Excursions for Scuba Diver and Beginning Snorkeler

[Napanee]

My husband and I will be on the Crown Princess in April 2008...Barbados, St. Lucia, Antigua, Tortola, St. Thomas. He is a scuba diver and I am a beginning snorkeler. Does anyone know of any excursions or places at these stops that could accommodate both of us? Or are we going to have to go our separate ways for one day? Thanks....

[bruce-r]

For St. Thomas, you might check out http://www.cokidive.com While it isn't the best diving St. Thomas has to offer, you both can go there and have a good time. He can do a guided shore dive and you can hang at the beach while he dives, then you can both snorkel together afterward.

[Napanee]

Thank you for this information. It sounds like what we need. I am considering taking a scuba class this fall to see if it is something I can do (I am claustrophobic, and a little nervous in the water). If I do, what would be your recommendation for a beginning scuba diver?

 

I would still appreciate other snorkeling/scuba suggestions if anyone else has them.......Thanks!

[swanny727]

I can't recommend a particular place but would suggest booking the trip on your own. That way the dive shop can tailor the trip for your needs. And, you husband would need to be willing to dive in shallower water. If he wants to dive in 60+ feet, the snorkeling wont be so good. But, if he is OK with a 30 foot dive, you could both see fantastic stuff. Check the shore excursions on the ship. Many will include scuba and snorkel on the same trip.

[Napanee]

More good advice!...thank you. Don't mean to pester, but if we were to try a scuba/snorkeling excursion on our own, do you recommend one of the aforementioned ports over the others for such an adventure?

 

Signed,

A very anxious first-timer! (It will be my 50th, and I want to do it right)

[bruce-r]

Thank you for this information. It sounds like what we need. I am considering taking a scuba class this fall to see if it is something I can do (I am claustrophobic, and a little nervous in the water). If I do, what would be your recommendation for a beginning scuba diver?

 

I would still appreciate other snorkeling/scuba suggestions if anyone else has them.......Thanks!

 

If you think you would be interested in getting scuba certified, you really should try it out before you commit to going thru the whole certification process. You can do a Discover Scuba dive at Coki Beach, and that is my recommendation. The people at Coki Beach Dive Club were really nice when I took my son there to do a discover scuba dive.

 

IMO, scuba diving is far, far more enjoyable than merely snorkeling. YMMV.

[Napanee]

Sounds like Coki beach might be the place for us! Thank you again for the replies.

[Mekamax]

We did a beach dive at Coki beach but it has been a while and we liked it. There is suppose to be great snorkeling at Trunk Bay on St. Johns - take water taxi over from St. Thomas.

 

If you decide to get certified some great beginning or just shallow beach diving can be had on Cozumel and Cayman. I'd go for those ports.

 

One of the most memorable dives and one of my first (60 feet) was in Dominica. Great place! Also the Sea Aquarium in Curacao has a dive where you feed sharks (behind plexi glass (helped get me over my fear of sharks - can anyone say Jaws? :eek: ))and feed sea turtles and sting rays - great shallow dive and my first ocean dive.

 

Debbie

[Mekamax]

I've been researching Tortula for an upcoming cruise and the HMS Rhome is there - it is a wreck dive that you can actually swim through in about 80 feet for the deepest and the other comes up to shallower water. They say you can snorkel it too. May be an idea for the both of you. It is suppose to be one of the top 10 wreck dives in the world... Debbie

[Napanee]

Debbie,

 

I so appreciate the info...I hope that we have a chance at some point in the future to check out some of the other ports that you recommend. The ship wreck dive sounds very interesting. I will look into it.....

 

As a first time cruiser, I can't tell you how much I value this resource.

 

Thanks to all

Diane

[w&k]

Definitely try the Discover Dive - it will open a whole new world for you. I'm also a fan of doing a Discover from shore, as you don't have to worry about the boat as well.

 

We can always use more lady sharks!

 

I seem to remember someone posting a hotel on St. Lucia that had a nice house reef that was suitable for both divers and snorkelers... I think the name of the op was Island Divers.

 

IMHO, the 2-tank shorex we did with Scuba St. Lucia was quite overpriced, with short, time-limit dives.

 

Wendy

 

dive pix

http://community.webshots.com/user/wendyandkeith