I wanted to be certified in scuba, and these guys were amazing. My instructor, Caleb, was thorough and patient, and the boat crew (capt David, Paige, and the others) were super helpful, friendly, made my certification a wonderful experience. They really made sure to check your gear before entering the water. I felt so safe with them. I highly recommend them. I would love to come back and have them take to dive sites the next time I'm back. read more

I'm a new diver and could not be happier with the staff. Today Morgan and Bianca were part of the crew, very professional and super helpful, Bianca was the guide for my group always made sure everyone was ok Two weeks ago was the first time I went diving with them on that day Ana one of the crew members was quick to dive in and assist me with getting back on the boat Thank u Ana! read more

Travelled to Key Largo for the Veteran's Day to dive, and selected Rainbow Reef on the recommendations of a lot of people. Found out the Rainbow Reef offers dive/hotel packages that are quite reasonable, with the hotel rates cheaper than the best rate I could find! That's saying something as I'm platinum with both Marriott & Holiday Inn! The packages are Holiday Inn & Courtyard Marriott on the same marina, within easy walking distance of the shops. Once I checked in to pay for the dives, I got a pretty sweet shock- turns out that Rainbow Reef offers complimentary dives AND nitrox for military and veterans during the Veteran's Day weekend! What a great program for the military, veterans, and retirees! Checking in for the dive there was a long line, but it moved pretty quick. RR had tablets were you could fill out your waiver electronically. Once we checked in we got colored wristbands with the name of the boat we were scheduled on. That came in handy to get you on the right boat! It was a beautiful holiday weekend to go diving in the Florida Keys! The next day and a half was a blur of dives, but two things stood out: the USS Spiegel Grove wreck and the Christ in the Abyss statue. The Spiegel Grove is awesome, the biggest ship I've seen to become an artificial reef. Lots of swim throughs to go through. Along the main deck someone placed an US flag. That was a must-stop for all the veterans on the dive! The Christ in the Abyss is a copy of the original in Italy. It sits in about 30 feet of water, making it accessible to snorkelers too. There's seaweed/soft coral fringing its edges, and no color correction is needed. There's also a quality of light at the monument that was quite unique and simply beautiful! Mahalo Rainbow Reef for treating us veterans! Definitely will recommend and repeat! read more

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Had a great experience w Rainbow Reef after a considerable hiccup w a competitor that made me pivot. I guess things happen for a reason.... My instructor (Tammy) was a diligent, patient sweetheart; & the folks onboard (Paige, Dustin, etc.) were helpful, friendly & considerate. Very competent, organized & customer-focused.....top notch! If I make it back down to the Keys, w no doubt, Ill dive w em again.... read more

I wouldn't recommend Rainbow Reef to experienced divers. These guys are the Walmart of diving: cheap, prolific, and efficient. They run a tight ship, but this efficiency comes at the cost of fun. Our group did 4 dives with them. What stood out to us was the time pressure and lack of interest from the guides. As other reviews pointed out, these guys don't believe in surface intervals. Surface interval after the Spiegel dive, to 80 feet, was ~15 minutes. Luckily, we came up after only 13-15 minutes on the wreck, well short of NDL and with half a tank of air left. Short dive, short surface interval, back to the dock, ready to go again - efficient but not fun. The guides were not very personable, hanging out with each other not paying attention to the divers. The briefings were patronizing. Different boats do things differently and that's OK, but these guys treat their particular, non-standard way of doing things as the only way. We were more or less treated like clueless tourists as opposed to customers who share a passion for the natural world and scuba diving. Bottom line: the rush and overall vibe on the boat dampened the enjoyment from otherwise pretty good dives. We will choose a smaller operation next time, pay a bit more, but dive in a way that's more tailored to our experience and preferences. read more

My 11 year old son got open water certified this past weekend. His instructor Haley was absolutely phenomenal. I HIGHLY recommend her as an instructor for kids and for anyone that is a little nervous starting off. She has a way of putting you at ease and getting you really comfortable in the water and with the skills taught. We will be taking more classes again with her in the future! The boat dives were great to! Crew and Captain were professional and fun! read more

