Cruise Travel....

TOP DIVE DESTINATIONS

The Best Ports-of-Call for Cruises Passengers to go Underwater

One of the many beauties of Caribbean cruise travel is that the dozens of various passenger vessels plying the lovely sea call on some of the world’s best ports-of-call for diving. Here’s an overview of a half-dozen of our favorite Caribbean dive destinations that are often accessible to cruise ship passengers on numerous island itineraries:

The ABCs

Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao all offer excellent Southern Caribbean diving. Whether you want to dive on a wreck or a wall, you’ll quickly learn to love the ABCs of diving down here.

Known mainly for great beaches, a tropical desert environment, and world-class windsurfing, the Dutch-influenced island nation of Aruba has also become a popular dive destination. Top Aruban dive sites include wrecks like the California, Antilla, and Pedernales, Arashi Reef, and the combo dive of Malmok Reef and the Debbie II wreck.

Becoming more and more popular with cruise lines as a port of call, Bonaire has long been one of the world’s most renowned dive spots. Highlights here can include: Klein Bonaire, Alice in Wonderland, Karpata, and some of the easiest and best shore diving in the world.

Also very Dutch in flavor, Curacao is known to offer some of the finest wreck diving anywhere. Specific wreck site highlights here may include the Superior Producer, Tugboat, and Car Pile (just like the name implies, but with fish as the colorful drivers and passengers). For reef diving, be sure to ask about the huge star corals that look like a sea of mushrooms at Mushroom Forest--or the aptly named Black Coral Garden.

The Bahamas

The ports of Nassau (on the island of New Providence) and Freeport (on Grand Bahama) offer great diving. Those venturing farther afield (on smaller ships) will find the rest of The Bahamas also offer myriad diving opportunities.

While calling on Nassau, divers can head in many directions off New Providence (and Paradise Island). The options might include The Lost Blue Hole, Thunderball Reef (of James Bond film fame), and Shipyard (varied wreck diving). Out of Freeport, grand Grand Bahama dives can include Theo’s wreck and a number of world-renowned dives with dolphins and even sharks

The Cayman Islands

The Cayman Islands are quite simply one of the top dive destinations in the world. The popular cruise ship stop of Grand Cayman is also the granddaddy of Caribbean diving. From Stingray City to some of the best wall diving in the world, this is the place to try it all. Many cruise ship passengers will complete a two-tank dive featuring a duo of many world-class dives sites on the famed West Wall. From the sheer and colorful wall to an incredible array of tropical fish, Grand Cayman’s West Wall remains a treat for even veteran divers.

Though rarely reached during a typical cruise ship stop in Grand Cayman, the sister islands of Cayman Brac and Little Cayman are much more subdued on the surface--but every bit as colorful below. These two islands are well worth a separate visit during a dive-intensive vacation.

Cozumel/Yucatan Peninsula

Say si to Mexico's most popular diving destination. The Yucatan Peninsula--and Cozumel in particular, is the Mexican Caribbean for divers. Here, visiting divers find consistently clear conditions and --- only after diving!--cold post-diving cervezas.

Cozumel features legendary reef diving like Palancar, Paraiso, and Punta Sur (all have many specific sites), as well as the Chankanaab Park (great for shore diving) and the popular airplane wreck. Most of the trips (except wrecks) are drift dives along the wall--making diving a bit like watching an underwater movie as you drift by the reefs and marine life. The dive boat follows your bubbles on the surface to pick you up at the end of a dive.

The ports of Costa Maya and Playa del Carmen along the Yucatan mainland also feature excellent Mexican diving opportunities along the coast and inland. Arriving divers looking for something different can check out the inland cenotes--underground caves filled with water that feature unique formations and crystal-clear conditions.

Florida Keys

According to most surveys over the years, the Florida Keys welcome more divers than any other destination in the world. This is because of the world-class diving and the ability to reach the Keys by car. However, thanks to the port in Key West, the Florida Keys can be the key to world-class scuba for cruise ship divers as well

Diving highlights in the Key West area include: Sand Key; Joe’s Tug; the Cayman Salvor (also known as the Cayman Salvager); and Kedge Ledge (look for the pair of coral-encrusted 18th century anchors). While calling on in Key West, divers and other visiting passengers should be sure to visit Mel Fisher’s Maritime Heritage Museum (including treasures salvaged from the Atocha, which treasure-hunter Fisher found in waters just off Key West).

