Scuba Sensations

I went in a few weeks ago to get some tanks filled. They do not have a compressor in their store, but the store owner (Rami) made a few phone calls to other local shops and let us borrow the correct adapter for our tanks so that we could get the tanks filled that day (as opposed to 1 – 2 days if we left the tanks with him). He really went above and beyond, and put our schedule and needs ahead of his business.

I’m going to make this review short and sweet. I did research on where to go and couldn’t be happier with my selection of Scuba Sensations. I took a refresher course through them in preparation for a vacation, after not having dove in 15+ years. In 3 hours Rami and Steve thoroughly did the following:
–Refreshed my knowledge
–Regained my comfort level diving
–Gave me peace of mind through the skills they taught that my future dives will be safe ones
I particularly loved that even though we were done with the refresher and skill portion at 2.5 hours, they allowed us the remaining 30 minutes of free time in the pool to continue gaining comfort with the gear and being underwater. Lastly, new and nice equipment!

I would like to take a minute to thank the crew at Scuba Sensations for welcoming me with open arms (and fins) to dive with them this summer. I don’t know many people that dive so it’s hard for me to go. When I met Rami and Brad they were very friendly and kind. They didn’t mind if I dove with them and they introduced me to quite a few new friends. I only wish I have met them sooner. Any future certifications that I do will definitely be done with them. There are closer stores to me than them but I’m not going to sacrifice comfort and safety for convenience. All future certs I will be doing through them. Awesome people give them a try you won’t regret it.

Rami and everyone at Scuba Sensations made the SCUBA learning process fun; but more importantly, took the time to teach correct methods and focus on each, individual diver. The lessons (both classroom and in the water) are tailored to each student and make the process fun. I walked away feeling extremely confident in my skills as a diver (very important when you are 50 ft. underwater) and would recommend to anyone looking to learn to dive or getting certified.

I really am super disappointed in myself that I’ve not gotten around to this review sooner. It seriously shocks me that Scuba Sensations only has 25 reviews on Unilocal.I can only assume it’s because people think Unilocal is for reviewing restaurants as opposed to businesses.
I went here to get scuba certified almost 3 years ago and I can’t tell you how great an experience it was. Rami (the guy running the shop, teaching the classes, and doing the certification dives) is one of the nicest and most down to earth people I’ve ever met in my life. He’s perfect for this kind of business and really should be doing it in a much more desirable climate where he can dive year round and live in paradise because he deserves it. He’s a real people person. Never once during my certification process did he try to push merchandise that I probably don’t need on me. Seeing as that’s where the guy makes a majority of his money (profits are in the merch, not the classes) this was a refreshing treat compared to the other places I’ve ever taken classes for something at.
Even years later I get personal invites via Facebook for weekend dives and overseas trips that he organizes out of the good of his own heart. The guy literally puts together amazing dive trips for free that you would pay a travel agent to do for you. He just wants everyone to have a great time and in his mind, «the more, the merrier.»
If you need a scuba certification or a refresher course to go diving, you won’t find a better place or nicer guy to do it with in the Chicagoland area. Rami is great. He’s an excellent teacher and runs a shop that has everything you need to go diving. He will even point you in the right direction if you just want to rent equipment rather than buy something from his shop. If I’m ever in a position that I need scuba gear, I don’t care how far out of the way it is or if I could find it cheaper elsewhere, I’m going to Scuba Sensations just to chat with Rami and give him my business.
Scuba Sensations is top notch!

Rami is the absolute best! First off, some of the greatest customer service I have ever experienced!
I have been open water certified for 12 years and my experience with Rami and Scuba Sensations is one of the best I have experienced for my gear.
*I did not dive with Scuba Sensations*. I did take my gear to be serviced after collecting dust for far too long before a big diving trip to the Cayman Islands. I took two regulators and a BC (all of different manufacturers) to Rami two weeks before my trip and he was more than accommodating for drop off AND pick up times. Even with the poor Chicago winter weather, he stayed open late to let me drop off my gear before my trip. When pick up time came, I was having an issue with picking up during regular hours so Rami opened the shop for me to pick up my gear!
The prices were reasonable and living in the Northside of the city, it was difficult finding a shop near downtown that would service my gear on shorter notice. This was above and beyond all expectations and I will absolutely be using Scuba Sensations again!

