Bahamas Day Trip - From Florida

[Stu S.]

About a year ago I saw an ad for a one-day dive trip. I should have saved the ad. For $199 you get on a fast boat from Florida, and make the 50 mile run to the Bahamas for a day of diving, and then return. The boat looked like a 'cigarette' with a cabin.

Can anyone help me with information of this type of trip?

Many thanks / Stu

 

[k4man]

you are talking about Discovery Cruise Line

http://www.discoverycruise.com/home/tBlank_OB_7_GR_dclhome_SE_0_AG_None_ST_dclhome.html

They leave daily from Ft. Lauderdale and, in my opinion, take a SLOW cruise across--normally about 4-5 hours so that you can gamble, eat, spend $$ in other places. I have taken this cruise line across a few times--it's a commuter cruise line--but it is inexpensive compared to other options.

 

[Stu S.]

Thanks, Kevin. I see that they do the Limbo on board. Cheap, too. Do you know how you dive with this trip? The ad I saw was more like a dive boat. Know anything about those?

 

[Tuckster]

If you're going to Freeport or Nassua, you may as well plan on staying a few days ... the taxes & Gov't fees are too much for a "day trip".

 

[Stu S.]

Thanks. What if you went over to the Bahamas, had a few dives, and returned to Florida without setting foot on shore? That's the trip I saw advertised a year ago, and I am trying to find. Is that even possible?

Stu

 

[diversteve]

Thanks. What if you went over to the Bahamas, had a few dives, and returned to Florida without setting foot on shore? That's the trip I saw advertised a year ago, and I am trying to find. Is that even possible?

Stu

No, if you go into Bahaman territorial waters, you're obligated to clear customs/immigration with them - both ways. Otherwise you've illegally entered the country. I don't think the captain would be willing to risk his boat for that. They may some arrangement with both the Bahamian and U.S. authorities whereby the captain collects the immigration documents(and pays the fees) but I doubt it.

We were on a Bahamas liveaboard and never touched land, but we still had to. Although in our case, the return was done on the dock in Ft. Lauderdale.

Different example: There's a day trip out of St. Thomas that goes over the the Rhone Wreck in the BVI's. Everyone is instructed to bring their passport as they have to stop and clear both ways even though they're back by about 4-5PM.

 

[tvictory]

About a year ago I saw an ad for a one-day dive trip. I should have saved the ad. For $199 you get on a fast boat from Florida, and make the 50 mile run to the Bahamas for a day of diving, and then return. The boat looked like a 'cigarette' with a cabin.

Can anyone help me with information of this type of trip?

Many thanks / Stu

Over the years there have been a couple of high-speed/jetfoil ferries between Ft. Lauderdale or West Palm Beach and Freeport. I don't think any is operating now and none lasted very long. By the time you read the fine-print and added on the port fees and various taxes, it was never viable as a day-trip proposition or even as an overnighter.

 

[OceanObsessed]

The boat looked like a 'cigarette' with a cabin

On a small high speed boat like that ... you would get the cr*p beat out of you unless you got really lucky with the weather. I have made that trip on small boats many times (but not all in one day). 100 miles roundtrip is a very looooooonnnnng way for a one day trip over the water!

 

[trigfunctions]

you are talking about Discovery Cruise Line

http://www.discoverycruise.com/home/tBlank_OB_7_GR_dclhome_SE_0_AG_None_ST_dclhome.html

They leave daily from Ft. Lauderdale and, in my opinion, take a SLOW cruise across--normally about 4-5 hours so that you can gamble, eat, spend $$ in other places. I have taken this cruise line across a few times--it's a commuter cruise line--but it is inexpensive compared to other options.

I've done this too. The Cruise is more like a floating greyhound bus, but we were able to get a SUPER-cheap packaged deal with a hotel that made the hotel price work out to about $30 a night. That was about 1.5 years ago.

 

[Stu S.]

Hey divers, thanks for the advice. The cheap trip sounds like a lot of fun, unless something romantic is required. You know the penalty of flying, taking a day off before and after diving. Going by boat would eliminate that. If I had more money, or time off from the job, I would not investigate this. Sometimes, a last minute deal is available from cruise lines out of Port Canaveral. My dive buddy knows how to get these cheap.

If something excellent turns up, I'll post it. Again, thanks a lot.

Stu.