Dive Review of Valentina in
Mexico (Western)/Revillagigedo Islands/Socorro

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Valentina: "Great Boat/Customer Service", Nov, 2021, by ROBERT PECORARO, HI, US ( Contributor 17 reports with 9 Helpful votes). Report 11792.
Photos Submitted with this Report Click on an image to see an enlarged version and captions
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity
Dive Operation		Shore Diving	N/A
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	The Valentina was easily one of the best liveaboards that I have ever taken. The level of service was second to none. The boat layout was perfect for diving. Our room was large, had plenty of storage and a nice, spacious bathroom. I understand that there are larger and smaller cabins as well. The dive deck was nicely arranged with a large camera table and plenty of storage space for camera and dive gear. They had 2 dedicated camera rinses and an outside charging station to avoid charging in the rooms. They also had 2 warm water outdoor showers. The lounge was spacious and comfortable and there was plenty of outdoor space on the two top decks. There were plenty of places to relax between and after diving. The food was plentiful and expertly prepared. The diving was done from two inflatable pangas. The dive operation was safe and the briefings were detailed. The diving itself was excellent. Large Mantas, plenty of sharks and schooling fish. Our cruise had excellent weather, flat seas and very little current. Unfortunately, little current usually means less big animal action. Our group had very little Dolphin interaction, which has become a big part of visiting these islands, and we saw no Whale Sharks, which were in season. We had a couple of divers doing a piece for French TV while we were there. One of them made a habit of charging the animals at the cleaning stations. He was "talked to" several time by the dive crew, but didn't really change his behavior. He pissed off many of the other divers. Most of the other divers were relaxed and followed the rules, allowing for some close interactions. My only complaint about Valentina was the pre-boarding information flow. Most boats send out an info packet following final payment, with explanations about everything from extra fees to boarding procedures. Passengers we spoke to did not receive such a packet. That would be an easy fix. It would eliminate a lot of questions and better prepare the divers. Park fees for Socorro increased dramatically in 2021, from $25/day to $75/day. That is pretty outrageous and added $600 to our cruise (for 2 people) from when we first booked it in 2019. It will certainly be a factor for me when considering a return trip. It seems unlikely at this point. Many guests were unaware of the fee change and they were unprepared. They had to run around to find ATM's before the boat left the dock. The Valentina accepts credit cards but charges an enormous surcharge of 16%. I can understand the usual 3 to 5% to cover their costs, but 16% is ridiculous. As far as covid 19 procedures are concerned, the boat does require a covid test from 3 to 5 days prior to boarding. Masks were not required or worn on board. Overall, we had a very pleasant cruise on the Valentina and had some nice interactions with many of the animals that make this a desirable diving destination. The crew is hard working and they go the extra mile to tend to your every need while in board. I highly recommend the Valentina if you are considering a trip to Socorro.
Websites	Valentina
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	Over 1000 dives
Where else diving	Continental US, Hawaii, caribbean, Indo Pacific, Africa, Asia, South Pacific, Antarctica
Closest Airport	SJD - Los Cabos	Getting There	Boat transports to San Jose del Cabo from SJD
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny	Seas	calm
Water Temp	77-80°F / 25-27°C	Wetsuit Thickness	3
Water Visibility	40-80 Ft/ 12-24 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	no
Enforced diving restrictions	Must dive with a guide
Liveaboard?	no	Nitrox Available?	yes
What I Saw
Sharks	Lots	Mantas	Squadrons
Dolphins	1 or 2	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	None	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish
Large Pelagics
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter		Boat Facilities
Overall rating for UWP's		Shore Facilities	N/A
UW Photo Comments	Plenty of space and dedicated rinse buckets. Careful handling while recovering during diving.

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Dive Review of Valentina in Mexico (Western)/Revillagigedo Islands/Socorro

Valentina: "Great Boat/Customer Service", Nov, 2021,

Photos Submitted with this Report

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

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

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

Dive Review of Valentina in
Mexico (Western)/Revillagigedo Islands/Socorro