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SCUBA Hawaii - October 2018


mrsmad
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We'll be cruising Hawaii on Carnival Splendor next month.

We just got our Open Water SCUBA certification but Carnival has no diving excursions at all, on any port. Looking for recommendations for Dive Shops that will accommodate cruise passengers. We really want to dive the crater off Maui...

Thank you!!

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That's Molokini. It may be difficult to arrange depending on the times you're in port, as trips there usually leave early. The first shop I'd check with would be Maui Diving (http://mauidiving.com/). They've changed ownership since I last dove with them, but they still get good reviews, and historically have provided great service, and smaller groups. If they don't work out for you, then Lahaina Divers (www.lahainadivers.com) maybe able to. They do a nice job, although they tend to run large groups.

 

When inquiring about Molokini, please make sure you advise the operator you're a newer diver. Diving inside the crater is very suitable for all divers, while the wall dive on the outside is a fairly advanced dive. For that the operator should insist on more experience than you have thus far, and generally they want each diver with a computer to monitor their dive profile, and an SMB in case they get separated from the group.

 

For a second dive there, ask about Mala Pier. It's one of my favorite dives anywhere. The steel and concrete pier collapsed during Hurricane Iniki, in the 1990's. The resulting rubble has created a great environment for sea life. I've never failed to see turtles and reef sharks there, and the max depth is about 35 feet, so there's always good light. At that depth you'll have time to explore the entire - fairly large - site on a tank of air.

 

Harris

Denver, CO

Edited by omeinv
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More from boring me:

 

I just looked at your cruise's itinerary, and see a couple things:

 

You're ship is docked at the pier in Maui, rather than tendered at Lahaina. You're looking at about a 1 hour drive from the port to where the diving is. Also, you're arrival is 10:00 am, with an 11:00 pm departure there. You'll definitely need to try to arrange your diving in advance. When you check with operators, explain you're looking for an "afternoon, 2-tank trip. You should be easily able to get a rental car at/near the port, and prices for a day rental are generally not bad.

 

Your other ports are Honolulu, Kona and Hilo. Hilo is not a spot for diving, so no issue there. Your times in Honolulu and Kona are again not conducive to catching shop's regularly scheduled 2-tank morning dives.

 

Honolulu I would say the diving is so-so at best, so it's hardly worth the hassle of trying to arrange something, and there is much to do there otherwise. However, I've had good luck with Aqua Zone there. (www.aquazonescuba.com).

 

Kona has fantastic diving. Big Island Divers doesn't currently show any scheduled afternoon trips on their website, They used to do two tank afternoon trips several days a week, so it maybe worth giving them a call (www.bigislanddivers.com). Jack's Diving Locker is the other big name shop for Kona. I prefer Big Island, but they're both good. They may have something for you if Big Island doesn't (www.jacksdivinglocker.com).

 

Harris

Denver, CO

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More from boring me:

 

I just looked at your cruise's itinerary, and see a couple things:

 

You're ship is docked at the pier in Maui, rather than tendered at Lahaina. You're looking at about a 1 hour drive from the port to where the diving is. Also, you're arrival is 10:00 am, with an 11:00 pm departure there. You'll definitely need to try to arrange your diving in advance. When you check with operators, explain you're looking for an "afternoon, 2-tank trip. You should be easily able to get a rental car at/near the port, and prices for a day rental are generally not bad.

 

Your other ports are Honolulu, Kona and Hilo. Hilo is not a spot for diving, so no issue there. Your times in Honolulu and Kona are again not conducive to catching shop's regularly scheduled 2-tank morning dives.

 

Honolulu I would say the diving is so-so at best, so it's hardly worth the hassle of trying to arrange something, and there is much to do there otherwise. However, I've had good luck with Aqua Zone there. (www.aquazonescuba.com).

 

Kona has fantastic diving. Big Island Divers doesn't currently show any scheduled afternoon trips on their website, They used to do two tank afternoon trips several days a week, so it maybe worth giving them a call (www.bigislanddivers.com). Jack's Diving Locker is the other big name shop for Kona. I prefer Big Island, but they're both good. They may have something for you if Big Island doesn't (www.jacksdivinglocker.com).

 

Harris

Denver, CO

 

Thank you, Harris, very much, for your reply.

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