divers - advice pease? Is there time for diving and sightseeing?

[sunseeker09]

DH and I are taking our first cruise in Jan. We're doing the Southern Caribbean on the Victory. Although we're both very keen to dive, and would dive every port, we're really doing this particular cruise so we can see all the ports. We haven't been to any of them before.

So I was going to ask the question... If we dive only 1 location, out of St. Thomas, Dominica, Barbados, St. Lucia, Antigua, St. Kitts... which would it be? Thinking Dominica... but want to see at least one of the falls.

I'm thinking there isn't time for both diving and sightseeing... is there? I don't know that we want to sacrifice actually getting to see a bit of any of the islands and laying on the beach to go diving. Hence we thought maybe we'd just snorkel instead since it takes less time and can be done off the beach.

Just wondering if any other divers have pondered this dilemma before and what you ended up doing?

Another factor is that we are heading over to Virgin Gorda after the cruise to spend time with our friends who work out of a dive shop there. So there will be some diving then for sure.

Also, did you bring your dive gear? Considering bringing just mask, fins, snorkels, wetsuits... maybe regs, but not lights, spare stuff, BCDs (to reduce the amount of luggage)

TIA for your thoughts.

[satxdiver]

On my first cruise I brought all my dive gear and dived two ports (Coz and GC). The problem was afterward when I had wet gear in a small stateroom and no real place to spread it out to dry. The other problem is we were rushed to get the gear on, dive, wait one hour, dive again and get back to the ship. There was time but the dive shop was trying to maximize their profits by seeing how many trips they could make. I like the more leisurly dives where I determine when to surface and not some time clock. I also like a more lengthly surface interval. I like to use my equipment since I know it has been properly maintained/serviced and I know where everything is. I don't have to look.

 

I also like to spend some time in the port seeing the sights. I definitely am not an alpha type that has to maximize my sight seeing. I like for it to be leisurely as I am on vacation. By the time I see the sights I want to see, there simply is not time to dive. Therefore I take one dive trip a year just to dive in some interesting location and one or two cruises. In my book, the two just really do not mix all that well.

[sunseeker09]

Thanks for that very candid response. All of what you said I have already been thinking. The biggest thing is that I also don't want to feel rushed. It is our vacation after all. I thought maybe a 1 tank dive, but by the time you get out on a boat, they usually want to do 2, and it makes more sense really. We prefer to use our own gear too, but lugging it on a cruise ship isn't appealing. Then there's the drying issue.

Thanks. I thought maybe it was crazy to have all these great opportunities to dive new locations but not do it. It's a little different on an AI vacation, since you're in one place for a longer period. Even then, we never dive everyday, as we like to sight-see and spend some down time on the beach.

I feel better that I'm not the only one who doesn't want to try and do too much in one trip. I want to enjoy the cruise and see the ports. We can always go back to do a dive trip if we want.... and we do have that post cruise week with our friends. :)

[alschmid]

Just a note - that in St Lucia - scuba steve offers a combined dive/tour, haven't decided if we are going to do that or not - but its a 1-tank dive with a land tour after.

 

Also St Thomas - I plan on diving right from Coki beach - that way we'll get some beach time as well.

[Pilot70D]

If we dive only 1 location, out of St. Thomas, Dominica, Barbados, St. Lucia, Antigua, St. Kitts... which would it be? TIA for your thoughts.

 

We have ben diving at these locations for several years and each time traveling by cruise ship. By far the best diving will be found on St. Lucia and Dominica. Both locations offer spectacular diving and have really good dive operaors. By the way, we NEVER book through ship - never, never not ever.

 

On St. Lucia we have been diving with Dive Fair Helen several times. Thay have always done an excellent job plus the lunch they provide is one of the highlights of the trip. By all means do request Superman's Flight which is a great dive. Depending on a lot offactors sight seeing after diving may not bepossible on St. Lucia. It all depends on how long your ship is in port. However, it has alwys taken a while to get all divers picked up at the cruise ship port, transported to the dive shop, paperwork filled out, rental equipment picked up, etc. The diving though is worht the wait.

 

On Dominca (again depending on time in port) sight seeing may be a lot more possible. On this island both the diving and the sight seeing is spectacular. We did a private tour which I arranged with Reyno Tours. We went diving with Dive Dominica for a two tank dive and did have time for some sigth seeing. You won't see as much as you would when all you do is go sight seeing but we had already done a full day of sight seeing on a previous visit. It is do-able.

 

We always bring our own gear including BCD's, regulators, main & back up dive computers, safety sausages,fins and masks. Most of the time we depart from Ft. Lauderdale so I fly us there in our plane. Our next cruise will be departing from San Juan so we'll take commercial aviation to get there.:mad: To save weight I do leave some things behind when flying commercially. Left behind are wet suits, gloves, dive knives, dive lights, tool kit, save-a-dive kit, duct tape, dive slates as well as my spare mask (I have diopter prescription lenses and am blind as a bat without them).

 

If I had to compromise furhter I would leave the fins at home and rent them. We feel a lot more secure in our own gear plus we think it's a lot safer. On more than one occasion we have seen faulty regulators, balky BCD's, etc. spoil a dive trip. After all, you paid a lot of money just to get to the dive boat and then to the dive sight. Why risk it all on rental equipment? Yes, I know that much more often than not rental equipment perfomrs well however that one time out of a thousand is one time too many if it happens to me.

 

anyway just my $0.02 worth. Hope this info is helpful. Now go out and really enjoy that next dive trip.

[scuabacruiser]

I like to use my equipment since I know it has been properly maintained/serviced and I know where everything is. I don't have to look.

 

Yup, we do as well. I'm more comfortable in my own gear. It can be a pain though but we double team the cleaning in the shower and get it done in no time.

