Dive Operator recomendations in Jamaica

Our cruise does not offer a dive excursion in Jamaica. My DW would like to dive as we already have been to Duns river. Any recommendations on operators to check with?

diving in Ocho is very very poor ... that's why you don't see a ship excursion or anyone jumping on here . . . I HAVE dove OCHO when there for R&R and would not spend the $ from a cruise/vacation . . .

Montego is a little better but not much

and I've never seen a recommendation for a dive in Falmouth

did a decent DIY in Port Antonio once, but that does not help you.

JA over fished their waters to death LONG ago. You can find decent diving AWAY from the major cities, but close to .... fo'get'about'it.

You did not state where in Jamaica you are going, but it really makes no difference. We dove it once, think it was Ocho Rios, and it wasn't very good.

We tried arranging in Falmouth. it would have been a lengthy drive to the dive shop/boat, and it doesn't get good reviews so we decided against it.

Can't really recommend diving in Jamaica. There are a lot of other better things to do there, zip lining, walking falls, rafting, hiking. It seems that Jamaica is better enjoyed topside!

Jamaica does not have good diving. Save your money and time there.

But if you like, you can try to arrange buying a bunch of Blue Mountain coffee. They are good.

I'll be a dissenting voice. In Ocho Rios, go down to the dock and look for the watersports manager. Ask for him if you don't see him. He will flag somebody over. When we did it, there were two of us, my dive buddy and myself. We got into a small skiff and went over to one of the nearby resorts to pick up tanks and weights (we each had our own gear). It was $60 per person + $10pp for the second dive.

If you are looking for fish, don't bother. If it is bigger than your hand, it likely has a spear through it. But if you are looking for corals and sponges, this is the place. We went over and dove a wall down to 100' and it was magnificent. Saw lots of little critters. I hovered over a large sponge and the cleaner shrimp came out and tried to clean my mask.

The visibility was unbelievable. At the first dive site, the buckle on the weight belt broke and I watched the weights all the way to the bottom. When the DM came by to ask why I wasn't down I explained what happened and I directed him to the weights because I could still see them. When I finally got down and hit bottom, my gauge said it was 65 feet down, but it had looked like it was only 20 feet.

You can have great dives in Jamaica, but probably not if you go with the herd.

ken

PS: Go diving and then pick up some Blue Mountain coffee. The best of both worlds.

At the first dive site, the buckle on the weight belt broke

just one more reason why dive/snork' in JA is worth a second thought .....

We dove with these guys and they were great. Christian the manager picked us up from the cruise port in Ocho and drove us to the FDR resort at Runaway Bay this is were they are located. Have snorkelled in Montego Bay and it was not good. Everything was dead. That is why I was so surprised how nice the reef was here.

Booked it all at http://scuba-jamaica.com just click were it says CRUISE SHIPS in red on the left. Christian responded promptly to all my text. The DMs were great rental gear was good.

If you don't believe me check them out at Trip Advisor.

Dream Team Divers in Negril are wonderful!