Cruise Ship diving

[Palmcoastdiver]

Hello Everyone,

I need to select 2 out of 4 dive choices in Cayman, Belize, Isla Roatan and Cozumel. This will be the week of November 3-10 on the Carnival Liberty cruise. I can do the cruise excursion or try to organize it myself with the locals. The cruise excursion guarantees I make it back on the boat..Has anyone had any good experiences booking a cruise ship dive experience on this boat? Thanks !

 

[Altamira]

We have used both private dive ops and cruise excursion dives on numerous cruises. Except for one private op and one cruise excursion (no longer has the contract) we have had very enjoyable dives with both types of operation. Cozumel and Roatan are wonderful dive locations, as are Cayman and Belize, but I have not dived Cayman or Belize yet. We are going to dive Belize from a cruise in December, but got weathered out of Cayman last year, so we will fill one more of our to do list this year. Some people on this site criticize the ship's excursion dives, but that may be because they don't want to dive with a group of vacationers or because they want a more independent style dive, but I don't share those sentiments. Yes, the cruise excursions are more expensive, but then you don't have to take a cab anywhere to meet the dive op or worry about whether or not you are going to make it back to the ship in time. I look at the additional cost if I use the ship's excursion as peace of mind insurance, and know that if I missed the ship, I would have to spend a lot more money than the additional dive cost to fly somewhere to catch up or fly home with a busted cruise vacation.

 

[diversteve]

I didn't get a sense of your preference so some options:

On Cayman the cruise operator is Don Foster's in Georgetown - short distance south of the cruise port - Welcome to Don Foster's Dive Cayman - Cruise ship program
There's also Lobster Pot Dive center in Georgetown - slightly north? of the cruise port. They book two smaller operators. The Lobster Pot Dive Center Grand Cayman
Or walk about 100yds south of the cruise tender port to Eden Rock and shoredive there. Cayman's Best Boat and Shore Diving
Or cab (5mins.) over to Sunset House, do a couple of shore dives, My Bar for lunch and see the Cathy Church Photogallery. Sunset House - Cayman Islands Diving Resort

On Roatan the Carnival operator is Anthony's Key Resort. They're on the north side, the Mahogany Bay Cruise complex is on the south. AKR will shuttle you over and back. Someone recently posted here that they were picked up by an AKR boat at Mahogany Bay so IDK if that's changed recently. Anthony's Key Resort - Roatan

10mins. by cab from Mahogany Bay is Barefoot Divers at Barefoot Cay. They also offer a 2 dive pkg. In addition they're 5 mins. from Mary's Place, one of the signature Roatan dives. One morning we dove it with them, then rode a few minutes (by boat) over to Cocoview and dove the Prince Albert wreck. day dive packages|cruise shippers

Subway Watersports is another cruise option. Roatan Shore Excursions Tours Activities - scuba diving

 

[pasley]

In 2008 I took the Carnival Cruise ship Valor to Grand Cayman, Roatan, Belize, and Cozumel. Dove 2 dives in every port and had a great time. I booked through the cruise ship for the following reasons:
1. The dive boat will not leave until the cruise ship arrives.
2. The cruise ship will not leave until we return or if it does is reponsible for getting back to the ship.
3. I have someone in the USA to take up any issues with. The cruise ship throws a lot of business to the dive operation, you on the other hand are there and gone. If you have an issue (such as you left gear behind) the cruise ship will help you get it back.
4. Divers who contract through the cruise ship are disembarked first so you can get to your dive.
5. Where the ship was tendered (anchored a few miles off shore in Roatan if I remember right ) the dive operator came to the cruise ship. Dives booked with non-cruise ship dive shops would require you to wait until later when the tenders take you to shore and then get a taxi to the dive operation.

Down side of booking through the cruise ship.
1. I dove in every port. None of the other divers from the cruise ship dove in more than 2 ports.
2. The other divers were from what I could gather (conversation and observation of ablities) strickly vacation divers. Doing one or 2 dives a year.
3. Don't expect to get a nice long dive. The vacation only divers will burn through their air quickly and buoyancy control is somewhat sketchy. On one dive I took control of my dive buddys buoyancy getting him neutral, assiting him in his ascent so he didn't kill himself and then waiving bye bye at the surface while I went back for more bottom time. So 30 minutes is all you get. I did manage 45-60 minute dives by hanging with the DM and flaty refusing to surface, deco don't you know, I am sure my computer said deco for 20 minutes ;-)
4. The cruise ship contract limits your maximum depth in their contact with the dive shop.

All 4 of the dive sites provided warm clear water and grate diving. Grand Cayman is the only dive shop that I recall that asked for a dive card. Grand Cayman has a recently sunk wreck in shallow water (60 feet) and if you don't dive all the stops I would make it one of the dives. Cozumel was fun too and would be my 2nd choice. Roatan and Belize were fun too. I would dive all 4 again.

 

[Palmcoastdiver]

Great information and advice! I really appreciate that. Pasley, if you had to choose 2 of those 4 locations to dive...what would they be? (I have family obligations I have to consider while we're on the cruise as well)

 

[OCTAC]

FYI, priceline offers the same excursions plus a few more at a slightly cheaper price and all are 5star. Their guarantee is phenomenal! If for some reason you do miss the ship they will pay all expenses, rooms, flights, clothing, food, plus give you $500 in pocket. The only difference is that you meet your guide right outside the ship terminal and not inside the gate. From the comments, it seems that their excursions only take a few people for a more personal experience. I will probably book my excursions thru Priceline for my upcoming cruise in January. Also, just so you know, Carnival will not be docking in Belize because of the overbooking the port did! So for safety and noncongestion, Carnival has rerouted this stop to Costa Maya. Hope this helps!

 

[Razorback76]

The only one on your list I don't like is Belize. They charge an arm and a leg and the dives were forgettable imo. You don't want to miss Coz for anything.

 

[lsorenson]

Two I will recommend and they work very well with the time constraints of the cruise ships... They will know when you arrive and your departure and ensure you are back on time...

In Roatan, Native Suns
In Cozumel, Aldora

I believe both have 1-800 numbers to call toll free to line it all up...

Best of luck, lee

 

[ivakdiver]

I booked my diving from the Carnival cruise boats through an alternative group called ' Shore Excursions'. They were recommended by our travel agents. I did two dives in Belize and two in Roatan. Great dives! Small group in Belize, and I was the lone cruise boat diver with Native Sons, on Roatan so had two super dives there.
With the new Mahogany Bay port, However, which is further away, it makes sense to do the dive at Mary's Place and the Prince Albert wreck as they are both good dives.
I did book the Cayman dives with Carnival and went out with the Don Fosters. They are well organized but it was with a much larger group with a wide range of experience and more like your typical cattle boat experience. I enjoyed the dives but it wasn't as relaxing an experience.

 

[Palmcoastdiver]

So out of these 4 cruise stops, sounds like Roatan and Cozumel are the choice places to dive. Native sons tells me there is a $60 dollar cab fare to get to their boat...and Carnival departs that day at 3:00, so I think I will book both dives thru the cruise ship to play it safe. Isorenson...thanks for the recommendation!
Divers, please share your experiences in Cozumel and Roatan!