Dive shop recommendations that do boat dives.

[davecampbell]

I went looking on their site after posting, and did indeed find it listed. Still, it was never offered, let alone pushed on us. I guess my real.question is why stay at Sunscapes if not diving with OE? The resort is average at best.

 

[Ontwreckdiver]

I went looking on their site after posting, and did indeed find it listed. Still, it was never offered, let alone pushed on us. I guess my real.question is why stay at Sunscapes if not diving with OE? The resort is average at best.

a. The resort was booked first
b. Sandals Curacao is way over priced
c. the beach at Dreams is crap, the beach at Sunscape is great
d. it's in town and Mambo beach blvd is within walking distance, so food is easily available if needed.

 

[Dive Curaçao]

Hi @Ontwreckdiver! 1st, thanks for choosing Curaçao as a dive vacation destination! That is awesome!
Regarding quality boat diving operations in Curaçao, here is a list of the operators;

1. Dive Charter Curaçao - excellent small operator providing personalized attention for a max of approx 6 per boat diving trip.
2. Ocean Encounters - located at Sunscape and LionsDive, they offer excellent experiences using 4 custom dive boats ranging from 42 feet to 48 feet. - NOTE: you mentioned NO to this operator because of the Dolphin Dive products. Please appreciate that these products have largely been cancelled since COVID by Ocean Encounters. However these products are not a product of Ocean Encounters - they are a product of Dolphin Academy. Are they still available? YES, only as Dolphin Academy experiences now.
3. Caribbean Sea Sports @ Dreams
4. GOBY Divers @ Marriott
5. GO WEST Diving at Playa Kalki in Westpunt.

If you are looking for dedicated shore diving operations, we can highly recommend;

1. The Dive Bus Curaçao - they provide seriously fun shore diving adventures in Curaçao!!

Bottom line, is there are excellent operations on Curaçao and Ocean Encounters should not be discounted due to their past "reselling of products" via the Curaçao Dolphin Academy.

Enjoy Curaçao and please dive safe.

Regards,
Bryan

 

[Ontwreckdiver]

Hi @Ontwreckdiver! 1st, thanks for choosing Curaçao as a dive vacation destination! That is awesome!
Regarding quality boat diving operations in Curaçao, here is a list of the operators;

1. Dive Charter Curaçao - excellent small operator providing personalized attention for a max of approx 6 per boat diving trip.
2. Ocean Encounters - located at Sunscape and LionsDive, they offer excellent experiences using 4 custom dive boats ranging from 42 feet to 48 feet. - NOTE: you mentioned NO to this operator because of the Dolphin Dive products. Please appreciate that these products have largely been cancelled since COVID by Ocean Encounters. However these products are not a product of Ocean Encounters - they are a product of Dolphin Academy. Are they still available? YES, only as Dolphin Academy experiences now.
3. Caribbean Sea Sports @ Dreams
4. GOBY Divers @ Marriott
5. GO WEST Diving at Playa Kalki in Westpunt.

If you are looking for dedicated shore diving operations, we can highly recommend;

1. The Dive Bus Curaçao - they provide seriously fun shore diving adventures in Curaçao!!

Bottom line, is there are excellent operations on Curaçao and Ocean Encounters should not be discounted due to their past "reselling of products" via the Curaçao Dolphin Academy.

Enjoy Curaçao and please dive safe.

Regards,
Bryan

Hi Bryan
Thanks for the information
I have contacted Dive Charter Curacao, Goby- divers and Caribbean Sea Sports.
I did contact Ocean Encounters as a last ditch option if the others didn't work out. but they said that they put 22 divers on a boat and they charge the same price as Dive Charter Curacao without the multi day discount and they still have a Lagoon Dolphin dive on their web site that includes free admission to the Sea Aquarium. Dolphin Dive Experience in Curacao | Ocean Encounters Diving
I am leaning towards Goby Divers.
thanks
Steve

 

[tkaelin]

the beach at Sunscape is great

I am glad you like the beach. I hope you get out to see some of the beautiful natural beaches in Curacao as I believe the beach at Sunscapes is man-made.

 

[PamelaH]

Thanks for the replies. I have emailed Caribbean Sea Sports & Dive Charter Curacao. I will see how that goes and see if I need to email any other shops.

Have you gone yet? I'm booked with Caribbean Sea Sports to do morning dives 2/13-2/17. Am interested to know if you used them yet and, if so, how was your experience?

 

[The Chairman]

Dive West. I think the best diving is in the North West part of the Island.

 

[davecampbell]

while Ocean Encounters does put quite a few divers on the boat, (max we had was 18 on our week in November) the boats are seriously spacious. We never felt crowded in the least. there were were 2 Dms who each took a group of nine with a slight delay between groups. Most days there were less total divers, thus smaller groups. It wasn't exactly what I'd consider cattleboat diving.

You also get free additional tanks from OE on days you boat dive with them for use on the house reef (which was great). We did afternoon/ evening dives on our own all week.

I'll admit my opinion is biased, as I have not used any of the other operations on the Island, but I was completely satisfied my experience. We found the staff helpful and friendly, we appreciated that they let us do our own thing, and had a great time. George always made sure we had plenty of DIN tanks waiting for us when we returned from the boat. We're going back in May for another week with them, and I'm really looking forward to it.

 

[Ontwreckdiver]

Thanks for all the replies. I have decided to go Goby Divers. Homepage - Goby Divers Curaçao
They will pick me up at the Sunscape
They only put 5 to 7 divers on the boat
They will take my wife snorkeling while I am diving.

 

[Ontwreckdiver]

Have you gone yet? I'm booked with Caribbean Sea Sports to do morning dives 2/13-2/17. Am interested to know if you used them yet and, if so, how was your experience?

We don't go until October and I have decided to dive with Goby Divers