We just got back this week from a cruise in the western carb. With ports of call at Key West, Grand Cayman and Cozumel.
Much like you we were unsure of what to do? Book on the ship or book in advance with dive shops before we left or just see what we could find once we got there.
Booking on the ship to us meant that the trip would be pretty much taken care of with little worry about anything, however we would probably be paying more and seeing the same old touristy dives meant for the lowest common denominator or a cruise ship.
Booking in advance meant we would have things arranged, but if anything delayed us the money would be wasted since all deposits are swallowed if you miss the dive, and a lot of dive shops want almost the entire dive in advance.
Winging it meant we could take advantage of better prices and have more flexibility in regard to the dive we would end up on, however we might end up with no dives at all in the worst case scenario.
In Key West we ended up with no cruise excursion, and no advanced booking. We walked off the ship and immediately ran into a dive company waving a divers flag, we asked them what was going on and they said they were waiting for their curisers to show up for their excursion, we asked them if we could join and they said yes, we could pay right there and go with them. We ended up walking down to their dive shop instead and booked the same trip for $20 less and went out with them. Two tank dive, the cruise ship passengers who booked through the ship went with a dive master assigned to them who sucked, she somehow cost them half their time in the water and none of them could drink the free beer on the way back because of an agreement with the cruise ship. I gladly drank their share.
In Grand Cayman we booked the excursion for a reef snorkel and a sting ray city snorkel through the ship for $58 per person. Huge cattle boat operation, but the snorkeling at coral gardens was excellent. We decided to book the excursion through the ship since we had made out so well in Key West, we figured lets just book through the ship and not press our luck.
Cozumel no excursion booked or advanced plans made. Met Diving with Martin owner as we got off the ship right on the dock, he was waiting for his divers who had booked on the ship, once again we joined up with his group and did a two tank dive, we were in the water literally within 30 minutes of walking off the ship.
One thing to keep in mind this might not have worked as successfully for us had it not been the slower season of September. Trying this during peak season may end up with different results.
Much like you we were unsure of what to do? Book on the ship or book in advance with dive shops before we left or just see what we could find once we got there.
Booking on the ship to us meant that the trip would be pretty much taken care of with little worry about anything, however we would probably be paying more and seeing the same old touristy dives meant for the lowest common denominator or a cruise ship.
Booking in advance meant we would have things arranged, but if anything delayed us the money would be wasted since all deposits are swallowed if you miss the dive, and a lot of dive shops want almost the entire dive in advance.
Winging it meant we could take advantage of better prices and have more flexibility in regard to the dive we would end up on, however we might end up with no dives at all in the worst case scenario.
In Key West we ended up with no cruise excursion, and no advanced booking. We walked off the ship and immediately ran into a dive company waving a divers flag, we asked them what was going on and they said they were waiting for their curisers to show up for their excursion, we asked them if we could join and they said yes, we could pay right there and go with them. We ended up walking down to their dive shop instead and booked the same trip for $20 less and went out with them. Two tank dive, the cruise ship passengers who booked through the ship went with a dive master assigned to them who sucked, she somehow cost them half their time in the water and none of them could drink the free beer on the way back because of an agreement with the cruise ship. I gladly drank their share.
In Grand Cayman we booked the excursion for a reef snorkel and a sting ray city snorkel through the ship for $58 per person. Huge cattle boat operation, but the snorkeling at coral gardens was excellent. We decided to book the excursion through the ship since we had made out so well in Key West, we figured lets just book through the ship and not press our luck.
Cozumel no excursion booked or advanced plans made. Met Diving with Martin owner as we got off the ship right on the dock, he was waiting for his divers who had booked on the ship, once again we joined up with his group and did a two tank dive, we were in the water literally within 30 minutes of walking off the ship.
One thing to keep in mind this might not have worked as successfully for us had it not been the slower season of September. Trying this during peak season may end up with different results.
