St. Thomas Diving

[Sabreshockey32]

We are looking for a professional dive outfit in St. Thomas. We want to avoid the "cattle boat" experience... Anyone know of a decent 6 pack?

[parasailor]

Try Coki Dive Shop at Coki beach--they offer both beach dives--incredibly cheap at $61 for 2 tanks or $71 for 3 and boat dives

[DirtyNanners]

I think their website is http://www.cokidive.com

 

check out their boat dive section and video they have posted.

 

dirt cheap and a great group of people.

[Sabreshockey32]

Thank you for your help! I will def. have to give them a look!

[NitrogenJunkie]

We dove with Blue Island Divers and they picked us up right at the cruise ship dock. Great folks to dive with and we'll be using them for sure next time in STT. Did the Coki thing before on a day when there were several ships in port. Seemed very crowded and reef looked like it gets a lot of diver pressure.

[Sabreshockey32]

We dove with Blue Island Divers and they picked us up right at the cruise ship dock. Great folks to dive with and we'll be using them for sure next time in STT. Did the Coki thing before on a day when there were several ships in port. Seemed very crowded and reef looked like it gets a lot of diver pressure.

 

Good to know...We are trying to avoid the cattle boat/ reef with more divers than fish experiance.

[DirtyNanners]

We dove with Blue Island Divers and they picked us up right at the cruise ship dock. Great folks to dive with and we'll be using them for sure next time in STT. Did the Coki thing before on a day when there were several ships in port. Seemed very crowded and reef looked like it gets a lot of diver pressure.

 

 

Couldnt be further from the truth....Coki is FAR from a cattle boat stop or operation.

 

If anything Blue Island is closer to a cattle boat operation that Coki........Coki doesnt pick them right off the dock.

 

Look at Coki Beach Dive Clubs site http://www.cokidive.com (check out the boat dive section video)

 

Coki Beach Dive Club has been owned and operated by the same guy at the same place for over 25 years for a reason. Great service and great people come back time and time again. Not only that, but they are the cheapest on island.....go figure.

 

 

And then check out Blue island Divers if you want....

[NitrogenJunkie]

Couldnt be further from the truth....Coki is FAR from a cattle boat stop or operation.

 

If anything Blue Island is closer to a cattle boat operation that Coki........Coki doesnt pick them right off the dock.

 

Look at Coki Beach Dive Clubs site www.cokidive.com (check out the boat dive section video)

 

Coki Beach Dive Club has been owned and operated by the same guy at the same place for over 25 years for a reason. Great service and great people come back time and time again. Not only that, but they are the cheapest on island.....go figure.

 

 

And then check out Blue island Divers if you want....

 

I keep reading my post over and over again and just don't see where I said anything about a "cattle boat". You took "seemed very crowded" way out of context and got way too offended. Your defensive reaction and the way your post was written, sure makes you look like a Coki employee or someone with a vested interest in it.

 

Our trip with Blue Island Divers only had 7 divers on board and we were told by the crew that they never take more then 10, but they are allowed to take 15. Just because someone picks you up at the cruise ship makes them a "cattle boat"??? I would call it something more along the lines of "convenience" or "customer service."

 

By the way....Coki was way too crowded for us personally! Sometimes things are cheap for a reason, so if your trying to advertise for your employer, that's probably not the best way to do it.

[grvdggr71]

I'll second Blue Island Divers. We chose them based on feedback from other posters on this site. Had a great time with them, and total we had 5 divers, one student, and two divemasters (one for the cert'd divers, one for the student). Picked us up right from the dock, though they were a few minutes late so if you choose them don't get too nervous. Highly recommend. Highlight was following a sea turtle through some coral gardens, though we did not get the best site options due to high waves the day we were in port.

[Scuba Laura]

There are other privately owned dive operators who do pick up passengers who would like to do more personalized diving without being over crowded. Most the cruise ship contracted operators normally go to the same dive site twice a day, which is fine for someone who is visiting a port of call for the first time. Others who would like to see other sites can contact an operator and in St. Thomas try: Admiralty Dive Center, Blue Island Divers and St. Thomas Dive Club who all pick up those who directly contact them. All three of these operators specialize in customer service and satisfaction. So have fun and great diving!!

[Sabreshockey32]

Thank you for all of the responses!

[Stevesan]

I keep reading my post over and over again and just don't see where I said anything about a "cattle boat". You took "seemed very crowded" way out of context and got way too offended. Your defensive reaction and the way your post was written, sure makes you look like a Coki employee or someone with a vested interest in it.

 

Our trip with Blue Island Divers only had 7 divers on board and we were told by the crew that they never take more then 10, but they are allowed to take 15. Just because someone picks you up at the cruise ship makes them a "cattle boat"??? I would call it something more along the lines of "convenience" or "customer service."

 

By the way....Coki was way too crowded for us personally! Sometimes things are cheap for a reason, so if your trying to advertise for your employer, that's probably not the best way to do it.

 

You apparently nailed it. I surveyed the first two pages of DirtyNanners posts. 90% (more?) are referrals to Coki/Coral World.

[BuzzF117]

http://www.admiraltydive.com/ Is my suggestion I used them couple years ago and was pleased I was a beginner with only 6-7 dives under my belt at the time and they did a wonderful job. They picked me up at the pier and returned after the dives. They also said if for some reason the ship skips the port I wasn't obligated to pay while other shops still would have charged me. They have two boats and we dove on the smaller of them. Good boat captain and good Dive Master wouldn't hesitate to use them again. Give em a call it's easy since St Thomas is US territory or colony or whatever it's called.

 

Buzz

[Sabreshockey32]

Thnak you all for the advice, we decided to book with Blue Island, I will be sure to report back.