Diving Recommendation South Carribean

[rsingleton]

I'm taking a cruise in 2 weeks (6/24) on Carnival Destiny.

 

Antigua, Barbados, St. Thomas, St. Lucia, Dominca, san juan

 

Can anyone tell me the best places to dive (not snorkel). I don't want to dive every day b/c i want to see some islands, so i'd like to know the top 2-3 islands to dive at so I can make sure not to miss them.

 

also, is anyone on this cruise with me that would like to get together for a dive..

[Loves_Dogs]

We did this cruise last year. We dived in Barbados and St Thomas and had a great time.

 

BARBADOS-

Did some wreck dives in Barbados, we booked outside the ship with The Dive Shop LTD. They were wonderful and I would definitely use them again. I emailed them and Haroon got back with me the next day. He was a pleasure to work with as far as setting up our dives and his staff was wonderful. Here is a link to their site:

http://www.divebds.com/

 

 

ST THOMAS-

In St Thomas we used Coki Beach Dive Club, they were just as pleasant to work with. We did shore dives here. They picked us up but we had to take a cab back, but there were cabs everywhere and its not that far. I recommend them also. Here is a link to their site:

http://www.cokidive.com/

 

Hope this helps. Have a great cruise and happy diving!

[feistytigger]

if i could tolerate diving, i'd dive in dominica and st. lucia. both are supposed to have great walls for divers to check out. and people have spotted seahorses at both places! i'm planning to snorkel at both places with the insane hope of seeing a seahorse. yeah right. i'm sure i'll still have a blast. oh, i'll also be snorkeling in barbados and st thomas (coki), but my understanding is that st lucia and dominica should be better.

[docBarb]

I dove with Dive Dominica in Dominica and it has been the best dive I have ever experienced. The wall there is incredible. It looks like Willie Wonka made it. Do not miss this dive. Call dive dominica and ask for Derrick. St. Lucia is a little tougher - the great walls there are a little far from the port - and it is hard to get an operator to take you to them. The spots I dove there were not worth the effort. If you can't get to the base of the titons than skip it. I don't know about the others.

Have a great trip!

Barbara

[CVL105]

in December we dove in Aruba (before the itinerary change) and Barbados. Barbados we saw some seahorses and dove a wreck, but I didn't think it was anything too fabulous. That may have just been that particular dive site.

 

I asked people at each island which they would have suggested diving at, and they all said Dominica. I guess it is very untouched, therefore there is alot more marine life to see and enjoy.

[Middleager]

We're going on Destiny on Aug. 26/07.

 

I plan to dive in all 5 ports (and in Puerto Rico prior). We have 3 couples, the other 5 are snorkelers.

 

In St. Thomas, either at CA or maybe go to Coki Beach (I'm sending those 5 to Coki Beach/Coral World).

 

In Dominica I've arranged with Aldive for a combo dive/snorkel trip for us to go to Scotts Head and Champagne Reef, then to a land tour to see the highlights of Dominica (Titou Gorge, Sulphur Spring, Trafalgar Falls, etc.)

 

Still deciding in Barbados.

 

In St. Lucia, will have a dive/snorkel combo with Dive Fair Helen to Superman's flight (at the Petite Piton), and Anse Chastenet. This will be followed by a land tour of the Soufriere area (drive-in volcano, Sulphur Spring, Botanical garden, views of the pitons, etc.) I had inquired with Dive St. Lucia at Anse Chastenet Resort, but they insisted that I do a check out shore dive with them (check you mask and regulator retrieval skills), before they'll take you on a afternoon 1:45pm boat dive. They also cannot guarantee a snorkel trip as resot guests are given priority. So don't go there unless you need a check out dive.

 

Still looking in Antigua.

 

Please share your reviews after your dives.

[c_dudeman]

I am also taking this cruise in september, and probably won't dive in all ports.

 

I would love to hear your reviews/comments when you return!

Thanks....

[mielyse]

Hands down I would dive Barbados (Roger's Scuba Shack) and St. Lucia (Dive Fair Helen). These two dive ops are very good. I have heard that Dominica is very good also. I wouldn't dive St. Thomas or Puerto Rico if I had to choose between the ones on your itinerary. Have a great time.

[w&k]

1. Dominica - Nature Island Dive (Karen Moise) - http://www.natureislanddive.com One trip, going back again in spring...Dominica's hard to get to!

 

2. Barbados - Dive Barbados (John & Mary Moore) - http://www.divebarbados.net Dove with John 3 times, going back again in spring.

 

3. St. Lucia if you can hook up with Dive Fair Helen

 

4. St. Thomas - Blue Island Divers - http://www.blueislanddivers.com Would go out with them again.

 

I have reviewed Nature Island Dive, Dive Barbados, and Blue Island Divers on this board.

