Overall we just enjoyed ourselves and it seemed like the crew did too. I highly recommend A Deep Blue Dive! read more

My family and I - wife and two daughters, 10 and 16 - went on a sunset cruise as well as a snorkel trip the next morning with ADBDC. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves both times. The snorkel trip was really nice because our youngest had gotten stung by a jellyfish a couple of days prior while at Dry Tortugas National Park and she was very apprehensive. The captain was very understanding and helpful. We would definitely use them again. As for the tip, just tell them you will leave a tip in cash after the trip if you don't want to do it up front. read more

Disappointing Experience Scuba Diving. Didn't have the one on one master diver to each new, inexperienced diver as advertised. This made for a bad experience, including spending the first dive mostly on the surface waiting for dive master while he was helping an "experienced" diver. Second dive ok, but overall time diving was too short for what was expected. Spent too much time at pool waiting to have faulty equipment changed out. Overall, not worth the cost or time. read more

My family and I have been visiting Key Colony Beach, for the past three years and love the area. I contacted A Deep Blue Dive Center for information about getting my 14 year old daughter to schedule a scuba certification course for my daughter for this year's trip. I spoke with an eager, cheerful employee named Britney who seemed genuinely interested in my daughters instruction. She went out of her way to make sure I was informed on the entire process, making sure all of my questions were answered. She even called and or email me to check on the progress of the shipment of the NAUI e-learning materials and how my daughter was doing with the course. She is gem of an employee. We arrived for our vacation and my daughter and I checked in with A Deep Blue Dive center to schedule the skills portion of the certification. At the shop, we were introduced to my daughter's instructor, Melissa who set up pool and open water dives needed. She was as cheerful and friendly as her coworker Britney. In fact, the entire shop staff made us feel as if we had known them for years. The instruction done by Melissa was professional, and thorough. My daughter and I were very comfortable with her teaching abilities. I knew my daughter was in good hands, and would be safe. Being a certified diver, I was able to dive with my daughter's certification class on the dive boat Tortuga. We had a great trip thanks to the staff of a A Great Blue Dive Center, Thanks Again, Tom and Willa read more

Hurry, hurry, hurry. Rush to get in the water, rush to return to the boat with tanks half full. What a ripoff: $100-plus for 45 minutes of mediocre diving with max depth of 20 feet at both sites. Nobody expected great scenery or marine life like in the Red Sea or Indonesia, but looked forward to long, leisurely dives. Instead the crew made everything a race. They even sped through uninformative briefings. The captain bragged about driving fast, and he delivered -- slamming the boat whenever possible for max discomfort despite calm waters, especially for older folks aboard or those with back issues. The crew only cared about their tips and how quickly they could finish the trip and get off work. read more

I've been to the Keys several times the last few years and have generally dove with the Tilden's Dive Shop. This trip, I decided to try a new place (Tilden's recently sold to Hall's) and am very happy with my decision. Deep Blue, from the initial phone call to our final rehashing of my wreck dive to the Thunderbolt, was an absolute pleasure. The staff was very welcoming and helpful with extra gear, gloves and flashlight, for the rough spots along the cable and to see the huge Groupers in the dark corners inside the ship. Our Master Diver, Cal, was courteous, fun to be with and instructive. He free dives to 95* feet and definitely makes you feel comfortable if your an occasional diver like me. Deep Blue is the best around and a definite 5 star experience. They deserve their number one rating in the Marathon area - earned a few years back in Diver Magazine. Small is better! read more

Nice tour, but watch out for the greedy staff. Pay in cash. If you pay with a credit card they will tip themselves 20% before leaving the dock! In our case, they tipped themselves $100. My poor dad got shafted! Oh and the snorkel/dive locations were lame. Buyer beware. read more

Deep Blue Dive took us out for a sunset cruise, our captain Warren was very polite and considerate of a couple of landlubbers, the boat was clean and spacious, they had beer and beverages, we toured the canals and viewed beautiful homes from the water and a lot of amazing big boats, it was just the two of us, really was a spectacular evening on the water - thank you Warren! read more

Fun staff, great equipment, super kid friendly. This is our second year diving with this company. Could not be happier! Melissa is so much fun and we loved having her help us for the last two years! Great, great, customer service! read more

Knowledgeable and friendly staff with the dive boat right next to the shop.

