which ports offer dive trips from the cruise ship's pier?

[bradlw]

I guess I'm focusing primarily on cruises from Florida, to the Caribean or Mexico

I've never dived from a cruise, and haven't done any of the shore excursions that they offer
but I remember one or two cruises where when getting off the boat to walk around town, I saw folks stepping off the ship and right in the same pier stepping onto an excursion boat. Maybe they were sailing trips or maybe snorkeling trips, I don't know... Not sure if any were scuba...probably not.

Anyway, just thinking that since my family is now certified...and it's been quite a while since we've cruised... that maybe in the next year or so we might consider a cruise

Any suggestions for great ports with convenient scuba excursions, good diving, etc...?

 

[Tigerpaw]

There are plenty of dive shops in the Caribbean and Mexico, I would recommend you search the board and ask for dive shop recommendations at these forums:

Here for the Caribbean: Greater Caribbean & Bermuda
AND
Here for Mexico: Mexico
AND
Here for Central America: Central America

So all that being said my personal favorites that I dive when on a cruise are:
Dive Doctor in Playa Costa Maya
Dive with a Purpose in Cozumel

I generally dive on cruises, so my advice is to contact the dive shop, let them know you're coming in on a cruise ship. They are generally good about organizing your dives so that you can make it back to the ship on time. I allow myself 2-3 hours from sailing time, so if the ship departs at 5pm, I tell them I want to be back AT the ship by 2pm. Some cruises have dive excursions but I heard those are crammed with divers of different experience levels and sometimes a big ball of mass confusion and are not fun. It's why I always plan my own dive excursions vs doing the ship excursion.

As for dive gear, each diver is different but I bring my entire setup with me and just rent tanks and weights. I prefer using my own gear and you can't be to sure about how well they clean gear. I also like the looks and comments when I'm in a cold weather port. Last year on a cruise in Norway I got plenty of stares and one sweet lady remarked, "That just ain't right" LOL. That's when I explain about the drysuit and diving in general. The crew thinks it's cool, but yeah I personally like to take my own gear, oh MAKE SURE you remove any diving knives, security will confiscate it but you'll get it back at the end of the cruise.

Good luck and have fun!

P.S. I grew up in Jacksonville

 

[Wants2divemore]

I've dove with about 20 different dive ops on 7 different cruises throughout Mexico and the Caribbean. To answer your specific question, there are a few dive operators which have either their shop or meeting place right next to the cruise terminal and are very easy to get to. Your best bet is to search on this cruise forum and the other forums @Tigerpaw recommended above for Trip Report posts and recommendations. If you don't see anything specific for a port you're considering, post in that forum asking for recommendations. You can also search on Trip Advisor and the PADI travel sites for dive shops in the port you're going to, look at a map and see their location. Ask them where they meet (sometimes it will be at their shop, sometimes at the pier) and sometimes they'll make allowances for you to meet them close to the pier. Sometimes they also offer transportation to their shop and back.

I've researched all the dive ops in about 30 different ports over the past few years, compiling information from their website, SB reviews, plus questions I've asked them. While I've only dove with about 20 of them, if there's a particular port you're interested let me know and I can send you the info I have. If you want the whole list, I'm find sending that too.

My personal favorites that were easy to get to have been (in no particular order):
-Pro Divers in St. Kitts
-St. Croix Ultimate Bluewater Adventures (SCUBA) in St. Croix

While most of my diving has been ones I set up myself, I have dove on an official shore excursion a few times when the boats arrival into or departure from port didn't work with the time schedule of the local shop. On average the official scuba excursions from the cruise line are more likely to be more crowded and have more vacation divers/beginners than a local shop, but it's not always the case. But overall, I've had better dives on with the dives I've set up myself than the official cruise excursions.

However, if you're going to be diving with your entire family, there's a certain amount of comfort in diving with an official shore excursion. If there's a problem that delays getting back to the cruise ship (medical emergency, time spent looking for a lost diver, etc.) if you're on an official cruise excursion, the ship won't leave without you. Thankfully I've never been close to being late for the ship on dives I've set up on my own, but it's something to consider.