Bonaire Diving from Cruise Ship

[keytofreedom]

The cruise ships were a surprise to us when we showed up on Bonaire for four weeks in January, but they really weren't a problem. I think they were only there a couple of days a week, for whick Krilendik shut down the main steet downtown. I suppose that brings in some much-needed dollars and only inconveniences the rest of us slightly. I do hope every diver/snorkler is required to do a check out dive regardless of the number of badges they hold. The reef there (and everywhere) is too imporant to ignore methods of preservation, which is the purpose of the whole Stinpa check out dive thing. Bonaire is a treasure and needs to be treated as such.

I do hope the original poster will change his mind about shore-diving. It truly is the definition of "Diving Freedom". When I first started coming, I did only charter diving and, while it was fun and we saw really neat creatures, we had to do it at their pace and go where they wanted to go. Shore Diving is what Bonaire is all about. I would encourage you to go see Patrick at Island Car Rentals at the airport, then drive a few blocks to the Carib Inn for the fastest, least expensive airfills. Look for the yellow rocks and go on in. You can't get lost as long as you have a compass. It's exhilarating to be on a dive with just you and an Eagle Ray. He shows up at the Invisibiles nearly every day. Go against the cruise ship flow. Check it out!

 

[Tom Smedley]

Climb off your pod mobile and go to the City Cafe and find Wannadive Bonaire. Walk up to Bart and tell the tall lanky dutchman that you wannna dive but don't have a lotta time.

 

[El Orans]

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A ScubaBoard Staff Message...

Moved to ABC Islands.

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[captcurrent]

OK. It turns out some of the cruise operators offer something which is unavailable on the island for non-resort guests. Most major resorts will put together a two tank boat dive packahe for their guests.. Plaza and Buddy Dive actually feature that.. As a cruiser you have to contend that a majority of the boat space is already committed and as mentioned earlier .. afternoon two tank dives are virtually not existent. If you have a sizable group... contact an operator IN ADVANCE.. don't count on the cruise line. Timing is also an issue.. sounds like you are in port for a long day.. standard operations are from 8ish to 5ish... You arte also required by Bonaire National Marine Park rules to ahev an orientation, pay a marine park fee (no great gurus this is not a kickback.. like most marine parks in belize curacao and so forth, operations and moorings are maintained by user fees) and do a shore based checkout dive.. then you are free to dive... You already got some good advise on beach diving.. Plaza, Divi, Buddy Dive Bonairee Adventures, Habitat all have good house reefs.. hey this is a vacation enjoy a couple of beach dives at a relaxed pace .. that is what Bonaire is know for its beach diving....
enjoy

 

[vladimir]

Don't the cruise ships usually book tours for people who want to dive? I think I saw it on the Princess Cruise line website. I know a lot of them also go to Lac Bay.

We'll be in Bonaire over the holidays--there will be a cruise ship in town for nearly every single day we are there--on two days there will be TWO ships at once! All total, that should be a little less that 15,000 people! Ugh. Cozumel was bad enough.

I don't even get why cruise ships come to Bonaire. I mean, I LOVE Bonaire, but I don't think I would if I weren't a diver. The town is not very picturesque. The shopping is not very good. The island--sorry, but it's true--is nowhere near as beautiful nor as lush as so many other Caribbean islands. And there are NO beaches to speak of! Why do the cruise ships bring their people there!

Because they've already spoiled the rest of the Caribbean?

 

[Sorrows]

Captcurrent, are you sure the cruise ship passengers have to pay the marine park dive fee? I read on Bonaire Talk that they don't have to--and it's a real sore point, as you can imagine.

At this point, are there any Caribbean islands left that haven't been invaded by cruise ships? It seems as if even the tiny ones (Grand Turk) are now getting them.

 

[reefdiva]

Sorrows ... I believe that the cruise ship passengers who do land tours or visit town do not pay the fee but anyone from a cruise ship who dives with a dive shop (either on a dive boat or rental of tanks for shore diving) pays a one day Marine Park fee of ten dollars. That fee is not a full year fee as the regular 25 dollar one. It is my understanding that snorkelers from cruise ships are not paying the Marine Park fee even though snorkelers on land base vacations do so. There was some talk that the cruise lines were collecting 2 dollars per passenger for the BNMP fee but it is questionable if that has been paid.

Folks who are opposed to what can happen to Bonaire as the result of these mega ships should continue to write to the government of Bonaire.

 

[highlandfarmwv]

You could have a agood dive in Aruba, too.

 

[DiveMaven]

I was so glad to note that when we planned our trip for July next year that there would be NO cruise ships on Bonaire. It's one big reason we haven't ventured to Cozumel yet.

 

[vladimir]

I agree, which is why my last trip to Bonaire will be my last trip to Bonaire.

Well, my well-intentioned boycott of Bonaire didn't last long. I'm on the midnight flight tonight. I carved a week out of the schedule at the last minute, and the direct flights worked nicely. Hopefully I will return with pictures of an unspoiled tropical paradise.