Carnival Freedom Feb 2, 2015

[Kmart4321]

Wife, Kids and I have a couple cabins booked on the Freedom Feb 2nd. 12 day cruise with stops in:

St Lucia 08:00 to 16:00
St Maarten 09:00 to 19:00
Curacao 09:00 to 20:00
Aruba 08:00 to 16:00
Cozumel 08:00 to 16:00

Several days at sea, embarking in Ft. Lauderdale, return to reality in Galveston TX.

We are experienced cruisers with several different lines, however I am new to diving. Less than 20 dives but feeling more comfortable with each. Open to wall, wreck dives (exterior viewing only), drifts; pretty much anything with good visibility.
I am VERY safety conscious, possibility to an extreme but I am a product of my workplace and seeing what mayhem stupidity can cause. As a result, I am not interested in operations with questionable practises

We have booked excursions through the cruise lines before but I am looking to go renegade and pre-book diving on my own.
I am the only diver in the family and want to make the most of the opportunities in each port while wife and children relax on beach and shop.

I know most of the excursions tend to be 2 tank boat dives when booking through cruise lines. Given our extended stays at some of the ports, are 3 or more dives possible if diving appropriately within tables and using computer for safe NDL's

Any ideas, suggestions and references for each port would be appreciated.
Thanks

 

[robint]

Since you are technically a new diver, I would suggest you go with the Carnival dive op, Sand Dollar. They are geared more towards beginners or those who only dive occasionally.
Also, since you are solo, you won't be able to book some of the smaller boats which need 4-6 persons to sign up.

 

[Kmart4321]

Thanks for the reply. I dove with this outfit just last month and while not the most modern equipment, everything functioned well and the staff made me feel comfortable and ensured I was capable of handling the currents the day of the dive.

Any suggestions for the other ports.

 

[diversteve]

You're kind of arriving late on Curacao - allowing time to de-board/customs and there's no dive operators at the port. By 9AM I'm guessing most operators are already out on their 2-tank morning dives.

So some options.

Ocean Encounters is very safe. So much so that they don't allow solo diving with a solo card. I think you're going to miss their 2 tank AM departure but once when we were there they had a single tank 10:30 dive going south into the Marine Park so check if they're maybe still doing that. They have about 4 shops in the area and each either shares a boat or has their own so they might have something with a later departure at one of the nearby resorts.

They also run an afternoon dive/snorkel combo trip every day. Usually to the Tugboat - one of the best known Curacao dives. The best part of that dive is the wall to south around the point, do your safety stop at the Tugboat since it's 17' deep. OE is 5-10mins. south of the port (downtown) and you have to get there on your own afaik. Curacao Padi Scuba Diving - Ocean Encounters Curacao Lion's Dive Resort is 50 yards north of there and has a nice beach bar for lunch. Also the Sea Aquarium is just across the channel for the kids. It's pretty interactive, they have the dolphins, petting pool etc.

Another option slightly closer is Atlantis Diving. They offer pickups at the port. Atlantis Diving Curacao - Cruise ships IDK much about them.

A third is see what Caribbean Sea Sports is doing that day. They do both boat dives and shore dives at the Marriott in Piscadera Bay. It's on the same side of the harbor as the port - just up the road about a mile or two. The Marriott would be a good spot for lunch also, there's a couple restaurants/bars there as well. Caribbean Sea Sports Curacao - Home Nice beach also but no shopping in that area, that's all downtown. And there's no beaches downtown.

Bas Harts is another option. Curacao - Shore Diving - Dive Courses - Dive Safaris - Dive Excursions - Cruiseship Diving -

You can also shore dive at the Dive Bus location but I'd do that as a last resort since you can possibly do a couple of boat dives instead. Their cruise program only dives Pierbaai - their house reef. Cruise Ship Passengers

We do 3, often 4 dives daily on Curacao. The better part of the reef is at 50-80' and in most areas you have to work to break 130' There's also some interesting stuff shallower at many sites. Like the Tugboat and the pier there.

 

[Bas Harts]

Hey Kmart,

We can plan the day around your schedule. We will pick you up, drop you off and you will have a private dive guide for the day. 3 dives is certainly an option.

Bas

 

[Oldbear]

When I had about 20 dives I took a Carnival cruise and dove many of the same ports as you listed. I had a ball. Just book your dives thru the ship and let them cater to you.

Since Bas Hart has reached out to you I would go with them, this shop has already shown an interest showing you his dive sites.