Curacao and Aruba port calls

[timetraveler]

My buddy and I are sailing on the Crown Princess in November.

We have a port call in Aruba from 8 AM - 4:30 PM

and in Curacao from 1 PM - 9:30 PM

We'd like to arrange dives in both ports. We'd like to do the Mushroom Forest in Curacao, but our arrival there seems like bad timing. The safe thing to do in Curacao would be to take a ship's tour, but Princess doesn't offer a dive trip there. There's a ship's dive excursion in Aruba, but I'd rather avoid it, if possible.

Does anyone have recommendations for dive ops that could accommodate us in either port?

 

[timetraveler]

Maybe we'll try to do a shore dive in Curacao. Can anyone recommend a site within an easy drive of the cruise port in Willemstad where there's tank rentals available? We've done Car Pile and would like to do something different this time.

 

[jeepseadoo]

Contact The Dive Bus in Curacao, they help with Cruises, are good friends and may help you with an afternoon dive at least.

Look them up on the Web and Trip Advisor (you can see my remarks there too).

They just reached an award from Trip Advisor for maintaining there high marks through peoples posting.

Good Luck! THEY ARE GREAT PEOPLE; say hi to Mark and Suzy

 

[Zsuzsika]

Here is my take on diving in Curacao (yes) and in Aruba (no). If you are an experienced diver, don't go with the Dive Bus. They are indeed a top-notch operation, but they cater to cruise ship passengers (and the lowest common denominator). You'll also dive from shore, which you can do easily enough on your own. But I don't recommend any shore dives if you are on a cruise, since the effort to get you to any decent dive site combined with the cost of rent tanks and weights, you may as well do a couple of boat dives. And if you have time, dive from shore for the cost of a tank rental.

Diving in Curacao is expensive compared to Bonaire, but still a better value than diving from shore. There are many reputable dive operators, but all will require you to take a cab to the resort from where they operate and it won't be cheap. But some of the best dives, like the Mushroom Forest - are far better than any shore dive you could do on your own. The Mariott is a good choice, especially if you have a non-diver, since the beach resort is very accommodating, with good snorkeling. The Lions Dive resort is also a good choice, but they aren't so welcoming to the non-divers.

Aruba is a nice place to go to relax, but diving there is so-so.

Good luck.

Suzi

 

[timetraveler]

There are many reputable dive operators, but all will require you to take a cab to the resort from where they operate and it won't be cheap. But some of the best dives, like the Mushroom Forest - are far better than any shore dive you could do on your own. The Mariott is a good choice, especially if you have a non-diver, since the beach resort is very accommodating, with good snorkeling. The Lions Dive resort is also a good choice, but they aren't so welcoming to the non-divers.
Suzi

Do you know whether any of these dive ops could accommodate our schedule? We'll be in port from 1 PM - 10 PM

 

[Vinny B]

I would highly recommend Aruba for Diving. I haven't been to Curacao, so can't comment on the diving there. As far as operators, you are not going to want to use the one from the ship. They use Red Sail. Red Sail is a bit of a cattle boat operator with out crusies, crusies only make them worse. I would reach out to the guys at Diversity. They are pretty good in emails back and forth and they should be able to arranage a pickup for you.