Question Dive shops off of cruise ship: Nassau, Cozumel, Belize

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

My wife and I also cruise MSC and have been on your planned cruise four times. In fact we just got back from a cruise to the southern caribbean on the MSC Seaside. I can speak specifically to Belize as that is where we completed our open water course back in August during a destination vacation. If you plan to dive from the popular tourist spot of Caye Caulker off the coast of Belize, you are going to be super rushed for time. Belize is a tender port, which means you have a 30 minutes tender to the main land, then another 45-60 minutes boat ride to Caye Caulker. By the time you complete your excursion and take the boat ride back to the main land you're lucky if you catch the last tender back to the ship. Ask me how I know.

If you do decide dive off Caye Caulker, we used French Angel Expedition to complete our open water course. Smaller outfit, but great personal service.
 
I have booked a trip in Belize with Sea Sports Belize mid/late Feb. Also trying to book with Dive Paradise in Cozumel same week.

Sea Sports has a 4 diver minimum. When I first contacted them they didn't have anyone else. Stuck with it and got into a group.

I had also reached out to Jaguar based on some info here. They only have a 2 diver minimum.

No one wanted to book the first solo.

Dive Paradise has allowed me to book as a solo. They have a 2 diver minimum. Hoping it pulls together for a dive or I can pay for the empty spot.

I'll report back after the trip.

@SATurner - How was the diving with Sea Sports Belize in Feb 2023? I'm scheduled to dive with them this April.
 
@SATurner - How was the diving with Sea Sports Belize in Feb 2023? I'm scheduled to dive with them this April.
@Wants2divemore, the most stressful part was getting from the ship to the port via a tender. The ship didn't understand the need to be on one of the first tenders and told me to go to the excursion tender meeting. Went there, and begged to get a number to get me there ASAP. Got there then found out there was a different part of the ship to get a tender and I could have been a bit earlier. After all of that, I made it, but was a bit stressed.

Walked to the shop, several tried to offer taxi service until I told them where I was headed. They said I was headed the right way and it wasn't far. It might be a 5-10 minute walk if that.

Shop has a small area in the front for gear sales and sign in.

If you are renting gear, they take you to a smaller room and fit you for a BCD asking how much weight you need.

I had my own AI computer, mask, and fins. Prior to the trip, I asked if they could put my transmitter on their reg. The answer was no. When at the shop, I asked again, and without hesitation, they were more than happy to pull their SPG and put on my transmitter.

The sea was a bit rough, so we didn't go out terribly far. We stopped on the inside of the reef for a brief then crossed over into rougher water to splash.

Water temps were right at 80°. I dove in a skin and was more than comfortable.

There were 2 DMs on board, one took a group to about 80' , the other stayed at 40'. Saw a lot of corals, but honestly didn't see a lot of fish. There were some lobster and one green morey out for a swim. There were some small reef fish too.

Made it back in plenty of time to get back to the ship.

I saw more fish in Cozumel and less corals so having both during the cruise was nice.

I wanted a rashie from Sea Sports, but they were out and weren't sure when more would be in. I left them my email and when more came in, we worked through paying for and having one shipped to me in the Atlanta area.

When I dove Cozumel later on the cruise, it was a similar experience other than a $10 taxi ride to/from Dive Paradise. They also said they wouldn't allow my transmitter prior to the trip then the shop did it when asked.

I suspect that has more to do with the coordinators not understanding the question. Both shops were happy to allow my transmitter.

In Cozumel the boat was smaller and entry was falling backwards off the side.

Edited to add:
Had originally tried to use Jaguar in Belize, however, they wouldn't let me book solo because of their boat minimum. They were more than happy to let me pay enough to meet the minimum and then refund me if others joined. I didn't want the hassle of chasing down a refund in a different country.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

Back
Top Bottom