Curaçao and bonaire

[Diane Lacombe]

Going on a cruise in December with the destination to Curaçao and Bonaire. Any suggestions on the best dive shop and dive sites?

Also going to Turk and Caicos, Dominicain Republic and Aruba. I can only pick one of these? Any recommendation?

Thanks
diane

 

[diversteve]

For Curacao here are some options:

You can arrange with Bas Harts Diving for a private guided dive - he'll pick you up at the port. They have a cruise program. Curacao - Shore Diving - Dive Courses - Dive Safaris - Dive Excursions - Cruiseship Diving
You can arrange with Atlantis Diving for dives - they'll pick you up. I believe they have access to a boat. Atlantis Diving Curacao - Cruise ships
You can taxi to the Dive Bus location and shore dive Pierbaai beach across the street. Due to timing, you'll miss the bus for their two tank in the morning. Cruise Ship Passengers

I'd contact Caribbean Sea Sports at the Marriott also. It's less than 2 miles north of the cruise port and they have shore diving there and a 1PM boat dive available. So if your sailing time is 4pm or later, that's an option. Caribbean Sea Sports | Your Dive Shop With Personality!

Goby Divers could be another possible option depending on your schedule. The cruise port is within their pickup area - it's under a mile from their shop. I don't know if they accommodate cruise divers. GOBY DIVERS - CURACAO, N.V. - PADI Authorized dive shop & instruction They have a 4 diver minimum for boat dives.

For Bonaire - there's a current thread discussing some cruise options here: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/bo...re-dive-tanks-dock-good-stairs-handrails.html

Depending on your port time you might also be able to get on someone's morning boat. But it's a little trickier since there's a day pass for the Bonaire Marine Park that you have to acquire also and I don't know how that works. The nearest place to the cruise port within walking distance is Dive Friends Yellow Sub location so I suggest starting with them. They have a decent shore dive there also but it's not the best of Bonaire. http://www.divefriendsbonaire.com/ Also they keep their boats there if there is time within your schedule for that. As mentioned in the thread I linked to - the closest - the Divi Resort - doesn't accept cruise traffic. Which is odd since you can walk to it from Town Pier.

Of your other choices Aruba diving is very similar to both Bonaire/Curacao since each island is within 50mi. or less of the other. I have not been to Aruba but we found Bonaire and Curacao to be very similar diving.

Grand Turk is excellent wall diving - the wall is literally 10mins off the island in areas and they dive about 40 sites on it. And crystal clear water. Oasis is the cruise operator and you book them thru the ship. I believe there's only 3 choices there - Oasis, Grand Turk Diving or Blue Water Divers. All have cruise options.

http://www.oasisdivers.com/cruise-ship-guests
http://www.gtdiving.com/cruise.htm
http://www.grandturkscuba.com/grand-turk-cruise/grand-turk-excursions/

IDK anything about the DR at all.

 

[Diane Lacombe]

Thanks so much diversteve! Full of great information!

 

[Damselfish]

Of your other choices Aruba diving is very similar to both Bonaire/Curacao since each island is within 50mi. or less of the other. I have not been to Aruba but we found Bonaire and Curacao to be very similar diving.

note that while the ABC islands are close, and Curacao and Bonaire diving have some similarities, Aruba diving is actually not all that similar to them. Aruba is known as much more of a beach destination than a dive destination. It's located more on the continental shelf and closer to the South American landmass than Bonaire & Curacao, which are out in deeper water, so different.

Between Aruba, T&C, and DR, T&C is generally considered by far the best dive destination in general. And Grand Turk where the cruise ships go is pretty good. Not to say Aruba wouldn't be a good place to choose to dive though. If you're just doing a couple dives while in a port the quality depends so much on what you can arrange and where you can get to in the time you have. Aruba would probably be more interesting on land than Grand Turk (or really anyplace in T&C.)

 

[lunula]

We did a Caribbean cruise in 2013 and went diving in Curacao; subsequently took a week-long trip to Bonaire over New Years (and we are going back in 4 weeks).

We went with The Dive Bus in Curacao and had a great experience. We took a cab there from the cruise terminal, and they called one to pick us up at the end of our dives. Very responsive to emails, and we had a dive guide all to ourselves that day and opted for some shore dives. I'd definitely use them again.

We are using Dive Friends this time around in Bonaire, as I've heard great things about them. The last time we were in Bonaire, we had a dive shop on site where we stayed for the week.

 

[Diane Lacombe]

Thanks Damselfish! I also heard Aruba not the best diving destination. Dove in T&C from a cruise ship last December and it was ok. I guess it all depends on where the dive shop takes you. While on a cruise, they know you only have one day so I sometime feels they don't try very hard. My best diving experience at this point has been surprisingly ST-Kitts.

Thanks for for all this great info!

 

[Diane Lacombe]

Hello,

with all the good info received and read from scuba board, we have decided to do independent shore dives. We only have one day in Bonaire and one day in Curaçao. I tried to rent a car in Bonaire and Curaçao but due to the dates ( dec 23 and 24) I can't get a car for one day. Can anyone provide suggestion on dive sites accessible via dive shop and taxi? Please keep in mind it also needs to be not too far from cruise ship pier in Bonaire and Curaçao and was hoping to do more than one 2 tanks dive in Bonaire and Curacao.

I thought I could use dive friends in Bonaire and get a taxi to two of their locations ( this would allow me 4 dives). Does this sound like a good option?

Thanks in advance.

 

[uncfnp]

For Bonaire I have heard good things about VIP and looks like they have a cruise ship package

https://vipdiving.com/guided-dives/cruise-ship-dive-package/

 

[02gluken]

Just spent a week in Curacao. Take a taxi to Lions Dive Resort, only 4 miles, dive with Oceans Encounters. Excellent.

 

[WarrenZ]

We just got done doing the surge in Curacao and were using Oceans Encounters. Great operation however not sure about using them from the cruise ship.