Scuba Excursions from Oceania's Regatta?

[OBX Cruisers]

We're about ready to make reservations on Oceania's "Caribbean Discovery" cruise March 9 - 21, 2010. The brochure shows 3 dive possibilities - in Virgin Gorda, BVI; Gustavia, St. Barts; and Castries, St. Lucia. We're big Aggressor Liveaboard fans, but wanted to do more this time than just dive. How is the diving in these ports? Anyone tried these excursions from the Regatta? Thanks!

[docBarb]

Hi,

My husband and I have been diving through the excursions desk on the Regatta several times. I was not a big fan of the St. Barts trip - I though the current was very strong and the vis was poor (but that may have been unusual for them for all I know). I really enjoyed the Virgin Gorda and St. Lucia dive trips. The groups from the Regatta are usually pretty small. Which is great unless they group you up with people from another ship - which they did in St. Lucia.

We have arranged our own dives in St. Barts and St. Lucia and we have also gone with the Regatta in both and I did not think there was any real difference in the quality of the experience.

I would not hesitate to dive using the Regatta's excusion desk.

Barbara

[Friscorays]

I just got back from an Oceania cruise lasting twelve days which included all three ports of call. The brochure listed only a single scuba option for the entire cruise at St Bart's, which turned out to be listed as "Not Available" when we got on board. In other words, no scuba excursions were available through Oceania on my particular sailing.

 

In Virgin Gorda, I was very pleased with Dive BVI in Spanish Town. We were tendered into Spanish Town on New Years day 2010. The dive shop is a 30 second walk from the tender drop of and the dive boat is a 30 second walk from the shop. The dive boat took about thirty minutes to get to the sight of the Wreck of the Rhone where I did two dives. Conditions for the first section were perfect: dive was 36 minutes with maximum depth of 76 feet. The second dive on the shallower section was marred by current and lasted 38 minutes with maximum depth of 61 feet. The divers on board were split in two groups. My group consisted of four divers in total plus the dive guide. One of the ladies in my group visits Virgin Gorda every year and told me that Dive BVI was her preferred scuba operator. The dive boat was well equiped and comfortable. The dive briefings were well done. My wife snorkeled the wreck while we did the first dive but stayed out of the water once the currenct kicked in.

 

In St Lucia, I dove with Island Divers and was quite pleased. My "review" is here: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1110437

 

Our St Bart's stop ended up being cancelled due to weather. I inquired about diving with Plongee Caribes in St Bart's but they were not able to accomodate me. Thus ended up being a good thing as that particular stop was aborted due to high swells.