Had a great experience with this company! The crew was fun and professional and would suggest this company to my friends. If you want to dive some cool wrecks and reefs this is your company. I wish they offered some spearfishing trips. They don't allow spearfishing with them so you can leave the spear at home. read more

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Had an awesome refresher course with Cameron today; he was perfect. Patient, easy to understand, full of tips and helpful info to make it all come together. We spent the morning in the pool going over all those important skills you tend to forget after time away from diving. I feel confident and excited to head out this afternoon after his instruction. Highly recommend this dive shop and especially Cameron! read more

Excellence in safety and fun. Great guides, great captain, Molasses reef was very cool. Nice boats, nice shops, great people working the shops! read more

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I would not recommend going with Rainbow Reef.. I did 2 dives with Rainbow reef. Both were on pretty much the same dive site instead of going to a different location for a second dive, the explanation was that current has picked up (but in reality it felt like they were in a rush to get back to the dock). - they were very strict about getting back on a boat in exactly 60 mins - No surface interval between dives (first was shallow, but can I at least get a moment to drink some water and have a snack?) - speaking of snacks..none were offered. - no camera rinse bin. - a couple crew members criticized me over using an air from tank to clean water off the 1st stage regulator cap. Sorry, that's the way I do it and that's the way many divers do it. - weird policy about removing fins EXCLUSIVELY while on the tow line. - tank prepared for me was empty which I noticed during pre-dive check and it had to be replaced read more

I received my advanced open water/nitrox certifications here and I had an amazing experience. The dive sites they took us to were unique (especially the shipwrecks), and all of the dive guides/crew were eager to help and made sure we were all having a fun time. For my courses, Odis Glover and Mu were our instructors and they both did an amazing job. We were Odis' first students and he was extremely professional and did what he could to make sure we were comfortable both in and out of the water. Overall I highly recommend Rainbow Reef to anyone wanting scuba certifications! read more

Rainbow Reef is a huge operation. I booked dives for 2 people, and when I arrived, they only had me down for 1 person. Our dive boat was booked, but luckily, someone cancelled last minute, so we were still able to dive as scheduled. They had multiple boats leaving at the same time, so it was sort of a crap show. It felt like they were herding cows...and we were the cows. We had a packed small boat. I felt like everyone was on top of each other. We also did a night dive. Since only one boat went out, check in wasn't as crazy. Also, we had a big boat with not a lot of divers, so we weren't on top of each other. My night dive experience was a lot better compared to my day dives. Another thing....it seemed like a good amount of the employees were new to the area. It would have been nice to have staff familiar with the dives to provide some tips on what to expect on the dives. read more

A buddy of mine decided to head to Miami for his bachelor party so that we could incorporate a few days of diving along with the famed South Beach nightlife. After a sleepless redeye into MIA and having to deal with a crappy rental car company, we arrived down in Key Largo about 45 mins before the scheduled time to head out for our charter. I would recommend showing up atleast 30 mins prior to give you time to find parking and also to take care of your paperwork. Unlike a few people, it took us a bit of time to find parking as the lot was packed. The boat was packed with divers and snorkelers so getting setup took a bit longer than normal. It was a hot and humid day so I was anxiously waiting to get into the water. I forget the second dive spot but the first was Rainbow reef. Vis was decent...not the best but the water was nice and warm. Really didn't need my long sleeve rash guard but wore it just for protection. Our guide was friendly and glad we only had a total of 6. The sealife was decent but I had hoped for more sea life. The crew and captain were super friendly and offered plenty of cold bottled water along with snacks. A big plus for those that don't come prepared. If ever back in Miami, I'd definitely make the 1.5 hour drive to go diving with these guys. read more

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Stopped by during my last visit to key largo. Really appreciated the staff they were passionate about diving. I went in not sure if I needed a new bcd for my wife or not, rather than just sell me a bcd they talked with me about her complaints. Their integrity and customer focus was exceptional, I have no hesitation recommending them to anyone needing great advice with a good selection of gear. read more

We had a wonderful time. Chirstian is a great instructor. I made a video about our experience check it out. https://youtu.be/SZtxUa8e1xY read more

