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Dominica
“The Nature Island”
Fort Young Hotel & Dive Resort
June 24 – July 1, 2028
Discover Dominica with First Coast Divers
First Coast Divers, Jacksonville’s premier PADI 5-Star Dive Center, has built a reputation for hosting unforgettable international dive adventures where the focus is just as much on the experience as it is on the diving. Over the years we’ve traveled to some of the world’s most incredible dive destinations, and every trip is carefully organized to make the experience smooth, relaxed, and fun for everyone who joins us.
Whether you are traveling with longtime dive buddies or joining one of our trips for the first time, our goal is always the same — bring together great people, amazing diving, and beautiful destinations to create memories that last a lifetime. Our upcoming adventure to Dominica is shaping up to be one of those truly special trips.
Where in the World is Dominica?
Many travelers are not immediately familiar with Dominica (pronounced Dom-in-EE-ka), but that is part of what makes it so special. This mountainous island sits in the eastern Caribbean between Guadeloupe and Martinique in the Lesser Antilles island chain.
Unlike many Caribbean islands known primarily for beaches and large resorts, Dominica is often called “The Nature Island of the Caribbean.” The island is covered in lush rainforest, volcanic peaks, rivers, hot springs, and spectacular waterfalls. It is a place where nature still feels wild and untouched — and that sense of raw natural beauty extends beneath the surface as well.
Our Home:
Fort Young Hotel & Dive Resort
Our home for the week will be the beautiful Fort Young Hotel & Dive Resort, one of the most diver-friendly resorts in the Caribbean. Located right on the waterfront in the capital city of Roseau, the Fort Young blends historic charm with modern comfort.
Originally built as an 18th-century fort, the property has been carefully restored into a stunning oceanfront resort while preserving its historic character. Guests enjoy oceanfront rooms with sweeping Caribbean views, excellent dining options, a pool, spa, and the convenience of a full-service dive operation located directly on the property.
For divers, the experience could not be easier — your boat departs directly from the resort’s dock just steps from your room. Dedicated gear rooms, camera tables, rinse tanks, and attentive staff make every diving day smooth and effortless.
What Makes Diving in Dominica So Special?
The diving in Dominica is truly unlike anywhere else in the Caribbean. Because the island is volcanic in origin, the underwater landscape is dramatic and varied, filled with steep drop-offs, pinnacles, volcanic ridges, and bubbling geothermal vents. Healthy reefs and nutrient-rich waters support an incredible diversity of marine life, and because Dominica remains relatively undeveloped, dive sites are rarely crowded.
Five things that make diving in Dominica unique:
Champagne Reef
A world-famous dive site where volcanic bubbles rise from the seabed, creating the sensation of diving through champagne.
Dramatic volcanic topography
Walls, lava formations, pinnacles, and ridges create incredibly scenic dives.
Healthy, uncrowded reefs
Limited coastal development means vibrant reefs and far fewer divers.
Macro and rare marine life
Seahorses, frogfish, octopus, nudibranchs, and other fascinating critters are commonly spotted.
Warm Caribbean water
Comfortable temperatures and typically excellent visibility make for relaxing dives.
Perfect Caribbean Conditions in June
June is a wonderful time to visit Dominica. Daytime temperatures typically sit in the mid-80s°F, while the Caribbean Sea remains a very comfortable 80–84°F.
Ocean conditions are generally calm, visibility is excellent, and the island’s lush rainforest is vibrant and green from light seasonal rains that tend to pass quickly. In short, it’s the perfect combination of warm water, pleasant seas, and beautiful tropical scenery.
Adventure Above the Water
While the diving alone makes the trip worthwhile, Dominica offers incredible adventures above the water as well.
The island is famous for lush rainforest hikes, dramatic waterfalls, and unique natural attractions such as Trafalgar Falls and Titou Gorge, where visitors swim through cool canyon waters beneath towering cliffs. Adventure seekers can explore canyoning routes, waterfall rappelling, river tubing, and scenic mountain trails leading to hidden pools.
Dominica is also one of the few places in the Caribbean where sperm whales live year-round, making whale watching another unforgettable highlight for visitors.
Your Trip Leader: Lisa McGinley
Leading this adventure will be Lisa McGinley, one of First Coast Divers’ experienced PADI Instructors. Lisa is very familiar with the Fort Young Hotel and their dive operation, which means she knows exactly how things work and how to make the most of the experience there.
Her familiarity with the resort and dive operation ensures everything runs smoothly so that everyone can simply relax and enjoy the experience — both above and below the water.