 

 

We always bring our own gear including BCD's, regulators, main & back up dive computers, safety sausages,fins and masks. Most of the time we depart from Ft. Lauderdale so I fly us there in our plane.

 

Ok that's just not right.:cool: I thought being close enough to drive to the ports was cool.

 

DH and I are taking our first cruise in Jan. We're doing the Southern Caribbean on the Victory. Although we're both very keen to dive, and would dive every port, we're really doing this particular cruise so we can see all the ports. We haven't been to any of them before.

So I was going to ask the question... If we dive only 1 location, out of St. Thomas, Dominica, Barbados, St. Lucia, Antigua, St. Kitts... which would it be? Thinking Dominica... but want to see at least one of the falls.

I'm thinking there isn't time for both diving and sightseeing... is there? I don't know that we want to sacrifice actually getting to see a bit of any of the islands and laying on the beach to go diving. Hence we thought maybe we'd just snorkel instead since it takes less time and can be done off the beach.

Just wondering if any other divers have pondered this dilemma before and what you ended up doing?

Another factor is that we are heading over to Virgin Gorda after the cruise to spend time with our friends who work out of a dive shop there. So there will be some diving then for sure.

Also, did you bring your dive gear? Considering bringing just mask, fins, snorkels, wetsuits... maybe regs, but not lights, spare stuff, BCDs (to reduce the amount of luggage)

TIA for your thoughts.

 

Since we don't fly, we always take our gear so I can't help you with the weight/luggage thing. I would still take mask, fins, snorkel, wetsuit, and most definitely regs. If you op out on the BCD, ask the dive op what type of rental gear they have. That may help decide it for you. As for diving some or all ports, that would depend on the interary. Back to back ports can be rough trying to dive every port. If there is some other activity you would like to do, that might be a skipped dive port. Sometimes we like to do a dive at a resort and check it out for a future longer visit. We almost always do our own booking with an independent and have never had a problem. As for doing both, it also depends how long you will be in port. We have done it. If its shopping you want to do, all the ports have almost the same stuff, just a different port name on it.

 

The only port we have dove on your list is St Thomas. We used Blue Island. They will pick you up and bring you back to the ship dock. We had time for a trip to town as well. I would use them again if we went there.

 

Some ports we have just snorkeled and had a great time. If this is your 1st cruise, don't over plan every minute. Give ourselves some free time to just relax. Have fun and get wet at least at a couple of those ports! Those look like some good ones.

[sunseeker09]

oooohhhh... now I am torn... don't know what to do... to dive or to sight-see or lay on the beach??? I want to do it ALL. LOL. Not enough time though :(

 

I agree about having your own gear. I'm not keen on rental gear... unless it's at our friend's dive shop. They would never put their friends in danger with crap ...actually, a reputable shop wouldn't for anyone. heard HORROR stories of Mexico.

 

Maybe I'll look at a one tank dive.... oh... I dunno... I have almost 6 months to flop back and forth. hehehe

[sunseeker09]

Most of the time we depart from Ft. Lauderdale so I fly us there in our plane

 

I hate you! :p ...no I don't... just kidding.... can we be your friends? LOL

[scuabacruiser]

I want to do it ALL. LOL. Not enough time though :(

 

 

That's easy. Just book a second cruise.:D Try the western next time. Great diving there also.

[sunseeker09]

For a dive trip I want to go for a week to Bonaire! DH has been and says it's amazing :)

[scuabacruiser]

For a dive trip I want to go for a week to Bonaire! DH has been and says it's amazing :)

I have heard the same and would also love to do it. It's just hard to spend the money on air fare when when it's much cheaper for us to drive to the Keys. We love the Keys and you can catch your diner there;)

[jimw]

scubacruiser

 

We like the keys and have made hundreds of dives there, but Bonaire is a big step above and shore diving is our favorite. You can now fly nonstop to Bonaire on Delta out of Atlanta or InselAir out of Miami--sometimes at an ok price.

[mbdvm]

My son and I were on Victory and dove in St Thomas and St Kitts in June. If you have any questions, I would be happy to answer what I can.

[CaribKng]

DH and I are taking our first cruise in Jan. We're doing the Southern Caribbean on the Victory. Although we're both very keen to dive, and would dive every port, we're really doing this particular cruise so we can see all the ports. We haven't been to any of them before.

So I was going to ask the question... If we dive only 1 location, out of St. Thomas, Dominica, Barbados, St. Lucia, Antigua, St. Kitts... which would it be? Thinking Dominica... but want to see at least one of the falls.

I'm thinking there isn't time for both diving and sightseeing... is there? I don't know that we want to sacrifice actually getting to see a bit of any of the islands and laying on the beach to go diving. Hence we thought maybe we'd just snorkel instead since it takes less time and can be done off the beach.

Just wondering if any other divers have pondered this dilemma before and what you ended up doing?

Another factor is that we are heading over to Virgin Gorda after the cruise to spend time with our friends who work out of a dive shop there. So there will be some diving then for sure.

Also, did you bring your dive gear? Considering bringing just mask, fins, snorkels, wetsuits... maybe regs, but not lights, spare stuff, BCDs (to reduce the amount of luggage)

TIA for your thoughts.

 

We were in Dominica in November on the Emerald Princess. We did a two tank dive and did a tour right after with some tour operators right that were right on the pier. Although we did not get close up to the falls, we did get to see them from a distance. They gave us an option to go upclose, however after the two tank dive, did not have the energy to do the hike to get closer to them. We were there from 7:00 AM - 4:00 PM. We used Dive Dominica (through the cruiseline) for the diving, and they were Great! Hope this helps.

[CaribKng]

By the way, we have always brought all our own equip. We feel much safer and we know where it has been.....;)