Recommend dive operator for cruise ship passengers.

Can anyone recommend a good dive operator that will work with cruise ship passengers? We are on NCL so I don't know where they port, but it isn't Carnival's Mahogany Bay.

I am currently scheduled to dive in Cozumel, but wanted to add another dive- either Belize or Roatan I think. I know Roatan has good diving, but I've also heard it has great snorkeling, so I'm not sure if I should give up the snorkeling for the diving... part of the reason of the trip is so I can practice my snorkeling skills more before our Galapagos trip in 2014. But the more I learn about scuba, the more I feel like the skills will cross over, so I might as well dive more!


How is the diving in Roatan for absolute beginners? (By this point we'll have done OW cert, and two tanks in Cozumel the day before).

Thanks for the recommendation!

Since it's not Carnival, you'll dock in Coxen Hole - it's the original cruise port.

On Roatan, Anthony's Key Resort is the cruise operator. They often dive Overheat Reef which is not too deep or difficult. They select a site based on conditions and experience level on the boat. We dove there and saw the cruise divers once, they had their own boat.

They'll pick you up at the port and shuttle you to their north side location. So you'll get to drive thru some of Roatan but AKR is slightly more isolated. I'm fairly sure those were the same people we later saw at the AKR gift shop...lol. And reboarding a van to go back to their ship.

Another option is Barefoot Divers - my choice. Barefoot is on the south side near the cruise ports (either one) - about a $20 cab ride. So you might actually have time to see a little of Roatan after your dives. (hint: Coxen Hole is appropriately named...)

Barefoot does real valet diving with real small groups - might be an advantage for you. If you're renting gear, they have nice quality ScubaPro stuff. day dive packages|cruise shippers|full valet service

Pre-order lunch, food there is excellent. There's also decent snorkeling there off their palapa. The barrier reef slightly farther out makes it like a big protected lagoon. I understand from our DM that it's about 12' deep.

Subway Watersports also picks you up near the cruise port. IDK the exact details. Either dive or snorkel is possible with them. Isla Roatan cruise ship shore excursions / tours Western Caribbean

Thanks for the recommendations, I will check them all out! Now I just need to figure out which ports we are going to dive at...
Looks like Roatan is quite a bit more expensive than what we are paying in Cozumel.

I can also vouch for Barefoot divers. They were a first rate top notch organization focused on safety as well as fun. You will not be disappointed !!!!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

You could always snorkel on Roatan also. Besides one of the $65 guided trips there are also shore accessible locations. Many of the guided tours take you to the West End or West Bay as part of it anyway. So maybe figure out the cheapest way to get to West Bay or Half Moon Bay (the West End). A cab should be about $25 one way but can be more if you don't negotiate up-front since they know you're cruisers. (prices often go up...)

Your cruise line might have a West End shopping tour or a West Bay beach excursion. Either gets you where you want to be.

We only dove there but daily saw snorkelers off the east side of Half Moon Bay - I'd put it at 75' straight out from the beach. Half Moon Resort also has a dock closer. IDK what their rules are for use by non-guests. Their website:

The bay area just steps away from our resort is considered as one of the best places in the world to practice snorkeling; relax and enjoy the crystal clear waters of the Caribbean Sea

Click to expand...

For lunch there's all sorts of options in the West End. Most of the shops also if you want to look around. We like Sundowners for lunch. Or Rotisserie Chicken farther east but IDK if they do lunch.

There's also good snorkeling at the west point. There's a set of private condos on it - Coral something but the beach goes to the area and is public. From one of the condo owners:

You don’t have to go far to snorkel—hop in the water right off the villa, and you’ll be swimming in the world’s second-largest barrier reef. Approximately 96% of all Caribbean marine life is found here, and you’re likely to encounter sea turtles, lionfish, lobsters, and more.

Click to expand...

fwiw, if you wanted to do a shallow afternoon dive - Coconut Tree Divers does one at 1PM. Be back to the dock by about 2:30ish since the dive sites are just offshore. It's $35 + $5 w/gear rental. http://www.coconuttreedivers.com/

1:00 PM & 2:30 PM - Single-Tank Fun Dives and Snorkelling

Both of our afternoon dives are designed for certified divers of all experience levels. With a maximum depth of 18 meters/60 feet, there's something for novices and veterans alike as we glide over the shallow walls and reefs near West End. If you would rather spend some time on the surface, you can snorkel during these dives for only $10 per person, including snorkel equipment.

Click to expand...

This is Half Moon Bay in the West End - this shot is looking west. The covered dock in the foreground is Half Moon Resort. It's covered because the Stanley Submarine is under it. To the right of it is where we saw the snorkelers. The dock in the middle of the beach is Coconut Tree's/public dock. The main road into the West End seen on any map enters there. Sundowners bar is the beachfront structure just east of it. The five condos on the other point are Coral something on the west point.

Farthest west at the horizon is the start of West Bay. About 2 miles. If you wanted to try both, there's an all day water taxi that runs between them.



