Depth Perception Dive Center Reviews

I love everything about this place. The instructors make sure your comfortable with what you are doing. They really help you understand what to do and run you down the whole process! There are cheap offers and rents for the gear. I love this place and recommend getting your listens here!

High quality products with good prices, and the staff was very knowledgeable. Jeffery was my instructor, and if this review was going to be about him I would definitely give him 5 stars "trust me, you will never find a better scuba diving instructor."

The only disappointment I faced at the store was the treatment I got from Michelle. We agreed at the beginning, that if the weather got bad on an arranged date we will go to the springs instead of the gulf on the same day at no extra charge. We booked my last 2 dives on Tuesday, but on Monday she told me that the boat was cancelled because of the weather, and I had to either pay a fee to dive on Thursday, or wait for Sunday, and because I had to leave Florida at Saturday, I paid a fee of $150 even though it was unethical from her to change what we agreed on.

These guys really give the red carpet treatment for aspiring divers. They have a ton of experience and have seen it all. I was struggling on my first 2 dives, and they offered 1:1 support to help me feel comfortable faster. On the next round of dives, my dive master Brendan showed tremendous compassion and was very solution-oriented. I wasn t able to get certified in the suggested time frame but I m hoping to try again and I think the training I ve had so far will set me up for success.

Wow, I am so happy with the great experience my family and I had with Depth Perception! Absolutely 1st Class operation with amazing instructors. Being away from diving for over 20 years, it was important for me to find the right place for my family to learn the sport and Depth Perception was it. Instructors Robert and John and the whole team were patient and thorough and made our experience truly fantastic. I would give them 6 stars if there was an option! Thanks guys!!

Robert is AMAZING. Getting scuba certified is no easy feat, and for some the process can be a little intimidating. Robert genuinely cares about his students and made sure that every single one of us was comfortable throughout the entire experience. I wear contacts, so my eyes can get irritated underwater quite easily. When we were practicing some mask flooding/clearing skills in the pool I felt like I wouldn t be able to do them and started to get very anxious; Robert took the time to talk to me one-on-one and gave me the encouragement I needed to finally go underwater and do the dang thing! I can t say enough good things about Robert and his shop. The classes are small, only four students. We all got to know each other pretty well, and I definitely foresee some more group diving trips in the future!

I just finished my Open Water certification with Robert at Depth Perception. He was very knowledgeable and attentive. I enjoyed the class and can't wait for my next dive! The staff at Depth perception was very accommodating with my busy work schedule and made getting my certification very easy. Their recommendations on what equipment I would need were spot on. I would highly recommend Depth perception to anyone in the Tampa Area who is interested in getting involved in Scuba Diving.

Robert went above and beyond. Learned so much and he was extremely patient. Highly recommend!!

I recently got certified at Depth Perception and I couldn't say enough great things about Robert and the entire staff. Robert is an exceptional instructor that truly cares about you and makes sure you are 100% comfortable throughout every dive. He is very understanding and patient. The first dive was nerve wracking since scuba is not an everyday activity for me, but Robert quickly made me feel at ease and after the last two dives, I felt extremely comfortable and excited for future dives and I have Robert to thank for this. He went above and beyond in everything he did throughout the course and it's very evident he genuinely cares for his students and appreciates his customers. Depth Perception is one of the best in town!

I rented equipment here last weekend. Shopped around beforehand and this place had the best prices around for rental gear. People there were helpful. I would recommend to others!

I am from Michigan and chose to get NAUI certified, so I traveled south, and so glad I did. I met Robert, and not only was he kind enough to teach me about NAUI, but he also went above and beyond to make sure I was able to attend my dives while my vehicle needed service. He went out of his way and drove me an hour to the location of another gentleman (Brennan Aurty)who works with him who then proceeded to drive me 2 hours away to Devils Den and Blue Grotto without hesitation, without even knowing me. They both were very professional, making sure to explain every step of the process so that I was comfortable and so that I understood

I also want to take a moment and share the professionalism Robert held when a couple of young (punks)men walked into his shop while I was in the middle of my training and who had so rudely interrupted with their arrogance. Robert couldn't apologize enough, and I understand entirely, no apology needed..

