Dive Recommendations

[mojomanny]

I have several cruises coming up to new destinations and am looking for dive recommendations

Nassau
Puerto Plata
St Thomas
St Croix

I doubted there are good choices but...
Colon, Panama
Puerto Limon, Costa Rica
Cartagena, Columbia

Thanks in advance (especially Harris!)

[omeinv]

Nassau: I haven't dived there.  The only operator I've heard of is Stuart's Cove.  The consensus is the diving is somewhat so-so, and if Start's Cove isn't running it as a ship's excursion it's a long way back and forth, and that's both expensive, and risky for missing sailing. 

 

Puerto Plata: There are lots of dive operators listed when you search, but they all turn out to be a great distance (like $100.00 cab rides away).  Because of this we didn't pursue diving there.  I'm thinking as more and more cruises start going there, some diving near by may start to develop. 

 

St. Thomas:  There used to be a lot of dive operators close to the ports.  It seems like COVID has culled the field there.  We were there a few months ago and dived with JJ Divers.  It was only fair to middling diving, and fairly expensive because they charge $60.00 round trip for transportation from the port and back.  That's considerably less than a taxi would have been.  You will get to see the island that was once Jeffrey Epstein's infamous private island, if that's of any interest to you.   https://www.stthomasscubadiving.com/

 

Now things are getting better:

 

St. Croix:

 

We usually dive with Nep2une.  They are a half block from the port gate, and the diving is great.  They have a boat that's a reasonable size, so it's definitely not a cattle boat.  St. Croix has really nice diving, so I think you'll be happy, (https://n2scubadiving.com/).  I've also heard good things about STX, which is also very close to the port. (https://www.adventuresindivingstx.com/)

 

Colon:

 

The last time I dived there we went up to Lake Gatun.  That's no longer an option,a nd not something a normal person would probably want to do.  That being said there is reportedly a lot of good diving there on Caribbean side, and no shortage of Dive Operators. 

 

Cartegena:

 

I haven't dived there since 2015, but I liked it.  We dived with Buzos de Baru, and they made it easy.  They gave us very clear directions for a short cab ride to a dock near the cruise port.  I wasn't expecting much, but the diving was better than anticipated,and it was a fun day.  (https://buzosdebaru.com/)

 

Puerto Limon:

 

I've never heard of any diving there.  We did river rafting instead. 

 

Harris

Denver, CO

 

 

 

 

[mahdnc]

On 4/23/2023 at 11:04 PM, omeinv said:

Colon:

 

The last time I dived there we went up to Lake Gatun.  That's no longer an option,a nd not something a normal person would probably want to do.  That being said there is reportedly a lot of good diving there on Caribbean side, and no shortage of Dive Operators. 

 

Cartegena:

 

I haven't dived there since 2015, but I liked it.  We dived with Buzos de Baru, and they made it easy.  They gave us very clear directions for a short cab ride to a dock near the cruise port.  I wasn't expecting much, but the diving was better than anticipated,and it was a fun day.  (https://buzosdebaru.com/)

 

Harris

Denver, CO

 

 

Can you me any recommendations for good dive shops near the cruise port at Colon?  So far, I can only find dive shops clustered around an area 1 hour north and east of Colon by car.

[omeinv]

13 hours ago, mahdnc said:

 

Can you me any recommendations for good dive shops near the cruise port at Colon?  So far, I can only find dive shops clustered around an area 1 hour north and east of Colon by car.

I’m sorry, I don’t have anything to report there. 
 

Harris

 Denver, CO