Cruising and looking to dive

[jencks23]

The wife and I are on a carnival cruise starting the 26th of October and will be visiting the ports of St, Martaan, St. Kitts and St. Lucia. We would both like to dive all three days but if we do it thru the ship its gonna be about another $900.00 for the both of us. Anyone know if we can get a price cheaper thru a local shop and if so how about dropping the name so we can try and get things arranged before hand.

I was also wondering what would happen if she decides to go shopping and I go diving alone. Can you still get on a charter if its only one person?

Thanks for your help

 

[Fourseventeen]

St Maarten scuba diving excursion discover scuba diving and scuba with sharks!

I used Island marketing to book the shark dive for our trip to St Maartin (also on a Carnival ship). I have heard a lot of good things about this dive and I personally have booked about a dozen excursions with Island Marketing on various islands and have always been pleased with the services.

 

[TerryC]

Come and dive with us in St Kitts Pro Divers St Kitts Your Padi Dive resort in St Kitts
Do a search for diver comments here on scubaboard or on Tripadvisor.
Full equipment, pickup + 2 tank dive = $105 + tax
Yes you will be welcome as a single diver, but St martin has much better shopping than St Kitts.

 

[Fourseventeen]

may have to check out pro divers in st kitts myself when we come out in Jan =D Looks like some nice swallow novice type dives. We would like to dive a wreck and see some turtles.

 

[TN Traveler]

Use FROG'S Diving in St. Lucia. Tommy now picks up near the Cruise Ship Terminal. Outstandinr operatio.

 

[Laurie S.]

Use FROG'S Diving in St. Lucia. Tommy now picks up near the Cruise Ship Terminal. Outstandinr operatio.

I'm glad to see this. My dive buddy and I are scheduled to dive with FROG's next month while on a cruise.

 

[Booch]

Good Question. Myself and a friend are doing family cruise during holidays. We are advanced divers and are wondering if we should go along with the cruise excursion or book ourselves. It is our belief that cruise excursions go to most common dive sites, not necessarily the better dive sites.

 

[seanssmith]

Hey - just joined blog- i spent some time on st maarten a year ago and dived with scuba fun - there really near the cruise ship place and there dive times are good for the boats - cool people - good dives - anyway you pay the same wherever you go and these guys are right close by - book direct - its cheaper - cant remember their web page but check under scuba fun dive center philipsburg -they should be there- enjoy your dives

 

[Rhone Man]

Friends don't let friends book cruise ship excursions. Book them yourself; you'll save a bundle, and be treated like less of an idiot by the operators.

In all three destinations, the cruise ship dock backs onto a massive shopping area, so non-diving spouses won't have any trouble running up credit card bills, drinking alcohol or catching taxis to see local sites.

When I did a cruise to St Lucia, I dived with FROGS. Small operation run by a nice chap named Tommy. I thought they were nice enough, although I couldn't see too much to differentiate them from others. But when I was waiting at the dock for pickups from FROGS lots of other people were getting picked up by other operators (the place where you get picked up is immediately adjacent to the cruise ship dock - may 90 yards walk). People on SB say FROGS will do the more interesting, further away sites which was why I booked with them, and that was certainly true for me (we went all the way to Superman's flight, under the Pitons - I didn't see any other dive operator there).

In St Martin (assuming you go into Phillipsburg, which is where most of the ships go), I didn't see anyone getting picked up by the cruise ship dock, but there are at least two dive companies with shops on the walk into town. For them you would probably have to walk all of 250 yards. They were SCUBA FUN and someone else whose name I forget.

I did not dive in St Kitts, but wished I had. Speaking to those on the ship who did, I believe that they were picked up by the operator by car from the cruise ship area and taken to the boat to go for the dives.

The cruise ships will tell you "If you don't dive with our excursions, we won't wait for you if you are late back." Don't worry, you will be back around lunchtime from your two tank dive and sipping pina coladas long before last call for boarding.

Have a blast!

 

[Rhone Man]

if we do it thru the ship its gonna be about another $900.00 for the both of us.

I would guess that you could trim that number to about $600-650 if you book yourself.

Also: spare a thought for the dive shops. My local dive store charges a normal tourist rate of $100 for a two tank dive. The cruise ships charge their guests $150 to organise a two tank dive with the same store, but of that, $105 is kept by the cruise ship, and only $45 goes to my LDS. No doubt about which kind of customer my LDS is happier to see.