How Much Does an International Dive Trip Cost? (Plus Payment Plans)

Ask five dive shops what a trip to Roatan or Fiji costs and you'll get five vague answers, if you get one at all. Most travel pages show a starting price in big letters and leave the rest to a phone call. We'd rather just tell you how it works. Group dive trips through Dive Arizona start for as low as below $1,000. The cost runs higher depending on the destination, the resort, and what's bundled into the package. Here's what that number includes, what it never includes, and how the payment plan breaks down so nothing shows up as a surprise three weeks before you fly.

A group of Dive Arizona divers holding a Dive Arizona flag together on a group dive trip — Group trips mean you're never figuring out logistics alone, we handle it with you every step.

What's Included

Every trip includes your accommodation, whether that's a resort or a liveaboard, plus guided boat dives with a Dive Arizona trip leader the whole way through. Most packages include meals and drinks, though exactly how much is destination dependent, some resorts run fully inclusive, others cover breakfast and dinner and leave lunch and drinks on your own tab. Airport transfers, dive briefings, and group coordination are part of every trip too, which is the whole point of booking a guided trip instead of piecing one together yourself.

An open-air bamboo resort pavilion overlooking the ocean at a dive trip destination — Accommodation is part of every trip, resort style or liveaboard depending on where you're headed.

What's Never Included

Marine park fees, nitrox fills, and gratuities are additional on every trip, and we don't guarantee marine life sightings because no honest operator can. Airfare is worth asking about specifically, some of our packages have it built in and some leave flights as the traveler's responsibility, and that one detail changes the real total more than almost anything else. Always check what's listed for the specific trip you're looking at rather than assuming it matches a trip you've booked before.

Why the Price Swings From Trip to Trip

A $500 trip and a $5,000 trip aren't the same product with different markups, they're different packages entirely. Resort tier, room type, how many dives are on the itinerary, whether meals are fully inclusive, and whether flights are bundled in all move the number independently of each other. A liveaboard with every meal included and boat dives twice a day costs more than a land-based resort with a lighter dive schedule, and neither one is the "right" price, they're built for different kinds of trips. When you're comparing two destinations, compare what's in the package, not just the headline number.

Two divers standing on a boat deck with the ocean wake behind them on a group dive trip — Boat dives, briefings, and a crew who knows the site, all part of the package once you're there.

How the Payment Plan Works

Every trip runs on the same basic structure, using our Roatan trip as an example. A non-refundable deposit holds your spot, around $400 for Roatan. From there, roughly half of what's left comes due around the midpoint of the booking window, with the remaining balance due before departure. You'll see the exact schedule and dollar amounts for your specific trip at enrollment, spelled out up front rather than buried in fine print. There's no interest and no financing company involved, it's simply your total split into three payments instead of one.

The Refund Policy, Straight Up

Every payment on a trip is non-refundable once it's made, no exceptions, deposit included. As soon as a payment comes in, we send it straight to the resort or trip operator to pay down the cost of your trip, so once that money is out of our hands, we can't get it back, which means we can't refund it to you either. We'd rather tell you this now than have you find out the hard way after a trip falls through on your end.

Getting Trip-Ready Without Overspending

Group trips are built for certified divers, so if you're not certified yet, Open Water certification is the starting point. If it's been a while since your last dive, a Scuba Refresher session before departure costs a lot less than feeling rusty on day one of an expensive trip. For gear, our rental program means you don't have to buy a full kit just to travel once a year, and renting what you'll use occasionally is usually the more honest math than buying gear that sits in a closet. Either way, the trip price is the number to plan around, not the number to pad with extras you don't need.

Which Trip Fits Your Budget

Our current trips span a wide range, from closer destinations like San Carlos, Mexico and Southern California to longer international trips like St. Vincent, Roatan, and Fiji. If you're weighing a shorter, closer trip against a bigger international one, our post on what it's like to dive San Carlos is a good starting point for comparison. Our upcoming trips calendar has current pricing and what's included for every trip we're running, since those details shift trip to trip and season to season.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a Dive Arizona trip cost on average?

Prices vary widely, from a few hundred dollars for closer trips like Southern California to several thousand for top international destinations. Destination, resort tier, and what's included all move the number. Current pricing for each trip is posted on our trip calendar.

Is airfare included in the trip price?

It depends on the trip. Some packages include flights, others leave airfare as the traveler's responsibility. Always check the specific listing for your trip rather than assuming.

What isn't included in the trip price?

Marine park fees, nitrox fills, and gratuities are additional on every trip. Whether meals, drinks, and airfare are included varies by destination and package.

How does the payment plan work?

A non-refundable deposit holds your spot. Roughly half of the remaining balance comes due around the midpoint of the booking window, with the rest due before departure. Exact amounts and dates are spelled out at enrollment.

Can I get my deposit back if I cancel?

No. All payments on a trip are non-refundable once paid, including the deposit. We send each payment straight to the resort or trip operator to cover your trip cost, so once it's sent, we can't recover it, which means we can't refund it either.

Do I need Open Water certification to book a trip?

Yes. Group trips are built for certified divers, Open Water level or above. If you're not certified yet, Open Water certification is the starting point.

Why do two trips at similar price points feel so different?

Resort tier, dive schedule, and what's bundled into meals and drinks all move independently of each other. Two trips at the same price can feel like completely different experiences, so it's worth comparing what's in the package, not just the number on the page.

Ready to see real numbers for a real trip? Give us a call or check the upcoming trips calendar and we'll walk you through exactly what's included.