The other good snorkeling site is the far eastern tip of West Bay Beach. I've only read it - never been there since we don't snorkel. Although we did drift dive the Texas site around the same point. That was one of the best dives we did all week. West Bay beach is much nicer also - it's called one of the nicest in the region.

Thanks for the info about snorkeling! We had heard cabs would be expensive in Roatan, but still way cheaper than booking through the ship (we pretty much never do!) We had thought of going to West Bay, but it sounds like West End might be something to look into more of.

+1 for Barefoot Divers. They also have a boat that goes out around 1030 or so to accommodate cruise divers. They are very good with divers and snorkelers.

You could always see if the Dolphin Snorkel is available, IDK. I know it is a lot of fun. That would be through AKR.

Didn't know where they would take you for a dive. I do know Overheat Reef is a very nice dive.

Does anyone have thoughts on Subway Water Sports? They addressed my specific questions in their reply email- so I liked that. I've seen good reviews of them, but checking back here- it seems everyone says Barefoot.

Barefoot seemed to be the most highly recommended, here and elsewhere, but they didn't answer any of the questions I specifically asked: most importantly about depth. Due to a medical condition, I really have no interest in 'pushing limits' as a beginner diver. It seems like a lot of the cruise dive operations go deeper than the standard OW limit, and I'm not sure I really even want to be that deep yet... I'm also concerned their boats leave at 8:30 isntead of 9:00. The ship docks at 8:00, so even a slight delay we'd be too late. I do see they have a later boat if we wanted a 1 tank dive.

Skittl1321:

Does anyone have thoughts on Subway Water Sports? They addressed my specific questions in their reply email- so I liked that. I've seen good reviews of them, but checking back here- it seems everyone says Barefoot.

Barefoot seemed to be the most highly recommended, here and elsewhere, but they didn't answer any of the questions I specifically asked: most importantly about depth. Due to a medical condition, I really have no interest in 'pushing limits' as a beginner diver. It seems like a lot of the cruise dive operations go deeper than the standard OW limit, and I'm not sure I really even want to be that deep yet... I'm also concerned their boats leave at 8:30 isntead of 9:00. The ship docks at 8:00, so even a slight delay we'd be too late. I do see they have a later boat if we wanted a 1 tank dive.

Click to expand...

I didn't comment on Subway since I've never used them. I'm not pushing Barefoot either since they're not who we dove with all week. But my operator logistically doesn't make sense for you. I personally feel you'll have a better experience with Barefoot than with Anthony's Key - we did.

Of the top 10 favorite sites Barefoot dives, 8 start at 25-30'. 10 Favorite Dive sites - Barefoot Divers - Roatan

You don't have to go deeper, if needed they'll split the group between 2 DM's if others want to. The top of the wall in that area is going to be in the 30-50' range max. - probably closer to 30' in most areas. It's good diving on top also, I do that off the West End - slightly deeper but the same idea. I film so the best light is in that range.

Read the list - anything with "suitable for all levels" is where you'll likely end up - at one of the sites less than 10mins. away. One of the sites is named Shark Bait Shallow. Also they could take you to the Prince Albert off Cocoview, they did for us. The top deck is at 25'. You may want to ask for the P.A. - it's a good first wreck dive - one of the signature Roatan dives.

You're not going anywhere near Mary's Place without an Advanced Card and Calvin's Crack is too far away - 40min. ride - for both their dive schedule and their expenses to get you out there for $110. Barefoot likes sites within 10-15mins. away since they - like others - return to the dock between dives. Also some people on your boat are resort guests or will have ordered lunch. On the 10:30 boat, figure 10 mins out, 10 mins to get in, 45min. dive and back for lunch.

I can't speak for them but if you pre-pay your arrangements and are a few minutes late, they'll likely be able to wait. They know you're coming to dive there. Unless you've got a real early departure, you could probably do the 10:30 and 2:30 dives and still get back in time allthough that might be pushing it as the cruise port in Coxen Hole runs pretty close to the main road - good for getting a cab, not so good if you have to wait in line to unload. I don't have a lot of experience with that except we were caught in it once trying to go further downtown.

It's a very small resort and not everyone who stays there even dives. Not too many people go there to dive from other areas since most of the other south side resorts are all AI dive resorts - or have a closer shop. There's a good chance you may be their only outside business that morning - my group of 7 was. The only reason we went there was we couldn't talk our operator into bringing the boat around from the north shore to Mary's Place.

In all honesty no dive operator is going to take a new group of divers, fresh off a cruise ship, into any sort of deep/difficult conditions. They have no idea how proficient you are and almost no way to tell. Since it's valet diving, they can't even watch you set up your gear since their DM's do it for you. Sometimes dive operators use that as an indicator of proficiency.

By this point we'll have done OW cert, and two tanks in Cozumel the day before

Click to expand...

Nothing personal but I can pretty much guarantee you're not going to see deep water with Barefoot.

but they didn't answer any of the questions I specifically asked: most importantly about depth.

Click to expand...

You can also call Roatan. It works surprisingly well generally. Most people there have cellphones. Including your boat captain/DM since you're never too far out. Mine worked everywhere - I have an international plan though.