Need dive op recommendations for roatan cruise trip

[dvrliz1]

My sister Barb is going on a cruise and will stop in Roatan in March 2012. She is an experienced advance open water diver, as is her friend. She is taking a cruise on Norweign and usually books her excursions direct before she leaves for a cruise, she says its cheaper.

Who would you all recommend as a dive operator, I would guess close to the cruise ships.

Thanks.

Liz

 

[diversteve]

The cruise operator is Anthony's Key Resort. They're on the north side and shuttle divers both ways since both cruise ports are on the south side.

I personally have been to and recommend Barefoot Divers, they have a cruise program and are 5mins. from the cruise port at Mahogany Bay or about 15mins. from Coxen Hole if they dock there. Cruise Ship Shore Excursions, Roatan 5 Star PADI Dive Shop

The option to dive Mary's Place (to protect this special site, divers must be Advanced Open Water certified, with a log book showing 50 logged dives and diving in last 6 months)

^^ One of the best dives on Roatan and just a short ride from Barefoot Cay.

We also had cruise divers on several of our trips during the week with Coconut Tree Divers in the West End. Depending on their arrival time, it may not be possible to get to their morning 2-tank in time. It's probably a 20min. + cab ride once they get out of Mahogany Bay.

Subway Watersports also works with cruise schedules - IDK anything about them.

 

[RickyF]

I second Barefoot Divers. Great operator.

 

[Scottfeld]

We did Barefoot divers last week from a cruise ship. Fantastic. they handle all your equipment for you. 10 minutes away from Mohogany Bay port.

Upsides: they do 3 dives a day, they are just outside of Mahogany bay, nice boats, they provide towels, water and fruit on boat, set all you equip up for you, handle and load all your gear, first wall was 4 min boat ride away, 2nd dive was a whole 10 minutes away, both blew us away, they have resturant service right on site. Shower on boat, showers at shop, they wash all your equip at end of dives for you.

Downsides: you're gonna get stuck on the taxi. (talking to local, cruise pays 10X normal fares: not shop issue..) lunch was really good, but a bit steep. since dives are so close, surface intervals at shop a bit long (2 hr), but they have tables, benches, and hamocks, .

Very professional, great set up.

They are the only shop we have used, but I can't recommend high enough.

 

[RTBDiver]

NCL Docks in Coxen Hole

 

[Sally Fletcher]

Check out West End Divers (www.westenddivers.info). They are located in the town of West End, about 20 mins by taxi from the Coxen Hole cruise ship dock. They organised our round trip transportation and re-arranged their regular dive schedule to accomodate us and our limited time in Roatan. Small groups and a friendly, professional crew.

 

[Jerryg]

Liz, I'll be on NCL, and stopping in Roatan, in January. I will provide feedback after that. I'm going to look into westenddivers. Usually dive shops that take cruise ship passengers have contracts and cannot take private bookings. I'm hoping westend is one of the shops that will take private bookings. I also hate to book through the cruiseship. They charge almost twice as much as a private booking. I would suggest you be very careful, because if the dive shop gets you back to the cruiseship after the departure you will be looking for flights to try and catch up, probably without a passport. Roatan scares me a little bit because everything I can find out indicates that the dive sites are 20 or more miles from the ship. If anybody has any better information about the private bookings I would appreciate it. Thank you
Jerry

 

[lsorenson]

We, me and the wife have done as your sister and we ended up booking with "Native Sons Diving" and we would highly recommend them...! We have been to CocoView in the past and heading back this January but it was nice to see the other side with Native Sons... They know the drill with the Ships coming into port and understand times can chance as far as arriving to port... They will know when you arrive, even if your late and will accommodate you...!

If your sister is still looking, I would suggest you place Native Sons on the list to call...

Just my thoughts, lee

 

[Doc]

....I would suggest you be very careful, because if the dive shop gets you back to the cruiseship after the departure you will be looking for flights to try and catch up, probably without a passport.

As is likely the case with any shore excursion, ship contracted or not.

Roatan scares me a little bit because everything I can find out indicates that the dive sites are 20 or more miles from the ship.

Not quite reality. Many of the dive ops that the cruise ship lines contract with are located a 5-7 mile taxi ride away. Slogging over to West End for diving may seem a bit of a hassle, but that is the zone that the Cruise Ships move a lot of bodies to, back and forth.

If a ship docks at Coxen Hole, that is a bit closer to the West End than the dock at Mahogany Bay. MB however has better access to the very nearby South side dive ops, but only a few of them will deal with the disruption of cruise ship guests. Remember that MB is a stone's throw from the Shark Dive, but no cruise ship diver can access Mary's Place legally... unfortunate as it is very nearby.