Just thought I give a quick report on my dive experiences on a recent cruise.
I'm not really a cruise person, but this was an extended family vacation and cruises really are a great compromise when you need to keep a lot of people with different interests happy. I avoid diving with the cruiseship operator whenever possible.
In Aruba, I chose Dive Aruba, mainly because Clive, the owner, offerred to pick us up and drop us off at the cruise dock.
I spent a week in Aruba a few years ago, so I knew what the diving would be like. Pluses were the pickup/dropoff service, low price, and freedom to dive our computers and tanks to 500 psi. Negatives, were the boat was a little crowded with 8 divers, Clive had a little bit of an edge to his attitude and he pressured my nephew to dive even though my nephew didn't want to due to a faulty inflator button.
I didn't mind the overcrowded boat or edge in his attitude. Perhaps that is because I am a New Yorker. I did get annoyed at him chastising my nephew and telling him that a "real" diver would still dive and just orally inflate his bc. IMHO, that was pretty rude and obnoxious. I told my nephew to ignore Clive and stay on the boat if he was uncomfortable and that is what he did.
Despite this experience, I would still recommend Clive and Dive Aruba if you are coming on a cruiseship.
On Curacao, we rented a car and shore dove at Habitat. This was a great idea that was not only cheap, but offered great diving, total freedom and the convenience of lockers, bathrooms, showers, rinse tanks, and a restaurant for lunch during our surface interval. Tanks were $10 each and the car rental cost with insurance was $60. A small Avis car rental office was right at the cruise dock and because I reserved in advance, the car was sitting there waiting for us. A taxi would have cost over $60 each way, so the car rental was the way to go. Thanks to Anne Marie at Dive Habitat for the idea, but reserve in advance to avoid waiting in line and for the delay in car delivery to the dock.
I'm not really a cruise person, but this was an extended family vacation and cruises really are a great compromise when you need to keep a lot of people with different interests happy. I avoid diving with the cruiseship operator whenever possible.
In Aruba, I chose Dive Aruba, mainly because Clive, the owner, offerred to pick us up and drop us off at the cruise dock.
I spent a week in Aruba a few years ago, so I knew what the diving would be like. Pluses were the pickup/dropoff service, low price, and freedom to dive our computers and tanks to 500 psi. Negatives, were the boat was a little crowded with 8 divers, Clive had a little bit of an edge to his attitude and he pressured my nephew to dive even though my nephew didn't want to due to a faulty inflator button.
I didn't mind the overcrowded boat or edge in his attitude. Perhaps that is because I am a New Yorker. I did get annoyed at him chastising my nephew and telling him that a "real" diver would still dive and just orally inflate his bc. IMHO, that was pretty rude and obnoxious. I told my nephew to ignore Clive and stay on the boat if he was uncomfortable and that is what he did.
Despite this experience, I would still recommend Clive and Dive Aruba if you are coming on a cruiseship.
On Curacao, we rented a car and shore dove at Habitat. This was a great idea that was not only cheap, but offered great diving, total freedom and the convenience of lockers, bathrooms, showers, rinse tanks, and a restaurant for lunch during our surface interval. Tanks were $10 each and the car rental cost with insurance was $60. A small Avis car rental office was right at the cruise dock and because I reserved in advance, the car was sitting there waiting for us. A taxi would have cost over $60 each way, so the car rental was the way to go. Thanks to Anne Marie at Dive Habitat for the idea, but reserve in advance to avoid waiting in line and for the delay in car delivery to the dock.
