Hello everyone!

[Diver Darling]

Just joined tonight and looking around checking this out. What a great way to meet new, potential dive buddies!
Maybe we can chat sometime about the wonderful world of diving and share some stories. I do have a question about diving the Virgin Islands. Where would I find info about which of the islands are the nicest to dive?
I'm going on a cruise this March and need some opinions.
Cheers, DD

 

[drrich2]

Welcome. There are 2 sets of Virgin Islands; U.S. (St. Thomas, St. John, St. Croix) and British (those others).

St. Thomas is a very popular cruise port & a lot of people have done 2-tank boat dives there. I've dove with Admiralty Dive Center. It, as well as some others, is reputable. Do a quick forum search and you'll turn up some reports. Last I knew, Admiralty did pick up not far from the ship at Charlotte Amalie. St. Croix is good; here's my quick trip report from a cruise stop there. If you happen to stop there, likely worth your time. St. John is often reached by ferry from St. Thomas, and seems reputed more for snorkeling then diving; that one I haven't visited.

Someone else will have to tell you about the British Virgin Islands.

Richard.

 

[diversteve]

The cruise port in the BVI's is in Roadtown, Tortola. There's a couple of local operators that do cruise dives, chances are good one of them is going to the RMS Rhone - the signature BVI wreck across the channel near Salt Island. Or Painted Walls off Dead Chest which is another good dive. I don't know currently who is doing the cruise dives for what line but here's a list of all of them should you want to contact them to make your own arrangements instead - bviscuba.org We B Divin is about a block from the cruise pier and I'm fairly certain Sail Caribbean handles some of that also. It won't be JVD Scuba or DiveBVI - wrong island.

Another good choice on St. Thomas is Blue Island Divers. They'll either pick you up by boat from the Havensight cruise pier or if your ship happens to dock at Crown Bay Cruise Terminal instead, you can walk to their shop - it's in the same place. Cruise Ship Divers - most dock at Havensight though. This is a pretty old photo but it gives an idea - Blue Island picks up near the bow of the left ship at the small dock there. Zoom in and you can see what looks like a boat waiting - no idea if it was theirs.

 

[Rhone Man]

Welcome to SB!

It has been 2.5 years since I lived in BVI, but when I did it was Sail Caribbean Divers who had the contract to pick you up from the dock and run the cruise ship dive tours. Invariably that would be a trip across the channel to the wreck of the Rhone, which is the BVI's signature dive.

In St Thomas, I don't know who has the relevant contracts for stuff organised by the ships, but a wide selection of dive operators will agree to come and pick you up off the cruise ship dock and return you safely well in time for departure. The one and only time I visited Charlotte Amalie on a cruise ship I did a two tank with Admiralty Divers (who I had dived with previously on a day trip), and they are pretty solid.

Feel free to PM me if you want any more info.

 

[RJP]

Welcome to Scubaboard!

If you can dive off Tortola - and do the Rhone - that'd be my recommendation. And specifically with Sail Caribbean, who I use last year on Rhone Man's recommendation.

Ray

 

[Diver Darling]

Thanks you all for all the great info! I've decided to dive St Thomas with Blue Island. They are right off the cruise ship and will let my non-diving Mom go as a snorkeler for $50. (maybe free if she decides not to snorkel). Anyway, one of destination sites said Blue Island was rated #1 by many reviews... that's good enough for me!