Advice please?

[Hibiscus13]

Hi all -

I'm hoping I can find some suggestions or recommendations. Hubs and I are doing our first cruise this November, he's a Rescue Diver, I'm a recreational snorkeler. I'm trying to decide what ports might be good for Hubs to go diving - and where I might be able to go with and snorkel, or at the very least sit on the boat while he dives.

Our ports of call include St. Croix, St. Kitts, Dominica and Grenada and we have full days at each island. Which offers the best visibility, conditions, sea life?

Thanks for any help!

 

[Hibiscus13]

Can anyone provide some information about diving in these ports??

Thanks!

 

[marine9]

I've not dove in Grenada, but I understand that they do have good
diving there.
As for St. Kitts, Dominica and St. Croix - all very good diving.
That said, I also know that all four islands have very nice
snorkeling.
Your problem. as I see it, is finding a scuba operation that will
take non-divers along with the divers on a boat. In most cases, this means
sitting on the boat while the divers are in water, as the water is
normally too deep to see much while snorkeling.
Most dive operations will take you along, for a small fee. And you
may have a chance to snorkel during a surface interval - between
dives. In most cases. it may not be worth your time and money.
You may wish to contact local dive shops on those islands and ask
if they have a program that would allow you to go along, and if you'll
be able to snorkel while the dives are taking place. Contact the
cruse line and try to find out what dive operations they use.
You also might want to look into a Discover SCUBA course for your
self - that way you could maybe do a dive with him!
Something to keep in mind...
Ships have deals with local shops on each of the islands. The cost
of these trips is a little high, as the ship lines make a bit off of the
deal. However, if the dive trip takes a little longer and the ship is
ready to sail - it will not leave until everyone has returned from the
ship's approved trips.
If you go on your own, not using the ship program, the cost will be
lower - BUT if the trip runs longer and it's time for the ship to sail
and your not back - they will sail without!!! And you will have to
bear the cost of getting to the next port of call at your own cost
in order o meet the ship!
Enjoy your trip, and you still have time to get certified before November...

 

[Hibiscus13]

I appreciate your thoughts Marine9, thank you for posting.

It sounds as though you can't have a bad dive experience at any of these ports, we just need to decide which one suits us best. I've been in touch with several dive shops and none of them have a problem with me coming on the boat, for a fee, and have mentioned that the dive sites are likley not suitable for snorkeling.

I should mention that we live in southern MX in the winter and I'm used to going out with our local dive shop with hubs while he dives, I like being on the boat and don't mind hanging out. We don't intend to use any cruise ship providers for excursions, we have full days in port, and living in a port town, we know how many great service providers there are to choose from.

As for getting certified, our dive shop friends have been bugging me for five years to give it a try. I'm a surface girl, I like snorkeling and just have no interest in scuba

If anyone else has any recommendations for dive centers on any of these islands please let me know!

 

[Rhone Man]

Dominica would be my top pick out of that list, but because of the way cruise ship schedules work, it is often times hard to get diving done at that stop.

Never done St Croix but I hear good things.

St Kitts has good wreck diving if you like wrecks.

I have never done Grenada; don't know much about it other than the Bianca C wreck, which I am pretty sure they don't take cruise ship passengers to except by special arrangement.

Good luck!

 

[mitsuguy]

Come do the shore dives with us at Cane Bay, in St. Croix... The shore dive is one of the best on the island, and the snorkeling off the beach is amazing as well... Cheap too - $25 round trip for snorkelers, $40 for a one tank guided shore, or $65 for a 2 tank guided shore... Scuba Dive St Croix, Cane Bay Dive Shop,dive St Croix with the best St Croix dive packages

 

[Hibiscus13]

Hi mitsuguy -

I think I sent your dive shop an email a couple of days ago - but haven't heard back

Your dives/snorkeling sound perfect for us - can you give me your email address?

Thanks!

 

[mitsuguy]

Hi mitsuguy -

I think I sent your dive shop an email a couple of days ago - but haven't heard back

Your dives/snorkeling sound perfect for us - can you give me your email address?

Thanks!

yup, mitsuguy@gmail.com

Drop me an e-mail and I can forward it to the correct place - we get inundated with mail sometimes, and sometimes certain mailboxes are filtered and we never even see it...

-Cody

 

[Hibiscus13]

No worries - I just sent you an email.

Thanks for the message.