Need help with cruise to Puerto Rico/Aruba/St.Thomas/St. Maarten

[DougK]

To anyone that can offer help, my wife just got a good deal on a Southern Caribbean cruise leaving in just two short weeks. I want to get some diving in and am hoping someone can help out:

We are flying into and departing on the ship from San Juan, Puerto Rico. We are going down about 3 days early to explore, spend time on the beach and possibly dive in PR.

After our time on land we sail to Oranjestad, Aruba, Willemstad, Curacao, Philipsburg St. Maarten and Charlotte Amalie St. Thomas.

Of all the above what is the best diving for someone who is still a newbie? We have about 18 dives each and are not ready for deep diving as we are both just OW.

We don't want to dive at each stop but would like to dive at one or two stops and do above land stuff the other stops.

What would anyone recomend or guard against? We will not be taking equipment beyond our own mask/snorkel and mouthpiece. I think we will leave fins at home to save luggage space. Don't own BC/Reg yet.

I have read a few post in the past about folks diving off curise ships. Do you find prices are high, when book thru ship, than you would pay if you went to a local dive op?

Thanks for any an all help.

 

[ronrosa]

I am going on the same cruise in June. I'd suggest Aruba and Curacao.

 

[Damselfish]

For diving 1st choice Curacao, 2nd choice Aruba. From what I know, do other things on St Maartin and St Thomas.

 

[mike_s]

If in Aruba, dive the Antilla. a 400 foot ship sunk in 55 feet of water. I used Pelican and like them. They offer free pickup, however, most of their dives are 1 tank dive trips. You can email them for their weekly schedule, which really doesn't change much unless the weather gets rough. Say away from Mermaid watersports as they have lots of negative customer service issues and Red Sail as they are a cattleboat. Dive Aruba I've also read nothing but positive reviews about. Unique divers also I've seen good reviews.

 

[BurBunny]

Definitely vote for Curacao in first place. Aruba is good, but for nice easy dives, don't count out St. Thomas either. Don't bother with St. Maarten.