Rainbow Reef Dive Center - Scuba Diving Near Me - Key Largo, Florida

Wednesday was our family's worst vacation day ever because of Rainbow Reef. We were new to scuba and did the morning pool lesson with Jen (that part was great) and then the afternoon Discovery Dive. Captain Dan started the boat ride by explaining that he was a former rodeo rider. The crew gave instructions and pointed out 2 large vomit buckets in the center of the boat. I'm a lifelong boater but this was the roughest ride I have ever, ever gone on. My family spent the entire 3hr trip vomiting on the boat and holding on for dear life. The crew said the day before was worse! When my son said he was getting sick and asked for a bucket, crew told him to just lean over the side and the fish would swim up and eat it and "give us a show." Over the course of the afternoon, our son vomited 15-20x, my husband, 10 or so. I started last and only vomited 6-7x. Of the 7 guests onboard, 5 of 7 vomited. Meanwhile, the crew taunted us as we vomited by blasting a song with the chorus repeatedly singing, "We're freaking out". There were only 2 good spots to throw up over the side of the boat, so we used the buckets too when we all vomited at the same time. When the vomiting became too violent, it missed the bucket and went all over the floor of the boat and the crew washed it off between everybody's feet. When we arrived at the reef, the water was still very choppy, making it hard to walk across the boat. The crew encouraged us to scuba dive even though we were still vomiting, suggesting that if we need to, we can throw up into the respirators in our mouths while we're in the water. Then blow out and fish will come and eat it. Not sure about your family vacations but that's not on my bucket list. Maybe because we had paid over $500 for the trip, we jumped off the boat and tried to scuba. None of us lasted over 5 minutes because we continued vomiting. We were captive and vomiting in the boat for another 2 hours before returning to shore where the crew promised us the seasickness was "nothing a margarita at Sharkey's wouldn't fix." We were sick all night and the next day. Our phone message to the owner "DJ" went unreturned. Save your vacation! Don't scuba with Rainbow Reef! read more

I went scuba diving with my family for the first time here at rainbow reef and it was easily one of the coolest things I have ever done. The service was amazing along with the diving instructors. I had no issues at all, definitely recommend! read more

Please guys are amazing and I would definitely recommend driving with them! Hailey was my guide and she did a fantastic job! Everyone was very friendly and helpful, I hope I can get my AOW here. read more

Worst choice of diving here. Even though, you book here unfortunately, don't ever choose Dan as your instructor. He called himself 'professional', in fact he is a racist, it was our first time diving, he did not let us take enough training in the pool, he also let his other student who wants to become an instructor in the future to train us as experiment of their teaching diving, then he said That I cannot swim at all, I've been swimming for long time, I can swim in the pool for 10 rounds, He is discriminated to Asian people. Don't waste your pressure time at here, otherwise you will find out you paid all money for diving, and you will only dive in the hotel pool for 15 minutes They refused to refund all money to you, they will take your $100 deposits for 'diving' in the pool. What a way to do business. read more

Rainbow Reef Dive Center - Wrong place to dive unless you don't worry your money - Scuba Diving Near Me - Key Largo, Florida

First time diving in the ocean, and the experience was great! Went on an afternoon dive, check-in was at 12:45pm but traffic caused us to be late. Called ahead to see if I could still go and they said yes! They were very helpful with setting things up and making sure everything went smoothly. 10/10 recommend for any new divers! read more

Great group of people. Well organized, friendly, professional and fun. They know how to teach, how to lead and how to get everyone back safely. (Plus, the dives are fantastic.) We've enjoyed three years of training and trips with them. Highly recommended. read more

Working in the dive industry is not easy, and I debated writing this post. But, the experience I had with Rainbow Reef is one that is full of agregious threats to human life. First, I had to beg this shop to fill my tanks and Didier was very dismissive and curt on the phone with me. He said it would be too late to fill them but the time I arrived in town and in the morning they are too busy taking care of other customers. Umm, I am a customer, too. I had to beg them and entice them with tips to fill my tanks before a dive on the Speigel Grove. Captain Bill and Jeff were okay. Captain David made it known he was our captain at the last minute on the way to the dog park and didn't seem too happy to be on the boat. He took us out to dive in 7ft seas and being a seasoned diver, I chose to sit out the dives as did a few other people. Captain David was more interested in where he left his phone than the fact that divers should have never been put in these conditions and at no time did his crew post a lookout as a few divers did pop up away from the boat. He said if they want to ride back, they will swim back to the boat. He had no care or regard for the safety of the divers on his vessel. Mind you, most of my experience is diving the Northeast, and no Captain would ever be this complacent. Do you want to go diving at a place that treats you like cattle, where you have to beg to fill your tanks, and have your life threatened by being thrown into dangerous conditions? If you answered yes, then Rainbow Reef is the nightmare dive destination for you! read more