A Deep,Blue Dive offers wonderful trips for divers and snorkelers alike. The staff was knowledgable, helpful, friendly and welcoming. The equipment used is top notch. We will never waste time with anyone else! A huge shout out to all the crew and Jeff for yet another memorable trip. See you all very soon! read more

Very disappointing experience, though the staff was friendly enough. We left the dock an hour after the scheduled time. Quite soon into the trip, it became apparent that something was wrong with the boat...it was going ridiculously slowly. After 1.5 hours (we had been told it would take an hour to get to the reef), they told us they were experiencing some engine issues. One of the divers dove in to see if something was caught on the prop...it wasn't. Then they opened the engine gates and checked that out. Tried adding oil. No go. Come to find out they KNOWINGLY left dock with a boat full of people with only one working engine. And now, apparently, the second engine was croaking. And they had no back up boat to come get us ...so another 1.5 hours of putt-putting back to the dock. Super lame. 3 hours wasted. And frankly, the offer to reschedule or refund was too little too late. Would not recommend them to anyone. read more

I had an excellent time diving with A Deep Blue Dive Center, their staff was very courteous, the departure was on time, and the dive itself was beautiful. The marine sanctuary in which I dove, was very clear (50'+ visibility), the fish were interactive, and the seas were very calm. At no time did I feel I did not know what was going on. Before departure I and the rest of the party were briefed on where we were going, safety matters, and conditions. There is something to be said about trust during a dive, and I feel that A Deep Blue Dive Center is where the professionals are; they take safety as their number one priority, and that is key especially when you are underwater. I will be diving with Deep Blue many more times to come, and am currently recommending to several other dive buddies. Finally, I would especially like to thank our captain on "Turtle" Cal, Ryan (our guide) and Nick in the shop for his quick expediting, being knowledgeable about the procedures and dive locations, and making the process overall smooth. Thank you guys, I (and some fellow divers) will see you again soon, Cheers! read more

Had a great snorkel trip A Deep Blue Dive Center! Our boat, Turtle" had plenty of room and John the Captain and the dive instructor, also John, were a lot of fun and ran a safe and professional charter. The water was as clear as I have seen in along time and the fish population on the reef was excellent. Captain John helped my sister in law with getting over feeling claustrophobic with a few helpful suggestion which really made her trip more enjoyable. I would definitely recommend Deep Blue Dive Center. read more

I just wanted to share what a wonderful experience I had diving with A Deep Blue Dive! From the staff to the equipment everything was exceptional! I did a two tank dive at the Coffins Patch marine sanctuary and it was heavenly. There were colors and colorful fish everywhere. I just laid on the bottom for quite sometime almost in a trance as fish swam right up to me! They seem to know they're safe in the sanctuary. The great dive aside, the staff were very helpful getting people into and out of the water. Both mates Cal and Melissa were dive pros so I felt safe being in the water knowing there were real rescue professionals on the boat. In the shop, although small, I was highly entertained by the manager Jeff who was VERY knowledgeable and gave great tips on everything from spearfishing (not in the sanctuary was some of his sage advice! =) ) to using an underwater camera more effectively. Lastly I have to comment on the quality of the rental gear. It's always scary renting equipment you are going to be wearing and putting in your mouth, however I was told Deep Blue is always rotating equipment to keep it new and fresh. The bite guards weren't chewed off and the B/C looked almost new! On the ride back in I watched the crew meticulously wash and disinfect all the rental equipment and I can't tell you the last time I actually saw crew washing rental gear, let alone so thoroughly! The boat was as clean as a could be too!! If you're trying to find a good shop, look no further! Thanks guys for a great experience! I will be diving with you MANY more times! read more

I had a good experience getting my certification at this dive shop. I looked at 3 total dive shops around marathon, this shop was the most professional and safest shop out of them all. My instructor was James Weber, the best instructor I could have received. He was incredibly competent, thorough and babied me through the challenges I had. Anyone who gets taught by him is extremely lucky and will walk away a better diver. After that praise you may be wondering why I only gave this shop 4 stars. The down side of my experience is that it did take me more than a week to do this course, 1 day for the MASSIVE amount of quizzes, 1 pool day, 2 open water days. The reason it took me so long is because of two things. 1) the weather, it was incredibly windy after my pool and first open water dive, no boats go out with waves above 4 feet. 2) because of financial reasons they can only go out with at LEAST 4 divers, any number less and its not financially possible. This was the main problem I had with the shop. I completed my pool and first two dives in a row and was told we could finish the last two dives the next day. But unfortunately the snorkelers that were in my group didnt want to go out the next day so on the last nice day for a week I wasnt able to go out because it wasnt financial sound for them. So i had to wait a week for the weather and wind to pass and then wait for a group to go. I write this much because I was lucky enough to be here for more than a week so waiting like this wasnt that much of a problem BUT if you come down here with limited time and wanna get certified quickly you NEED to be aware of these two qualifications to open dive!! Ask the shop these 3 questions "what are the wind and waves like this week?" "Are there other groups going out and are they committed to going out?" AND "WHAT IS YOUR BACK UP PLAN if I need to get certified quickly??" Scuba diving is AMAZING and I am so happy I did it. However getting scuba certification is a lot of money and and time so you dont want to be caught half way being done. read more