Diving in Belize?!??!

[KAandJJ]

This will be our first dive trip via the cruise lines... just wondering if anyone has ever booked outside of the cruise lines. I can't find anything on the web, and I would also like to hear some recommendations if at all possible. :) And of course how Belize compares to other ports you've dove at.

 

We've only dived in St. Lucia and Key West, Florida.

[bullwinkle72]

Hi there,

We didn't dive in Belize, mostly because the trip out to the dive sites is looooooooooong. If you're a novice diver you may want to consider diving at some of your other ports. We LOVED Roatan, if you're headed there, and Cayman is also fantastic. No shortage of diver operators in either place, though you'll want to be sure they work with cruisers, if you're not booking via your cruise line. Beware: catching a taxi in either Cayman or Roatan is very difficult, so arrange transport before hand.

 

Good luck!

[Friscorays]

I generally dive independent of the cruise lines, but made an exception in Belize. I was on NCL and they use Hugh Parkey. The benefit is that the dive boat picks you up direct from the cruise ship, thus skipping round-trip tendering to shore. The dives were good and I would not hesitate to dive there again.

[hrwgagain]

We also booked the dives with the cruise ship and we were satisfied.

[cruisingtodive]

I personally didn't dive in Belize, but my husband and sons did. We used Sea Sports Belize, very easy to get to. I wish I had dove there, b/c they all said it was the best diving of the trip. Bumpy boat ride, which they also said I would not have enjoyed, but worth it for the diving. Clearest water, most fish, coral, etc. We are going in Dec and will definitely be diving with them.

[KAandJJ]

By the time we went to book with the cruiseline for Belize and Honduras they were sold out... totally worked out to our advantage. We too used Sea Sports Belize (had to wait 2 hours for 2 more people to go with us)... so glad we dove... most amazing coral we've ever scene and best of all... we saw bottle nose dolphins on our second dive of the day!!! They were awesome to dive with and at one point I felt like I was in an underwater marine biology class! John the dive master had a board with him which he wrote on telling us all the fish names... We also saved about $90 with diving directly through Sea Sports Belize vs. the cruise ship and we got lunch!

Indigo hamlet (pictured below)

Spotted Drum Juvenile (above)

 

Grey Angelfish (above)

Bottle nose dolphin (above)

 

In Honduras we rented a car and drove down to the West End and found the most amazing little dive shop ever... Roatan Divers... Awesome dive with them and best of all we only spent $30 per person for a single tank dive!

 

 

Amore Eel

 

[islandwoman]

I've dived with the ship's excursion in Belize and it was fine, if expensive. I'd like to try arranging a private dive trip next time, but I'm concerned about the logistics. I know it's a long tender ride to the dock. Can those of you who posted that you dove with Sea Sports Belize please tell me how the logistics worked out?

Can anyone recommend a different independent dive op?

 

[cruisingtodive]

I've dived with the ship's excursion in Belize and it was fine, if expensive. I'd like to try arranging a private dive trip next time, but I'm concerned about the logistics. I know it's a long tender ride to the dock. Can those of you who posted that you dove with Sea Sports Belize please tell me how the logistics worked out?

Can anyone recommend a different independent dive op?

 

 

Arrange with Sea Sports Belize on line. You have a walk from the ship's pier to get to their location. It isn't far, but once you leave the pier area, there were a lot of beggars, and people trying to get your attention. Just ignore them. I might have been uncomfortable by myself, but it really is fine. It is less than 10 min walk, and you can see their sign before you get there. The boat ride to the reef is 20 mins maybe. Our dive this time weren't fantastic, they had had a lot of very cool weather before we got there. The sea was quite choppy. Nothing under anyone's control, sometimes you just aren't there at the right time. After the first dive we went to a small island for lunch they provided, it was a great atmosphere eating on the small island watching the ocean. After your second dive, they will drop you off at the ship's pier, so you don't have to walk back from the shop. We had about an hour for shopping before last tender. Let them know your ships departure time, and they will have you back.