Scuba Diving--What is best..Eastern or Western?

[ladyintoronto]

Can someone tell me where it is best for scuba diving..the eastern or the western cruises? Also which islands would be the best. Thanks for your help.

[tootsiescurly]

Western - you can't beat Grand Cayman, Cozumel and Belize. Cozumel is the best!!!

[gmcrow]

Boy are you going to get a variety of responses. We like diving on the following general itineraries in order: Southern is the very best, then Western, then Bahamas, then Eastern. There is great diving to be had throughout the Caribbean, BUT not all ports in all regions are equally as great. You really have to look at each specific cruise and its ports before making a decision. There are Western cruises with really bad diving options like Jamaica, Limon, Panama, & Progresso. A few islands in the East are also not too great, like the private islands. Happy hunting http://www.cruisedivers.blogspot.com

[bruce-r]

I'd also choose a Western cruise for the diving, however there are good diving stops on some eastern cruises. Grand Turk has excellent diving. St. Thomas has some fun diving as well. The problem with Eastern cruises as far as diving goes is that many intineraries include St. Maarten which has very lack-luster diving IMO, and/or San Juan which has virtually no diving. Also, the "Private Islands" than many Eastern cruises stop at aren't known for their fantastic diving. Often the dives there are expensive, shallow, limited bottom time, one tank trips, if there even is a trip offered.

 

The only island I refuse to dive on a Western cruise would be Jamaica, but then I wouldn't choose a cruise that stopped there.

 

The cruise I'd really like to take would stop at at Aruba, Bonaire, AND Curacao and stay in port at Bonaire long enough to do a night dive.

[scubaran]

Just to mix it up, I went on two Eastern cruises this year and we stopped at Grand Turk, St. Thomas, and Tortola on both. All good dive destinations. :)

 

Randall

 

P.S. Snorkeled on the private island so 4 days in the water and three days at sea to relax and enjoy the weather.

[gmcrow]

Be sure to check out the possibility of a day of diving in Ft. Lauderdale or Key Largo if you sail from Florida. Both have pretty good options to kick off your trip regardless of which direction you go.

[islandwoman]

I agree with other posters that these Caribbean ports are the best for diving: Bonaire, Grand Cayman, Cozumel, Belize, and Grand Turk. I haven't dived Curacao yet, but I think it belongs on this list as well. And I've heard good things about St. Croix.

 

 

 

 

[jac8724]

No one has mentioned Roatan! very good diving there.

[ladyintoronto]

Thanks! We booked Western based on this information.