Which is the best? St Thomas, St Martin, or Nassau Bahamas?

[lee586]

I'm going on a Royal Caribbean cruise next week to St Thomas, St Martin, and Nassau Bahamas. I'm so stink'n excited I can hardly sleep. I would like to know if one of those three places is better than the others for reef diving. I know all three locations have dozens of dive sites. Any recommendations? I tend to enjoy the reefs more than the shipwrecks.

Thanks in advance!

5 more days! WOOHOO!!!

:monkeydan

 

[caymaniac]

I'm going on a Royal Caribbean cruise next week to St Thomas, St Martin, and Nassau Bahamas. I'm so stink'n excited I can hardly sleep. I would like to know if one of those three places is better than the others for reef diving. I know all three locations have dozens of dive sites. Any recommendations? I tend to enjoy the reefs more than the shipwrecks.

Thanks in advance!

5 more days! WOOHOO!!!

:monkeydan

I have been to all three and dove all three. I would say St. Thomas has the best to offer, but, where the ops that pick you up from the cruise ship take you is not the greatest area to dive. Last year was the first time I tried a cruise ship and it is not my cup of tea. That being said, I will tell you that we dove Navy Barges as well as a reef dive. Having stayed on the USVI previously, the side that these ops use is not the best the there is to offer from St. Thomas. (Blue Island Divers...nice boat but, I would also rate the DMs as the least helpful and the worst dive briefing I've ever had in the Caribbean)
Nassau does have a few nice sites and the viz when I was there last was much better than the USVI's. (Sun divers? nice boat)
I did enjoy the diving at St. Martin and I thought the reefs where the ops took us was in great shape, also the wreck was nice. (ScubaFun charters, the worst boat.)

p.s.
Welcome to the board.

 

[tkring]

Lee589, Nassau is pretty to look at but the diving may not be the best in this location. Cruise sounds great! Enjoy and take lots of pictures so you can post them for us.

 

[lee586]

Thanks for the suggestions. From what I've seen on the net, St Thomas does look attractive for reef diving more so than the others. Now the problem is finding a good outfit to take me to the nice places out of the dozens they have....

 

[BurBunny]

Try Chris Sawyer Diving for St. Thomas. www.sawyerdive.vi. They're good about working with cruise ship divers, yet don't run cattle boats. Have had some good dives with them.