NEED INFO! Diving in Roatan, Grand Cayman, & Belize

[Astazia_aka_Taz]

We are traveling on a cruise that goes to Roatan, Grand Cayman and Belize. We have friends that operate and I recommend in Cozumel and they are called "Eagle Ray Divers". Other than that we are a little afraid to not go with the ship due to the short time we are there... 8am-3pm. We really want to dive the blue hole and go diving in Grand Cayman (we've done stingray city) so we just want to dive.
We will there during the week of April 10-17 and will be in Belize 4/13, Roatan 4/14, & Cayman 4/15. We need recommendations and info about which islands use tenders. We'll be on Carnival Legend. We both are certified & decided to cruise due to the number of ports they stop that have great diving. ANY help or info will be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

Taz & Ric *REEF-ER MADNESS ABOUNDS

 

[diversteve]

Can you dive the Blue Hole from a cruise ship? I thought it's too far away.

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/cruises/267168-diving-great-blue-hole-belize-carnival-glory.html
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/belize/282901-diving-belize-cruise-ship.html

Hugh Parkey's (there's another op also) pick you up off the ship so you don't have to tender into Belize City first.

On Roatan you'll dock at Mahogany Bay - the Carnival cruise resort. Anthony's Key is the cruise operator - they shuttle you to their operation on the north side.

Other options are Subway Watersports or Barefoot Divers - both have a cruise program. Barefoot is 5mins. by cab to the east of MB. We dove with both AKR and Barefoot, I'd recommend either. IMO the dives Barefoot does were better. Another option is the shark dive, it's on that side of the island - probably can book it thru Carnival. http://www.sharkdiveroatan.com/

Unless it's changed recently, Cayman is a tender. The dive operator in town with the cruise business is Don Foster's. Lobster Pot Dive Center in Georgetown also has a cruise program. On Cayman you could also shore dive at Eden Rock (100 yds. north of one of the cruise docks) or Sunset House (5 min. cab ride) in south Georgetown. Eden Rock has seen a lot of cruise divers over the years so it's a little tired. And shallow.

 

[oceanbound]

what diversteve says is correct. I've cruised that same cuise twice and we we used the ships excursion as after researching we would have used Anthony's Key and Hugh Parkey anyway and they do pick you up and get you back in time. Don Foster was the one that Carnival used in Grand Cayman and all of these were great. I usually won't book thru the ship but in these cases they worked out fine. Now, Cozumel is a diffrent matter. We have another operator, chuchu we have used since I was certified who is great and has a small boat and only a few divers.

 

[shaxs]

Im going on this cruise in 4 days...wohoo! Im only diving in Isla Roatan. From what I gather, it looks like they use Anthony's Key Resort as the vendor for this dive?

 

[Bazzabug]

If you in Cozumel, Get hold of ScubaTony. I know he does trips with the ships there, and the experience is phenomenal.

 

[LynnB]

We also did the same cruise. We just booked through the cruise ship and they were great. Did not dive Cozumel and did a shore dive in Cayman as we had been there diving before. We just wanted to get in the water and before other dives.
We were not tendered in Cayman we were docked...
Great cruise.. have fun!

 

[ndsmitty]

My family is doing the same cruise on the Legend May 1st. After COUNTLESS hours of research and reading reviews, we booked with the following..

Coz- eagle ray divers. My wife and I dove with them 2 years ago and cant say enough about them.

Belize- seasports belize.

Roatan- Tyll's dive

Grand Cayman- Living the dream divers

All these have one thing in common, very small groups! We have done the cattle boats in the past such as booked thru the ship and never again. We like the personal service and attention that you can only get with a small group. Hope this saves you some time.

 

[divejay]

Shore diving in Grand Cayman. In Georgetown harbor where cruise ships anchor recommend Eden Rock or you can take a local bus for $2.50 (15 minutes) to shore dive the Northwall at Lighthouse Point or Cobalt Coast Resort. Both have full service dive shops with restruants. The Northwall of Grand Cayman is just awesome.

 

[timetraveler]

We will there during the week of April 10-17 and will be in Belize 4/13, Roatan 4/14, & Cayman 4/15. We need recommendations..... We'll be on Carnival Legend. We both are certified & decided to cruise due to the number of ports they stop that have great diving. ANY help or info will be greatly appreciated!

Been there, done that on the Legend last year and on the Crown Princess this year. In Grand Cayman we dove with Off the Wall Divers who book out of the Lobster Pot.Grand Cayman Dive Operator - Scuba Training | Boat Dives | Shore Diving | Cayman Diving - The Lobsterpot Dive Center They picked us up at the Hard Rock Cafe (short walk from the ship's tender dock); took us out in a small boat with few divers and a professional personable DM; and got us back in plenty of time.
We've also done the Eden Rock/Devil's Grotto Cayman's Best Boat and Shore Diving These shore dives are convenient (walking distance), cheap, and very nice.

Belize is the only place I would recommend a cruise ship dive excursion. That's because it's a long tender ride from where the ship anchors to shore and then a long boat ride back out and to the dive sites. The ship's dive excursion picks up at the cruise ship. Otherwise, I don't like cruise ship dive excursions. Ask if you want to know why - it's a long explanation

In Roatan we dove with Anemona Divers at Foster's West Bay. It was a good dive, but the boat was over-crowded and the taxi for 2 persons cost US$60 round-trip. Last year we dove with Subway Watersports Roatan Shore Excursions Tours Activities - scuba diving - snorkeling - kayaking They picked us up near the cruise port and brought us back on time. The dive was a small boat with a small number of divers. Very nice.

 

[EastEndDiver]

We also did the same cruise. We just booked through the cruise ship and they were great. Did not dive Cozumel and did a shore dive in Cayman as we had been there diving before. We just wanted to get in the water and before other dives.
We were not tendered in Cayman we were docked...
Great cruise.. have fun!

Exactly where , when and which cruise ship "docked" in Grand Cayman? Unless I am totally mistaken all cruise ships tender in Grand Cayman.