Recommendations for cruise diving?

[smashweights]

Hey all! We'll be going on a Western Caribbean cruise via Royal Caribbean in Feb 2025. I would love to get a few dives in but not sure how best to budget my time. We'll have my wife and two young kids as well as two other families (our good friends) who have 6 young kids total as well, so a pretty large group with lots of littles. My wife and I are the only divers, me moreso than her too. My son (8) loves to snorkel so a shore dive where he could snorkel while I (or we) dive would be perfect. We don't currently have any specific excursion plans. We'll port in Cozumel, Puerta Costa Maya, Roatan, and Coco Cay. I have about 40 dives all off the Florida panhandle and peak cert is rescue.

I have no idea where to start but I guess I'd ask the following:

1. Of those ports, where would you recommend diving? My inclination is Roatan and Cozumel based on reading and probably not Coco Cay since we'll be at the big Royal Caribbean "resort" with the kids.

2. Any specific dive ops to recommend? Book directly (and risk missing the ship) or via the cruise?

3. I have all my own dive gear but not sure how much I really want to take. I figure my dive computer no question but should I bother with anything else?

4. What else should I be considering? I haven't dove outside the country yet.

Thanks in advance!

 

[ScottsdaleSteve]

Hey all! We'll be going on a Western Caribbean cruise via Royal Caribbean in Feb 2025. I would love to get a few dives in but not sure how best to budget my time. We'll have my wife and two young kids as well as two other families (our good friends) who have 6 young kids total as well, so a pretty large group with lots of littles. My wife and I are the only divers, me moreso than her too. My son (8) loves to snorkel so a shore dive where he could snorkel while I (or we) dive would be perfect. We don't currently have any specific excursion plans. We'll port in Cozumel, Puerta Costa Maya, Roatan, and Coco Cay. I have about 40 dives all off the Florida panhandle and peak cert is rescue.

I have no idea where to start but I guess I'd ask the following:

1. Of those ports, where would you recommend diving? My inclination is Roatan and Cozumel based on reading and probably not Coco Cay since we'll be at the big Royal Caribbean "resort" with the kids.

2. Any specific dive ops to recommend? Book directly (and risk missing the ship) or via the cruise?

3. I have all my own dive gear but not sure how much I really want to take. I figure my dive computer no question but should I bother with anything else?

4. What else should I be considering? I haven't dove outside the country yet.

Thanks in advance!

Of the ports you mention, I did a 2-tank boat dive on a cruise ship stop in Roatan in January 2024. My non-diving sister was with us, so wanted a place where she could snorkel while my wife and I dove. Used Coconut Tree Divers and would use them again. Nice boats. Nice crew. No current. They advertise how they accommodate divers and snorkelers on the same boat. However, the boat ties up to moorings in 20 or 25 feet of water. From there it gets deeper for divers and shallower for snorkelers. Not sure that is appropriate for an 8-year old unless you had an adult snorkeler along. They provided floaties (noodle looking things) to the snorkelers. Coconut Tree rents anything you need, but it didnt look like a shore-diving location. We did not book through the cruise line. Coconut Tree picked us up at the cruise port soon after docking and had us back around noon or 1pm. No real worries about missing the boat - we were perhaps a 20 minute drive away.

 

[bpodbielski]

1. Cozumel is a must, but I've enjoyed Roatan as well.

2. I'll let someone provide some details on specific dive operations, but when I dive on a cruise, my rule of thumb is that if the time in port is longer and not via tender, I go with a local op. Otherwise, booking through the cruise line ensures they won't leave without me. Probably more paranoid than necessary....

3. Prior to heavily investing in and customizing my own gear, I would always bring my mask, computer, and fins.

4. Make sure you bring your physical c-card too.

 

[ScottsdaleSteve]

2. I'll let someone provide some details on specific dive operations, but when I dive on a cruise, my rule of thumb is that if the time in port is longer and not via tender, I go with a local op. Otherwise, booking through the cruise line ensures they won't leave without me. Probably more paranoid than necessary....

I agree with that statement. In tender ports, the first people off the ship are those with excursions booked through the ship. Everyone else waits, so it can be hard to meet a "book it yourself" dive operation on time.

That said, both Cozumel and Roatan have docks (not tenders), so you can get off the ship whenever you want.

 

[smashweights]

Of the ports you mention, I did a 2-tank boat dive on a cruise ship stop in Roatan in January 2024. My non-diving sister was with us, so wanted a place where she could snorkel while my wife and I dove. Used Coconut Tree Divers and would use them again. Nice boats. Nice crew. No current. They advertise how they accommodate divers and snorkelers on the same boat. However, the boat ties up to moorings in 20 or 25 feet of water. From there it gets deeper for divers and shallower for snorkelers. Not sure that is appropriate for an 8-year old. Coconut Tree rents anything you need, but it didnt look like a shore-diving location. We did not book through the cruise line. Coconut Tree picked us up at the cruise port soon after docking and had us back around noon or 1pm. No real worries about missing the boat - we were perhaps a 20 minute drive away.

Great suggestion! My 8 year old might be ok in that (he'll be pushing 9 by then) assuming surface conditions are good. He's a strong swimmer with lots of swim and snorkel training locally and is going to be doing a pool Scuba camp this summer. I'd probably need to get him comfortable with an inflatable PFD or have him snorkel with a PFD. However, we have a 3 year old as well hence the potential benefit of a shore dive where the wife or our friends could watch her.

