Cozumel, Belize, Roatan, or Grand Cayman?

[Ron SD]

I'm taking a cruise at the end of September that will stop at the following ports (in order):

Cozumel
Belize
Mahogany Bay, Roatan
Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

If you were to choose two spots to dive, which two would you choose?

Thanks!

 

[Doc]

It would absolutely depend upon the allure of other land based attractions that are being offered.

The diving, at least that which is offered to a cruise ship visitor, should be about the same for most any newer diver.

I do think that anyone visiting Cayman should do the Stingray City dive (once), it is truly unique.

 

[CoasterFreak]

Howdy Ron! I am taking a cruise to the same ports end of September. I am cruising on the September 23 trip on the Carnival Legend. How about you?

Diving wise, after looking and looking, I finally decided to do Cozumel and Roatan, skipping Belize, and doing the stingray cove trip In Cayman with the wife. It will be our 20th anniversary trip (anniversary is actually tomorrow thank you very much), and I am just lucky to be doing two dives Since she does not dive.

 

[Sinatra]

Cayman Islands and Roatan. I'm not sure why but in Roatan dive shop operators are not fond of cruise customers, don't like to deal with them. Try the north shore, you will love the wall dives.

 

[Ron SD]

---------- Post Merged at 12:48 PM ---------- Previous Post was at 12:40 PM ----------

Howdy Ron! I am taking a cruise to the same ports end of September. I am cruising on the September 23 trip on the Carnival Legend. How about you?

Diving wise, after looking and looking, I finally decided to do Cozumel and Roatan, skipping Belize, and doing the stingray cove trip In Cayman with the wife. It will be our 20th anniversary trip (anniversary is actually tomorrow thank you very much), and I am just lucky to be doing two dives Since she does not dive.

Thanks for your reply! We're on the September 22 Liberty sailing - sorry! I like your suggestion to do Cozumel and Roatan.

And Stingray City sounds great! I understand that there are actually two "Stingray Cities" and the deeper one is better for divers and less crowded.

Thanks!
--Ron

---------- Post Merged at 12:49 PM ---------- Previous Post was at 12:40 PM ----------

It would absolutely depend upon the allure of other land based attractions that are being offered.

The diving, at least that which is offered to a cruise ship visitor, should be about the same for most any newer diver.

I do think that anyone visiting Cayman should do the Stingray City dive (once), it is truly unique.

Thanks for your response! We're not limited to the trips offered by the cruise ship, but not knowing what there is to see, was hoping to get some input to help us choose. And thanks for the Stingray City suggestion. Is there a dive operator that you would recommend for this?
Thanks!
Ron

---------- Post Merged at 12:51 PM ---------- Previous Post was at 12:40 PM ----------

Cayman Islands and Roatan. I'm not sure why but in Roatan dive shop operators are not fond of cruise customers, don't like to deal with them. Try the north shore, you will love the wall dives.

Thanks for your message! Do you have any recommendations for a dive operator in Roatan? And I'm curious, why would you choose Cayman Islands ahead of Cozumel?

Thanks!
Ron

 

[RickyF]

If you are going to dive Roatan, contact Barefoot Divers. Great op that is close to the cruise terminal. They have no problems with cruise divers.

 

[CajunDiva]

In Roatan, Anthony's Key Resort has a contract with ALL cruise lines to provide diving services from the ships. So if you book your dives through the shore excursion desk on the ship, you will be diving with the crew from Anthony's Key. They have a great reputation for providing quality diving services on the island. We dove with them during our Roatan cruise stop and had a good time. They picked us up from the dock and returned us there after our dives.

Should you decide to book independently, there are numerous options available. As previously mentioned, Barefoot Cay is one option. Personally, I would recommend Subway Watersports out of Turquoise Bay Resort - great people!

