Heading to Majahual, Belize, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel

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Daylonious

Señor Pantalones
Messages
711
Reaction score
0
Location
Dallas
# of dives
200 - 499
On a Princess Cruise -

Wanted to squeeze diving in at each destination, even if it's only a one or two tanker.

Have NEVER been to any of those places - who do you recommend for places close to the dock?

Going 1/9-1/13

D.
 
I've been on cruise ships before and managed to dive at quite a few ports. There's a few dive operators near the port in Grand Cayman. Eden Rocks is only a 5 minute walk after you tender in. They also have a nice shore dive right out in front. I have an article about that dive in my website. For Cozumel, I used Scuba Safari. They take a lot of cruise ship passengers. I always book my dives with local operators rather than via the cruise ship tours since it's cheaper. Both Eden Rocks and Scuba Safari have websites.
 
With a day on Cayman, I'd go to Sunset House before I'd go to Eden Rock. Eden Rock gets the brunt of the cruiseship divers and is pretty sparse in some areas. Also the dive doesn't exceed about 40'. The Grotto is certainly interesting enough with some swimthroughs.

Sunset House is 2min. to the south by Taxi. They're easy to find when a ship docks. There's the Amphitrite mermaid dive there at 50', a better reef structure, and if you swim straight out, you can follow a sand chute down to a drop-off that's deeper than you'd want to go. Good dive facilities, it's what they're known for.

My Bar there is great for an affordable lunch and also visit the Cathy Church Photo gallery in the basement of the main house.
 
We're going on a cruise next week and we're diving at Coz, Majahual and Grand Cayman.
We did not book through the cruiseline and set up our own trips with Eagle Ray, Maya Palms and SeaSports, respectively.
PM me and I'll give you a quick trip report if you're interested.
Have fun!
 
On Cayman you might also consider the Divetech location at Turtle Cove. Next to the turtle farm, a longer cab ride but great shore dive. Cracked Conch restaurant is upstairs.
 
Thanks for the tips.. I'm hooked up at Majahual and Belice City.. right now the plan was to go to Eden rock for GC and do a few shore dives (i'm buddyless) and have a two or three tnaker scheduled with Dive with Martin on Coz...

I'll check out Sunset House on GC..

...Checked them out and looks like they only do two tank AM dives. I'm there during wierd hours because of the cruise ship (like 12-7pm) so I think shore diving is it if I want to do three tanks in one day.

Eden Rocks or Divetech (is it the Turtle Reef location I want?) looks like good decisions.. maybe a two tanker and Divetech and a quick tank at Eden rocks then back to the ship..

D.
 
Daylonious:
Eden Rocks or Divetech (is it the Turtle Reef location I want?) looks like good decisions.. maybe a two tanker and Divetech and a quick tank at Eden rocks then back to the ship..

D.
That should work, it's about 20-25 mins. to Turtle Reef - which is where you want. There'll be cabs waiting right at the dock. Most of them are mini-vans so it's convenient if you're bringing your own gear.

The mini-wall there is better than Divetech/Cobalt Coast. If you want to get out to the North Wall fast from Turtle Reef, they rent Apollo scooters for around $40 to anybody - no training required.

I'd go out deep to the North Wall first, then on your second dive go along the mini-wall, it gets to about 65' in places - mostly about 35-40'. But there's a lot of interesting stuff down the wall. Tarpon in the shadows and look up occasionally for Turtles, they escape from the farm just to the south - beats becoming a souvenir...

Back at Eden Rock, head out toward the Grotto, it's a little more interesting - some swimthroughs and short overheads. You'll see your ship anchored out in front of you. It's a short walk back to the embarkation pier from there - everybody is tendered in on Cayman. There's lockers and stuff there, but we just left our bags on the table, no one messed with anything all week on Cayman.

It's going to be really disappointing after Turtle Beach though. The coral's been ground down by thousands of divers and there's junk in the water - tires, concrete, things fallen off the cruise ships. Also not much past 40' - we seemed to hit a line past which it seemed like it was just flat sand. And I don't think you'd want to swim out under the ships, the others are probably leaving closer to 5PM. Georgetown shuts down around 6 or when the last ship sails. When we were at Eden Rock around 3pm, we were the only two there, most of the cruise ships - and their business - had left. I wrote in my log that it was the most disappointing dive all week.

Personally I'd do the third dive at Sunset House, it's all divers, so you should be able to find a buddy if desired. And it's 2-3 mins. back to the port via Taxi - just over a mile walk or so(not sure about this distance).
 
Thanks for all the great info sjspeck!

Well, I've contacted Divetech and they want $140 for two "guided" shore dives using 100cf tanks. I'm trying to find some SBers locally to buddy up with and avoid paying $100 for the "guides"... I've noticed that they are also twice as expensive for the same services as Eden Rocks.... strange to see that much difference..

D.
 
Cozumel has many many choices. I use Del Mar Aquatics andf Aqua Safari. The prices are reasonable. Del Mar ius close to the former cruise ship pier on the south of town. Aqua Safari is on the water in downtown.

Use DreamTime Diving (WWW.DREAMTIMEDIVING.COM) in Costa Maya. $75 for two tanks and they are terrific. Go and check them out. They are ten minutes away from the cruise ship terminal and easy to get to.

For $99 in Cayman through Carnival you dive with Don Foster's Diving. Tey are reasonable.

In Belize if you go through Carnival it is $149 but Hugh Parkey comes right to the ship and picks you up. You continue to the dive sites, dive, and they get you back in time for you to take a tender to town (Belize City). There is another small dive operator in Belize City but you have to tender to and from town to link up with them.
 
Well they opened the terminal at 11:00 and you are looking for a porter most likely.
Yes thats right! $50 - $70 for parking. Plus you have to drop your stuff, park, and then shuttle in, or wait for the the bagage shuttle. Parking is not near the terminal kinda sux. But lotsa rides going to and fro.

Express Checkout MY *****! huh? Everyone is express checkout you dummies LOL. Now if we can figure out a way to get in that platnum checkout line.. hrm... "Now sir all we need is your credit card info and smile for the picture!" They will give ya a couple freebiees but the better pics are $20 a piece. WHAT! Good luck and if you don't mind 30cts a min for internet you can give us an update. LOL
 

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