Diving in Tortola

[mommiemudd]

I am posting this for my sister-in-law/brother-in-law who just traveled with us on the NCL Spirit's 9 day to the Exotic Southern Caribbean. They booked scuba through the ship for Barbados, St. Lucia and Tortola. Just some feedback on Tortola. This is the dive thay had most looked forward too. The wreck of the Rhone. The day started out bad when they were told they had to walk to the dive boat carrying all their gear. They have dived several times through NCL and never had to do this. There has always been some sort of transportation to the dive shop or dive boat.They are experienced divers, marathoners, etc. Great physical shape. The walk wasn't incredibly far but considering they had all their dive equipment, cameras, etc. It was a long haul. Then of course, after the dive they had to walk back to the ship. Also, the boat was very crowded. They did break the group into smaller groups which did help. Just some feedback I thought I would pass along.

[mglife]

My family and I just did a Cruise on Holland America and really enjoyed it. One tip I would have for other divers who are certified and want a really great dive experience in Tortola would be to get off the boat and walk the 500 meters to the AquaVentures dive shop and go with them. They are a little less expensive than the Cruise Dive and a way more personal diving experience. The owner's name is Phil and the 2 certified instructors are Chris and Brittany. When I went there were only 2 of us with each instructor versus the Cruise dives which had around 10. The experience of diving with a personal and knowledgeable staff makes all the difference in turning a good dive into a great one. Their contact info is:

 

AquaVentures (Road Town): (284-494-4320): www.aquaventurebvi.com, aquavent@surfbvi.com.

[MaraGirl]

Which dive-shop does the cruise ship use in Tortola ?

[DoctorTom]

I would also recommend UBS DIve Center if you are diving in Tortola. They are a cab ride away from the cruise ship docks, in Fat Hog Bay, but worth it. Kate, Scott and company are the best. They only do small, private groups and are excellent instructors and guides. The BVI has a nice web site for divers, with links to all the dive shops in the BVI. Search for BVI scuba.

[Hilary]

Actually, UBS will pick you up right near the Aquaventures shop at the pier. We met them there, filled out the paperwork, and went straight to the Rhone on one of their boats. We avoided the cab ride, and after our dives, we went back to the shop, bought a couple of T-shirts, and they drove us back to the ship. Talk about service! UBS is an amazing dive op and I recommend them VERY highly.