We just got back last sunday from our first cruise/dive trip. Cruising did have it's advantages, but it also had some drawbacks. On previous dive trips we've always taken a plane and spent a full week of diving (and come home more exhausted than I was when I left). A week on a cruise ship allowed for only three days of diving, but three days of just relaxing at sea and catching up on some well needed nap time was a welcome change. As for the diving....
1st day diving - Cozumel with Scuba Diving in Cozumel with Cristina
We had booked a private charter that our friends had highly recommended. There was only the 5 of us plus our guide, a capt, and 1 deck hand on a 40ft boat. Lots of room to lay about on the relaxing ride out to the first reef. Columbia Reef was fantastic as usual. Our SI was spent munching on fresh fruit, homemade guachamole and chips, and an assortment of drinks. Dive 2 was on Chaankanaab Balones and was every bit as enjoyable as the first. Our safety stop was spent drifting along with a cloud of jellies. We had so much fun watching the jellies our 3min turned into 10. Cost for the private charter was $75 pp and worth every penny.
Dive Day2 - Caymen with Don Fosters
This was booked through Carnival and all I can say is ....
Cattle Boat.
Even the diving wasn't that good. I think the sites were picked based on their proximity to the dock and not much else. The vis wasn't that good and there were NO fish. This was very disappointing considering it was our first time to Caymen and we'd heard so much hype about the diving. Under different circumstances Don Fosters may provide a decent service and I'm sure there must be some great diving somewhere in Caymen, but we experienced neither. Cost was $100 pp and a waste.
Dive Day 3 - Jamaica with http://www.scuba-jamaica.com/
We found these guys by doing a few searchs on the net and booked them for $90 pp . Like Cozumel, it was just the 5 of us plus crew. They didn't provide any SI treats but the did have fresh cold water on board and both sites were only a few 100 yrds from the dock. The diving was fantastic! And I'd use these guys again without hesitation.
Lessons learned - Would I go on another cruise? Probably.
It was nice having a little relax time.
Would I ever book diving again through Carnival? NEVER.
Small private boats is the only way to go!
And Jamaica! was a very pleasant suprise. I wouldn't mind spending a whole week there next time.
1st day diving - Cozumel with Scuba Diving in Cozumel with Cristina
We had booked a private charter that our friends had highly recommended. There was only the 5 of us plus our guide, a capt, and 1 deck hand on a 40ft boat. Lots of room to lay about on the relaxing ride out to the first reef. Columbia Reef was fantastic as usual. Our SI was spent munching on fresh fruit, homemade guachamole and chips, and an assortment of drinks. Dive 2 was on Chaankanaab Balones and was every bit as enjoyable as the first. Our safety stop was spent drifting along with a cloud of jellies. We had so much fun watching the jellies our 3min turned into 10. Cost for the private charter was $75 pp and worth every penny.
Dive Day2 - Caymen with Don Fosters
This was booked through Carnival and all I can say is ....
Cattle Boat.
Even the diving wasn't that good. I think the sites were picked based on their proximity to the dock and not much else. The vis wasn't that good and there were NO fish. This was very disappointing considering it was our first time to Caymen and we'd heard so much hype about the diving. Under different circumstances Don Fosters may provide a decent service and I'm sure there must be some great diving somewhere in Caymen, but we experienced neither. Cost was $100 pp and a waste.
Dive Day 3 - Jamaica with http://www.scuba-jamaica.com/
We found these guys by doing a few searchs on the net and booked them for $90 pp . Like Cozumel, it was just the 5 of us plus crew. They didn't provide any SI treats but the did have fresh cold water on board and both sites were only a few 100 yrds from the dock. The diving was fantastic! And I'd use these guys again without hesitation.
Lessons learned - Would I go on another cruise? Probably.
It was nice having a little relax time.
Would I ever book diving again through Carnival? NEVER.
Small private boats is the only way to go!
And Jamaica! was a very pleasant suprise. I wouldn't mind spending a whole week there next time.