I was completely new to diving, and admittedly a little nervous about my first scuba trip, so I felt so fortunate finding Rami and Scuba Sensations. I could tell after a few minutes of conversation that this guy was the real deal: diving is a way of life for him, and he wants to share the passion with his clients.
I chose to do my «classroom» study in Rami’s shop, and that ended up being the perfect answer for me… some of the basic principles of diving/​dive safety that I read about only truly sunk in when Rami illustrated them thru conversation and visual references. And, as seriously as he treats the learning the necessary skills, he does it all with a casual ease and sense of humor that keep everything in perspective.
Rami’s got all of the gear you need as well, but he was never pushy about any of that… which made me want to support his small shop even more!
All in all, I left for my vacation well-​trained, with great gear, and what I would consider a new friend at Scuba Sensations!

I recently got my open water certification through Scuba Sensations. Rami is great. He is very passionate about what he does and goes out of his way to make for a fun training experience. I will be going back to him for all my future classes.

If you’re looking to do any level of PADI certification I would highly recommend Scuba Sensations. I went into the Open Water training not knowing what to expect. What I discovered was an awesome learning environment fostered by Rami, an extremely passionate and knowledgeable instructor and diver. Not only did he make the learning process fun but he encouraged me to take full advantage of the certification and dive as much as possible!
If you’re looking for diving gear Rami has a plethora of equipment to choose from for most any budget. He has a large selection of high end as well as an affordable selection of equipment and gear. We went with Atomic Aquatics for our fins, mask and snorkel. I will definitely hit up Scuba Sensations when I’m ready to purchase more gear.
All in all I had an awesome experience!

Can’t believe it’s taken me this long to write this up (it’s been over a year since certification)! If you’ve ever been interested in learning SCUBA, this is the place to go. Rami is the man and is a great teacher. He’s also a really funny guy so that helps make the classwork less boring.
Although he’s a funny guy, he’s serious about SCUBA and he will make sure you are comfortable and that everyone knows the plan before descending (pool or otherwise). We did our open water cert through Scuba Sensations and the certification dives were at the Haigh quarry in Kankakee. It made for a fun weekend hanging out with the other divers and the instructors. The instructors are all really friendly and fun to hang out with.
My wife and I did our first ocean dives in Mexico this past spring and the divemasters said that we were excellently trained and that we should give compliments to our instructors. We both felt really comfortable and prepared thanks to all the dives, learning and preparation we had done with Scuba Sensations.
Thanks guys!

My experience with Scuba Sensations includes the PADI Open Water Diver course, gear consultation and purchase, and the Open Water Dive Certification. Every class and every transaction was a positive, human experience. I always look forward to visiting the shop whether it is for a purchase, gear fitting, or practice a scuba skill. Rami helped me select the best gear for me, which I appreciated since I had never considered dive gear before.
The classes taught me to be a self-​sufficient, safe diver and I had a ton of fun learning scuba and meeting people in my local community. Rami’s classes go above and beyond what PADI requires by teaching best practices which make diving more comfortable and fun. You are learning when you don’t necessarily realize it, and you are certainly prepared to embark confidently as a new diver.
I am thrilled with the prospect of diving and would recommend anyone considering gear purchase or classes to consult with Rami before making a final purchase/​decision.

Fun and knowledgeable Dive center.

I was recommended to Rami and Scuba Sensations through a friend– I would classify myself as someone hoping to take PADI certification seriously and learn it the right way. I was impressed with the experience. Rami was technically oriented and made sure we understood the fundamentals and safety necessary for a lifetime of good diving practices. He has a gift for teaching and always led into his lessons with the end in mind.
Moreover Rami made the process fun. He and his staff are really warm, hysterical people. I walked away more excited for my next dive. Flat out this was a great experience– I would recommend to anyone.

The experience of scuba diving with Scuba Sensations exceeded my expectations far beyond what I could have ever imagined. I started my certification with pool dives and classroom training in Chicago and finished my certification on a trip through the shop in Roatan, Honduras. Everyone I met, from Rami, the owner of the shop, to the dive masters to the people on the trip, were amazingly supportive, fun, funny, down to earth and friendly. I went into the scuba trip with people I hardly knew, had one of the most amazing experiences of my lifetime, and left the trip feeling like I had a scuba family.
Thanks to Rami and the crew at Scuba Sensations, becoming scuba certified was easy AND fun. The trip to Honduras was coordinated so well and the people were incredible — it truly was one of the best trips I’ve ever taken.

