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Dive Review of Jardines Aggressor in
Cuba/Jardines de la Reina

 
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Jardines Aggressor: "Bad flight experience to Cuba", May, 2018,

by Bruce Carlson, HI, US ( 1 report with 3 Helpful votes). Report 10266 has 3 Helpful votes.

No photos available at this time

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

Accommodations 5 stars Food 4 stars
Service and Attitude 5 stars Environmental Sensitivity 5 stars
Dive Operation 5 stars Shore Diving N/A
Snorkeling N/A
Value for $$ 5 stars
Beginners 5 stars
Advanced 5 stars
Comments I want to notify readers to be aware that there are severe baggage restrictions imposed by American Airlines on flights between Miami and Camaguey, Cuba. We were devastated when we tried to check our usual two bags on the flight and were unable to finish the check-in at the kiosk. The agent helping us also could not understand why we were not allowed to check in two bags. We spent an hour repacking with our gear all over the terminal floor, while the ticket agent tried everything he could to see if there was a way to work around the rule. There wasn’t. In the end, we left our camera gear behind and took our dive gear and secondary point-and-shoot cameras with us. This was devastating because photography and video are a primary reason we decided to go on this trip – an expense that is significant for those like us on a retirement budget.

American Airlines informed us that this one-bag policy was stated on their website, and indeed it is but only if you do some digging. To add insult to injury, on the return trip from the same airport using the same plane, the Cuban AA agent said we would be allowed to check on two bags. He had no idea why only one bag was allowed on the flight to Cuba.

Carry-on luggage was limited to the usual two bags, and we made the most of repacking what we could into our carry-on pieces. Maybe this is a good reason to switch from DSLR cameras to mirrorless and pack everything in a carry-on bag.

Fortunately, the excellent diving and hospitality by the crew of the Jardines Aggressor alleviated much of the anger we felt towards the airline. We hope this cautionary message will be noted by other diver-photographers who might want to travel to Cuba via Camaguey. Apparently this one-bag policy does not apply to AA flights to other airports in Cuba so plan accordingly and read the fine print on the website!


Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience Over 1000 dives
Where else diving Fiji, Palau, GBR, PNG, Tonga, Samoa, Bikini, Johnston Atoll, Enewetak, Kwajalein, Canton, Solomons, Vanuatu, Philippines, Guam, Japan, California, Bonaire, Roatan, Florida, Jamaica, Oman...others
Closest Airport Camaguey Getting There enumerated below

Dive Conditions

Weather sunny Seas calm
Water Temp 79-82°F / 26-28°C Wetsuit Thickness 3
Water Visibility 40-70 Ft/ 12-21 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile yes
Enforced diving restrictions [Unspecified]
Liveaboard? yes Nitrox Available? yes

What I Saw

Sharks Lots Mantas None
Dolphins None Whale Sharks None
Turtles > 2 Whales None
Corals 3 stars Tropical Fish 4 stars
Small Critters 3 stars Large Fish 5 stars
Large Pelagics N/A

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

Subject Matter N/A Boat Facilities 3 stars
Overall rating for UWP's 4 stars Shore Facilities N/A
UW Photo Comments Cameras have to be serviced outdoors on the dedicated camera tables, including outdoor charging stations. Not a big fan of charging batteries with wet suits hanging nearby and where they can be affected by salt air and rain. There was no indoor charging area other than in the rooms, which is not a particularly desirable situation (fire hazard). But otherwise, the crew handled the cameras with great care, and rinsing tanks were clean and large enough to accommodate our gear.
Was this report helpful to you?
Report currently has 3 Helpful votes

Subscriber's Comments

By Kent O. Bonde in FL, US at May 30, 2018 11:23 EST  
Sadly, American Airlines has long ago devolved into the proverbial Greyhound of the Skies, whose motto should be "We pack you in, treat you like cattle and nickel-and-dime you to death" oh, and "complain all you want, we don't care."
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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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