Carnival Valor dive companies

[MrsH]

My husband and I are setting sail on Carnival Valor during March Break 2011, stopping at Grand Cayman, Isla Roatan, Belize and Cozumel. The ship offers scuba diving but I want to know if it's better to dive with a private company. I'm sure the price is a lot better if I book myself!

Can anyone recommend a great company with a good reputation? One that is reliable, safe and respects time lines (we don't want to miss the boat!)

 

[donhealy]

Take a look at some of the other threads regarding Carnival Valor. There are lots of options and operators discussed. GC - Off the Wall. Roatan - I usued the boat but there are other options as well. Belize - I used the boat's operator because to tender in and get an operator would have been real difficult. The dive boat picks you up at the ship. It was Hugh Parkey's and they were real good. I'd dive with them again. For Coz you have some real variety of picks. I used Pelagic Ventures. They are small but very good. XT Sea is also real good.

Don

 

[MrsH]

Thanks for the advice Donhealy! I've only cruised once (to Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico) and the ports were huge. I assumed all were like that but I guess I was naive? I didn't even think about a company having to "tender in" as you say. So much to think about but at least we have time to plan. I'll check out the other threads once I learn my way around this site. Enjoy your day :0)

 

[diversteve]

On Roatan - afaik the Carnival dive operator is Anthony's Key Resort. Since they're on the north side they shuttle you from the port.

Carnival Valor docks at Mahogany Bay - the new Carnival cruise port so a closer option would be Barefoot Divers - they're 5mins. (by cab) away and have a cruise program. AKR is a good option if you or any non-divers want to interact with the Dolphins.

I've dove with AKR and Barefoot Divers and have no problem recommending either.

Since most dive sites at either location are only about 10-15 mins. away you may have time post-dive for sightseeing/lunch - it's 1/2 mile (or less) from Barefoot Cay to French Harbour, one of the small towns on the south side. You could probably walk there from Barefoot. AKR is in it's own compound and there's not much nearby.

+1 for donhealy's recommendation on GC. Off the Wall, Wall to Wall, Neptune's, Ambassador Divers are often recommended here. The first two book out of the Lobster Pot dive center in Georgetown. With all your fellow cruisers in town (and the likely 2-3 other ships) Georgetown will be somewhat of a mess so plan accordingly.

Note that you're tendered in there also except that your ship will be in the harbor or just outside it - depending on when you arrive. The cruise operator on GC is Don Fosters - I've no personal experience with them but the amount of divers per boat/size of their boats puts me off. All the diveops I listed above are 6-8pax maximum. You may not be able to get to Neptune's/Ambassador in time for the morning 2-tank though - depends when you arrive.

Links to all the diveops: Cayman Islands - Grand Cayman, Diving

 

[oceanbound]

I took this same cruise last December and used the ships dive ops for all except Cozumel.
Grand Cayman cruise operator was Don Fosters.
Roatan was Anthoney's Key Resort
No problems with either one of them and had great dives.
Cozumel I used a dive operator I have used every trip. Chochu, he used to work with Dive with Allison. He's great and i've used him several times.