Nassau, St. Thomas or St. Martin for Scuba

[CHSGrl]

I am newly certified OW and will be on NCL Sun in March 2011. Want to dive once as DH and DS (6) do not dive. What is the best place for me to dive and for them to do a non-diving activity?

[starhopperM42]

I am newly certified OW and will be on NCL Sun in March 2011. Want to dive once as DH and DS (6) do not dive. What is the best place for me to dive and for them to do a non-diving activity?

 

St. Thomas all the way. We chose that over St. Martin. We went with Admiralty Dive Center (http://www.admiraltydive.com/) and will go with them again the next time we are there. Beware of "cattle boats" where you are one of 20-25 people on a double pontoon boat. Admiralty only takes 11 divers per boat, use integrated BCDs and most dives with them are two tank dives.

 

Don't plan it through your cruise line, you'll pay. Book with them separately.

 

Hope that helps...

 

SHopperM42

[The Flying Pirate]

St Thomas Definitely! I second the comment about avoid the cattle boat. One thing you might want to consider is Blue Island Divers. I am a diver and my wife likes to snorkel and we contacted several dive operators in St Thomas and Blue Island was happy to have my wife come along and snorkel. They took us to a fairly shallow dive site (20'-70') and my wife followed us snorkeling and had a great time. Since you are traveling with family members that don't dive this might be something to consider. When I was 16 we made our first trip to St Thomas on a cruise and we snorkeled the same site (a reef and the Wreck of the Cartanzar Senior) and it was amazing to snorkel on, I was totally hooked and that motivated me to learn to dive when I was in college.

 

Admiralty Dive Center is also very good, but they were too full for take a snorkeler. So we went with Blue Island Divers http://www.blueislanddivers.com/

this could allow you to turn your dive tour into a family trip.

[CountessP]

Totally agree with regard to St Thomas and Admiralty. They'll give you are great dive experience.

[PAcop141]

Another option is Coki Beach Dive Center, I have used them twice for beach dives. good place for snorkling also if there are non divers with you.