Overall well run operation. It is LARGE. Going in I was very worried that the staff wouldn't be personable, that it was basically going to be a mill, or that we would end up in a wrong location. Check in process the morning of the dives was a little confusing, because there were ALOT of people, and I wish there would have been more communication about timing of boat return and next trip... there was only about a 35 minute turn around between morning boat and afternoon (I was hungry and cranky and didn't have time to grab lunch between) I did a 2 tank morning wreck dive, and Eddie was awesome as a guide! We ended up a group of 4 and he made everything feel seamless and like we had all been diving together for years. My mom and boyfriend did a Discover Scuba class with Gabe and I cannot say enough wonderful things about him. He gave so much extra time and attention to my mom and really took the time to explain things well to my boyfriend who wants to continue on with open water classes. read more

Rainbow Reef Dive Center - Scuba Diving Near Me - Key Largo, Florida

Three years of excellence in diving with RRDC has been amazing. Passed my Advanced Open Water with my amazing Dive Master Abby, thank you! Today's trips were awesome with Captain Michelle , Dive Guide Jack, Rescue Specialist Chad and the incredible First Mate Diver Dina. This crew and the whole team were off the charts. They went above and beyond to make sure every diver had a great experience & were safe. After many trips with RRDC I highly recommend them !!! The only thing that bothered me was when we were leaving I noticed that there were very few people who showed their appreciation to this crew with gratuity! Despicable. read more

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Meh. We were going to dive two days but the experience from day 1 wasn't worth it. We are both experienced master divers with a couple hundred dives over six years. Our perspective is from mostly doing local shore dives or charters in California but we do occasionally dive around the world for tropical stuff. We've had a worse charter than this, but most are much, much better. The bad: The captain gave snarky comments instead of kind, helpful suggestions. The dives are super short. The guide was uninterested and just kept swimming away. It was like a drift dive instead of him having any enthusiasm and helping us see interesting things. We would have enjoyed our dive more if we had navigated ourselves. The experience was overall just being treated as a tourist/cattle instead of being respected as fellow divers. If we come back to the Keys, we'll try to get a scoop on where the locals go. Note, Brandon and another girl were very respectful and nice. read more

Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice and I'm an idiot for deciding to give Rainbow reef another try. Came specifically to dive the Spiegle and the Duane. Used RR because none of the other shops I usually use where doing both. I knew it would be a hectic cattle call from the first time I dived with them but was willing to put up with it to get the 2 wreks in. I made a reservation, got a confirmation email and then got assigned to the wrong boat. They had me dive the Spiegle twice. If you're an ow student or dive once a year on vacation, you probably won't mind diving with RR. If you dive regularly, have specific sites you want to see, have a camera (no camera bucket) or don't enjoy getting kicked in the face by students, I would stay clear. read more

I had my first dive in Bora-Bora. It was not enjoyable. I felt rushed through the training, and although my husband is an experienced rescue diver, I just couldn't relax & feel safe. I am a thrill seeker, as a skydiver and Chicago Police Officer, I decided I needed to give diving another chance. My experience at Rainbow Reef was life changing. MADDY! Thank you SO VERY MUCH for showing me how amazing, beautiful and FUN diving can be! Your patience at thoroughly explaining steps, demonstrating steps, then watching me execute the steps was immensely beneficial to my new lifelong passion. I did not feel like I was taking a class with an instructor. I merely felt like I was prepping for a fun swim. I cannot thank you enough! On a side note, the store adopted a stray cat. I'm very much allergic to cat dander. After standing in the store for about 15 minutes my asthma flared up. I began to wheeze, which was not a good start to my experience with Rainbow Reef. Simply stating this for anyone with the same allergy, be prepared. Also for the store owner; take this in consideration for your clients well being, take it with a grain of salt. Back to Maddy, thanks again, and I will be looking for you to dive with whenever I'm back in Key Largo. Chicago Tourist, A.L. read more

