Caribean cruise where to Dive?

[Skibud1]

Hi

I have a cruise booked first two weeks in Feb 2017, itinerary is:

Montego Bay Jamaica 2 days

George Town Grand Cayman

Havana Cuba 2 days

Cozumel Mexico

Santa Marta Columbia

Cartagena Columbia

Colon Panama

My friend and I would like to get 2 days diving in during the fortnight and would be grateful for any views on the best locations and any dive schools who are cruise friendly, but not tied to the cruise line, so we can book independently, hopefully avoiding any crowded boats. We are both Advanced standard last logged dives October 2016.

Many thanks

 

[gopbroek]

Your kidding right? Cozumel should be on your to do list. If you go over to the Cozumel sub forum you will find many related threads. Here is an active thread discussing a similar question as to 'who to dive with': Unfortunately, I'm limited to a one-tank afternoon dive. Where to go?
One key issue you will need to know is what your arrival and departure time is.

 

[Skibud1]

Your kidding right? Cozumel should be on your to do list. If you go over to the Cozumel sub forum you will find many related threads. Here is an active thread discussing a similar question as to 'who to dive with': Unfortunately, I'm limited to a one-tank afternoon dive. Where to go?
One key issue you will need to know is what your arrival and departure time is.

Thanks for that, I'm limited to two days and just wanted to get the best two locations, will have a read thanks.

 

[Altamira]

I would dive Cozumel and Grand Cayman. With full disclosure, I have not been to Cuba or the ports in Columbia, but with just one day in each location, I don't think you are going to be able to get to the best dive sites in Cuba, and I have never heard anyone bragging about the diving in Columbia or near Colon, Panama. You will not be disappointed in Cozumel or Grand Cayman. There are a lot of good ops in both locations that can work with cruise ship schedules, so there is no need to book with the ship. I was in Grand Cayman a couple of weeks ago and dove with Lobster Pot, and was very happy with them. They are a 5-7 minute walk from the tender pier, and they are co-located with two other dive ops, so one of them can probably work with you. If you have not been to GC before, be aware that it is a tender port, so get in line to get off the ship very early or you are going to be behind 3-4 floors of people backed up trying to get off. The tenders can handle 200-300 people, but you can imagine how long that process takes to get the passengers loaded and away from the ship for @15-20 minute tender ride to the pier, and that is on a good day with relatively calm seas.

 

[diversteve]

I agree with ^ - Jamaica isn't supposed to be great and I've never heard of good diving in Colombia either.

Here's a link to Lobster Pot mentioned above. Lobster Pot Dive Center | Cruise Ship Dive Trips - Grand Cayman Diving Just a few minutes walk north of the port.

I recommend Wall to Wall also. Additionally Off the Wall seems to be cruise friendly as well - part of the issue on Cayman is as mentioned it's a tender port plus there can be 4-5 other ships in port at the same time.

If you're interested in shore diving - it's an option there. Eden Rock (shore dive) is 500' south but a container ship recently grounded there and tore up the reef plus collapsed a couple of the swim-thrus - not sure if they're diving there yet or not again. Devils Grotto a short swim south was undamaged. But it's really only a marginal dive unless the Silversides are in in the summer. Grand Cayman Diving and Snorkeling

You can also take a 5min. cab ride down to Sunset House for better shore diving.

Although the best of Cayman has to be the deep wall diving that the boat operators will take you out to. It's some of the best diving we've ever done in the Caribbean.

 

[Skibud1]

Thanks for that detail the itinerary at Grand Cayman states 0800-1700 and Cozumel 0800-1900, so that should give us time hopefully to get off and get two dives in each.

 

[Skibud1]

Update to the responses above. I have just returned from the cruise and dived with LobsterPot Dive Center in Grand Cayman and Tres Pelicanos Dive Center in Cozumel. Both were excellent with two days boat diving, small groups and first rate service, I would highly recommend both schools, thanks again for the tips.

 

[drrich2]

Thanks for getting back to us and letting us know how it went. As a minor tangent, what did you do in Cuba and what'd you think about it? I also cruise, and I'm not inclined to pay high prices just to visit Cuba, but I know many people do, so I'm curious as to what it was like.

Richard.

 

[Skibud1]

Hi
We have done two previous trips to Cuba, but they were beach based all inclusive resorts. This time we did a day and overnightt stop in Havana. There was a group of us we walked through old Havana sight seeing to the National building where we negotiated a two tour of Havana in a couple of old convertibles circa 1950. Cost us $60 US equivalent per car, cheaper than the cruise ship prices. Four girls in one four men in the other. Mojito stop, Revolution Square basically all round Havana. In the evening we again walked into Old Havana visted a few bars and an old club where they had dancing and live musuc Cuban style. A run along the sea front past the US Embassy in the morning and some more sightseeing as the ship docked fuve minutes from old Havana. The place felt very safe and people were super friendly. No hassles, we loved it and would recommend.

 

[Bison]

Hi

I have a cruise booked first two weeks in Feb 2017, itinerary is:

Montego Bay Jamaica 2 days

George Town Grand Cayman

Havana Cuba 2 days

Cozumel Mexico

Santa Marta Columbia

Cartagena Columbia

Colon Panama

My friend and I would like to get 2 days diving in during the fortnight and would be grateful for any views on the best locations and any dive schools who are cruise friendly, but not tied to the cruise line, so we can book independently, hopefully avoiding any crowded boats. We are both Advanced standard last logged dives October 2016.

Many thanks

Great places to dive. Nice to see it went well.