The rest of the Florida Keys offer even more diving, along with protected marine parks at Key Largo and Looe Key Reef. The Keys have been designated as a national marine sanctuary: this should save the reefs for future cruise ship divers to have it all, from Key West to Key Largo--just like Bogie and Bacall.

The United States Virgin Islands

The island trio of St. Croix, St. John, and St. Thomas offer a wide range of diving opportunities to cruise ship passengers. Wrecks, walls, and lots of colorful fish await both divers and snorkelers.

If dropping below the surface is more important than shopping ‘til you drop on St. Thomas or St. Croix, the USVI oblige with underwater wonders. This All-American dive destination is definitely world-class with visiting divers.

Ships calling on Charlotte Amalie in St. Thomas provide diver access to both St. Thomas and neighboring St. John. Scuba sensations off these islands include the wrecks of the Major General Rogers and the Cartanser Senior, as well as reef or small wall dives like Thatch Cay (great tunnels!), Carval Rock, Congo Cay, Grass Cay, Cow and Calf Rocks, and Little St. James.

Over on St. Croix, cruise ship divers will discover why this island has become a favorite scuba site. Highlights from ships calling on Frederiksted might include Cane Bay Drop-off, West Palm Beach, Northstar Wall, and the Wrecks of Butler Bay (several intentionally-sunk wrecks in the same vicinity).

Of course, this port guide was limited to the more popular Caribbean cruise-ship destinations. As mentioned, cruise lines now offer specific itineraries and services involving these and many other top scuba sites. Some other great Caribbean destinations for the cruising scuba diver include: Belize; the British Virgin Islands; Honduras; Puerto Rico; and the Turks & Caicos (with many cruise liners now calling at the new port on Grand Turk).

Your travel agent can help you find a ship and itinerary to match your dive desires. Hard-core divers might want to check out smaller live-aboard cruise options with the likes of the Aggressor Fleet (www.aggressor.com) and Peter Hughes Diving (www.peterhughes.com).

SCUBA DO‘S AND DON‘TS (FOR CRUISE-SHIP DIVERS)

Depending on how much diving they plan to do during a cruise, divers typically embark with varying amounts of gear. The list can include: mask and snorkel (most divers take these everywhere), fins (it’s nice to have your own), buoyancy control device (easy to rent), and weights/weight belt (typically found on the dive boat for no charge).

Though it’s tempting to arrange your own diving excursions while in these or other ports, most veteran cruise ship divers don’t think it’s worth it. When you factor in additional costs like transportation, surprise equipment rental fees, and little recourse if you miss the ship (which  will wait for cruise-line arranged shore-excursion returns), it’s probably not worth the possible money saved.

If you don’t already dive, learning to scuba-do is easy. Typically accomplished through a local dive shop or at a sunny scuba school, it takes about 40 hours of classroom, pool, and “open water” time. Once completed, the certification (“C”) card allows divers to rent or buy scuba gear, get air tanks filled, and go diving around the world. The two largest certifying agencies are the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) and the National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI).

A cruise also offers a great opportunity to try diving and to get certified. For instance, Royal Caribbean International has certified more than 7,000 passengers since starting PADI certification programs more than six years ago in their SeaTrek dive shops aboard Voyager-class ships. “Offering diving certification is another way Royal Caribbean appeals to people who want to try something new on their cruise vacation,” says Craig Milan, senior vice president of Land Operations. “Clearly, these results show there are a lot of guests who fall into this category.”

Princess Cruises has New Waves that offers a variety of options to both non-divers and certified divers. Its signature "Open Water Diver Program" provides onboard certification that turns passengers into divers by the end of their cruise. Since the program began, Princess has certified more than 5,000 divers aboard its ships. In addition, certified divers can take advantage of other New Waves programs, including: refresher sessions, several specialty scuba diving courses, and guided scuba tours. Plus, the New Waves snorkeling program includes poolside lessons onboard, rental equipment, and special snorkeling shore excursions.