Recent Recommendations for Dive Shops (for Cruisers) in ABCs

[DVNGN8-E]

Good morning everyone!

I’ve been searching through the previous threads for recommendations for dive shops that work with cruisers in Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao, but many of the recommendations are from 2020 and prior - especially Aruba. Unfortunately in researching them several of them have either gone inactive and/or no longer in business.

Like many of us, I prefer non-“cattle call” type dive ops where the dive team is friendly and the sights aren’t overloaded. I also like a team where we can exchange tips and feedback so that I can continue to grow as a diver and member of the community.

Any constructive recommendation, thoughts and/or suggestions are greatly appreciated!

Happy diving!
~ Nate

 

[mac66]

Was just in the ABCs in December '22. I dived with Scubacao (third time) in Curacao. Dive Friends in Bonaire and through the ship in Aruba.

RC uses Red Sail Sports as their dive vendor. Its a short walk down the pier from the cruise ship.

There were 4 other divers in Curacao. I had the guide/DM to myself in Bonaire. 12 divers in Aruba but split into 2 groups.

Curacao and Bonaire were shore dives, Aruba was a boat dive. I reviewed all three in the "diving off a cruise ship" thread.

 

[BigDaddyGlad]

I last dove the ABC's off a cruise ship pre-pandemic, so take this for the dated info that it is. It looks like both my recommendations are still in business, as the websites are active. Both these dives were booked directly with the dive shops, as there weren't any excursions offered through the ship.

In Aruba, I dove with Happy Divers. At the time, it was a small operation, run by a local guy named Jeffrey. He picked me up directly at the pier, and there were three others in the van coming from a local resort. We drove to the marina where his boat was waiting, already loaded with gear. He was the boat captain, deck hand and dive guide. We dove Arashi Reef and the Antilla shipwreck. The small group was great, and Jeff took photos during both dives which he emailed to all of us with no extra charge. I'll be on that same cruise itinerary again in November, and I'll certainly be booking with Jeff if he's available.

Bonaire was, and still is, the best diving I've ever experienced. I booked that one with VIP Diving. That was a first-class experience from start to finish. The guide picked up me and another diver off the same ship at the pier, and drove to the VIP dive shop for paperwork and gear fitting. And then we just hit the highway until the guide spotted a bait ball off the coast and we pulled over, geared up and headed out. First dive was Larry's Lair, which is an easy out-and-back. After a nice sandwich lunch on the shore, for our second dive (which was at the time, only my 5th or 6th dive!), we headed to the southern tip of the island to dive Red Slave. In retrospect, that was probably a more advanced dive than I should have been on that early in my dive career, but it remains one of the top 2 or 3 dives of my life. Because the groups are all very small (however many people can fit in a pickup!), VIP books up very far in advance.

I didn't dive Curacao (needed to spend at least one day topside with the wife!), but I'll be splashing there in November for sure.

 

[Rob9876]

I dove with Caribbean Sea Sports in Curacao last October and liked them. I was not on a cruise, so you may want to contact them to see how they fit your schedule. I will say that they were one of the best shops about responding to emails.

 

[jonhall]

In Aruba, I dove with Happy Divers. At the time, it was a small operation, run by a local guy named Jeffrey. He picked me up directly at the pier, and there were three others in the van coming from a local resort. We drove to the marina where his boat was waiting, already loaded with gear. He was the boat captain, deck hand and dive guide. We dove Arashi Reef and the Antilla shipwreck. The small group was great, and Jeff took photos during both dives which he emailed to all of us with no extra charge. I'll be on that same cruise itinerary again in November, and I'll certainly be booking with Jeff if he's available.

Saw their boat when I was in Aruba a couple of weeks ago - I dove with a different op. Happy Divers has a smaller boat - looked like a max of 5 divers at most. Not sure that it went out everyday, but divers looked happy coming off the boat on the days I saw it come back in. Their boat is located in Palm Beach, so it's good he offers transportation. I will say of 3 dive ops I emailed, Happy Divers is the only one who did not respond back.

The link below has a pdf spreadsheet of dive ops I put together last fall. Haven't had a chance to update it - Dive Aruba IS open and Clive (for those that know of him) is still associated with it, but he now has a partner. Either Red Sail or JADS, as I recall, cater to cruise ships. Many of the dive ops offer transportation. Palm Beach Divers, who I dove with, offers a pickup.

Aruba Dive Shops (spreadsheet)

Having recently read some of the Aruba threads, I've realized there seem to be quite a few people going and/or asking about the diving. I was there in 2009 and am going back in January. As is the usual case, I try to put together a list of dive ops wherever we go with information for my buddy to...

scubaboard.com

 

[Martijn]

Some shameless self-promotion for Bonaire

We can pick you up /drop you off, but are located on walking distance from the cruise pier. We only do private dives / no mixed groups meaning we can tailor the dives / schedule completely on your needs.

 

[Altamira]

Bonaire: Dive Friends Bonaire for boat and shore dives
Curacao: The Dive Bus for shore dives
Ocean Encounters for boat dives

You will have outstanding dives with those three dive ops.

 

[mac66]

I dived with Happy Divers back in 2019. When I returned to the ABCs I gave Jeffery a call but he quoted me a price that was so out of range what everyone else was charging I ended up booking through the ship with Red Sail Sports. Not sure what was going on with Jeffery