So thank you, Robert, for everything; you were a blessing to my family and me and helped us in so many ways

Brennan Autry: Because I can't find you on google and I don't have social media I wish to share my experience when diving with you.. He is lovely, a perfect instructor; he explained everything from what could go wrong to what a dive should be like.. He advised me on the right equipment that would be suitable yet not extravagant( not overselling any extra gadgets and gizmos) and was extremely pleasant to convers with! His wife made sure I was aware of what I was buying and walked me through the purchasing process! You all will be missed. I wish I saw more of the kindness you all so effortlessly share!

Excellent dive shop with great staff. I drove up from Miami for 2 weeks for the Open Water + Nitrox combo course and was was very satisfied after completing it. They teach you everything you need to know so that if anything happens on a dive, you re prepared to handle it with confidence. Great experience overall and would recommend them!

I traveled from Michigan to get certified by Robert in the NAUI certification class. First off Robert is the most amazing instructor who makes sure you know safety first and makes sure you feel comfortable and knowledgeable in your training.
It has been a dream of mine to become a diver. Depth Perception is the best place to get your training. Now my sister and I now can be dive partners!

Awesome experience. Got to dive in some great locations and learned from the best.

Had a great experience learning how to scuba here! Michelle and Robert were very knowledgeable and great to work with!

I just finished my open water certification on Saturday with Katie Shoultz. She brought patience, practical knowledge, and years of expertise to the training along with a great sense of humor to the course and dives; that made this an excellent experience. I highly recommend having her as your instructor and I have already recommended others to go visit Depth Perception.

Rude over the phone....

In response, I did not hang or, or interrupt you. I waited till you finished. I asked about a vis report, not the typical conditions of the location and you did not start by saying no, you began with the typical vis.

When you said you had no reports, you disconnected the call. No goodbye, nothing.

Well just agree do disagree, there's more then enough dive shops to use in the area.

Fantastic. Depth Perception is top notch instruction. The dive sites are wonderful. We went to Blue Grotto and Devil's Den for our four dives. Robert, Travis, and Michelle were very professional and really care about your learning and successful performance of core diving skills. I love that they keep the diving groups small so individual attention can be administered (unlike some other dive groups we saw at our dive sites). Likewise, the difference between the quality of our instruction and our equipment was very obvious on dive days.

Robert is a good teacher but if you are claustrophobic like me and can't complete the course there is no refund. Also be aware the instruction takes place 90 miles from Tampa (two trips) where literally 100+ other divers are competing for space. Seemed odd to me since Tampa is full of lakes and bays to dive from. Plenty of gas and time to get to their preferred spot. Also Robert was twice 40 minutes late and once 30 minutes early so be ready for erratic scheduling. I don't want to leave negative review since I like Robert (and claustrophobia is my own fault) and he fit me in during an off course, but hopefully others aware the shop is not willing to even refund $100 of their $480 fee if you can't complete the dives, even when like me, I did not use the but 1/4 of one of the two tanks. Sad really. I could have gone elsewhere and paid piecemeal saving a lot of money after finding I could not finish.

I had the pleasure of getting my NAUI certification training with Rob and his team. I can t say enough good things about the quality of the training they provided. They are extremely knowledgeable, helpful and made the process fun and informative. They took the time with each student to ensure they were comfortable and confident in their diving abilities. I would recommend them to anyone who is interested in learning about scuba or looking to advance their skill set. Thanks again to Rob, Krista and John!

I just finished getting my advanced open water certification with the shop and I can't imagine having a better experience! Robert was my instructor and he was incredible! I had to get my certification in a short time for work and he got it done no problem! He was always in a good mood and made sure I was comfortable on every dive. I had spoken to other shops in the area and they did not make me feel half as comfortable and welcome as depth perception. They worked around my schedule and needs. I wouldn't go anywhere else!

I just completed the open water diver course and I loved it. Depth Perception really worked with my schedule and allowed me to take the open water course with ease. I enjoyed the staff and I truly learned a lot about diving. As a new diver I went to other dive shops around Tampa and I honestly was impressed with Depth Perception Dive Center, others did not really compare. The quality of gear they sell at this dive shop is noticebly better than other products offered at other stores. I will continue to go back to this dive shop and I have already recommended other friends to go here. Above all the staff really makes the experience enjoyable and professional. I definitely recommend others to go here. It felt more like an experience rather than a transaction.

I am an eleven year old boy. I was not able to find someone who could take as much interest in me as Robert. He paid lots of attention to me and when I made a mistake the first time he would take me aside to show me how to do it right. I look forward to diving in the future because with Robert I was able to get my certification.