 

[nedirtbikr]

Taking a similar cruise in January/2013 on Norwegian. We have already signed up for the Dolphin Dive at Anthony's Key (we've heard it's worth it) plus my wife is BIG on doing this one. I think I'd rather reef dive, but when mama's happy ... everyone's happy. So, Roatan is set.

As far as Cozumel, I've signed up through the ship for an excursion called "Captains Choice Certified Scuba Dive". It's $99/ea. and is a two tank dive of 80-ish and 40-ish feet (which seems like a decent price). I've called NCL to try and find out who the operator is and can't seem to get an answer. Is anyone familiar NCL scuba excursions and what operator it might be? I'm trying to get the best experience possible for the money. I don't mind paying a little extra to book through the ship, but would hate to pay that extra and get what might be considred a subpar dive. I'm getting the impression cruise divers/passengers are kinda the "bottom of the barrel" type customers. As newly certified divers, should I really be worried about it as probably ANY dive will be exciting for us?

Any advice would be appreciated! Thanks all!

 

[fire_diver]

I'd dive in all the stops! I have done GC and Coz and both are great, so I would opt for the other 2 just to try something new.

 

[diversteve]

And Stingray City sounds great! I understand that there are actually two "Stingray Cities" and the deeper one is better for divers and less crowded.

There's the Stingray City dive or the Sandbar snorkel nearby. On the dive you'll be on a regular dive boat and dive to 15' (the bottom) and feed the rays squid. Usually it's just you and maybe 1-2 other dive groups there. When the squid is gone, so are the Stingrays - they move to the next boat over. There's a couple small patchy coral reefs nearby - you might look for "Psycho" (Green Moray) or one of his descendants b4 you surface.

About a 45min. dive total - plus maybe 1/2 hr. from the cruise port via the diveops van - it's a shorter distance than that but Georgetown is small and gets crowded when all the cruise tenders land at once.- everybody keeps a boat in the North Sound for the trip since SRC is just north of there.

At the Sandbar snorkel, the other 500 people from all the cruise ships - usually 2-3 ships are in per day - will be on one of about 10-20 excursion boats - standing in 4' of water and feeding/interacting with the squid. IMO the dive is better - just depends on the experience you're after.

The dive:

The snorkel:

Thanks for your message! Do you have any recommendations for a dive operator in Roatan?

Barefoot Divers. They're 5-10 mins. by taxi from either cruise port. If you contact them in advance, they'll help arrange a cab also. Excellent operation, small boats, small groups and there's some really excellent dives nearby. We did a double on Mary's Place and the Prinz Albert off Cocoview with them one morning. Six of us were their business, the resort is small, pricey (for Roatan) and not everyone staying there dives.

Barefoot Divers - day dive packages|cruise shippers|full valet service

---------- Post Merged at 12:46 PM ---------- Previous Post was at 12:31 PM ----------

Taking a similar cruise in January/2013 on Norwegian. We have already signed up for the Dolphin Dive at Anthony's Key (we've heard it's worth it) plus my wife is BIG on doing this one. I think I'd rather reef dive, but when mama's happy ... everyone's happy. So, Roatan is set.

We liked it, you get to meet "your" dolphins in the pens at RIMS first then it's about a 5min. boat ride out to the dive site - sandy, flat, 60'. The dolphins will come by as soon as they've burned off a little energy - we got the better part of 40 minutes with 3 of them - 20mins. of close personal interaction when the trainer brought them over. It's not a great dive site but getting that up close to a dolphin is something that stays with you for a while. When they're first circling around, watch the perimeter of the divesite - the videographer and I (I shoot video also) caught two of them playing "tag" with a big strand of seaweed - the others in the group - including the trainer - missed it.

After the dive I was floating near the boat and one came up to me, put his face about two feet from mine and stared into my camera port. I slowly reached out my hand to pet his chin (don't touch their foreheads) and he gently popped me in the chin before taking off. I swear I was sonared also - heard the clicks and felt something warm in my chest - but the DM laughed that off. I've got the clicks on tape.

My buddy shot this there: