CaptainVacation
New
Nice to "meet" you all!
My husband and I are new divers (open water certified Naui Sept 2014) and are traveling to the Caribbean on the Celebrity Eclipse (Nov 29, 2015). Here is info that I found regarding scuba. Disclaimer: these are my notes after checking trip advisor reviews, independent scuba company websites, scubadive.com, and scubaboard.com. I am just posting them here because it is a lot of work, and I was hoping to find such direction myself. I hope it helps you! So this info is for reference only! I have no connection or experience with any of these companies or dives.
Miami: embarkation port, didn't do much research here
TripAdvisor Diving Highly rated: southbeachdivers.com
Aruba: Antilla wreck and Pedemales torpedoed oil rig
TripAdvisor Highly Rated: HappyDiversAruba.com
Curacao: - one day in port some recommend: Directorsbay and Tugboat or Vaersenbay and Snakebay. Mushroom Forest and Alice in Wonderland (Playa Kalki) are supposedly boat dives and far from port. Superior Producer is a deep dive, which the cruise ship will be docked over. Some popular dives are overrated, so lesser known remote and secluded dive sites like Shon Mosa and No-name. Also available and accessible, underwater marine park coral reef in Puerto Mary, Sea Aquarium Park.
TripAdvisor Highly Rated: Bas Harts Diving
Grenada: Not so good as far as I can tell drift diving, Wrecks - Bianca C, Veronica L, Shakem, Minesweeper (strong current - advanced?) Purple Rain on Carib side OR Shark Reef on Atlantic. Also, Underwater Sculptures Park scuba may be your thing.
TripAdvisor Highly rated: scubatech-grenada.com
Barbados: Not so good as far as I can tell mostly shallow. Stavronikita 140, Berwyn (Carlilse Bay) 25
TripAdvisor Highly Rated: ecodivebarbados.com
St. Lucia: Not usually chosen as dive spot but good dives available!
mostly shallow (West coast) Virgin Cove, Rosamond Trench? Fairyland?
wall / Drift dives - Supermans Flight under Pitons, Petite Piton?
wrecks - Lesleen @ Anse Cochon (Anse Chastanet Reef) in Soufriere
TripAdvisor highly rated: scubastevesdiving.com
Antigua: WIT Shoal (where?), Carvel Rock (too strong currents?), Grass and Mingo Cays (gentle sloping reef), Sail Rock, Salt River - East vs. West?
St. Kitts: 20 sites - near shore reefs, River Taw wreck, Paradise reef (Coral Canyon), Nevis Island - Western Shore and Channel diving
TripAdvisor highly rated: prodiversstkitts.com
St. Maarten: some say seas can be rough, some say diving not great, many say skip
Proselyte Ship wreck from 1801 Shallow dive
TripAdvisor highly rated: scubafundivecenter.com
Some of these blogs / companies / country tourist websites have more info (and some dive maps) available on their websites. However, companies say that it is hard for them to guarantee diving at specific sites due to weather and other conditions.
Most of these dive companies rates range from $95 - $140 per 2 tank dives based on equipment rental, etc. Some dive companies will pick up / drop off at the cruise terminal.
Good luck!
Mandy
My husband and I are new divers (open water certified Naui Sept 2014) and are traveling to the Caribbean on the Celebrity Eclipse (Nov 29, 2015). Here is info that I found regarding scuba. Disclaimer: these are my notes after checking trip advisor reviews, independent scuba company websites, scubadive.com, and scubaboard.com. I am just posting them here because it is a lot of work, and I was hoping to find such direction myself. I hope it helps you! So this info is for reference only! I have no connection or experience with any of these companies or dives.
Miami: embarkation port, didn't do much research here
TripAdvisor Diving Highly rated: southbeachdivers.com
Aruba: Antilla wreck and Pedemales torpedoed oil rig
TripAdvisor Highly Rated: HappyDiversAruba.com
Curacao: - one day in port some recommend: Directorsbay and Tugboat or Vaersenbay and Snakebay. Mushroom Forest and Alice in Wonderland (Playa Kalki) are supposedly boat dives and far from port. Superior Producer is a deep dive, which the cruise ship will be docked over. Some popular dives are overrated, so lesser known remote and secluded dive sites like Shon Mosa and No-name. Also available and accessible, underwater marine park coral reef in Puerto Mary, Sea Aquarium Park.
TripAdvisor Highly Rated: Bas Harts Diving
Grenada: Not so good as far as I can tell drift diving, Wrecks - Bianca C, Veronica L, Shakem, Minesweeper (strong current - advanced?) Purple Rain on Carib side OR Shark Reef on Atlantic. Also, Underwater Sculptures Park scuba may be your thing.
TripAdvisor Highly rated: scubatech-grenada.com
Barbados: Not so good as far as I can tell mostly shallow. Stavronikita 140, Berwyn (Carlilse Bay) 25
TripAdvisor Highly Rated: ecodivebarbados.com
St. Lucia: Not usually chosen as dive spot but good dives available!
mostly shallow (West coast) Virgin Cove, Rosamond Trench? Fairyland?
wall / Drift dives - Supermans Flight under Pitons, Petite Piton?
wrecks - Lesleen @ Anse Cochon (Anse Chastanet Reef) in Soufriere
TripAdvisor highly rated: scubastevesdiving.com
Antigua: WIT Shoal (where?), Carvel Rock (too strong currents?), Grass and Mingo Cays (gentle sloping reef), Sail Rock, Salt River - East vs. West?
St. Kitts: 20 sites - near shore reefs, River Taw wreck, Paradise reef (Coral Canyon), Nevis Island - Western Shore and Channel diving
TripAdvisor highly rated: prodiversstkitts.com
St. Maarten: some say seas can be rough, some say diving not great, many say skip
Proselyte Ship wreck from 1801 Shallow dive
TripAdvisor highly rated: scubafundivecenter.com
Some of these blogs / companies / country tourist websites have more info (and some dive maps) available on their websites. However, companies say that it is hard for them to guarantee diving at specific sites due to weather and other conditions.
Most of these dive companies rates range from $95 - $140 per 2 tank dives based on equipment rental, etc. Some dive companies will pick up / drop off at the cruise terminal.
Good luck!
Mandy