I just got certified theought this dive shop and I just have to say Robert along with his other instructor John are both very knowledgeable divers with many years of experience and patient with each student that joins their class. They are safety minded divers and make sure that students learn how to dive safely and have a good grasp of the basic fundamentals of scuba diving. As I progress in the sport of scuba diving I will be sure to return here to learn from Robert. I would highly recommend them if you are serious about learning to scuba dive.

I really enjoyed my instructor Robert taking his time on short notice an helping me with my referral so I could do my 4 open water dives.. Thank you Robert!!!

This is the my second trip to this store and came back because Robert was so helpful when I brought my wife and daughter for some gear to prepare for a trip to the keys. They were great with my 9 year old daughter, got her fit with a mask and added some 'goodies' for her that really made her day! I came in today to ask a bunch of questions about dive certifications and rental equipment and to look for a specific type of spearfishing rash guard. Robert had exactly what I needed in stock, and gave me a great deal on a close-out wetsuit! So glad I came back to this dive shop, and am really looking forward to getting my nitrox certification from him one of these days soon as well. Highly recommend coming here FIRST for any diving needs.

I cannot fully express how awesome Depth Perception is. Mr. Robert Lawrence is an all around great guy. Back in the 90's they sponsored some of our cave diving expeditions and I was more than thrilled to find them still around when I moved back to the Bay Area. I heartily recommend Depth Perception for all of your diving needs. I live in St. Petersburg and drive across the bay when I need a dive shop. They are a fantastic sport diving shop, but also VERY cave and technical diving friendly and understand some of our unique needs. This is easily my favorite dive shop in the state.

The open water training through depth perception was enjoyable and thorough. I'm glad to have worked with John, Robert, and the rest of the depth perception crew. By the end of my open water certification course I had over two hours of dive time and confidence in my ability to safely dive. While researching shops to certify at I encourage you to ask them how much total time underwater you will spend and compare to this shop.

Did the open water certification course with Depth Perception and it was great experience. They really worked with our schedules to make it possible to complete the course over three Saturdays. Also watched them spend extra time with nervous students even to the point of meeting them an extra day outside of the class to help them with their skills. Highly recommend the course instruction.

Excellent Selection. Great Prices. Helpful Staff. Convenient Location and Hours.

Awesome experience! Robert and all of the instructors are very nice and great teachers. They won't try to sell you on anything that you don't need and only focus on making you a safe and confident diver. Would definelty recommend.

Enjoyed the course tremendously... good teachers and looking at the other classes in the water, Roberts course was way more organized and thought out

My husband and I are new divers and we were looking to book some dives with someone who could guide us since it had been a while that we had gone scuba diving. I booked with Depth Perception because of the reviews and we had a good experience.

Robert was very nice and he was very honest about the equipment we were wanting to buy; he wasn't trying to sell us the most expensive stuff, just what was better for us and our budget. We are very happy with our equipment too; it is good quality equipment.

What an establishment. Robert and his team are fantastic, and the personal level of attention that you receive walking through the door what's better than any dive shop I've ever stepped foot in. Certified my ten-year-old daughter and I couldn't have imagined a better person to trust then this team of professionals!

Very nice instructors and very helpful with equipment. Seems they dive all over the world.

My dad and I just got our open water certification here and we had such a great experience! Robert and his whole team were extremely kind, patient, and helpful throughout the entire process. I was a bit nervous about scuba diving but after going through the class with Robert I felt so much more comfortable under the water! He really helped me to remember to think about things under water so that the scuba experience could be the most enjoyable. John and Sam were also there to help instruct us and they were very helpful. Every time I got a bit nervous under the water one of them was there to help me relax and enjoy the dive. Thank you Robert and Team for all you do!

If you are looking for a place to do your dive training, look NO further. After spending hours searching and researching reputable dive centers I chose this shop. I am so thankful I did. Robert is an absolutely competent and amazing instructor that places your comfort and safety as a priority. I had mild anxiety going into my open water course and I came out to be an amazing diver thanks to him. I look forward to continuing my adventures and dive career with this shop. Thank you depth perception!

Instruction and class was very well done. Staff went out of their way to make sure the students were comfortable and safe... highly recommend

These guys really give the red carpet treatment for aspiring divers. They have a ton of experience and have seen it all. I was struggling on my first 2 dives, and they offered 1:1 support to help me feel comfortable faster. On the next round of dives, my dive master Brendan showed tremendous compassion and was very solution-oriented. I wasn t able to get certified in the suggested time frame but I m hoping to try again and I think the training I ve had so far will set me up for success.

