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Scuba reccommendations in Cabo, Puerto Vallarta, and/or Mazatlan???


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Hello! Just decided last minute to go on a cruise that leaves this sunday 1/30. I would love to go scuba diving on the trip, but i haven't had any time yet to research a good place. Any help would be SO appreciated! I am not certified, although i've been diving several times after taking discover scuba resort classes. So, i'm looking for a place that would offer the same kind of thing.

 

Also, how IS the diving? The places I've been before were in the Carribbean...how does the Mexican Riviera compare?

 

Thanks in advance for any suggestions. Also, if you know approx. prices, that would be great too, as $$ is tight for me.

 

Robin

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  • 2 weeks later...

We were on the Diamond Princess in November and did scuba excursions in Puerto Vallarta and Cabo. In PV, we used Vallarta Adventures http://www.vallarta-adventures.com/ which was good and in Cabo we used Underwater Diversions http://www.divecabo.com/ which was excellent. There is no diving in Mazatlan to speak of.

 

I believe they offered discover scuba at Underwater Diversions. I don't remember if the discover scuba was offered by Vallarta Adventures.

 

The diving in Cabo was the highlight of the trip.

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I'm back. The only port where I was able to dive (because of what others in my group wanted to do) was Puerto Vallarta. We went with Chico's Diving(they had a desk in the area right off of the ship). We did a resort course in the hotel pool (La Jolla...very nice pool!) and the instructor was very good. After that we took a boat out to Los Archos for a dive. The dive master was so-so. It was my dad's first dive and I didn't feel that he watched him closely enough. He was also picking up a lot of the marine life (sponges, star fish, pufferfish, ect.) which I didn't really like...it didn't seem like they were really trying to protect the area. Also, at least in that area ,the diving wasn't all that great. Maybe I am just spoiled by dives in the Caribbean, but there weren't a lot of fish or interesting coral formations. Even so, a day spent diving was better than a day spent any other way. :) I do wish I'd been able to dive in Cabo!!!! Thanks to everyone for their suggestions...I wish I'd been able to get more information before I left, but I'm sure the info. will help future travelers.

 

Robin

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My husband is a certified diver and we will be going to PV, Cabo and Mazatlan in December. Anyone know if it's possible to rent his own gear and dive somewhere on his own? Or does one need to be part of a tour group?

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There is not really any diving to speak of in Mazatlan. You may check with the web sites I referenced above to see if they do private rentals. From my experience the good diving is accessible by boat and therefore you may want to stick with a tour/charter. Besides that, diving alone is against the accepted safety practices especially diving alone in a new or unfamiliar place.

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I don't know if it is the best place but many people headed over to lover's beach to snorkel. You can book cruise based excursions that will take you there but as I recall, there are plenty of boats near the tender pier that are willing to take you out there for something like $12 or so.

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  • 6 months later...

Hi,Diving in Cabo can be good depending on where they take you. If the surf's up on the Pacific, then you can get a low vis condition even in the protected waters of the Sea of Cortez side of Los Arcos (5 mins from the tender dock).Many of the dive shops will take you up the coast north of San Jose del Cabo where there is some great diving, however it is about a 30 min drive to San Jose del Cabo and another 45 to the dive sites.If you're booking through an independent operator, be sure that you will get back to the ship at least 30 mins prior to sail time.While there in Sep, for the week we were there, vis was reported as anywhere from 10-20 feet (definitely not as good as the Caribbean side). I have dived in Manzanillo with good vis (60-80') outside the bay off the rocks, but Cabo seems to get the effect of swirl around Los Arcos causing reduced vis conditions.Check onboard to see where they take you from the ship before booking the dive excursion. Have a great cruise and an awesome dive.Ciao for now!!!

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