Diving in Orlando area on cruise ship stop on Sept 5

[Wants2divemore]

I'll be in Orlando on September 5 from 1p-9p while our cruise ship is in port (docking at Port Canaveral). With the exception of the Epcot tank dive, I've looked and can't find anywhere that would work for me and my 2 sons to dive. I just want to make sure I'm not missing anything before I make other plans.

 

[MrChen]

That's a minimum of a couple of hours north of the SE FL ocean diving scene. I'm not sure how far the freshwater springs are from Orlando, but they might be closer.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Orlando is a cruise ship stop? Why?

There is no real scuba diving in Orlando, at least not that I’m aware of.

@Johnoly would know for sure.

 

[Johnoly]

@Johnoly would know for sure.

Only diving we have is diving with Alligators.

I'll be in Orlando on September 5 from 1p-9p

Those hours(1pm-9pm) combined with disembarking and Labor Day holiday traffic just kills any chance for diving. Throw in a possible KSC launch and traffic will be a standstill.

.. can't find anywhere that would work for me and my 2 sons ......

Try the Cocoa Beach Pier. Close by, Lots of people their age having fun. Cheap chair/umbrella rentals. Ron-Jon's surf stuff right there too. Just hope the weather is nice, that is the PEAK of hurricane season and it's guaranteed there will be a named storm somewhere out on that ocean.

 

[Wants2divemore]

Orlando is a cruise ship stop? Why?

Cruise leaves out of Bayonne, NJ (so lots of people from the northeast). I guess they think people will want to see the theme parks so there are a bunch of excursions to Disney / Universal.

 

[Aquaviolator]

Sea Dogs Dive Center in New Smyrna is 64 miles away from the port. They may have a late afternoon charter out that day to the local reefs or wrecks. But like stated above, lot going on here then.

 

[gamon]

Make other plans.

 

[CCS]

I'll be in Orlando on September 5 from 1p-9p while our cruise ship is in port (docking at Port Canaveral). With the exception of the Epcot tank dive, I've looked and can't find anywhere that would work for me and my 2 sons to dive. I just want to make sure I'm not missing anything before I make other plans.

The cruise port for "Orlando" is Port Canaveral, which is a little over an hour east of Orlando. There is no convenient diving near Port Canaveral, but since you have an eight-hour window, you could make it work with a bit of coordination. I think you two best options would be:

a) Contact a local dive shop near Port Canaveral to see if they will do a late afternoon charter for you. @Aquaviolator recommended Sea Dogs Dive Center. I don't know them, but if they already have a late afternoon charter scheduled, that sounds promising.

b) Contact Blue Grotto and make the 2.5 hr trek up there to do a freshwater spring dive in the grotto. It's a nice dive if you only have an hour or two, plus the crew there are great, so they'd probably be willing to work it out to stay open a little late if needed.

Hope this is helpful.