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Best diving spots in S. Carib - St Maarten, St Kitts, Antigua, St. Lucia, Barbados


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Hi all,

 

DH and I are on our first S. Carib. cruise this April, and he is looking for the best diving spots. Our itinerary is St. Maarten, St. Kitts, Antigua, St. Lucia, and Barbados.

 

He is likely to go diving on St. Lucia, and would like to choose one other location. From reading around on here it looks like St. Kitts may be the next best, but that's honestly his last choice because we're doing a similar itinerary next year but without St. Kitts, so this will be his only time to explore the island with me. However, if St. Kitts is really superior to the other spots, I don't want him to miss it! (We're cruising with a group of 9, so i'll have plenty of company if i just do an island tour. :) )

 

I'm not a diver so don't really know what relevant info you need, but he's been certified since 2003 and advanced open water certified since 2012, prefers reefs and wildlife (turtles are his favorite) to wrecks, and would be looking for two-tank trips starting in the morning as we're generally docked 8-5 or 9-6.

 

Also, the cruise has very few dive excursions, so if anyone has private operators they'd recommend, please do so.

 

Thanks in advance for your suggestions and help!

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Hi all,

 

DH and I are on our first S. Carib. cruise this April, and he is looking for the best diving spots. Our itinerary is St. Maarten, St. Kitts, Antigua, St. Lucia, and Barbados.

 

He is likely to go diving on St. Lucia, and would like to choose one other location. From reading around on here it looks like St. Kitts may be the next best, but that's honestly his last choice because we're doing a similar itinerary next year but without St. Kitts, so this will be his only time to explore the island with me. However, if St. Kitts is really superior to the other spots, I don't want him to miss it! (We're cruising with a group of 9, so i'll have plenty of company if i just do an island tour. :) )

 

I'm not a diver so don't really know what relevant info you need, but he's been certified since 2003 and advanced open water certified since 2012, prefers reefs and wildlife (turtles are his favorite) to wrecks, and would be looking for two-tank trips starting in the morning as we're generally docked 8-5 or 9-6.

 

Also, the cruise has very few dive excursions, so if anyone has private operators they'd recommend, please do so.

 

Thanks in advance for your suggestions and help!

 

St. Lucia is a good first choice. There I used Scuba Steve's They were good and met us at the Cruise Ship Pier with their boat.

 

I'd call St Kitts and Barbados a tie.

 

Barbados has a nice wreck dive at the Stavron Ikita. There I dive with West Side Scuba Center. Peter and Heather there will take good care of you including port pick up and return. (http://www.westside scuba.com).

 

St. Kitts I highly recommend Dive St. Kitts. They also provide port port pick up and return. For some reason the pick up is always a bit confused, but it's no big deal. They have nice diving and a nice facility. (http://www.divestkitts.com).

 

The last choice on your list that's worth diving is St. Maarten. It is a definte step down from Barbados and St. Kitts. There I go with Octopus Diving. They have a location at Bobby's Marina. It's about a ten minute walk for the port, or you can take the water taxi. If you take the water taxi, tell them you're going to Bobby's Marina. The large water taxis don't go there, so you have to get on the right one. The water taxi literally docks at the Octopus Diving shop. Make sure when you book you specify that you want to dive on the Dutch side. They also have a French side operation. Getting back and forth is a hassle, and the diving is better on the Dutch side to boot. http://www.octopusdivingsxm.com/ With any luck your boat captain will be Willem, and your dive master will be Tiff.

 

I have dove at Antigua, and it's not worth the hassle.

 

Let me know if you have questions,

 

Harris

Denver, CO

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Thank you OP for asking this question. I am a solo cruiser and scuba diver and needed to know where to dive on the same itinerary. Thanks for those who answered!! Greatly appreciated.

Mary

 

I'm in the same situation, Mary, so will second your thanks! I am looking at St. Kitts, and now know Dive St. Kitts is the contact. hope they can manage short notice reservations!

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I'm in the same situation, Mary, so will second your thanks! I am looking at St. Kitts, and now know Dive St. Kitts is the contact. hope they can manage short notice reservations!

 

I would make sure to book with them ahead of time. When I went, there were people trying to walk up and book with them and they did not have space.

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I would make sure to book with them ahead of time. When I went, there were people trying to walk up and book with them and they did not have space.

 

That's good advice anywhere you go, especially if you don't own all your own gear, as the dive operators often need to have the proper sizes for you arranged in advance.

 

 

Harris

Denver, CO

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I am diving with scuba steve in St Lucia in a few days time. I’m also Diving st kitts, but not with divestkitts as they have a contract with ncl (who I’m crushing with) so could t book at their advertised price of $100, and ncl wants to charge me $200 for the same trip (!) so I am diving with pro divers who have been awesome so far. I was undecided between Diving st kitts or Barbados but st kitts won as there is far less excursions or stuff too do that interested me on this island compared to Barbados.

 

 

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