Help! Can't Get a Dive Trip out of Belize City on 7/8!

[Shaken_Bake]

My husband and I will have only one day in Belize City next week and we can't get either of the only two dives shops there to commit to a dive because we're the only ones who've expressed interest. I specifically chose this itinerary in order to get to dive in Belize. What other options do we have? We're too close to departure to book a dive excursion through the ship (we have to wait to see until we've boarded and I'm too nervous to leave it to chance.) I have to find a way to dive there! What can we do?

[bruce-r]

well, it might cost more, but you could charter the boat thru either of the dive shops. If you did, and some others did join you, you could recoup some of the cost that way. Either that, or do the ships excursion.

[sddiver]

A little more info would help solve your problem or not. What ship? Times in port?

There are only two dive shops in Belize City I know of, Hugh Parkeys, and Sea Sports. I'm assuming these are the two you are talking about. There is a 90% chance one of the two is the ships tour operator. If this is the case they would turn you down because it is the tour operator policy not to accept cruise ship divers outside the tour. Sounds like the other op has a minimum to send out thier boats.

Two suggestions- stay in touch with the ops via email up to and including during the first days of your cruise. They may get a few more divers locally during that time and reach their minmum. Sign up for the ships excursion while you wait. Use the ships excursion as plan B if the ops fail to get any more people. You can back out of any ships excursion outside of 24 hours before it begins(check this out though lines may vary on the policy). Use the internet onboard to check with ops up till the deadline and make your decison which way to go. Either way you go diving.

Other option- If your time in port is long...? not usual, you can water taxi over to San Pedro 30-40 minutes?? and dive from one of their dive ops. Amigos Del Mar is my favorite in San Pedro. But given the time back and forth this will only work with a long day in port.

 

Good Luck

Rich

[Shaken_Bake]

Hi Rich,

 

Thanks for your response. We're in port from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm. Do you think that would be long enough to water taxi over to San Pedro? I'll go ahead and contact Amigos Del Mar (they have email/website, I hope) to see what the situation looks like for our day.

 

Yes, we are in contact with Sea Sports and Hugh Parkey. That's interesting your comment about them not competing with the ship's excursions (RC's Enchantment of the Seas). The first thing we'll do when we board next Monday is check the availability of their dive trip, but nothing we can do to reserve it between now and then, according to RC's rules. I just never thought it would be doubtful at this late date (we contacted the dive shops long ago). I'm not giving up yet!

[sddiver]

You may want to re check your port times. I know someone who has done that cruise and they had 10-7 in Cozumel and 7-5 in Belize. It may be different on various dates, but be sure.

Given that- I have never taken the water taxi to San Pedro myself. I have only flown there from Belize City. It's about a 5-10 minute flight. Should be 30-45 minutes via Boat. Do a search on Belize Water Taxi and you should be able to find cost and schedules ect.

To be honest with you though, If push came to shove I would take the ships excursion to Turneffe rather than go through all the trouble of going to San Pedro to dive. The diving on Turneffe(I'm assuming that's where the op is going) is superior to the diving by San Pedro. Plus even though it will be cattle boat like, at least if there are issues with the boat or the weather the ship will wait for you to return. If you are on your own be prepared to wave goodbye to the ship as it leaves without you. Either way you will be travelling a good distance 30+ miles approx by boat. You may be better off being safe than sorry. By the way this is one of the few ports that I would even consider doing a ships excurion to dive. The logistics and distances involved do involve some risk on your own compared to other ports.

 

Good Luck

Rich

[Shaken_Bake]

Hi Rich,

 

Yes, you're right, we are in port 7:00-5:00. And I certainly will check with the ship's excursions right away upon boarding to see if we can join them. I really would hate to spend the afternoon stressing about getting back to the ship on time if I didn't have to. One good thing about Sea Sports is that they'd take you directly back to the ship without returning to Belize City to tender back again. And from all I've read, Turneffe would be my #1 choice in dive locations. But I am so bound and determined to dive in Belize, that I will do whatever I need to to make it happen. I want to have Plan B info in case we can't dive out of Belize City or through the ship.

 

Thanks for info - it's good to know the pros/cons!

[sportsterjohn]

I am having the same problem in Nassau. We don't get to the port till 1 and all the dive shop's afternoon trips have 12-12:30 pick ups. Even tried to find a shop for a night dive and no luck with that eithor!!