Cruise 4 days Bahamas with Norwegian Cruise Line, diving possible?

[Jacq]

I am thinking about doing the 4 day cruise to the Bahamas, but I only want to go if it is possible to dive. The cruise goes to Freeport, Nassau and their private island. I know that on their private island there is no diving, but I would like to do a shark dive at Nassau and another dive (2 tanks) at Freeport. I have sent an email to NCL but they don't seem to understand my english (ok, I am dutch but it isn't so bad, is it?) and keep asking me for my booking number . So hopefully you guys can help me with my questions.

Nassau: the NCL website has an excursion for this, so this should be possible. The only thing is, when I look at the website of Stuart Cove (were I heard NCL work with), it says that you can only do the trip if you are on a ship that they have a contract with, but they don't mention NCL. For other ships it is not possible because you won't be back on time for the ship to leave.

Freeport: the NCL website doesn't give any diving excursion.

Who has experience with diving on this cruise and can tell me about it? Is is possible to do two days of diving?
I hope someone can help me.

Thanks!

 

[diversteve]

The Shark Dive at Stuart Cove's leaves at 1PM Nassau Time - ship time may be different?- and returns to their facility around 5PM. Then it's a further 30-45 minute transfer back to the cruise port from Stuart Cove's - they're on the south side of the island, Nassau is on the north.

So if you have a late enough departure time you could possibly make that work.

If you click the Hotel Transfers link on their website they mention that for the NCL "Dawn" - as well as other cruise line passengers they pickup at 7:45 and 11:45. Afaik there's only transfer point for all cruise traffic - everybody walks off the same way thru customs.

Another option might be Bahama Divers - they're just across the bridge from Paradise Island so about 10 mins? from the cruise port. Their morning 2-tank leaves at 8:30am though and they only have a 1 tank at 1:30pm. They do the Lost Blue Hole Mon, Wed, and Sat. - sharks are often seen there - on the 2-tank w/Barracuda Shoals as the 2nd dive.

It was some years ago but it took us about 1/2 hr. to get off the ship in Nassau.

I can't help with Freeport - we didn't dive there. Except that I think UNEXSO in Port Lucaya is about the closest dive operator. This is at the bottom of their website:

Visit us from your cruise ship

 

[Jacq]

Thanks Steve for you information. Unfortunately there is not enough time to just try it, because the ship leaves at 5 pm. And the ship mentioned on the website "Dawn" is not our ship (strange that they mention just one ship). I think I will send them an email.

For Freeport, I will send UNEXSO an email as well.

But I am still hoping that there are divers here that made this cruise, anyone out there?

 

[diversteve]

You know those are really your only two dive options on Nassau right? There's little to no shore diving and the only other dayboat operator (Explore Scuba) on Paradise Island recently closed. Landshark (if they're still around) is a dive resort but they use Stuart Cove's for boat dives.

There is Custom Aquatics but they're a private charter starting at $795/-1/2day.

Most (all?) of your options for either island: Bahamas Government Portal - BDA Members