Diving in Belize (Cruise Ship)

[ScubaBill1955]

Was scheduled to go to Cozumel with Carnival Triumph next week but because of the swine flu our stop in Cozumel was cancelled and now has been scheduled for Belize.

I checked for the scuba excursions and there was only one listed. It says it's a 2 hour boat ride. Does anyone know what the name of the dive operator is?

Also can anyone recommend any operations that would accomodate cruise ship divers?

Thanks,
Bill

 

[ddraffin]

ScubaBill:
I got certified in Belize last year with Belize Diving Service on Caye Caulker. I recommend them, but I don't know if they do cruise ships.

 

[peterbj7]

Because of difficulties with logistics, mainly the schedule of the ship and how easy it is to get on and off, I always recommend people go with the operator arranged by the cruise ship operator. I believe that's commonly Sea Sports Belize, but there are others.

 

[georoc01]

The cruise I went on (Princess) used Hugh Parkey, www.belizediving.com

Given the logistics of a long tender to Belize City from the ship, this is the one port I recommend using the ship excursion. They will pick you up at the boat. Expect a 1 hour boat ride each way.

 

[Bappelt]

The cruise I went on (Princess) used Hugh Parkey, www.belizediving.com

Given the logistics of a long tender to Belize City from the ship, this is the one port I recommend using the ship excursion. They will pick you up at the boat. Expect a 1 hour boat ride each way.

I was on a Holland America ship but it was also Huge Parkey's and we were also picked up at the ship. Pretty convenient and not a very long ride. We were back about an hour and a half before sail away.

 

[Mr. Nice Guy]

Hello,
At this stop I would recommend also, to do the excursion with the ship. When I did Carnival, it was with Huge Parkeys. The operation was above average and the operators with extremely knowledgeable and the diving / area/ etc. They were also very friendly.

They did pick up at the ship. Tenders are needed in Belize. We rode to the dive shop, for those without gear, and then to two great dive sites, and back to the boat.

Enjoy...wash your hands often on the ship. I have been a fan of cruises, specifically because my wife is a not a diver. After my last cruise, with 5 in party of 7 becoming sick, with dealing with the ships medical staff, with the ship keeping the illness quiet, and the professionalism of ships personel, Cruising again is not on my list of things to do.

Nick

 

[ScubaBill1955]

Thanks for all your replies. I'll do the ship excursion.

 

[Waterskier1]

Please report back on how your diving went. I am debating the cruise trip versus flying over to Ecologic Divers for a 2 tank trip. I've never used a Cruise excursion before, preferring to plan my own and get a more customized trip. But it Peter recommends the cruise trip, I definitely will think this over. Looking forward to your experience - I don't go until September.

 

[georoc01]

Having just returned from AC, I would concur with Peter. The logistics of trying to tender from the cruise ship to Belize City, taking a cab to the municipal airport, the flight over, a cab to EC, doing the two tank dive, then reversing it would be a challenge as a day trip from a Cruise ship. Everything seemed to operate on island time when I was there and patience seemed to be the name of the game. The logistics just don't seem worth it given the comparable quality of diving at both AC and Hugh Parkeys. Seems to me there would be a good chance that you would be buying a bus ticket up to Playa Del Carmen assuming Cozumel is the next stop on the cruise.

Where we saw the huge quality swing was on the trip out to Lighthouse Atoll. And I am pretty confident that doing that from a cruise ship would be virtually impossible unless they dropped you off at Half Moon Caye on the way out and picked you up on the way out.

 

[ScubaBill1955]

I did the ships excursion which was with Hugh Parkey's Hugh Parkey Belize Dive Connection - Accommodations and the boat picked us up right at the ship, took us to an island where they dock and we got our gear then headed over to Turneffe Atoll. We had about 17 divers plus the crew. The boat was had plenty of room. We did a two tank dive. We had three divemasters and we were broken into three groups. Each dive was about 45 minutes.

I was very happy with the dives, the boat and the crew. They got us back to the ship with plenty of time to spare. I would use them again.