Cruise ship excursions or LDS?

[Web Monkey]

Which is better (in your opinion), taking a cruise ship dive excursion or finding a LDS on your own?
Bear

It depends on which you can fit in to your scheule. In Cozumel, where the ships typically dock from early morning until well after dark, you can go with whoever you want.

On some of the islands where the ship is only in for maybe 5 or 6 hours, you can't really do your own because you can't get off the ship fast enough to get to the dive op, wait for the scheduled time, do the dive and get back to the ship before it sails.

Also, being a ship dive isn't automatically a bad thing. Hugh Parkey in Belieze was one of the best Dive ops I've ever used, and was from a Carnival cruise.

Another dive op on a different island, also from a Carnival cruise was one of the worst.

It really depends on the dive op, and how competitive the market is.

All things considered, I'd find out who the dive op is that your boat is using, and see if you can get recommendations here.

Although the customer service psople will tell you they "don't know" or "can't tell you", if you ask them who would know, eventually you'll get the answer.


Terry

 

[robnyc03]

I think its worth going thru the ship. The extra $ you pay is for peace of mind. If you go thru the ship you know that the cruise company will pay for you to get back to the ship if your dive boat is running late. You hear everyone saying go with a LDS from the internet, thats all good. But what if..??? What if you are one of the unlucky few who get stuck. I know its rare, but Is it worth almost ruining a cruise just cause you wanted to save a few bucks?