divinmule

We used Sea Sport Belize.

Dives were nice, but with limited time we didn't go to the blue hole. Surface was a simple lunch on a little island. Con- very little to no shade on boat. If you burn make sure you pay attention to the bring a sun hat and long sleeve shirt note on the confirmation.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks

Looks like they are the best option. Were they easy to arrange the dives with?

Ok so we are going back to Belize on this trip and we have plenty of time to Not use the ship operator...

so who have you used and how was you excursion?

We don't mind spending a bit it the operators are reputable and the sites are good. ;)

Thanks guys

You have just found one of the biggest problem with cruise ship diving...those darn port times. But often companies will accomodate the ships port time.

First go to a site such as meeting planner http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/meeting.html

and find out your "island time" port schedule

Then correspond with the companies with that time table in mind. Always saying island time in your correspondence so you know your on the same page.

Then most will tell you if they can accommodate the time.

In Cozumel, Aldora Divers is great about doing this and they are wonderful to dive with!!

http://aldora.com/

Also keep in mind that with your 7pm depart...maybe an afternoon dive would work?

Good luck and have fun.

Sounds like its on Carnivals end. :(

I had used enough to save $150 so I can't really complain...but I'm gonna anyway.

I can't imagine they lost more than maybe $5 on each transaction per hundred because I imagine Verizon absorbed a portion as well.

I cruise in 2 weeks and you can bet I'll be checking frequently in hopes or a bit more cash. :rolleyes:

With regards to diving with the ship's excursion vs. privately, my husband has used the ship's dive excursion only when there could be a time issue, such as in Belize. That's a really long tender ride and then another boat ride to the dive sites, so he dives with the ship to ensure he makes it back on time. In most other places he dives privately for all the reasons noted by others.

Ditto!

Most times go elsewhere if time permits. Although research who the cruise line uses. Every once in a while they have a really good operator that makes for a great trip. For example in St. Lucia we dove with the ship operator based upon all the great reviews on tripadvisor and we were not disappointed.

Aldora in Cozumel. Steel tanks with Nitrox maxed out 3500 psi!!!

Love them

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Second vote for Aldora and often they can work with different cruise schedules...might be worth checking with them if you haven't already.

Sorry can't help with the other options.

Don Fosters has a good reputation. There are also several others within walking distance.

Our favorite dive there is to just head down to Sunset House and do some shore diving. Tanks are cheap and the house reef is pretty nice. Then after the diving enjoy a nice lunch at "My Bar" before heading back to the ship.:D

So if Sunshine is in port ...Liberty uses 10? Is that correct.

Sent from my XT1030 using Forums mobile app

Are you saying that the ship's time was not the same as the local time? When I was on Celebrity, our ship time and local time always matched. How do I make a reservation with a place like Mayan Divers when I don't know what time we'll actually be arriving?

Google something such as world clock http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/meeting.html

and enter the day and time you will be in a given country. It will do the conversion to let you know the appropriate island or country time for your visit.

It is very helpful so your not standing on the dock waiting for someone that already came 2 hours ago. :eek: :)

We've dived with Gypsea Divers twice. They are our favorite, too.

Have read great things about them on here.

Wonder if they could accomodate that crazy port time...guess I just need to check with them and see. Thx guys.:D

Second vote for Blue Island divers.

No diving at Halfmoon cay

No good option near the ship in San Juan

Should find great diving in Grand Turk.

Have fun

Sent from my ADR6425LVW using Forums mobile app

As a diving family that takes all their own gear...let me assure you they don't care how much u bring. :D

It does work best if the suitcases can nest for storage.

Sent from my ADR6425LVW using Forums mobile app

Drink beer...check for text...drink beer...repeat

Sent from my ADR6425LVW using Forums mobile app

Thanks for the info.

Our port time is horrible for this stop...7am (6am their time) to 1pm (12noon):( so I am really afraid booking outside the ship might be really hard at this port that's why I wondered about the cruise operator. Looks like they are our most likely option.

