My wife and I are going with her entire family to the Caribbean in June on a Royal Carribbean Cruise. There will be 6 of us who want to dive. I know that one stop is Coz, and another is Grand Cayman. Are there any suggestions about whether we should try to get a local dive op to take all of us as a single group or should we use the cruise lines shore excursions? I am afraid of overcrowded dive boats. Any advice would be great.
Cruising and Diving w/ RCL
- Thread starter mbwade76
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jchaplain
Contributor
mbwade76:
I was on the Radiance of the Seas in Cozumel in December and I dove both Grand Cayman and Cozumel using the ships excursion and I had no problems at all. The dive boats were not crowded and the dives were nice. I cruise and dive with the crusie excursions quite a bit and maybe I've just been lucky but I've never had a problem.
The dive service the RCL cruise ship used in Coz this time was Sand Dollar, and it kind of a crappy older boat, but it was a good experience. They seem to use different dive operators all the time...probably whoever is available.
John C.
BurBunny
Contributor
With six of you, I'd definitely recommend setting up on your own. You'll have the boat to yourself, can dictate the dive times, choose the locations you want, cater to your abilities, not the lowest common denominator of the rest of the unrelated group. In Grand Cayman, I recommend Neptunes Divers and Off the Wall, whereas in Cozumel you have more choices. Blue XT Seas would be a good choice, but there are several others who also run fast 6-packs that would be perfect for you.
But be sure to contact them soon so they have an open, available boat.
But be sure to contact them soon so they have an open, available boat.
ItsBruce
Contributor
I second John's comments. There is a lot of stuff on diving while cruising on SB, especiallly a lot of tips (like don't bring a knife and how to order dinner on a ship). Look for some of my posts.
The cookie cutters are fine and the shops contrated with the ship are all very adequarte, but They will not go where you tell them to, in other words, with your own ( cheaper i might add) group you can tell the operator where you would like to go and then dictate the type of dive you want...
The ship's guys will not do that for you...its also going to be about 1/2 price of the ships excursiion. In Coz dive with Martin/allsion/ or Aqua del mar are all excellent...
in GC edenrock or sunset house
The ship's guys will not do that for you...its also going to be about 1/2 price of the ships excursiion. In Coz dive with Martin/allsion/ or Aqua del mar are all excellent...
in GC edenrock or sunset house
I would also suggest setting up your own dive packages since there are 6 of you. Neptunes Divers in GC and Dive with Martin in Coz are both excellent dive ops. Good luck with your decision. 
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