Turneffe Atoll dive in Belize

[CountessP]

Wondering in anyone has done this? Belize is a tender port, so it's hard to arrange a dive on your own due to time constraints. The cruise ships have been offering this option for a couple of years now.

 

I'm told they pick you up at the ship and take you straight to the atoll, where they divide you up into groups, based on your dive experience. I'm wondering if it's what we should do.

 

If anyone has info on this dive, would greatly appreciate hearing from you. Thanks!

[scuabacruiser]

Wondering in anyone has done this? Belize is a tender port, so it's hard to arrange a dive on your own due to time constraints. The cruise ships have been offering this option for a couple of years now.

 

I'm told they pick you up at the ship and take you straight to the atoll, where they divide you up into groups, based on your dive experience. I'm wondering if it's what we should do.

 

If anyone has info on this dive, would greatly appreciate hearing from you. Thanks!

Yup, did it. We were picked up/returned to the ship. Once there, we were divided into groups, snorkelers, resort class/dive, and cert. divers. We used Hugh Parkley, good dive op, but it was expensive. We probably won't do it again because of the high price since we take several dive trip a year, but I do not regret do it once at all. If you are limited to the amount of diving you can do a year, then absolutely do it. You will not be able to go into Belize since the dive takes the entire time, but there is not much there to see anyway. I am assuming since you are going to Belize, you will also be going to Cozumel, or GC, or Roatan. We have dove every port before on a Western Int. and loved it. If you have to pick and chose, the other ports are easier and less expensive. But you won't get your "been there done that" stamp that way. :D There are some other options, but this is the only diving we have done in Belize.

[Friscorays]

I did the dives on an NCL cruise, who contracts with Hugh Parkey. I would not hesitate to do so again. A good day.

[CountessP]

Thanks for the info, and thanks for letting me know that NCL uses Hugh Parkley. It does make a difference in knowing who they use.

 

We try to arrange our own diving when cruising, and have dove almost every Carribean island this way, but since Belize is a tender stop, booking a private tour on our own is a more difficult endeavor. On top of that, I'm curious about diving the atoll. We've been to Belize twice before, have seen the Mayan ruins and done the cave tubing, both of which were fun. I now really want to dive, and have heard all good reviews on this dive, so I think we'll be giving it a try.

 

We'll be diving Roatan, Costa Maya and Key West as well, hopefully, the Vandenberg.

I think I'll now be able to book this dive with confidence. Yes, it's expensive, but it's worth the expense to dive the atoll. Again, thanks for the info.

[theschwanz]

been trying to figure out if i should plan a dive on my own next month in belize. i never do the ship dives but the atoll sounds pretty cool. of course the belize city operator says their dive is better. if anyone has two cents on this one, let me know. as for roatan, subway sports is the way to go. had some issues w/the bus ride there but when we got to the shop, man what a great dive. kudos. have fun and safe diving. cheers.

[sddiver]

I've never dove Belize from a cruise ship, only land based. The diving out on the Atolls, both Lighthouse and Turneffe is far superior to the barrier reef diving available locally close to town. Plus given the logistics involved with the port, it is the one place in the Caribbean I would go with the ships operator every time.

 

Have a great time.

 

Rich