Cuba Diving

[caribean-ted]

Hi I'm heading to Cuba for diving. Resort is in veradero. Is it better to go to the dive shop there to arrange dives or ahead of time. Their hard to get ahold of. I dove there before and used baracuda dive opp but now seems a company arranges the dives for several opp. Not ready to pay till I've talked to the opp about pricing.

 

[Ayisha]

It's hard to get emails or phone calls answered in Cuba, especially if it's the government run Nautica Marlin. I also dove with Barracuda years ago out of Varadero. I think Cuban dive shops tend to be much better with face to face communications. If you go in to the shop(s) right away when you get to Varadero and book your dives, you should be able to get dives that work for you.
Years ago I did have emails back and forth with Barracuda, but recently with other dive shops elsewhere in Cuba, they didn't pick up phone calls or answer emails. Some did, the majority didn't.

Good luck!

 

[caribean-ted]

It's hard to get emails or phone calls answered in Cuba, especially if it's the government run Nautica Marlin. I also dove with Barracuda years ago out of Varadero. I think Cuban dive shops tend to be much better with face to face communications. If you go in to the shop(s) right away when you get to Varadero and book your dives, you should be able to get dives that work for you.
Years ago I did have emails back and forth with Barracuda, but recently with other dive shops elsewhere in Cuba, they didn't pick up phone calls or answer emails. Some did, the majority didn't.

Good luck!

Thanks. I'm leaving for veradero today will go see them tomorrow. Any suggestions on a good dive opp in veradero. Heard baracuda isn't good any more

 

[certified in 1976]

We've been going to Cuba for twenty years, usually diving on the south side except a couple of times when doing the bull shark dives in Santa Lucia. Wife and I have never dove in Veradero because we were told its not the best diving in Cuba, plus we prefer more remote places on the island. But others who have been there have told us there is good diving there. We've found in Cuba its usually OK to show up the day of the dive, but we always go to the shop the first day we arrive and introduce ourselves, providing we took an earlier flight. We had some great dives in Cuba and love the island and the people, even if the government leaves a bit to be desired..

Enjoy Cuba as it was. Once the embargo ends it will become an entirely different place.

 

[caribean-ted]

We've been going to Cuba for twenty years, usually diving on the south side except a couple of times when doing the bull shark dives in Santa Lucia. Wife and I have never dove in Veradero because we were told its not the best diving in Cuba, plus we prefer more remote places on the island. But others who have been there have told us there is good diving there. We've found in Cuba its usually OK to show up the day of the dive, but we always go to the shop the first day we arrive and introduce ourselves, providing we took an earlier flight. We had some great dives in Cuba and love the island and the people, even if the government leaves a bit to be desired..

Enjoy Cuba as it was. Once the embargo ends it will become an entirely different place.

Im gonna go first day i can, will arrange for next day to start.
yep once the embargo is lifted the prices will go up and attitudes will change. We had a good run but theirs other awsome places to dive, the dive opps usually drive an hour or 2 from veradero to hit good dives. Just not every day

 

[Ayisha]

It's been a long time for me since Varadero, sorry. I did a week in Jardines de la Reina (Gardens of the Queen) 60 miles off shore from Jucaro, Cuba in September, and it was AMAZING. I have a trip report with pics in the Caribbean, Greater Antilles forum. I also went diving in the ocean and a cenote in Bay of Pigs, and they were pretty good, but not amazing.

Have an awesome time!

 

[fjpatrum]

The title of this reminded me of that Ralphie Mae comedy bit. Thanks for putting a smile on my face. Enjoy your diving. Cuba is a place on my list to visit someday...

 

[certified in 1976]

The title of this reminded me of that Ralphie Mae comedy bit. Thanks for putting a smile on my face. Enjoy your diving. Cuba is a place on my list to visit someday...

I've been going to Cuba for twenty years and have met Americans there every single time. In the old days they were quite secretive about visiting Cuba, usually flying in from Canada or Mexico and then asking Cuban customs not to stamp their passports. These folks were quite adventurous as they risked a $10,000. fine. But nowadays the state department isn't even bothering chasing any more. I was in Cuba just a month ago and met three American tour groups including one that was a group of high school kids. As it stands at present you guys can go to Cuba as part of a "cultural" or "historic" tour group but officially can't go as individuals as of yet, although all kinds of folks do, in fact we even dived with a couple of guys from Iowa this last time.

I figure within five years Americans will be able to go to Cuba as they please, especially if you vote a Democrat government next election. The fun will be that Cuba just doesn't have the hotel/tourist infrastructure to accommodate the extra three or four million tourists from the USA that are expected. It will be a very different Cuba once the embargo is lifted, better in many ways but less so in others.

 

[TMHeimer]

That's what I was thinking. Everybody thinks Cuba will automatically become a crowded place full of capitalist tourists. Where will Raul put them all? It will evolve over time I guess.

 

[diver0008]

Cuba needs what Cancun got.

Lots of American infrastructure investment.