Booking through resorts: I observed our neighbors having difficulty with that. Through a resort they booked a tour, to Altun Ha, with Sea*rious. They spent the day before the tour speaking with multiple people & couldn't get a departure time. A boy shows up at their doorway at 8:30 am the morning of the tour & they are told they'd be picked up at 9:00. Sure enough, Ser*ious III docks at 9:00. Needless to say, they didn't go. Next was the refund issue. Neither the resort or the tour operator had the cash. It took them several days and much frustration but finally did get the refund.

Not saying the large tour operators are bad or that problems will be encountered every time. Just that it does happen.

Reef Ransom had a bit to say about the guide issue.