Which is the Better Carribean Dive Site?

[scubadiver888]

Are you doing the Grand Princess? If so, we are heading out on Feb 27th, and planning on doing some diving.

The reason we booked this trip is to go diving with Mark & Suzy at the The Dive Bus. The Dive Bus - HOME If you search their website for 'serial cruisers' we will pop up. Beware, because they take and post blackmail pictures, the Feb 2008 newsletter being an object case.

I've been diving with Mark and Suzy. I can definitely confirm that diving with them is a hoot. They have a great attitude and give a really good dive experience. Be warned, they do shore dives. Most cruise diving is boat diving. If you bring your own fins, make sure they are open heel so you can wear your boots as you wade out.

We use Clive at Dive Aruba, and he's great - Dive Aruba - Scuba Classes, Dive Trips and Equipment Rentals.

For St. Kitts, we love Kenneth's Dive Center, and Kenneth, Vajai, Yellowman & the crew always take us out for a great trip. St Kitts Scuba Center Kenneth's Dive Center kdcsk@yahoo.com

This is the first positive thing I heard about Kenneth's. I had booked with ProDivers (Margot) but she cancelled the dive two days before I arrived. When I emailed her she said she could arrange to have Kenneth take me out. Since I didn't know him and my wife wanted to do the spice tour, I skipped diving that port.

When I got back and checked out Kenneth, a few people told me it was not a good dive experience. What did you like about the dives with Kenneth? Have you ever dove with ProDivers in St. Kitts?

 

[Alex777]

I would say "Grand Turk" but it's not actually IN the Caribbean; it's part of the Bahamas chain. Like Roatan Man, I understand there is really NO diving in Trinidad - at least not where your ship will be.

 

[JRScuba]

Grand Cayman. I found this dive operation on the internet a few years ago and highly recommend them. Six pack boat, very professional and very accommodating. Picked me up at the dock the boat and always got back hours before the ship sailed.

Email address: OTWDivers.com
Owner, operator, DM, etc. Danny

I made all my arrangements by email.

Check out the site and read the guestbook entries.

Good luck

 

[w&k]

This is the first positive thing I heard about Kenneth's. I had booked with ProDivers (Margot) but she cancelled the dive two days before I arrived. When I emailed her she said she could arrange to have Kenneth take me out. Since I didn't know him and my wife wanted to do the spice tour, I skipped diving that port.

When I got back and checked out Kenneth, a few people told me it was not a good dive experience. What did you like about the dives with Kenneth? Have you ever dove with ProDivers in St. Kitts?

Darrell- Sorry I have taken so long to answer, but I seem to have a problem finding things on this board, and just found the link to this thread while cleaning out my E-mail.

Let me explain our diving preference a bit, and maybe that will help. We have been on everything from cattle boats, to beautiful sea queens, to boats that we were unsure were going to make it back to shore afterwards (make your own wreck dive?).

We are fairly experienced divers, and are very laid back. We also prefer the more unusual places. We specifically look for the 'family' type of operations, where you feel instantly welcomed, and when you return, they are glad to see you as friends, not as customers. KDC is kind of an exception to the general rule, as they run a larger boat, but still have the friendliness and personal touch of smaller, off the beaten track operations.

We have been diving with Kenneth and crew several times, first as a shore excursion on Celebrity cruises, then returning on our own several more times, all off cruises. We love all the folks - they make us feel like family. Gail made a special trip down to the boat, so we could finally meet and have a hug after so many years of E-mails. Vajai and Yellowman look for us and start waving down the dock as soon as we appear. Kenneth has taken us out specially on his smaller boat, and also came on our last dive specifically to dive with us. We also had to spend quite a bit of time on the line, as well, since the two of us spent a little too much time chasing some fish

For us, diving with KDC is about seeing friends, and getting in some good diving. That's all there is to it ... and that's why we dive with KDC.

No, we have not been with ProDivers. We were supposed to return to St. Kitts in November, and were going to be there on Saturday, when KDC is not open. Vajai then referred us to Margot, and also thoughtfully suggested some sites that KDC does not usually dive that ProDivers does. Unfortunately, my DH needs to have eye surgery at the end of the month, so we had to reschedule that cruise and cancel our diving plans.

I hope that helps...

Wendy

 

[scubadiver888]

Thanks Wendy. That helps a lot. I've had other people recommend dive shops without explaining why. Shops people rate highly turn out to be not so great, in my opinion.

From what you have said about Kenneth's I think I'd probably like it. I'll have to see if they are open when I'm there and available. I'm going down in April 2009. I'll be in St. Kitts 21-Apr-09. I was going to book with Shore Trips (I believe that will get me booked with KDC).

I hope your DH's eye surgery goes well.

 

[Alex777]

That helps a lot. I've had other people recommend dive shops without explaining why. Shops people rate highly turn out to be not so great, in my opinion.

Recommending a dive op is more complex than it seems.

First of all, there is really quite a wide variation in what people want in a dive op. Things some people rave about ("They set up your gear for you!! How great is that?") are annoyances to others (I don't WANT them touching my gear.)

Second, most people really have a very narrow base of comparison. The average vacation diver has probably dived with, say, 3 to 5 dive ops in the Caribbean. When they say "great" they may actually (and unintentionally) be describing something rather average.

Third, recommendations are highly subjective and very much influenced by personal relationships. People who rave about a dive op may actually be raving about a friendship they have formed with a DM or whomever. OTOH, a single condescending remark from a DM can be recalled (negatively) years afterwards. When I recommend dive ops I TRY to keep personal relationships out of it but that is pretty much impossible.