Cheap trip to Ft Laud

[Jethroish]

Got cheap airfare yesterday, so I bought. Now I have to plan the diving.
Wife and I will be flying into Ft Lauderdale to dive Oct 23 and 24.
I think we will dive one day in FLL and drive to Key Largo for the other day.
I know there are several dive ops to choose from at both places. Are there any hands-down favorites (locals chime in here)?
Those dates, are we going to need 3mm full? Thicker? Shortie only?
Thanks guys

[Black-Gorrilla]

i like Amy Slates Amorey (big boat... 30 people easy) nice captain, good people, clean boat.
Conch Republic will also be mentioned a few times here, because they are great.
(this is in key largo)

[the gooch]

I will also throw out Cristal Clear Charters and Capt Slates Atlantis dive center. All in Key Largo.

[Jethroish]

Been checking places out. As for prices, they are all within a few $$ of each other for diving.
We decided to do all our dives (2 days) at Key Largo. Right now it looks like we are leaning toward Amoray's.

[the gooch]

The only prob with Amy's that I found was that their rooms were pretty crummy. If you are on a budget and don't care then they will do, but my wife was not too happy with their accommodations.

[BusDiver]

Check other threads on diving in Key Largo. For large ops I like Horizon divers. I LOVE six packs. For $10 to $20 more for 2 dives you can have a peaceful time without the cattle call. For six packs I use hms minnow and pleasure diver. Jeff runs the minnow and is amazing. First one out of the harbor, first one to the reef or wreck. You call the dive if there are no other divers on board. Same goes for Jan at Pleasure Diver except her boat is nicer and she does a little cooking. You may want to consider just driving the 1 hour from Ft.Lauderdale and staying in Key Largo for your whole vactation. There are some nice bars in the area to numb your surface interval. (Or at least get some good food)

[Jethroish]

Fancy rooms are not all too important. Don't plan on being in the room a whole lot, and would rather take an extra boat trip than spring for a high $$ room. As far as cattle operations versus 6 pack (or smaller), I can deal with either. I'm just happy to be diving.
Next trick is to get a rental car cheap. Lookout Priceline!

[cgvmer]

If your in the FLL area , I have use http://www.southfloridadiving.com/ on a few occasion for some good diving.

[Capt Hook]

Cristal Clear Charters for sure; big boats, not crowded, treat you like family (the good kind).

[ohscubagrrl]

We have stayed at Amy's Amoray. It's not luxury accomodations, but it was fine for the little bit of time we spent in our room. We did not dive with them however. Being a bigger boat they have their own schedule and would not deviate from it. We dove with Blue Water Divers MM 100. Small boat and lots of flexibility on the sites they will take you to. I would recommend them to anyone.