Cruise redirected to Rotan

[Likes2Cruise]

As a result of 'Dean', my upcoming cruise will be redirected to Rotan instead of Costa Maya.

I am interested in doing some diving while in Rotan, but I am more interested in 'rent a tank and go shore dive' - mainly because I'll be on a tight budget this cruise.

Can anyone provide some advice as to dive shops and beach dive locations?

Thanks,
Brian

 

[Doc]

Can anyone provide some advice as to dive shops and beach dive locations?

There are four Roatan resorts that lay claim to having a shore dive. Two actually do. One will arrange to have you picked up and taken to it: CoCoView. I dearly love the place, I think once you've seen it, you'll come back for a week, but it would not be my idea of a good time. The shore dive is exquisite, but... they'll want to put you on a boat dive.

Looking at your profile and previous posts, I see you are a beginning diver. Your real and best question may well have been: What kind of entry conditions might I expect? Since you didn't ask, I would have to predict what almost any operator would say to your request, anywhere in the world: "No, it will be a DM lead dive for your best enjoyment." C'mon. Relax. For a while, until you get things noodled out, pick a good dive op and go with a group. Shore diving alone or with a buddy will wait until you get a few more dunkings.

Cruise Ships and SCUBA diving do not great bedfellows make.

First- if an island is so well developed that cruise ships are there, it's pretty much so a mess underwater. Roatan is one exception, but not for long.

Second- Cruise ship docks are nowhere near the decent diving. Belize is an extreme but perfect example of this

Third- Cruise ships lose money when you are ashore. It costs money to dock and hey- you're not gambling. Your allotted time ashore is very quick. It does make the cruise ship specified dive trips much more practical. When your a cruise ship diver, first and foremost you are a cruise ship passenger. No one uses a cruise ship as a serious mode of transport to do serious hard core diving. Go with their program. At the very least, it will absolutely ensure that you will be back on that ship before it sails.

The single best day dive op on the island, IMNSHO, is SubWay Watresports.They will show you a good time. http://www.subwaywatersports.com/

Check your spelling, it's pronounced (by us Gringos) as Row-uh-tan as do most of the DM's. The moneyed locals call it Rah-ah-tahn. Texans say Roya-tan, but who can figure them out ?

The one great value in Roatan is the treasure of the small stuff. Things you won't see unless you are with a DM.

 

[r&wc]

We just went on a Carnival Cruise that stopped in Roatan early this month. We dove with Coco View and they were fantastic. We liked it so much there that I have already booked a week trip there for December! I booked the 'day guest' through Roatan Charters (if you e-mail Coco View or call the 800 number on CocoViewResort.com you will get them) and we did a guided shore dive with a DM, ate lunch, and did another shore dive. The shore diving was amazing and couldn't have been easier, and you will fall in love with the place! We just caught a cab right outside the cruise port and it was $50 round trip and took about 30 minutes each way - just don't pay the cabbie until he comes back to pick you up! It is a bit rushed, but as RoatanMan pointed out, cruise ship diving is less than ideal, but this stop was more than worth the hassle. Have fun!!!

 

[highdesert]

Texans say Roya-tan, but who can figure them out ?

Roya-tan, huh? I thought that was a cheap cigar. We have a lady here who has Boyn-aire stuck in head. Figure that one out.

 

[georoc01]

Man what an upgrade divewise. We dove at Anthony's Key when we were there off a cruise ship in April. However, it was organized by the ship and avoided the time crunch issues.

 

[Dee]

Texans say Roya-tan, but who can figure them out ?

HEY! I KNOW you can't be talkin' about me! :10:

 

[parrotheaddiver]

Texans say Roya-tan, but who can figure them out ?

Hey I resemble that remark :mooner: ...I love Roya-tan no matter how you say it

HI Doc Hi Dee...how Y"ALL doin'

 

[Hemlon]

I dove with Anthony's Key when I was there in June. It was first rate!

This was our second time to visit Roatan...it is superb diving!

 

[Doc]

HEY! I KNOW you can't be talkin' about me! :10:

Just to let y'all in on the joke, Roatan is thick with sand flies, but is absolutely infested with Texans. You can always tell a Texan, but you can't tell 'em much.

So, anyway, everyone else at CoCoView is snoring away, but me and Dee are sitting outside at a table at 1 a.m. solving all of life's problems when the discussion came up as to how different folks pronounce the island's name. We both had heard some real doozies. Continental has just started flying in and the Cabin Attendants were absolutely clueless.

On another board, we of course were instructed in proper Texas English. My favorite was: "What's the plural of Y'all? Why, of course, it's: All Y'all.

Yeah, you and Ann, too.

 

[Hawkeye Mark]

I will second that. Went out with Subway a couple of years ago while on a cruise ship stop. Diving from cruise ships is not for the hard-core diver.

That being said we are going on a cruise in a couple of weeks. Diving in Jamaica and Cozumel. Better to be out diving that getting robbed on a plantation tour in Jamaica as happened a while ago. The worst thing about using the cruise ship tour is that they wont take mixed divers and non divers at least for the most part. Been in Coz so many times that I know who has a trip that will accomodate the times.