scuba diving from the destiny

[docphbs]

I have a cruise booked from the Destiny May 4 to May 11,I have never dived off cruise before and would like to know if it is better to book the excursions from the ship or separate on my own,and if anyone could tell me the best places to book out of St. Thomas,St. Lucia,or St. Kitts............Thanks.....p.s. I do have my own equipment

[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.

 

 

For St. Thomas, I like http://www.admiraltydive.com

[w&k]

Bruce lays out the arguments pro/con for the ship's excursions really nicely, and his dive op tips are always really good.

 

Here's my 2 cents - USUALLY, the shorex dive trips are catered to the lowest common denominator, but that is not always the case.

 

Kenneth's Dive Center is one of the exceptions. We first dove with them in 2004 through a Celebrity shorex, and had a great time. We have been back now for several trips, most recently last Wednesday.

 

I put together a little website for the Galaxy cruise we just finished - and I wrote up a little blurb about them on the tours page if you want to take a look. http://www.freewebs.com/galaxy-02-25-08 There are also some photos from earlier trips on my webshots (I haven't had time to dump the camera from this trip yet)

 

We are heading back for another pair of dives with Kenneth's off the Grandeur in November.

 

Tell them Wendy from Florida sent you!

 

Wendy

 

next up

Grandeur of the Seas, Nov 10. 2008

 

dive pix

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

 

dive review website

http://www.freewebs.com/wendyandkeith