 

[Altamira]

Long time cruise diver here. With the understanding that you might have slightly shorter dives with the ship's dive op than some off ship ops, you and your wife are people that I would very strongly recommend using the ship's dive excursions if available. Why? Because with a wife and two young children, you absolutely cannot risk missing the ship's departure. Just imagine leaving your wife or friends to deal with your young ones, and the time and expense of trying to catch up with the ship if you are left behind. I would prioritize Roatan and Coz, then Costa Maya. Dive Ops are: Roatan, Anthony's Key Resort; Coz, Sand Dollar last time I was there in '22. Both were excellent, with no shortened dives. I don't think the ship has dive excursions at Costa Maya, but if they do, the diving is good there as well, but not as good as the first two. I take my own dive gear, but if I had to deal with the extra luggage for two children, I would use the dive ops' gear, which is very good from what I remember, and rental gear is usually included in the excursion price. Another issue with traveling with children is the space in your cabin. If you take your own gear, especially two sets, storage in the cabin is going to be awful, and unless you have a balcony cabin, getting the gear dry after diving is a challenge. Good luck, and enjoy your cruise.

Edit: Two other reasons for you to take the ship's dive excursion: If the ship is late getting to port, or there is an immigration delay in getting clearance to disembark passengers, the ship will adjust your dive excursion departure time. Second, you don't have to deal with transportation costs in both directions.

 

[smashweights]

1. Cozumel is a must, but I've enjoyed Roatan as well.

2. I'll let someone provide some details on specific dive operations, but when I dive on a cruise, my rule of thumb is that if the time in port is longer and not via tender, I go with a local op. Otherwise, booking through the cruise line ensures they won't leave without me. Probably more paranoid than necessary....

3. Prior to heavily investing in and customizing my own gear, I would always bring my mask, computer, and fins.

4. Make sure you bring your physical c-card too.

Thanks! I have read great things about Cozumel. My biggest concern would be I've heard it can have a lot of currents including down currents that I don't have experience diving.

Curious why you take your fins, those seem pretty easily universal for how much space they occupy.

PADI doesn't give out physical cards anymore (at least not free) so everything is e-cards on my phone. Is that gonna be an issue?

 

[smashweights]

Long time cruise diver here. With the understanding that you might have slightly shorter dives with the ship's dive op than some off ship ops, you and your wife are people that I would very strongly recommend using the ship's dive excursions if available. Why? Because with a wife and two young children, you absolutely cannot risk missing the ship's departure. Just imagine leaving your wife or friends to deal with your young ones, and the time and expense of trying to catch up with the ship if you are left behind. I would prioritize Roatan and Coz, then Costa Maya. Dive Ops are: Roatan, Anthony's Key Resort; Coz, Sand Dollar last time I was there in '22. Both were excellent, with no shortened dives. I don't think the ship has dive excursions at Costa Maya, but if they do, the diving is good there as well, but not as good as the first two. I take my own dive gear, but if I had to deal with the extra luggage for two children, I would use the dive ops' gear, which is very good from what I remember, and rental gear is usually included in the excursion price. Another issue with traveling with children is the space in your cabin. If you take your own gear, especially two sets, storage in the cabin is going to be awful, and unless you have a balcony cabin, getting the gear dry after diving is a challenge. Good luck, and enjoy your cruise.

Good points. My wife doesn't have her own gear anyway (other than mask, fin, snorkel). She's only done her OW cert last summer and hasn't dove since. Agree with the low-risk approach.

 

[bpodbielski]

Thanks! I have read great things about Cozumel. My biggest concern would be I've heard it can have a lot of currents including down currents that I don't have experience diving.

Curious why you take your fins, those seem pretty easily universal for how much space they occupy.

PADI doesn't give out physical cards anymore (at least not free) so everything is e-cards on my phone. Is that gonna be an issue?

With the operators that I've been with in Cozumel, they take the less experienced divers in areas with less current and away from the wall. Just be open and honest about your experience and level of comfort with the dive operator. Current diving is a lot of fun, you'll love it!

Two reasons for me: 1. I have wear a size 15 shoe 2. Fin buoyancy plays into your trim, so I like having control of that

It won't be an issue, but I would grab a screenshot while you have internet. Worst case scenario is that you get off the ship and somehow the app logs you out without access to your e-card.

 

[Wants2divemore]

1. Of those ports, where would you recommend diving? My inclination is Roatan and Cozumel based on reading and probably not Coco Cay since we'll be at the big Royal Caribbean "resort" with the kids.

The Coco Cay dive is just a one-tank dive along a shallow reef. Not that thrilling, especially since you have other places to dive. Since you have your kids to play with, I'd spend the time on Coco cay with your family.

2. Any specific dive ops to recommend? Book directly (and risk missing the ship) or via the cruise?

I agree with @Altamira that booking with the cruise ship is the safest thing to do from a risk standpoint. I just dove in Roatan and Cozumel in April with the Royal Caribbean shore excursion dives which were fine.

3. I have all my own dive gear but not sure how much I really want to take. I figure my dive computer no question but should I bother with anything else?

I'd bring your mask and dive computer. Since mask is such a personal fit, you might not get a good one with rental gear. As for the other stuff, it's not necessary but if you really like your gear you can bring it. Most of the rental gear I've seen is good. I've personally brought my own gear on 5 previous cruises, but that's just because I really like my own gear. I will admit that it's kind of a pain to clean in the small cruise ship bathroom.