Do NOT use these incompetent jerks for diving certifications. I completed my advanced open water with this shop a year ago. They have not submitted my completion to PADI so in the eyes of PADI, I am not an advance openwater diver. Over the last two months I have called over 10 times. Each time they said that they would have a manager call back. NOBODY has called back. These guys are horrible!!!!!!!! Update... I got a call from Rainbow Reef's manager. In his defense, they finally submitted the required documentation to PADI. It only took a year and 3 months, 2 months of which I called over and over again and was told each time that a manager would call me back (which never happened). The Rainbow Reef manager then expressed his concern about my review and asked me to change it. I explained to him what happened which led me to submit this review. His excuse was that Rainbow Reef is the largest PADI dive operation in North America. His attitude was one of exasperation, not at his staff for allowing this to happen, but at me for writing the review in the first place. This is all you need to know about Rainbow Reef! My response: If your staff was competent or showed any level of customer support/empathy when I repeatedly pleaded with them to assist me, I would have never written this review. BUT, after more than 10 attempts and Rainbow Reef's position that my issue was not their problem, the review is going to stay. Happy diving. read more

About $ 245 dollars will get you two dives for two people with equipment which makes it a little higher than other diving operations on the Keys. It is a big operation running 4-5 boats that I noticed with morning, afternoon and night dives. They offer a wide variety of dives based on your level. Would I dive with this company again? Probably, but I did miss the cookies they promised! read more

After 2 other dives by another dive shop cancelled because of weather, Rainbow Reef (I assume because of their bigger boats) were still going out. What a blessing in disguise! Despite being an hour and a half away from our rental, we were happy to return to (3 times for me and 4 times for my buddy) to them for our dives. The staff is safe with detailed briefings, attentive, and makes everyone feel comfortable despite varying abilities. Equipment is taking care of for you if you want. The guides are attentive, make sure they don't lose you and always double check your air (even tho you know you should!) It was awesome to be on a boat navigated and lead by all women (Captain Alison, First Mate Kailean--sorry something like that!-and another woman captain in training). One new thing I learned. DO NOT BRING BANANAS ON A BOAT! Be sure to ask CAPT ALISON to explain to you why. She must have this explanation published. Shout out to my patient guide Eddy for helping guide me thru bouyancy and encouraging me during my first enclosed dive, Captain Alison, Kailean (sorry!), Jeff, Capt Jo...and Im forgetting others. But all the staff were great! I would gladly return. Thanks guys! read more

After nearly ten years of living in South Florida, I never snorkeled in the Keys! I was invited on a scuba trip with friends and told that I could snorkel instead, so jumped aboard. We drove about an hour and a half to Rainbow Reef Dive Center in Key Largo. It was hoppin' on a Saturday but we had a reservation beforehand. For snorkeling with equipment, I paid $55. On the website, it says $45 including equipment, but for some reason I was charged $10 for the fins, snorkel and mask when I got there. We arrived at 7:30 am, left around 8:00 am and came back around noon after visiting two dive sites. When all is said and done, the trips are geared towards scuba divers. I was able to see a nurse shark, turtles, and plenty of fish just snorkeling along, but the boat isn't made to relax on and most of the crew is focused on the divers rather than snorkelers. Thankfully, they had plenty of water, but no snacks other than Oreos. Bring food if you think you need it! The day we went out, the boat was rocking like crazy, leading many to some serious sea sickness. I would take medicine the night before and morning of even if you aren't usually prone to it. The water can be rough! All in all, I can't believe it took me so long to take a trip like this. The whole experience was painless and everyone enjoyed seeing the beautiful sea life. I would for sure come back, but maybe wait until I'm scuba certified. read more