I highly recommend Scuba Sensations. They have met and exceeded all of my scuba diving needs to go out and just have fun safely. If you decide this is the place you want to learn you will not be disappointed… Read my experience below.
There are a ton of positive things I can say about Scuba Sensations but I will try to keep this short.
I got certified in 2012 at Scuba Sensations. I knew I wanted to try scuba because I love the water but I wasn’t sure how well I would catch on. Rami made all things simple and easy to understand. Since that time I have gone on about 5 trip and about 20 dives.
Rami is not only a good person but an excellent instructor. I remember having a hard time treading water for the 10 minute certification requirement. Rami gave me simple tips at the pool but then he actually jumped in the water with me to demonstrate what he was verbally explaining. After listening and watching Rami I was able to tread for 10 mins. In fact I couldn’t believe how fast the 10 mins went by. I could have went another 10 mins with no problem! That’s just one example.
The man is Good Yall! :)
I want to touch on my shopping experience at Scuba Sensations. I go to Rami for all of my scuba diving needs and questions. I highly value one on one attention when making decisions regarding equipment that holds my life. I like going into the shop feeling like I’m the only one in the world that matters. Rami does this for every customer! Rami examines your scuba goals and help tailor equipment to match. Rami will answer all of your questions and spend as much time to help you make good choices about equipment. I personally have never mind spending my money for this kind of service.
In conclusion; if you desire a skilled instructor, professional atmosphere, and one on one attention; this is the place for you. The minute you walk in the shop and hear Bob Marley playing in the background you’ll feel right at home.
Please excuse any typos! I’m not a writer ;-)

Great place to learn scuba for PADI certification and buy gear! Rami and staff are very flexible and knowledgeable. The gear is competitively priced and there is a diverse collection to choose from. They are always there to guide you at every step of your scuba life. They also have a scuba community going and arrange trips locally as well as national and international scuba getaways.

Rami and his crew at Scuba Sensations are simply amazing! My husband and I just finished our Open Water Diver certifications. Rami and his staff are focused on providing high-​quality, thorough, and FUN instruction/​training in all aspects of scuba to produce safe and competent divers. The dive shop also has a great selection of gear, and Rami will spend whatever time you need to answer all of your questions on the pros and cons of different types of gear. We will definitely be taking more training courses and buying more gear from here!

I was in the market to purchase a mask and snorkel for a good friend that is moving to Belize. Rami, the owner, was extremly helpful in determining the best combination for someone that is adventurous but has never been diving or snorkeling.
He understands that many of us work on a budget and really works with the customer to make a great purchase without battering the credit card. He is knowledgeable about gear and spends unlimited time with each customer to ensure comfort, affordability, and fit.
He has a great sense of humor that will keep you rolling and you never feel that you’re being ripped off. Of course, you could always shop the internet but it’s truly worth it to get the personalized attention and customer service that a great shop offers.
I highly recommend Scuba Sensations especially to those who are new to the diving community or just looking for an awesome dive shop.

I went into Scuba Sensations last night because my husband was looking for a new mask, we both needed snorkels, and I am in need of a scuba refresher before our trip to the Philippines next month. We didn’t expect much given that it’s a small shop off of the street, but we were actually quite impressed.
The owner, Rami, was very nice and encouraged my husband to try a bunch of different masks until he found the right one. Rami wasn’t pushy at all, in fact, he talked about the pros/​cons about all snorkels /​masks, whether there was a more expensive alternative or not.
Scuba Sensations seemed to carry a nice selection of gear and we were impressed at the inventory in the store. We found prices to be very reasonable. My husband looked online when we got home and masks were the same cost online as he paid in the store (we knew we wanted to support an independent store, but knowing that we didn’t get ripped off in the process is a bonus!).
Rami was clearly very knowledgeable about the equipment and encouraging about our trip. I am looking forward to taking my refresher course with him in a week or so and I’ll update my review if anything changes.

This LDS has the ability to be one of the best in the Chicago — North Shore area. Rami, the owner, has a great personality. I have already taken one DAN class with him and hope to take more. He understands the concept that, «one size does not always fit all» in instruction.
My daughter and I went with him during a Discover Scuba class. We had different needs (some refresher training for an up-​coming dive trip), and Rami worked out things so we had everything we needed.
It is exciting to find a business owner, in any field, take as much interest in customers and potential customers as Rami does.