Diving in Barbados?

[Texas_Diver]

We are considering a cruise that has ports in Barbados and Dominica. I see that Carnival does not list diving in their shore excursions at these ports.

 

Any speculation as to why?

 

D.

[barbados]

Perhaps a time restraint?

 

You can easily do a 4 hour dive on either island by yourself.

 

Dominica dives can be excellent. Perhaps not quite on a par with Little Caymen or St. Vincent, but very good, nevertheless.

 

Enjoy on you own, you'll be quite pleased. :) :) :)

[Aplmac]

You can easily do a 4 hour dive on either island by yourself.

 

Dominica dives can be excellent. Perhaps not quite on a par with Little Caymen or St. Vincent,

but very good, nevertheless.

Barbados diving is not that spectacular

but we do have some decent wrecks around the shoreline, if you're into wreck diving! :)

 

Stavronikita is perhaps our largest wreck, at 356 ft. LOA

- she lies in about 120 ft. depth on a sand bottom, bow deck level around 40-50 ft. deep..

stern deck somewhere around 80-90 (if memory serves me OK)

Top of her superstructure around 25-30?

 

Stavro is not far North of the port where your ship will be docked

-no more than about 3 miles North (at Fitts Village)...so ask specifically about that!

 

.......................................

 

 

Dominica: I've never dived there

but I'm willing to bet there are some badass walls to be found along their West coast headlands.

 

The terrain is much like that of St.Vincent

where I know there are such walls(Questelles,for example).

.

[barbados]

Mr. alpac has provided some very useful information about Barbados dives that I didn't include.

 

If you're a wreck diver, Barbados has a plethora of choices for you.

 

Aside from wreck diving, Dottins Reef (Barbados, west coast 1/2 mile west of B-town) holds some great dives. 65-130' and a myriad of wildlife, it is a well respected dive.

 

I don't want to sway you, but dives in Soufriere Pinnacles and Solderfish Cave in Dominica are world renound. The reef system in, and around Dominica is still healthy and should be enjoyed.

 

I encourage you to dive on your own and enjoy whichever place you choose.

 

You won't be disappointed with either.

[Texas_Diver]

Perhaps a time restraint?

 

You can easily do a 4 hour dive on either island by yourself.

 

Dominica dives can be excellent. Perhaps not quite on a par with Little Caymen or St. Vincent, but very good, nevertheless.

 

Enjoy on you own, you'll be quite pleased. :) :) :)

 

Thanks for all the great advice so far! Sounds like we will definitely find a good dive.

 

Curious to what you meant by time restraint. They are the typical 8 and 9 hour port stops.

 

A.

[barbados]

Cruise lines typically exclude tours that are: 1.Not profitable; 2. Push the envelope of time; 3. Few take; 4. Have high liability.

 

Few dive on cruises. You may be one of only 6 that wish to dive on the ship. No profit there, yes?

 

I think low profit and high liability would be a better reason than time restraint.

 

I've done 22 cruises and never used the ship excursions and dived on 21 of them.

 

Saved a ton of bux and had a ball on my own.

 

Cut of the middleman, my friend. :) :) :)

[Texas_Diver]

There are several who dive on cruises. To see this, check out the section of Cruise Critic.

 

Thanks again for the advice!

 

D.