I had wanted to learn to dive for a couple of years now and finally decided to get started! I was a little nervous and have a busy schedule but Robert with depth perception dive center was absolutely amazing! He was so patient and so helpful! I feel much more confident in myself and am so in love with diving now! The whole experience could not have been better! Robert worked with my schedule and I was able to get certified pretty quickly! I have to say everyone with depth perception was awesome! I would definitely recommend this dive center!!

If you are looking to get your open water certification in the Tampa area, this is absolutely the place to do it! I could have not asked for a better certification experience! Between customer service and the quality of training, this place is definitely 5 stars! Robert and John were both very informative, professional, and patient throughout the whole course. They really put a focus on making sure students are comfortable in order to have a safe and enjoyable diving experience. The class size was small too so they were able to really focus on each person and help them with certain skills. I was a little nervous at first but thanks to them, I was diving comfortably at 60ft by the end of dive #4 and didn t even realize it! Highly recommend this dive shop for any certification or diving needs!

You're in good hands with Robert and the rest of the crew at Depth Perception. From helping you pick out your gear to training up students of all levels, Robert and his staff were courteous, professional, and knowledgeable.

Great experience, wonderful teachers and beautiful views underwater.
Even though I was scared at the beginning, thanks to the dedicated and very professional teachers I made it! very recommended, enjoy!

If you are looking to get dive certified this is your place! Unexpectedly, I had some anxiety during my swim session and second dive. Robert along with Ray took extra time to make sure I felt comfortable and even went an extra day to make sure I finished before an upcoming trip. By the end I was actually enjoying it! He really goes at your pace and helps you learn at your level. He places a big emphasis on safety, checking equipment, working with a buddy, hand signals, & situational training.

Very friendly and helpful staff. They've gone out of their way to help me several times. High quality gear and very competitive prices, especially compared to online retail. Instructors are far superior to any dive shop I've seen in the area, and teach you more than required for the courses. They offer a massive amount of classes, including technical classes you won't find anywhere else in the local area. They also have free seminars from time to time, and a dive group for the shop. This shop definitely doesn't feed you the BS that the majority of other local shops do.

We travelled from Ohio to Tampa to take our open water certification. Robert was very patient, helpful and took the time to make me feel comfortable in the water. I would highly recommend Depth Perception Dive Center.

Nice staff but honestly if you compare the prices to any other shop in Tampa, there's is definitelty the most expensive

Received my Open Water Scuba Diving certification from Depth Perception Dive Center, the instructors were very helpful and kept me super excited to dive!

What a fantastic and knowledgable staff they have at this store. I had no idea what kind of BC to get my boyfriend or how much to spend, etc. on a good one. The friendly sales guy helped me out with all the above. I got a great and new (brand new style) BC and the costs was affordable. Not the most expensive but not the cheapest either. He even showed me the difference and let me try it on to see how it felt. I cant thank them enough for helping me and making my christmas shopping that much easier.

Excellent instructors! I was very apprehensive about diving to start with but they were very accommodating and allowed me to work one on one with an instructor when I wasn t able to keep pace with the rest of the class. Robert and his team are very patient which is so important for new divers. Great shop! Great people! Would highly recommend.

I recently moved to the area and was looking for a dive shop to continue my certifications. I found Depth Perception and couldn't be happier! The many five-star reviews say it all and are spot on. The staff is extremely friendly and always accommodating. I just completed my NITROX certification and plan on working toward my Advanced Open Water. I was looking for a friendly environment and instructors willing to spend time to ensure I learned skills correctly, Robert and his team have exceeded my expectations! If you're looking to get involved in diving, I highly recommend visiting Depth Perception!

ABSOLUTELY THE BEST!!! Enough accolades cannot be awarded to the team at Depth Perception. The owner, Robert, is an extremely knowledgeable, skilled, and thorough dive instructor, as well as a genuine, kind, whole-hearted person. I loved every minute of my basic NAUI certification training, especially the stunning open water dives in Key Largo, from which I am still on a scuba high!!! Under Robert's tutelage, I felt extremely safe, confident, and well-prepared to swim around in the middle of the ocean!!!! I feel so fortunate to have connected with the crew at Depth Perception and am super stoked about advancing my training with them!