The First Coast Divers Experience
If you’ve traveled with First Coast Divers before, you already know that our trips are about much more than just the diving. They’re about shared adventures, new friendships, great meals after a day on the water, and the stories that come from exploring incredible places together.
Some guests arrive knowing everyone. Others arrive knowing no one. But by the end of the trip, everyone feels like part of the same dive family. Dominica’s spectacular scenery and unique diving provide the perfect setting for another unforgettable First Coast Divers adventure.
Reserve Your Spot
Space on this trip will be limited, and as with many of the international trips hosted by First Coast Divers, we fully expect this adventure to sell out.
If Dominica has been on your bucket list — or if you’re simply looking for a spectacular Caribbean dive destination to experience with a great group of people — we invite you to join us.
You can reserve your spot directly on our website, give us a call, or stop by the shop and we’ll be happy to get you signed up.
Single Divers
We welcome single divers who wish to join us on this trip! We’ve consistently been able to pair single travelers with compatible same-sex roommates. This way you both will benefit from the “double occupancy” price in a room with two double beds. However, if you would like your own room, we will do our best to accommodate you. Please keep in mind that we will have to charge you the “single supplement” upcharge.
TRIP INFORMATION:
Inclusions
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7 Night Accommodation in a Deluxe Ocean View room w/ private balcony.
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Round Trip airfare via American Airlines (Economy seating. Does not include checked luggage).
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Airport Transfers to and from resort
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10 Total Boat Dives! 5 days of 2-tank AM guided dives
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Complimentary shore diving on the Ft. Young house reef (availability subject to marine traffic)
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Use of regular Air tanks and lead weights.
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Complimentary gear storage at the resort on-site dive center
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Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner served daily at the resort restaurant
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Coffee, tea & juices served with all meals
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Whale watching boat trip excursion (scheduled for June 25 at 2pm)
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Land excursion to Trafalgar Falls & Gorge (scheduled for June 30 at 10am)
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$50 Resort Credit / Per Person
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$50 Spa Credit / Per Person
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Complimentary Wi-Fi access in rooms & resort public areas
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Marine Park Access fee
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Rates include the local taxes
Exclusions
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Nitrox: Available for all dives for an upcharge of $145 per person (payable at the resort dive center)
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Rental Gear: Available from the dive center for a nominal fee
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All sodas, alcoholic beverages and non-alcoholic specialty beverages
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Spa services
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Laundry services available at the resort for a nominal fee
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Gratuities for your boat, dive center crew & tour guides
Important Note About Airfare:
Based on trends over the past four years, round-trip airfare to and from Dominica has generally ranged between $800 and $1000. As of this writing, we do not have finalized airfare pricing for this June 2028 trip. Airlines typically release flight schedules and fares no more than 11 months in advance. For planning purposes, the rates listed above are based on an estimated airfare of $1000 per person.
Once we secure the group airfare with American Airlines, the final trip cost may vary slightly—either higher or lower—depending on the actual fare at the time of booking.
Please note: Reservations made fewer than 100 days before departure will not include group airfare. This is due
to airline requirements for passenger counts well in advance. If you book after this deadline, you'll need to
arrange your own flights, and you can again subtract $1000per person from the package price.If you prefer to
book your own airfare (for example, if you plan to use flight credits or reward points), you're absolutely welcome to do so. In that case, simply deduct $1000 per person from the listed trip price.
Rates:
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Ocean Front Room w/Balcony (King Bed): $3749 pp/double occupancy
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Ocean Front Room w/Balcony (2 Double Beds): $3749 pp/double occupancy
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Single Supplement: Plus $1500
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Non-Diver Rate: Subtract $450
Terms:
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$1000 Non-Refundable/ Per Person Deposit at booking
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$1000 Payment due by Oct 15, 2027
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Balance due by Feb 15, 2028
Additional Information
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The deposit is non-refundable and will not be refunded for any reason. We are making a commitment to our travelers, so we expect our travelers to fulfill their commitment to us.
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No additional funds will be returned if canceled within 10 months of the trip.
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In the event someone needs to cancel, they can certainly transfer their secured booking to a replacement traveler and receive a full refund minus a 10% service fee.
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All trip participants (divers only) are required to have their own personal Diver Supplemental Insurance. Again, we suggest either D.A.N. or DiveAssure.
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As with all our trips, we highly recommend that our travelers purchase trip insurance. We recommend either D.A.N. or DiveAssure.
