Southern Carribbean

[deepblueC4me]

Hello all!

My name is Jerry. Just joined up. Glad to finally be part of the family!

Question: I am doing a two week cruise in the southern Carribbean, and the following are my destinations: Aruba, Bonaire, Grenada, Barbados, St Lucia, and Antigua.
I have already booked Bonaire (obviously) but what other two islands should I dive at? Sorry, but it's my wife's birthday, so I have to keep it at a minimum. Otherwise, I'd be diving at EVERY island!

Thanks!
JG

 

[drrich2]

Here's a Quick St. Lucia Trip Report from a cruise ship stop, booking the premium trip with Scuba Steve's. Enjoyed it. On a separate stop, did a rainforest hike with a (cold, surprisingly enough) waterfall; lush jungle, pretty, not much animal life, did stop at a banana plantation.

Can't tell you from 1st hand experience what each destination is like. I've dove Bonaire. The impression I get from what I recall of others reports:

1.) St. Lucia has some good diving. DAN's Alert Diver as an article, Estale, on it.

2.) Barbados seems to get mixed reviews but some people like it.

3.) I hardly hear of anyone diving or endorsing Antigua, but evidently it's done; if you do a forum search on Antigua, you'll see some threads by Bryan Cunningham; it's my understanding he opened a dive facility there this year. Here's a thread on that.

4.) People dive Aruba & Grenada; a Search will turn up threads.

I'd look at the alternative excursions at each. Aruba's got beautiful beaches (as does Barbados). Do you want a 'beach day' on the cruise? Grenada I don't see on many cruise itineraries (granted, I focus on Royal Caribbean); is it really meaningful to say you dove it, and this might be the only chance you get?

If by chance your wife doesn't dive, I've done a catamaran snorkeling trip to dive with sea turtles (baited in) out of Barbados, and that was fun. Did a bus tour in Aruba.

Richard.

 

[Dive Right In Scuba 2]

Welcome to SB! Be sure to post up updates on your upcoming trips so we can live vicariously through you!