NAUI certification with this team was an awesome experience. Robert, Jeffrey and Rod truly made it memorable. Robert went above and beyond to ensure we were satisfied. Having spent most of my training with him, Robert's demeanor removed any residual anxiety I may have had going into the initial dives. DP's team WILL do whatever it takes to make everyone comfortable, safe and knowledgeable. I can't think of a better group of people to trust and enjoy future dives and training with.

My husband signed us up for scuba diving lessons because he wanted to scuba during our honeymoon in Thailand. I was extremely nervous about it, as I ve heard horror stories about diving in the past. I also was nervous about my ears being able to adjust to the pressure and my breathing being affected.

My husband found Depth Preception Dive Center and we went in to check it out. After meeting Robert I started to feel a little better because he took the time to walk me through the basics and how to properly adjust your body to the pressure. We ended up purchasing the scuba lessons that day and the next weekend we we re in the class. You start with a class room session where Robert walks you through the eBook and the important aspects of diving. From there you have your pool session the day were you are getting a feel for the equipment and slight pressure changes in your ears. Then the next day you are diving! We went to devils den and dove to about 35 feet. Robert knew I was nervous and toon extra caution and time with me to make sure I was comfortable and confident. After the first dive I felt pretty good but knew I still had more to learn.

The last dive was the next weekend and we met the team at Blue Grotto. That dive was amazing! Only a week later I felt like a pro, all because of Roberts care, and detailed instructions on what I need to focus on when diving. I had such a blast and wasn t feeling nervous anymore - being able to enjoy your dive makes it a completely different experience. I honestly don t think I would have become so confident without Roberts guidance. His team is amazing as well and take just as much care and caution as Robert did. I m planning to dive with him and his team in September in the keys (hopefully).

If you are even slightly considering diving lessons, do yourself a favor and choose to do it with Robert at Depth Perception!!

I have nothing more to say that the many other five-star reviews here haven't already said about Depth Perception, but I can confirm that they're all well earned. My son and I got our Open Water Certification with Robert as our instructor. Robert is truly amazing at what he does and his divers are definitively a product of his teaching. You know you are in good hands when you are learning from Robert and team at Depth Perception.

I was so impressed with Depth Perception that I also completed my Nitrox and Advance Certification with them. My instructor Rod could not have done a better job, super knowledgeable and easy to follow. There is one thing I really appreciate about a business and that is consistency across the board. Depth Perception was consistent regardless of what instructor I was working with.

I m looking forward to continue my leanings at Depth Perception.
Safe Diving

Depth Perception staff and shop is AWESOME. I have taken several SCUBA classes with Robert. He has a true passion for diving and shows with his enthusiasm. Very good instructor. The rest of the staff is AWESOME as well. I HIGHLY RECCOMEND them for any and all of your diving needs. Very satisfied student and customer!!!

I researched several dive shops in the area to get Open Water Dive Certified. Everyone says "go to a shop that you feel comfortable with the instructor". Although every one of the instructors I spoke with were very nice, as well as knowledgeable, I still was undecided. This had nothing to do with cost, but everything to do with the education, instruction, as well as teaching. After speaking with Robert and the staff at Depth Perception, I knew I found my shop. After speaking with Robert you'll see why. The course of study was educational and fun, and the classroom session really expanded the scientific topics in greater detail which really helped me grasp the concepts. The Divemaster I worked with (John) was probably one of the best teachers I've had the pleasure of learning from. Calm, patient, uses a lot of examples, and really makes the dives a lot of fun! One thing that I really like about Depth Perception, is that they're committed to teaching how to dive and dive correctly, teach you how to achieve neutral buoyancy and dive. Not stand or kneel at the bottom (which I saw a lot of, with other schools during my dives)! If you're looking into taking up diving the proper way as well as make it fun in the process...look no further.

I recently took the NAUI Open Water course through Depth Perception and I cannot say enough good things about the shop's owner and instructor Robert. He was terrific!! He did a great job explaining things both in the text books as well as in the water. He was patient, taking the time to help everyone and doing whatever it took to make them comfortable. And most of all, he was very proficient and had a calming presence in the water (this was much appreciated as a nervous first time diver). He and his staff have also been very accommodating to friends I've sent to the shop. Thanks Robert - Your kindness and efforts are greatly appreciated!!