Cruise to bahamas, one dive, Nassau or Florida Keys

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nrbelk

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I'm going on a cruise for my honeymoon this next week. Both my bride and I are certified and we budgeted the time for one dive while on our cruise.

I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions for me whether to use our one dive at Nassau or the Florida Keys. Which one would have more reef/wildlife to see? We are both beginner divers as well.

Thanks for the help!
 
Bahamas has the Shark dive. You just sit still in the water while the DM feed the sharks.

Florida keys are usually go navigate on your own dives, and that means beginners will usually get lost, especially if you have to navigate all the coral fingers. I don't think there are cruise stops in the Keys, maybe Key west, which is basically a coral graveyard.
 
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yes, the ship docs at Key West. If I go there I was hoping to be able to find a dive shop or something to take us out.

Is all the coral dead in Key West? Is there any coral near Nassau?
 
Pick which place you would rather concentrate on what is best available for your land tours.

Dive in the other place.
 
Having been to both several times (I may have even taken the same cruise) I would much prefer to wander Key West (It's one of my favorite activities) and dive in Nassau - wandering there is not something I enjoy.

Can also depend on when you dock - if you arrive late in one you may have no choice but to dive in the other.
 
Some random thoughts...

I have been to both a few times both on a land vacation and off a ship both working and as a tourist.. All the above responses are good except the one that said Key West is a grave yard of coral. Maybe it is where the cruise ship ops dump you but the same could be said about The Bahamas but that's another topic. In the end, it depends on how much time you have and who you go out with and where they take you.

The shark dive is fun to do once. Consider it. Nassau is kinda boring on land. The ships dock pretty far from the dive boats so doing it with the ship is a good idea as it will include transportation. Avoid the people who want to "take you for a dive" on the dock when you exit the ship. I have had friends who have had some scary experiences that way. Topside, Nassau is far from my favorite and I would never pick Nassau as a dive vacation only spot. Few would. I would however pick Kew West (and have) as a dive specific destination just because the topside activities are so good. The diving is just okay for the most part but better than Nassau typically IMHO.

Key West diving for coral and sea life is typically better but so is Key West topside. The Dives on both KW and Nassau from the ship both tend to be very "cattle" like experiences where a bunch of people are thrown into the water close to land in a beat up spot with very limited bottom time. IMHO if you have time, use a private op in KW should you choose it and do some searching on the Keys section here to pick a good one. The private ops will typically take you to better spots with fewer people but time is a factor here and sometimes transportation. But again, time is an issue because that ship will leave you. I have seen it done many times while working on them.

The reality is that neither Key West or Nassau is known for world class diving. Sure, it can be decent but it just won't be great. That said, when I had 0-24 dives both were amazing.

You know, I gotta change my mind here. If I were you, I would do the shark dive through the ship and walk around Key West, especially if you have never been to Key West. It's charming in a Key Weird way while Nassau is just kinda grungy near the ship. Key West can also be "taken in" in one day for the most part.
 
I was certified in Nassau and I have been to Key Largo, but not Key West. I loved diving in Nassau, and in fact it was my favorite place to dive to date. I dove with Stuart's Cove and they were really good!

I have to agree though that there isn't a whole bunch to see on land in Nassau. I stayed either at the Casino, the beach, the pool or diving while I was there. I did go to the Market one day and it was a little interesting.
 
If you can swing it with the debarkation timing in Key West, I would recommend Southpoint Divers (located at the end of Duval off Front St.) and do a two tank run to the Vandenberg wreck. Even with a OW cert, if you sign up with a DM/guide (highly recommended) you'll have a BLAST. For guiding I would recommend MaryKay. She was conscientious, safety minded, and overall a nice person. It will cost you $30 extra each, but again, for some of the areas you'll encounter with her, it is nice to know you have an exceptionally experienced guide.
 
only 1 dive?
 
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