Discover Scuba, Eastern Caribbean

We are looking to do a Discover Scuba excursion while in the Eastern Caribbean later this year. We have started a PADI course but will not complete, and doubt we will have chance to start open water, before we leave.

We are on P&O Azura A428 and are looking to dive at either St Maarten, St Kitts, Antigua, or, possibly Barbados, although we fly out late afternoon.

P&O do not do a scuba excursion and I wondered if anyone could recommend one for un-certified divers.

Thanks in anticipation.

We went diving in Antigua and St Maarten in spring 2013, all privately set up dives months before the cruise, and had great experiences. We had dives set up for Barbados, too, but had to cancel due to an injury (my husband gashed open in foot in a waterfall on St Lucia).

Antigua - good diving - we used Indigo Divers and really loved them. The dive boat was in a marina, which was really nice and two of our friends (whom we met via CC) did the Discover Scuba program @ Indigo and then went out with us during our 2nd dive. You do the Discover class in the pool at the marina, which is nice and they both said it was good.

St Maarten - good diving - we used Octopus Divers and also loved them, would use them again if we went diving in St Maarten. Was a long cab ride from the ship to the dive shop - it was a little dive shop and I do not recall any facilities where they could've done a Discover class.

We'd set up dives in Barbados with Eco Dive - but we had to cancel. They were really nice to let us cancel, though (the day before) and they were easy to work with ahead of time. Not sure about the facilities or if they offer a Discover class.

Good luck!

Thanks for the reply - for some reason I've only just picked it up! I'll look at them both.

Many years ago before I was certified I did a Discover Dive with Dive Safari in St Maarten. I enjoyed it so much that shortly after my cruise I signed up for classes at my local dive shop and got certified.

http://www.divestmaarten.com/index.php

You won't really go very deep on a discover dive but you shouldn't fly the same day you dive.

Please do not consider diving the day you fly.

The minimum time for flying after diving is 12 hours (even after a shallow discover scuba).

How much of your Padi course have you done? If you have completed Academics and Pool you could do Open water 1 + 2 in one port and 3 + 4 in another. I have guests who do this all the time.