Diving Suggestions while Cruising the Caribbean

[Edgewood]

Hello! I'm new to the forum and joined to get some suggestions for my family's upcoming cruise in the Caribbean. My husband, 16 year-old son and I are all certified and experienced divers. Most of our dive trips have been week-long in one location (Thailand; Maldives; Seychelles; Truk Lagoon...) but we've recently moved back to the USA after living overseas and decided to try a Caribbean Cruise over Christmas. Our ship will stop in Puerto Plata, Dominican; St. Thomas, USVI; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Grand Turk Island. I've written to two dive companies in the Dominican and St. Thomas but would appreciate suggestions for which location(s) would be the best location for a 1/2 day of diving (hopefully 2-tank) during December and any suggestions for dive shops that would be accommodating to a cruise ship schedule. We'll also have time in Florida after the cruise (out of Port Canaveral) so if there are any good dive shops and locations in that part of Florida, I could use some help and suggestions for that location too! Thanks in advance!

 

[drrich2]

Clarify whether you mean Dominica or the Dominican Republic; very different places. When I booked a cruise stopping at Dominican Republic, I didn't dive since research indicated the good diving was not near Samana, where we stopped.

The island of Hispaniola is divided into the Dominican Republic and Haiti. Royal Caribbean leases Labadee from Haiti, so I wonder if that's where you're stopping (our cruise it Samana and Labadee).

Admiralty Dive Center is one of the reputable shops on St. Thomas; I've dove with them twice & was quite pleased; wife was happy diving with them one time.

Richard.

 

[Edgewood]

Thanks Richard. The ship is stopping in Amber Cove (Puerto Plata), Dominican Republic. We'll be on a Carnival cruise and not stopping at any cruise ship private islands. I'll look into your suggestion on St. Thomas.

 

[diversteve]

Admiralty Dive or Blue Island Divers on St. Thomas. Both will pick you up off the WICO dock - which I believe is the Carnival dock based on the ships I've seen moored there. Blue Island is also located at Crown Point marina on the off chance your ship moors there - you can walk over. Admiralty is located "downtown" so there might be a little time to look around depending on your departure time.

Do something else on Puerto Rico. The diving around San Juan isn't great and usually murky. In a 1/2 day you can't get to the better stuff on the east end. Or the even better stuff on the west end.

The best port on your list is likely Grand Turk for diving. It's a small quieter island without a lot of other things to do except the beach. The wall runs close enough to Grand Turk that some of the best of the 40 dive sites along it are a few minutes ride out. Turks/Caicos wall diving is among the best I've ever done and that list includes most of the "best" of the Caribbean.

Oasis is Carnival's cruise operator and I think you book only thru the cruise line. Cruise Ship Guests Grand Turk Island, Oasis Divers, Grand Turk, Grand Turk beaches | Oasis Divers I have no problem recommending Blue Water Diving - Cruise Ship Guests either based on friends land based trip there.

 

[Edgewood]

Thank you, DiverSteve, that's great information!

 

[Marcell]

Cool

Sent from my C6903 using Tapatalk

 

[Wandersome]

I don't know if this is too late but.... there are also Dive operations in Puerta Plata, Dominican Republic. I've not had the chance to dive them yet, but they are on my list for next year.

Wander

 

[mi000ke]

Just returned from a Caribbean cruise last week. The only port in our trip that overlaps yours is St. Thomas. We had a great day diving with Aqua Marine (www.DiveAquaMarine.com). Great people, and they were easily able to work around our cruise schedule. Would definitely use them again.

 

[raisekayn]

Apologies if this comes across as a repeat post... I didn't see my first one come across. So, did you end up diving in Amber Cove from your cruise ship? I wondered how it went and which company you used. Any info you can send my way is greatly appreciated.

Have a great day.

Sincerely,
Kathy N.
Lithia, FL

 

[Kashtan]

I'm new to the forum as well. Going to Royal Caribbean cruise in February and wander to make a 1-2 dives while in ports (Labadi, Falmouth, Cozumel). I dove once in Cozumel, during certification, but I wasn't cruising at the time. Now looking for operator(s) in the above ports. I won't have my own equipment, so need operator that provides rental, guide and hopefully shuttle to/from port. I'll have about 8 hours in each port.
Most of my diving experience is around Cancun, love cenotes and shipwreck diving. Any recommendation is appreciated.

Thanks.