Where To Dive In The Caribbean?

[10X]

Ok guys, I need a little help this time. On January 28, 2006 we're on the Sea Princess for 14 nights, headed to the Caribbean. For the past 3 years, I've had to suffer (LOL) with diving in Hawaii and Tahiti. Now I'm lost when it comes to the Caribbean.

 

We're leaving from Ft. Lauderdale and going to:

Princess Cays

Tortola

St. Maarten

St. Kitts

St. Lucia

Barbados

St. Vincent

Trinidad

Bonaire

Curacao

 

My friends and I would would like to dive in at least three ports, where we can get two-tank dives. In addition, I also do underwater photography, so some great sealife would be nice.

 

Since we must also balance out our diving with time with our non-diving spouses, so we will NOT be diving in Tortola (going to the Baths) or St. Maarten (shopping - experience tells me that this will cost me more than diving).

 

What are your recommendations for the three best ports and possible dive operators?

 

Denny

[Tarkus]

whoa, poor you! ;) some of these i haven't dived but have close friends who've raved... therefore:

 

Princess Cays - dunno

Tortola - definitely do The Wreck of The Rhone

St. Maarten - dunno... tho I've heard the thing to do here is the Americas' Cup racing

St. Kitts - dunno

St. Lucia - definitely do Anse Chastanet

Barbados - haven't been, but have always wanted to dive The Stavronikita

St. Vincent - dunno... I'm more acquainted with their bareboating operations than dive ops

Trinidad - dunno

Bonaire - this would be my top pic of the bunch - one of the world's best diving destinations. don't miss!

Curacao - if you're not burned-out, it's next door to Bonaire and also has incredible diving.

 

as i say, i'm envious. stellar itinerary! :)

[bruce-r]

For the past 3 years, I've had to suffer (LOL) with diving in Hawaii and Tahiti.

You poor suffering soul, how do you manage to sleep at night ;)

 

Next thing to try, after the caribbean, is diving while on an Alaska cruise.

Here are my takes on your stops:

• Princess Cays - No diving offered here :( and snorkeling is marginal at best. It is just a nice day at the beach with a big b-b-q buffet. Get off the ship early to get a better choice of places in the shade.
  
• Tortola - Good choice. As mentioned, the Rhone is the signature dive here. Too bad you'll miss it.
  
• St. Maarten - Skip diving here in favor of a trip to Orient Beach to see it "all". Shopping? Blah. You can do that anywhere, like at home.
  
• St. Kitts - ?
  
• St. Lucia - Supposed to be good here. But the topside is awfully pretty too. Tough call here. Spouses might make the choice here for you.
  
• Barbados - I think it might be decent here.
  
• St. Vincent - I think it might be decent here too.
  
• Trinidad - ?
  
• Bonaire - Has the best reputation of all your stops for diving. Pretty much the vast majority of people who go to Bonaire are divers. Don't think there is much else to do here anyway.
  
• Curacao - I have dived here. It is probably a close second behind Bonaire for diving. I liked http://www.caribseasports.com when I went out with them.
  

Have a great time.

[w&k]

10X-

 

Barbados and St. Kitts are both beautiful!

 

We had a fabulous time in Barbados with John at Dive Barbados - we're going to be heading back there next spring, and we're planning on diving with him then. http://divebarbados.net/

 

I also posted a review on the board - check it out and I'd be happy to answer any questions. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=121690

 

On the same trip we took the RCCL shorex, and the operation was Kenneth's Dive Center - our the divemaster was Vajar and we had a good trip.

 

Later...

 

Wendy

[Hilary]

I have to suggest you strongly reconsider not diving in Tortola. The Rhone is a really great wreck dive, and the history is fascinating. We dove the Rhone in December and although we had 2 tanks, I wish we had 3 since I would have loved to have dove the bow an additional time. Unfortunately the people we chartered our dive boat with hadn't been diving in awhile and one of them was an air hog, which limited some of our bottom times. :( Great photographic opportunities here with lots of wreckage and an anchor and prop in full view.

 

If you do change your mind, check out UBS Dive for your charter. Since it's a private charter, you're only limited by the group you put together, and your bottom times will be determined by the air in your tank, not by the dive op!

 

As to your other choices, I haven't done the southern Caribbean, but I do know that Bonaire should be a must on your list. You can either shore dive easily, or go with a boat dive, both are equally good there. They don't call it the Diving Capital of the World for nothing...which means there isn't much to do here but dive.

[MsJ]

Bonaire is a "divers paradise" thats on the license plates....we spent a week there in April 2002..we snorkel... although my husband did one dive there...of all the places we have snorkeled in Caribbean ..nothing has come close to Bonaire....there are so many shore diving sites..we rented a car and went all over the island...when you see a yellow painted rock....its a dive site.....pull the car over and jump in..its literally that easy....most times we were the only ones in the water or on the beach....we also took the ferry over to Lkien Bonaire...about a 20 min ride..its an uninhabited island within site of the downtown area....we did a drift snorkel there..the ferry will let you off to drop your stuff on the beach and then take you way down to the end of the island and then you drift down the current...it was breathtakingly beautiful....not a heck of a ot to do in Bonaire but dive or snorkel..no big jewelry stores etc...you can cover the downtown in about 10 minutes...the reefs there were so beautiful..and just everywhere..the whole shore is a Marine protected area...

I will be going to Hawaii to snorkel this July ..it will be my first time there....Marianne