Anyone have experience with other operators that are willing to work around such a tight port schedule?

Maybe Dreamtime?

Anyone have any experience with them?

Anyone know who Carnival uses as their dive operator in Costa Maya?

Thank you for the review. That is what I've been waiting for. One it seemed easier using the ship's excursion in Belize as we also have our own gear and didn't want to deal with the tendering. So happy to hear that the dive went well.

Planning on taking the Roatan dive excursion but may have to think on changing to private.:rolleyes:

One time we dove with the ship operator in Belize and it was great...professional crew, nice times, etc.

The last time we went it was a mess. The boat was packed. They attempted to divide folks by experience but it just didn't go well. Our group was the experienced group and we had one guy floating off like a kite with the poor DM having to drag him along. Luckily the hubby and I could spare some weight and the DM was able to somewhat keep him in check with the addit poundage.

Folks just seemed to be everywhere...we finally just became content tooling around under the boat looking at lots of cool little things while he delt with the mess.

So for us we are considering going with on of the land based operators if we end up cruising back to Belize. For now we have just tried to find differnt ports.

Sorry its not clearcut. If you had asked me a year or so ago, I would have said no brainer...go with the ship...but with the cost of that dive and the last experience :rolleyes: it might be worth going elsewhere...

there are good recommendations on here from folks that have done that...just really depends on your time in port.

Thanks!

We aren't really looking for advanced diving. We have been there, done that. We actually just love relaxing diving with pretty reefs and fish. I shoot video and husband does photo.

 

Cozumel: I am thinking about using Scuba with Alison in Cozumel, heard they will hold the boat until the cruise ship comes in. That can be the biggest issue there since most dive boats go out between 8-9am and our ship won't be in port until around 10am most likely. I really don't want to book through the ship there. Lots of great choices here...we love Aldora but so many options and a pier for docking so easy to coordinate

 

Grand Cayman: Any dive op recommendations? From what I have read, Don Foster's is the cruise ship op and they get pretty good reviews. Any reason not to use them? Again...lots of operators but depending upon port times...tendering can be an issue so pretty easy to just go with Fosters

 

Roatan: Yes, we would like to use AKR since we have stayed and dived the southside of the island with CCV and loved it. We know the topography is completely different on the northside, near AKR so we would like to see it. Loved AKR...can't go wrong there...but as you know lots of good operators on the island.

 

Bahamas: Still think it might be fun. We did 2 liveaboards to the outer islands and loved it but that was 8-10 years ago. Any thoughts? I know fishlife isn't what is was due to lionfish.

Regardless all your options sound fun...

Sure you can...

 

...if you have no ethics or self respect. :rolleyes:

Wow,,,did you really say that:eek:

Folks here really amaze me sometimes

Fun fun

Sent from my ADR6425LVW using Forums mobile app

Yup...toast on all our devices

Sent from my ADR6425LVW using Forums mobile app

Just moved from our interior 4j on a 7day cruise on Liberty to a gty balcony for about $50 less and the $20obc...oh yeah...no question here...a great deal. ;)

Some cruise itineraries are more dive friendly than others. So numbers will vary depending upon where you go and port times. But as generalization...not too many divers compared to the number of folks on each cruise.

We did many of these ports last August...

Barbados...went with Ecodive Barbados...awesome diving with Andrew..small boat but great times and dives...awesome two dives

St. Lucia...went with Ioyona divers thru Carnival...Awesome diving on Superman's flight and Grande Callie. Our group was much smaller than the private operator...awesome two dives

St. Kitts...Kenneth's Dive Center...Right near the boat...great dive times...exciting reefs...great two dives

St. Thomas...Blue Island Divers...good guys....enjoyable sites..great times..two ok dives

St. Marteen...Carribean dive college the ship operator... short times...came up with loads of air...the dm's were very nice but just seemed to be kids. was ok for two dives..but is the port I would skip if I went back or find a different operator.

Yeah...Liberty review...115 days till we go...thx