Cruising and I need to dive

[parzdiver]

I'm going to be cruising in January and need some advice on dive shops at the locations that will work with a cruise ship passenger. I have been diving with cruise ship booked operations and they are generally conservative, decent operations with fairly crowded boats. I have no objections to using those operations, since I know they will get me back before the boat leaves. We are basically scheduled to be in port 8-5 each day.

The islands on the itinerary are:

St. Thomas
St. Croix
St. Kitts
Dominica
Barbados

Only St. Thomas and Dominica have dive excursions listed through the cruise line. I plan to dive three of the islands, spending some time with my non diving family (they are making me). Recommendations on which islands to dive and what operations to use are appreciated. Topside recommendations would also be helpful.

Thanks for the input!

 

[Tool Belt]

Same itinerary. On RC leaving SJU January 9th. I have been asking this questions on various Boards. Here is what I have:

On St Thomas the shore excursion sounds like wrecks.....I don't get wrecks. Probably going to go with Admiralty

St Croix someone who does the North Shore.

St Kitts Pro Divers St Kitts


Dominica, RC uses Dive Dominica, and they rock.

Barbados probably Dive Barbados

Have not pulled the trigger on any of these yet. Going to do some final due diligence in the next week or so.

Happy Cruising!

 

[parzdiver]

Hey Tool Belt, we'll have get together, we are on the same ship!

Thanks for the information, let me know what you decide. I'm torn about Dominica. I'd love to dive there, but there looks like a lot of great stuff top side.

Probably beach it in Barbados. I know a great bar on the beach up the coast a bit.

 

[Tool Belt]

Cool I'll see you on the dives! Dominica is a wonderful island. Tough choice but I think some of the best diving will be there. Been emailing with Dive Dominica, we unfortunately won't be on the big Cat as it is going on the Whale Watch, we'll have to settle for the 39 footer. I'll be in touch.

Tom

 

[Antietam]

In St Thomas try Blue Island Divers. They'll pick you up at the cruise ship dock, and won't take you diving anywhere near the cruise ship excursion.

St. Thomas scuba diving

 

[bsumner]

Anchor Dive is my favorite dive operator on St. Croix. Excellent service, competitive prices, very short boat rides (surface interval usually at the dock), good folks all the way around.

 

[CT Sean]

I just came back from this trip.

St Thomas - Dove with Underwater Safaris http://www.diveusvi.com/home2.htm
Dive #2 was the wreck of the Cartanser and was pretty cool (for the record, as a newbie diver, it was my first wreck so I'm sure anything would have been decemt ) the "reef" dive for #1 was pretty lame even by newbie standards - I'd try and book elsewhere -= if you're not into wrecks I'd definitely look elsewhere.

Dominica was awesome (again, in my newbie opinion) other than no large fish to be seen. But plenty of small wildlife and really great looking reefs. I don't recall the dive ops' name - but the dive boat picked us up RIGHT at the cruise terminal so no walks

Both dive ops seemed decent - nothing to complain about. On st thomas we had a total 9 divers (but a disturbingly large discover scuba group that had a different section of the dive boat plus they of course didn't dive with us) and Dominica we had 7. Plus both dive boats had bathroom on board - might not matter to some but it mattered to me.

 

[parzdiver]

I just came back from this trip.

St Thomas - Dove with Underwater Safaris Underwater Safaris, St. Thomas US Virgin Islands - Flash Site
Dive #2 was the wreck of the Cartanser and was pretty cool (for the record, as a newbie diver, it was my first wreck so I'm sure anything would have been decemt ) the "reef" dive for #1 was pretty lame even by newbie standards - I'd try and book elsewhere -= if you're not into wrecks I'd definitely look elsewhere.

Dominica was awesome (again, in my newbie opinion) other than no large fish to be seen. But plenty of small wildlife and really great looking reefs. I don't recall the dive ops' name - but the dive boat picked us up RIGHT at the cruise terminal so no walks

Both dive ops seemed decent - nothing to complain about. On st thomas we had a total 9 divers (but a disturbingly large discover scuba group that had a different section of the dive boat plus they of course didn't dive with us) and Dominica we had 7. Plus both dive boats had bathroom on board - might not matter to some but it mattered to me.

Thanks for the info. I can't wait to get out there.

 

[Cousinducky]

check out Coki Beach Dive Club, they're super cool. They work with cruise ship people everyday.

DiveHDV1 » Page 1 of 4

Coki Beach Dive Club - Cruise Ship Passengers

 

[TerryC]

I'm going to be cruising in January and need some advice on dive shops at the locations that will work with a cruise ship passenger. I have been diving with cruise ship booked operations and they are generally conservative, decent operations with fairly crowded boats. I have no objections to using those operations, since I know they will get me back before the boat leaves. We are basically scheduled to be in port 8-5 each day.

The islands on the itinerary are:

St. Thomas
St. Croix
St. Kitts
Dominica
Barbados

Only St. Thomas and Dominica have dive excursions listed through the cruise line. I plan to dive three of the islands, spending some time with my non diving family (they are making me). Recommendations on which islands to dive and what operations to use are appreciated. Topside recommendations would also be helpful.

Thanks for the input!

For an "insider" view of St Kitts Diving my website has the info you need St Kitts Scuba Diving information - mystkittsdivebuddy- the underwater world on the island of St Kitts
If you need help booking pm me or contact me through the site.
Best operator is Pro Divers http://www.prodiversstkitts

Terry