 

When we were on St. Lucia, we were forced to go with the shorex because of the strange port time on Empress (10:00am arrival). Scuba St. Lucia at Anse Chastenet resort ran our $$$$$$$ shorex. OK, but IMHO not worth the price or effort.

 

San Juan - ?? supposedly the good diving is not near San Juan.

 

Antigua - ABSOLUTELY NOT with Dive A-----a!!! long, ugly story.

 

Have a great time wherever you get wet!

 

Wendy

 

dive pix

http://community.webshots.com/user/wendyandkeith

[tammymacb]

My choices would be a wreck dive in Barbados and a dive in Dominica..:)

[Kim in CA]

and we dove in St. Lucia and Dominica. This was our first visit to the Caribbean, with all previous dives all being in Hawaii. For us both days of diving were AMAZING!! The coral and fish were abundant and the dive ops we used were great.

 

On Dominca we used Nature Island Dive. They picked us up at 9:30 as promised and we did two boat dives... so close to their shop that we returned to shore for our surface intervals. Our dive guide Weefy was great. One thing... don't expect a big dive shop and no food or drinks were provided. I would still highly recommend this operation.

 

On St. Lucia, we dove with Island Divers. (http://www.islanddiversstlucia.com/index.html) This operation is located at a resort called Ti Kaye Village Resort. They picked us up at the port and took us to their resort on the boat. It was a pleasant 20 minute boat ride. We were set up with our equipment and then we were off for our first dive, which was a drift dive literally at the base of the Pitons (Superman's Flight). It was about a 30 minute boat ride to get there. The second dive was a wreck right off shore from the resort. This was my first drift dive and my first wreck. I was a tad intimidated by the drift dive, but still loved both. Included in the $130 price was the transport to and from the ship, all equipment, and lunch at the resort restaurant. On the way back to the ship, we took a scenic route so that we could see some other parts of the beautiful island.

 

I would highly recommend diving on these two beautiful islands and I would recommend Nature Island Dive on Dominica and Island Divers os St. Lucia.

 

PS We had a wonderful time on the Destiny!!!

[Middleager]

Hands down I would dive Barbados (Roger's Scuba Shack) and St. Lucia (Dive Fair Helen). These two dive ops are very good. I have heard that Dominica is very good also. I wouldn't dive St. Thomas or Puerto Rico if I had to choose between the ones on your itinerary. Have a great time.

Why wouldn't you dive in St. Thomas or Puerto Rico? I've heard good diving in those two. In Puerto Rico (other than San Juan), there're good reviews of diving in La Parquera, or the nearby small islands like Desecheo or Mona.

[MNrunner]

I very much second diving with John Moore in Barbados. The last dive we went on with him (we've been 2x), we watched squids mate on the reefs of Barbados. In addition, they'll pick you up just outside the cruise dock and drop you off. Even better, there were only 2 of us on his dives (both times)...

 

Did I mention his wife is a tart?

[w&k]

I'm very glad to hear that Nature Island Dive worked out for you - we are going back down that way on the Galaxy in a couple of months, and are taking a mixed group. We had Weefy as our DM way back when, and he was great.

 

Glad to hear another reccomendation for Island Divers at Ti Kaye Resort - it seems like they are a more laid-back alternative to the boat dives of Dive Fair Helen. One of my co-workers stayed at the resort this last summer, and said we should check it out as the snorkeling was fantastic.

 

MNrunner - I'll be sure to tell Mary you said that! We'll be seeing them on the Galaxy trip as well.

 

Wendy

 

dive website

http://www.freewebs.com/wendyandkeith

 

dive pix

http://community.webshots.com/user/wendyandkeith

[Adam185]

in December we dove in Aruba (before the itinerary change) and Barbados. Barbados we saw some seahorses and dove a wreck, but I didn't think it was anything too fabulous. That may have just been that particular dive site.

 

I asked people at each island which they would have suggested diving at, and they all said Dominica. I guess it is very untouched, therefore there is alot more marine life to see and enjoy.

 

How was diving in Aruba? We are cruising on Adventure of the Seas to Aruba, Curacao, St Thomas and St Maarteen. Any recommendations? We are only going to dive at one port.

[bruce-r]

How was diving in Aruba? We are cruising on Adventure of the Seas to Aruba, Curacao, St Thomas and St Maarteen. Any recommendations? We are only going to dive at one port.

 

Of those choices, Curacao would be at the top of my list.

 

St. Thomas and Aruba are about equal IMO.

 

St. Maarten would definitely be my last choice.

[SantaAna,CA]

I just wanted to chime in about Dive Fair Helen (correct name?). One of the places they took us to dive was called The Nursery. It wasn't very deep, so the sun shining through the water made the coral show up in brilliant colors. And so many fish! Gobs of those funny trumpet fish, in all sizes and colors. It was one of my best dives.

 

Jane