I dove with the Rainbow Reef operation for 30 dives in November 2022. This is a good operation. Special thanks to Captains Abbey, Bill, and David for piloting safe boats. Thanks to dive guides and mates Chris and Chris, Carlos, Dina, Jessica, Bruce, Joe, Phillip, Noah, Areal, and others for great interpretation and for creating a safe diving experience. The most important criteria for selecting a good dive operation, is determining if the crew still has the passion for diving, and the Rainbow reef team does. Dive notes include...82 degrees Fahrenheit average water temp, lowering to 80 degrees. Dove with 3 mil shorty only when ambient air temperatures lowered into the 70s. Vis not exceptional, 10 to 20 meters. The current was minor, except for a dive on the Duane. Conch wall was a drift dive, low current. Had some low to moderate chop a couple of days. The best Wreck diving is on the USS Spiegel Grove, great live zone, safe dive throughs. Best night dive is on the Benwood wreck for turtles. Molasses reef was good diving; I last visited in 1987, its taking a bit of a beating so please be easy on the coral if you dive here. Sharkey's Grill is a good local's spot for beer and bar food. Skippers Dockside is more upper end, good food, musicians/entertainment. Docs Diner is great locals place, breakfast, or lunch between dives. Courtyard Marriott served ok as base camp, breakfast sandwiches not bad. Cons; need to top off the tanks with gas. Posted some dive videos here -- https://www.youtube.com/@jamieholloway read more

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Let me start off by saying: if I could give six stars to Rainbow Reef, I would! I recently received my Open Water certification with Rainbow Reef. This was my second time with the dive shop. My instructor was Chris B. and he led a class of four students. Chris was a fantastic instructor. He was fully engaged and wanted us to not only learn, but also wanted each student to be completely comfortable underwater. You can tell he genuinely enjoys teaching the course, and helping people enjoy their time safely underwater. I went into my OW training with a mental block but succeeded because of Chris' teaching style. I highly recommend anyone looking for certifications to request Chris. The dive shop overall has a ton of friendly employees/crew. From the retail store to the boats--everyone is happy to do the work they do. As a newly certified OW diver traveling with a highly experienced diver (who has used RR for many certifications as well), we will only use Rainbow Reef while in Key Largo. They are a well-oiled machine who helps you get the most of our your diving experience safely -- no matter your level of diving. Can't wait to go back to RR for more diving and eventually my Advanced Open Water certification! read more

I've used these guys several times now on diving trips to Key Largo. They are simply top notch; efficient, friendly, fun and funny, organized, great boats and equipment. I'd recommend them to anyone. Got my advanced open water, nitrox, and a couple of specialty certifications with them also. Don't hesitate if you are looking for quality services no matter your diving skills level. read more

It was very easy to call and set up a reservation which was a plus. The diving instructors and most of the crew were great. My only complaint was the boat captain. He was rude with the way he talked to me. He was very unprofessional. I would not recommend diving with him. I would recommend diving with his staff but I will never step foot on that boat again as long as he is the captain. The boat captain was an older man with white hair. read more

Rainbow Reef Dive Center - Rude boat captain - Scuba Diving Near Me - Key Largo, Florida

Went out with Rainbow reef recently January 2020 and also back in November 2014. Ahjah was a great nitrox instructor and guide for the first day, and Hollis was a wonderful guide the second day! Whole crew is very awesome, high energy, knowledgeable, and charismatic. Dove the Spiegel Grove, Sand Island, Logan's Run, Snappers Ledge, and Pickle's Reef. Saw a few huge moray eels, goldeneye eel, Goliath grouper, nurse shark, huge sea turtle, scorpion fish, angel fish, parrot fish, sting ray, and trumpet fish! read more

