Princess Cruise Excursions for diving question

[caymaniac]

I did the same cruise (Princess) about 4 years ago. It was my first cruise and we dove at the places you've mentioned. We took our own gear and found dive ops outside of the cruise line choices booking on the internet. My wife very much enjoyed the cruise, I did not. I don't need that many people around me, I don't need that much food, I don't need to be entertained every night.
I didn't have a bad time but it's not my idea of a great vacation.

About the diving:

Pricess Cays (Eluthera) is okay, I wouldn't do it again.

On St. Thomas we dove the Navy Barges and a reef dive, I would never do them again either. I've stayed on St. John before and dove St. Thomas previously and the dives we went to were crap while we were on the cruise. When I was on St. John we went to some great dive sites, it made the dives we had during the cruise stink.

On St. Maarten however I would dive again (Dive Safaris). The first dive was on a wreck in over 60 ft., we penetrated the wreck which had a school of Jacks swimming around it and we saw eels under the wreck, the marine life was good.
On the reef dive we saw a number of the tropicals and had two black tips hanging around us for the dive, the sponge life was good too. I've heard that Saba (nearby) has way better diving.

 

[Blackjack2359]

Thanks Caymaniac. Let's hope that with 4 years passing, things have gotten a little bit better (but I will not bet my life on it). We will just have to wait and see. As far as cruises go, this will be our 2nd cruise. First one was with Carnival (you know, the Wal Mart brand) to Jamacia, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel. We just wanted to try another line. I don't mind the crowds and all the food! We are planning just a dive trip to Cozumel in October this year. Should be a week load of fun and diving.