scuba in cozumel & grand cayman

[luvmycat]

Good Morning,

we are first time cruisers and intermediate divers when we are @ Coz & Grd Cayman, and would like to have advice on using the shore excursions, vs the local operators. Thank you very much!

[tootsiescurly]

Do not use the shore excursions unless you like diving with 20 of your new best friends who are more likely to kick your mask off than allow you to have an enjoyable dive.

[masq]

I agree.... don't dive with a ship run excursion. Way too many people.

 

We have stayed on Cozumel for a week in 2006 and 2007 and there are three different operators in Cozumel that we have used. All of them were fine, but our favorite by far is Scuba with Alison. Alison and her crew are fabulous and she only takes about 6 to 8 divers at a time.

 

We have not had the opportunity to dive in Grand Cayman yet, so I don't have any dive shop recommendations there.

 

Have a great time on your cruise!

Masq

[cccole]

We have been with Alison on the Palancar Reef twice. She is fantastic, and last time after diving she dropped us off at a beach club for the rest of the afternoon where we had a great lunch and enjoyed the water before taking a taxi back to the ship.

[Stevesan]

I'm a snorkeler, but I've seen lots of divers enter from shore at Eden Rock in Grand Cayman. They are very near the tender docks. You can see their dive sign from the ship.

 

http://www.edenrockdive.com/

[Big Thunder]

I just dove with Scuba with Alison in Cozumel on the 13th of November and cant say enough about the experience. I watched boats of 12 divers leave the ship as I took a quick cab ride to the Caleta marina and met my dive boat with a maximum of 6 divers (we only had two that day) They ask you where you want to dive or they will make suggestions. We dove the Santa Rosa Wall and it was awesome! Our shallow dive was to Paradise reef and the dive master pointed out many critters that I would have missed otherwise.

 

$70 for a two tank dive. I will be planning a future trip to Cozumel probably at an All inclusive and will be setting up daily dives (as well as a night dive) with Alison.

 

Tom

[DiveMaster]

Cozumel we use Manta Raya as does our LDS.

 

Good Morning,

we are first time cruisers and intermediate divers when we are @ Coz & Grd Cayman, and would like to have advice on using the shore excursions, vs the local operators. Thank you very much!

[docBarb]

Hi,

I just got back from cozumel and grand cayman on 11/23/07. We dove with Allison in cozumel and I would do so again any time I am back there. $6 ride to the marina and 4 of us on the boat. Spectacular! We did some shore diving in grand cayman at sunset house. I strongly recommend this too. The diving there is wonderful and the bar is even better. Can't wait to return.

I hope you have alot of fun too!

Barbara

[bruce-r]

We get this asked from time to time, so I thought I'd just give my opinion as to what I think are some reasons a person might want to use the ship's dive excursion or make their own arrangement, so here goes

 

The way shore excursions work is that the cruise line contracts with companies at each port of call to provide the shore excursions the sell on the ships. In most cases, you can make your own arrangements and cut out the cost the cruise line adds to the trip.

 

Pros of making your own arrangements, at least for diving:

• usually cost less
  
• not limited on bottom time, dive your own profile
  
• can choose a smaller boat which will be less crowded
  
• can have a voice in decided the dive site
  
• smaller operator, more personal service
  
• better choice for more advanced divers
  
• you can shore dive if you want, which is much less expensive and not dependent on someone else's schedule. Grand Cayman is especially good for this.
  

 

Cons:

• more work for you to make plans, get to the meeting place
  
• ship won't wait if you are late, but being late is highly unlikely
  

 

Going with the ship's excursion

Pros:

• easy planning
  
• gear is often included
  
• good choice for the once a year cruise diver
  
• you get to dive with other people from your ship
  
• ship will wait if you are late ( this does matter to some people)
  
• easier logistically at some ports, especially Belize, or if you arrive in port too late for the morning dive boats from private operators
  

 

Cons:

• Usually cost a bit more, sometimes a lot more
  
• usually larger boats which can usually mean more people, but not always
  
• usually predetermined dive sites
  
• usually bottom times are predetermined, or everyone has to surface when the first person is low on air.
  
• dives are often follow the leader type dives, which is especially annoying for advanced divers or photographers
  

 

I hope this will help others decide which to choose, as there is no one right answer for everyone, every time.

 

[cdnsnowboarder]

I was planning to do dive package from Carnival Inspiration in Feb. Are these serious dives or just fluffy introduction experiences? Anybody book alternate dive operations?

[bruce-r]

I was planning to do dive package from Carnival Inspiration in Feb. Are these serious dives or just fluffy introduction experiences? Anybody book alternate dive operations?

 

If the excursion description says you need to be certified, the dives are actual dives with a leader and a predetermined bottom time. So they are more than a Discover Scuba dive, but I hesitate to say they are "serious" dives. If you want to get the maximum amount of bottom time, you'll want to make your own arrangements.