Rainbow Reef Dive Center - Boat - Scuba Diving Near Me - Key Largo, Florida

My wife and I went here after reviews from websites. This was a nice place, seemed a little disorganized, they ask that we show up at 0700 yet they aren't even there and ready when you arrive. I own my own business and if I ask someone to show up at 0700 I'm arriving at 0630 to set up make sure everything is ready when the other party arrives. The staff was super friendly, that helped me to relax. My wife is Padi certified yet I am not. I took the DSD course to see if I'd even enjoy scuba diving. It was an amazing time under water, but with 1 instructor for 5 folks, it felt like I was expected to already be at some form of comfort level. I can understand that to a point, since they have a limited amount of time. But, I had to progress at my own pace to get comfortable and confident enough. But once in the ocean, and no way to really communicate underwater (first part was in a pool), things got a little frustrating. My wife which is certified requested more weight 3 times and didn't get any help. I kept saying to give me a minute so I could acclimate and the instructor kept insisting I deflate my BCD to make sure I could drop. Don't get me wrong, the instructors were great for the most part, but in a rush to use time wisely and attend to everyone, things got ignored and enjoyment was diminished for us. Recommending them, I won't take that away from them.... as I would use them again, but next time it would be one of the private instructor led dives for sure. We'd considered going the next day but we were so worn out after the all day adventure. We might go on the 3rd day. The area was beautiful were we went on Elbow Reef, City of Washington and Mikes Wreck. Saw the turtles and fish for sure. No sharks. Darn. We were on the Santana boat with 3 other groups of 3 and 4. Some were doing courses for Open Water Cert and another group for Advance Cert. it was a mix but still small enough groups to have plenty of room on the boat. The other divers were super friendly. I know RRDS can't control that, but folks that share a similar passion makes it nice to have comradery, they were encouraging as well to use newer divers. It really was a good time despite the minor set backs. read more

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I did my checkout dives for my Open Water certification here, and I definitely recommend coming here for your first dive. All the captains and divemasters have been working here for ages, and are very knowledgeable of the sea conditions and just about everything in the area. They're also relaxed and friendly, they seem to run their business more like one big family than a dive shop. I rented my BCD and regulator here, which were both in fine condition. BCD's were relatively new Aqualung ones, and the regulators were in good condition as well. They also seem to follow all the procedures I learned in class, except for the buddy check as you're setting up for the gear. Before leaving, the captain and first mate introduce themselves, and the divemasters give the briefing of the dive sites and roll call as well. At this point, you also set up the gear over the air tanks and put on your wet suits. They also go over fire and emergency procedures, pointing out where the fire extinguisher, life raft, and emergency transponders are on the boat. They also throw a couple jokes here and there for the VIP area ('seasick' location). Then they head out. Before they arrive at the dive site, the divemasters will sound a 10 minute bell to gear up. With the way the tanks are set up, it's difficult to do the pre-dive safety check with your buddy because you have to be seated with the tanks in the respective holders. Once they arrive at the dive site, they throw all the lines out and give one last briefing on conditions then guide the divers one by one off the end of the boat with a giant stride. However they do check as they guide you off the boat, in case one strap is lose or some other complication. They give you the typical 3000 PSI for the tanks, not sure about the nitrox tanks though. It was plenty enough to last the duration of the dive. On the first couple days we visited parts of Molasses reef, then on the final day we went to Spiegel Grove and Bentwood wreck. Since a tropical storm had just passed, the waves were roughly 4-6 ft on the first day, and the surge was strong too. Visibility was fine, and the current wasn't bad except at Spiegel Grove. We didn't get to see any turtles or rays during my visit, but we did get a glimpse at a couple nurse and reef sharks. Spiegel Grove was amazing. The first two days we didn't dive that deep, but going down the buoy to Spiegel was a sight to behold. There was a good amount of fauna there too, fish hiding in crevices and swimming around. The American flag was also fun to pose at. Bentwood barely looked like a ship at this point, but was home to a lot more fish than the reefs we visited the past two days. One of my friends on the trip even saw a pretty big shark too. I really appreciate all the time and effort they put in to make the trips enjoyable. Onboard they hand out water bottles and cookies regularly, and you can take as much as you want. The boat also has freshwater showers, a designated bin with freshwater to store your cameras, a mask washing station at the end of the boat, and a cooler for storing water and cold drinks. You also got amazing views on top of the ship and nice tanning spot at the bow. If you're lucky or decide to skip out of a dive, you can even jump or dive from the top of the ship for fun. read more

Great dive center with excellent customer service. Prices are competitive for the area. Their package deals are great. After your dive, head to their retail store and spin the wheel to win free stuff!! read more

We dove a shallow dive with Captain Alison and had an amazing time with guide Rayna. We loved it so much we booked a second morning dive for the follow day as soon as we hit the dock! The second day we went out again with Capt Alison and had Trina as our guide. It was an equally enjoyable time. The staff is very friendly, knowledgeable, and professional. The boats are clean and, even when full to capacity, there's no shortness of time in the water. We will definitely be using Rainbow Reef next time we come back to Key Largo! read more

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