Budget Gurus... need your ideas

[sam_gordon]

My parents are taking us and my sisters' family to an all-inclusive resort next year. One of the activities at the resort is snorkeling (which I and DW want to do). So I've been doing my research. The prevailing wisdom on the message board for the resort is to bring your own snorkel gear, even though the resort has some. Here's their reasoning...

1) The sanitation of the gear leaves something to be desired. (Do you want to put something in your mouth that was in who knows mouth and just rinsed off?)
2) You're only allowed to use the resort's gear for an hour at a time
3) Where you pick up the gear is 1/4 mile down the beach from the "prime" snorkeling area.
4) Availability is not guaranteed since the equipment is "subcontracted" out from a 3rd party and they have some kind of reservation system for paying customers and any thing left over is used by resort guests.

Now, here's where the budget thing comes in...
There are 5 in my family... myself, DW, DD(14), DS(8), DD(6). Snorkel kit prices are anywhere between $30-$70. I really don't want to buy 5 sets of gear and only use them for the one week. Although the masks could be used when we take the kids swimming (rarely, but it does happen).

So here are the options I see...

1) Plan on using the resort's gear and if that doesn't work out, buy gear from the resort's gift shop (don't know the prices)
2) Buy gear for everyone
3) Buy two adult sets and two kid sets. DD(14) will probably hang out with other teens she finds, but no guarantee, we'd just have to share (but at least it's family).
4) Buy two adult sets and use resort gear for the kids because they probably won't use it that often.

What would you do? Any other ideas?

 

[JaymeC]

Are any of your friends divers or snorkelers? Dh and I each have our own set of snorkel gear, but we also use it a lot as we dive and snorkel. For most of my friends, I'd be more than happy to lend out my fins at least and probably one of my spare sets of masks/snorkels as well. It'd be a lot cheaper than buying your own, and even if you just had a friend lend you a set of fins the mask and snorkel the kids would probably be more likely to use at the pool.

Failing that, if it was going to be the one week only I would rent it. You don't really know if anyone in your family is going to want to spend a ton of time snorkeling in the long run. Or if they charge separately for the fins and mask/snorkel portions you could also maybe just buy a set of masks and rent the fins. Also keep in mind how much you may end up spending to check the bag with the snorkel sets. It's going to be at least one additional bag, so that's some extra money there too.

 

[Good Morning Dewdrop]

This may sound like an odd idea (but I haven't been snorkling) but is there any way you could "re" clean the equipment so you know it's been done well?

Again I haven't snorkled so I don't know how the stuff is cleaned but it's a thought.

 

[englishteacha]

Having done the shark swim at Typhoon Lagoon using their equipment, I wouldn't mind renting. You could always clean them again, I suppose. If it were a huge issue with germs and such I'm sure it would be all over the news. Are you willing to drink from a water fountain? If so, then I'd just rent. If you're very uncomfortable, though, then I'd get my own snorkel and mask and just rent/borrow flippers.

 

[Disneycrazymom]

Another idea is to just buy the tube and use the rest of their equipment. We usually do some kind of snorkeling on vacation. I have used the provided equipment without worrying too much about it. I personally don't care much for the flippers - I prefer a noodle to sort of float on and put my mask in the water - but I am by far not a serious snorkeler. I have seen some cool fish and turtles though.