Going on a cruise and have some questions?

[stangd1909]

Ok I really don't know where to post this for the most exposure. We are going on a cruise in July this year, and I want to know where the best place to dive is. We are going to San Juan, Puerto Rico, St. Thomas, USVI Antigua, Tortola, BVI, Nassau, Bahamas. We are going on this cruise with our wives so we will only be diving at one place most likely. We are think of Nassau...who is the best charter to use there?




EDIT:


What are your opinions on bringing gear? I am not sure if we should bring all our gear, or only certain things?

 

[mwhities]

Not sure about the locations you are going to, but I dove Belize and Cozumel on a Norwegian cruise and I brought all of my gear minus the weights and tank. Of course, whatever OP you choice, they should provide those for you.

Michael

 

[FLDVR]

Hi, just my 2 cents worth. My wife and I do a cruise every year in the carribean and would have to say that the Bahamas would be your best bet(its one of my favorites). If your on a cruise ship schedule you'll be safer using one of their shore excursions that time their dives with the ships arrival and departure times.
Nothing quite like missing the boat if you get my drift

I sometimes call ahead to operations in cozumel and cayman to arrange trips these work out great if you have a group on divers to book the boat. The advantage here is no cattle boat syndrome

Local commercial ops that I've used are:
Stuart Cove
Bahamas Divers

They will pick you up and drop you off or make arrangements
with a taxi.

Hope this helps
Henry

 

[deepstops]

Nassau is an excellent choice but stick to booking through the cruise line. Stuart Cove's in Nassau will NOT accept indivividual reservations from cruise passengers anyway.

I bring everything except the tanks weights.

 

[427Dave]

I just came back from a cruise to Nassau, I took all gear except tank and weights. There were two other divers on the cruise that brought their weights. We had to carry our equipment quite a distance from the ship to the dive boat. They wished they had not brought their weights by the time we got to the dive boat.

Our diving did not go too well, the seas were too rough and they did not go out of the harbor. However they did take us on a wreck dive in the harbor that was fair. Not what I had wanted as I booked two tank dive and that was impossible due to the weather. They did refund the second dive through the ship.

It is also my recommendation to book through the excursions the ship offers. As someone has already said, timing. The dive boat operator waited for us to arrive and had us back before the ship left. Also if something happens like us with the weather, the dive operator refunded through the ship and there was no hassel.

We had a great time checking out gear at Alexander Springs, missed you. We were the only divers there. Check out my photos here. There were some really weird black fish. I got pictures of them also. Maybe next time.

Have a great time on the cruise. We are heading to Freeport for a week in May. I plan to do a lot of diving as usual

Dave

 

[stangd1909]

Hi, just my 2 cents worth. My wife and I do a cruise every year in the carribean and would have to say that the Bahamas would be your best bet(its one of my favorites). If your on a cruise ship schedule you'll be safer using one of their shore excursions that time their dives with the ships arrival and departure times.
Nothing quite like missing the boat if you get my drift

I sometimes call ahead to operations in cozumel and cayman to arrange trips these work out great if you have a group on divers to book the boat. The advantage here is no cattle boat syndrome

Local commercial ops that I've used are:
Stuart Cove
Bahamas Divers

They will pick you up and drop you off or make arrangements
with a taxi.

Hope this helps
Henry

Thanks man for the info...

 

[stangd1909]

Nassau is an excellent choice but stick to booking through the cruise line. Stuart Cove's in Nassau will NOT accept indivividual reservations from cruise passengers anyway.

I bring everything except the tanks weights.

Thanks...thats why I am still debating on the gear LOL. I don't want to have to carry all that stuff. But I see they make this bag that has wheels for your gear, I may just pick one fo those up

 

[stangd1909]

I just came back from a cruise to Nassau, I took all gear except tank and weights. There were two other divers on the cruise that brought their weights. We had to carry our equipment quite a distance from the ship to the dive boat. They wished they had not brought their weights by the time we got to the dive boat.

Our diving did not go too well, the seas were too rough and they did not go out of the harbor. However they did take us on a wreck dive in the harbor that was fair. Not what I had wanted as I booked two tank dive and that was impossible due to the weather. They did refund the second dive through the ship.

It is also my recommendation to book through the excursions the ship offers. As someone has already said, timing. The dive boat operator waited for us to arrive and had us back before the ship left. Also if something happens like us with the weather, the dive operator refunded through the ship and there was no hassel.

We had a great time checking out gear at Alexander Springs, missed you. We were the only divers there. Check out my photos here. There were some really weird black fish. I got pictures of them also. Maybe next time.

Have a great time on the cruise. We are heading to Freeport for a week in May. I plan to do a lot of diving as usual

Dave

I wish I could have been at the Alexander Springs dive trip. The water looked great, and those are some weird looking fish LOL. I guess we are just going to book through the excursions desk on the boat. Thats what we did in Belize the last trip and it worked out good. I really don't feel like missing the boat LOL. Thatnks for the advice and take it easy!

 

[mwhities]

Thanks...thats why I am still debating on the gear LOL. I don't want to have to carry all that stuff. But I see they make this bag that has wheels for your gear, I may just pick one fo those up

For our cruise last year, the wife bought me this to carry all of my gear (Think extra-extra large guy 6'6" and 320lbs) and I was able to carry everything with no problem. As I stated earlier, I didn't bring the weights or the tanks.

Michael

 

[stangd1909]

For our cruise last year, the wife bought me this to carry all of my gear (Think extra-extra large guy 6'6" and 320lbs) and I was able to carry everything with no problem. As I stated earlier, I didn't bring the weights or the tanks.

Michael

OUCH...$309 Well I need something and if you say it works great, I guess I will have to check it out. Thanks for the link....:14: