Hi, my wife and I will be in both locations while on a Caribbean criuse in April and would like to hear your recomendations for lining up dives. We are both experienced divers and don't normally like to set up shore excursions through the ship because they are more expensive and often rather tame. If you had a good experience in either spot please let us know. Thanks
Dive operators in Grand Cayman and Roatan
- Thread starter Panulirus
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ScubaTigress
Contributor
the closest shop/dive site to the ship port in Grand Cayman is Eden's Rock. it's a pretty reef dive, max depth about 55 or 60ft
Damselfish
Contributor
Of course there are drawbacks to being the closest dive to the cruise ship port. Consider taking a cab north to Sundivers at Turtle Reef where fewer people will go. Dive op on site with very nice shore diving, well known restaurant upstairs (Cracked Conch), bar to hang out after, and near the Turtle Farm if you want to check that out. You can make a full day of the stuff there.
You could also go to Sunset House, a bit further south of Eden Rock just getting out of town. You wouldn't want to walk with dive gear, and I don't think the diving there is as nice anymore as Turtle Reef. But decent enough with some variety, including their well known mermaid statue, or an UW rendezvous with one of the subs if you time it right and they're still running by there. Also great bar/restaurant on the water to hang out at.
Best of all would be if your schedule allows meeting up with one of the smaller ops and doing a trip to the North wall. The walls are what Cayman is known for and while there's some places you can swim to the wall from shore, it's a long haul. On a cruise ship excursion you may go to a site on the West wall, but they're well dove and not what they used to be.
Stingray City is of course famous. One of those things worth doing once, but I'm not sure if I would give up a chance at some good wall dives for it.
You could also go to Sunset House, a bit further south of Eden Rock just getting out of town. You wouldn't want to walk with dive gear, and I don't think the diving there is as nice anymore as Turtle Reef. But decent enough with some variety, including their well known mermaid statue, or an UW rendezvous with one of the subs if you time it right and they're still running by there. Also great bar/restaurant on the water to hang out at.
Best of all would be if your schedule allows meeting up with one of the smaller ops and doing a trip to the North wall. The walls are what Cayman is known for and while there's some places you can swim to the wall from shore, it's a long haul. On a cruise ship excursion you may go to a site on the West wall, but they're well dove and not what they used to be.
Stingray City is of course famous. One of those things worth doing once, but I'm not sure if I would give up a chance at some good wall dives for it.
Ron Parker
Contributor
Both sites are suitable to dive from shore. On a sunny day, the swim throughs of Eden Rock make for a great photo Op. Sunset House, check in at the dive shop to get the compass heading to the Mermaid. Giant stride from the shore deck, take a heading to the Mermaid, another great photo Op. I would recommend taking a cab to Sunset House. Visit Eden Rock and Sunset House web sites to obtain their phone numbers to call in advance and make your reservations. Their rental gear is not bad either. Enjoy and Dive safe.
potato cod
Contributor
We just got back from Grand Cayman and stayed/dove with Sunset House. We had a great time with them and dived Eden Rocks after a deeper wall dive one morning and it was very pretty, so I wouldn't necessarily count its proximity to the cruise ships as a negative, especially if you don't have a lot of time to get your dive in.
Also, although the wall dives were great, there are wall dives all over the Caribbean (Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, here) and only one Stingray City. This dive was absolutely hilarious and memorable and I would say that if you have the chance to dive it to go for it! You'll see other walls, but this dive is pretty unique, I think!
Also, although the wall dives were great, there are wall dives all over the Caribbean (Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, here) and only one Stingray City. This dive was absolutely hilarious and memorable and I would say that if you have the chance to dive it to go for it! You'll see other walls, but this dive is pretty unique, I think!
diver 85
Contributor
GREAT shore dive, too......
diver 85
Contributor
I think AKR does all the cruise ships still------great operation, too.....
If you can find 2 more divers to share the cost, I'de contact Mark at Grand Cayman diving for small groups and families, Absolute Divers
2 tank trip on his private boat was 500 / split 4 ways makes it the same price as any of the cattle boats the cruise ships operate. On one trip we did a 3 tank trip for 750.
For experienced divers he lets you just do your own thing. Which is nice not having to follow guides around. They are wall dives so its not like you can get lost....
2 tank trip on his private boat was 500 / split 4 ways makes it the same price as any of the cattle boats the cruise ships operate. On one trip we did a 3 tank trip for 750.
For experienced divers he lets you just do your own thing. Which is nice not having to follow guides around. They are wall dives so its not like you can get lost....
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Consider the shark dive on Roatan. Tame is not a word I'd use to describe it. Roatan Shark Dive
I believe diver85 is correct also about Anthonys Key. Somewhere I've read that they provide a shuttle from the cruise port also. You might do a couple dives then one of the Dolphin encounters (swim, snorkel, dive) People have indicated that the snorkel is better than the dive. Cocoview also has a day program for cruise divers - they're not too far from Coxen Hole where you'll dock.
There should be a lot of small Cayman operators that can pick you up at/near the cruise port. Or are a short cab ride away. Cayman Islands - Dive Operators Foster's has the cruise contracts - they're probably not what you're looking for - big boats etc...In addition to Absolute Divers, Off The Wall, Wall to Wall, Ambassador Divers and Neptunes all do 6-8 divers max afaik.
With all due respect to the above posters, Eden Rock was the worst dive we did on Cayman all week. Thousands of walk-in cruise divers haven't done it any good.
I believe diver85 is correct also about Anthonys Key. Somewhere I've read that they provide a shuttle from the cruise port also. You might do a couple dives then one of the Dolphin encounters (swim, snorkel, dive) People have indicated that the snorkel is better than the dive. Cocoview also has a day program for cruise divers - they're not too far from Coxen Hole where you'll dock.
There should be a lot of small Cayman operators that can pick you up at/near the cruise port. Or are a short cab ride away. Cayman Islands - Dive Operators Foster's has the cruise contracts - they're probably not what you're looking for - big boats etc...In addition to Absolute Divers, Off The Wall, Wall to Wall, Ambassador Divers and Neptunes all do 6-8 divers max afaik.
With all due respect to the above posters, Eden Rock was the worst dive we did on Cayman all week. Thousands of walk-in cruise divers haven't done it any good.
Wow thanks for all the comments so far. We have dove Grand Cayman via a cruise twice before. Both times we used the ship to line up the dives. We have done the West Wall already as well as several wrecks. The West Wall looks like it gets plenty of traffic espcially since it's close by the cruise ship. We would really like to do the North Wall but I think it's a hike from the cruise ship. I'd be interested to hear from anyone that was able to schedule dives on the North Wall while on a cruise. Routon will be a first for us so we are totally in the dark. We are both big fans of wall diviing if that helps. We're also stopping in Cozumel but we've been there many times before and I have already contracted with a dive outfit there. Any more advise appreciated.
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