Best Dives - Western Caribbean Cruise

[letsgodiving]

We are going on a cruise later in the year and intend diving at a couple of the ports of call. I would actually dive at all four but my wife wants to do a couple of shore trips, and the cruise is for her birthday.

They offer diving at all four ports, which two would you dive at and why?

Belize
Grand Cayman
Cozumel
Costa Maya


Thanks for any input in advance.

 

[Doc]

I would actually dive at all four but my wife wants to do a couple of shore trips....which two would you dive at and why?

So the real question is: Which two should she blow off and go shopping/sightseeing?

Cayman and Costa Maya

Which two is she most likely to enjoy an easy-breezy dive? (Although we don't know anything about her abilities, desires, etc)

Cayman and Cozumel

The cruise ship docking pier in Belize is miles from nowhere. The dive sites in Belize are miles away from that. Of the list, I believe it has the best diving- but not really accessable from cruise ships. You could both do a cave tubing trip http://belizecruiseexcursions.com/CaveTubingBelize.htm (among others)

Do a search here for similar questions previously.

 

[letsgodiving]

Thanks Roatan !

They have a dive trip to Turneffe Atoll in Belize, and I have reserved a spot on that trip. We wanted to go divng there and having heard bad reports about Belize shore trips going diving seems the best option.

Also, the cruise organized dive trip in Cozumel is with Sand Dollar....does anyone have any experience with that operation.

 

[indydivegal]

We are going on a cruise later in the year and intend diving at a couple of the ports of call. I would actually dive at all four but my wife wants to do a couple of shore trips, and the cruise is for her birthday.

They offer diving at all four ports, which two would you dive at and why?

Belize
Grand Cayman
Cozumel
Costa Maya


Thanks for any input in advance.

Oh Wow!! I am going on a cruise to the exact same locations in September! I have a ton of information from other SBers that I would be glad to send to you. It is at home at the present time, otherwise I would send it to you now. I have been told about several locations and that for diving in Costa Maya the diving is not so great and to spend the day at the beach. We tallied up the cost of diving at all locations through the cruise ship and it was about $1100 for the two of us. I will send you a private email with the info I have collected.

 

[letsgodiving]

That would be great. Where are you sailing from?

The cost per dive is below, total is $926 for two of us.

Belize - $145 ($290)
Grand Cayman - $89 ($178)
Cozumel - $89 ($178)
Costa Maya - $140 ($280)

 

[diver_pirate]

I dove the Grand Cayman dive and the dive site was half way to the boat landing in the harbor. Virtually no coral or fish life (due to storm the year before?). Reliefs were great with some very large swim thru's. Vis was well over 100 feet. Depth was to about 65 feet.

I have done a bunch of cruise dives. This looks like the Carnival trip out of Tampa I did a week after the last hurricane that destroyed Coszumel. We did a "fun" day at sea because Cosumel was closed and the pier was damaged. Take the the land tour in Costa Maya (there's no diving - that may have changed?) and no points lost with the wife. The Myan ruins are worth seeing. What ever interests you.

Belieze was great diving. Boat ride was 45 minutes each way. Lots of life, coral and fish. Again depth 30-60 foot. Geared to any diver. In all cases a DM guide leads the way.

With the dives ending about 1:00m PM in Grand Cayman there is still time to go back to the ship, shower and get back to town to buy souvineers and go to the Hard Rock for a beer. Same for Belize except only shops organized for the cruise ships are worth going in unless you know the language and are comfortable in third world countrys. You may only have an hour or so.

In all trips dive excursions are first off the boat before the masses. Oh yea dive knifes follow same rules as airlines. My 3" blunt tip knife was held for me so I did not inadvertanly seize the ship. They wrapped it with masking tape that was weeks in removing and returned it each time I went diving.

Have fun and what a great way to sample diving.
DP

 

[letsgodiving]

Have fun and what a great way to sample diving.
DP

Thanks for the advice, pretty much in line with what I have heard thus far. Living 30 minutes from the cruise terminal makes it a really good way to have a cheap(ish) vacation.

 

[indydivegal]

That would be great. Where are you sailing from?

The cost per dive is below, total is $926 for two of us.

Belize - $145 ($290)
Grand Cayman - $89 ($178)
Cozumel - $89 ($178)
Costa Maya - $140 ($280)

We are sailing out of Tampa, FL. on Sept. 16th

 

[letsgodiving]

We are sailing out of Tampa, FL. on Sept. 16th

On the Carnival legend? Our friends got married on the Miracle in Tampa a few months ago, and we got on the ship for a few hours. We liked it that much we decided to give cruising a try.

 

[indydivegal]

On the Carnival legend? Our friends got married on the Miracle in Tampa a few months ago, and we got on the ship for a few hours. We liked it that much we decided to give cruising a try.

YES!!! We will be on that ship. Will you be on it as well?