St Maarten diving from cruise ship recommendations needed

[mikeb663]

I will be visiting St. Maarten while on a cruise this September. I will be there from 8am to 5pm and need information on a charter service. I am looking for something close to the cruise port if possible. I would appreciate any information that you might have to help me plan this trip. I would like to book it ahead of time instead of going through the cruise line. Thanks for the help! Mike

 

[divengolf]

I used Ocean Explorers and would recommend them. Don't know if they PU at the cruise ship pier, but they are a short cab ride to Simpson Bay. I was staying on the island and took a cab to them.

 

[Rhone Man]

If you are in Phillipsburg, Scuba Fun are just a short walk.

 

[csky217]

I also dove with Ocean Explorers on a cruise stop. It turned out there on that day, a few crew members from the ship were also doing their checkout dives for an OW course with them.

- We had to pay for our own taxi there and back. I think it was $8 each? Downside: surly taxi driver. Plus side: shorter boat ride and diving on (I think) some of the nicer areas that aren't as accessible to the shops that leave out of Phillipsburg. After the dives, the shop called a taxi for us and we went to the restaurant across the street to eat lunch.

- They are a pretty well run op, right off the beach. Husband and wife team. Decent rental gear though I brought my own.

- The boats are not huge - no head, not much shade, a little awkward gearing up. Plus side - small groups. Downside - we got grouped with the OW students. However, it wasn't as though they were limiting our depth. As I read somewhere, around St. Maarten it's impossible to go deeper than 55 feet without a shovel.

All in all, I would say they run a good operation. Many years ago, I dove with Ocean Safaris and I much preferred Ocean Explorers. Just keep in mind that the diving has less vis, more current, and less fish/coral life than some other areas of the Caribbean. I read some suggestion that the French side is better but still not spectacular. If I could have, I would have taken the plane or ferry to Saba for the day and dived there.

Have a great trip!

 

[tregrrr]

Having worked that side of the island for season, I would have to agree with Ocean Explorers being a good bet. I would also recommend AquaMania. As for the other operations on the dutch side, I would pause before suggesting several of them to friends or family. It really depends on who is running the boat on any given day, but I do know these two are pretty solid... (as of my last phone call to mates on the island). If you want Nitrox, Aquamania is your ONLY real choice... they have one of the few membranes on the island. Ocean Explorers is a "6pack", AM runs one 34' and one 45' boats... I do not know of any operators having lavatory facilities on the water.

One of my favorite sites we called split rock (130deg. off Proselyte IIRC) if you can get your guide to take you its worth the extra 100m swim!! As far as depths go, you get a sand floor at a max of 65' most sites except for a couple wrecks which were a bit deeper (74, 85). There is one "deep" wreck, the Fu Sheng which is 120' but its a pretty boring dive... I think we did it maybe 2 times in 6 months.

Hope you have a great time and enjoy your dives!!

 

[mikeb663]

Ended up with the cruise ship operator which was Scubafun. The diving in St Maaarten was great and Scubafun is a great operator. I would definitely recommend them.

 

[DeputyDan]

Thanks for following up on your original post.

Many folks don't!