2010 Scuba Cruise to Roatan, Cozumel, Grand Cayman & Costa Maya

[Sailfish]

2010 Scuba Cruise Aboard the Celebrity Solstice

June 20, 2009

Back by popular demand, the fifth annual Cruise Critic Scuba Cruise will be heading back to the Western Caribbean in 2010! This 7 night voyage aboard the luxurious Solstice will depart from Fort Lauderdale on June 20, 2010 and call on the ports with some of the best diving in the Caribbean: Cozumel, Roatan, Grand Cayman and Costa Maya! It combines the luxury of a Celebrity cruise with the best the Caribbean has to offer divers and non-divers alike.

 

There will be an optional 2 tank dive package in each port of call for the certified scuba divers in the group. Not a diver? Not a problem; as a group member, you'll get to participate in all group shipboard activities and maybe even get an opportunity to try our Discover Scuba Program.

 

Celebrity Cruises offers a comfortably sophisticated, upscale vacation experience with highly personalized service; authentic, five-star dining; understated elegance and extraordinary attention to detail. The Celebrity Solstice is the newest member of the Celebrity Cruises fleet. She is the most innovative ship the cruise line has ever seen; Celebrity Cruises calls the Solstice the "next level of indulgence."

 

Cozumel, Roatan, Grand Cayman and Costa Maya are among the best dive destinations in the WORLD; if you've always wanted to dive or snorkel the best, what are you waiting for? Suzi (aka Sailfish), an experienced Cruise Critic group leader and dive coordinator, will be leading the group. She is a PADI certified scuba diver who has been to all the ports of call and has logged hundreds of dives in the Caribbean.



For more information, please email Suzi at scubacruise2010@yahoo.com .

[Sailfish]

Dive Package Info: FAQ

 

Our scuba cruises are set up to dive in as many ports of call as possible. Many scuba cruise members opt to dive in each port where diving is available, while some do so only in certain ports, making time to spend with non-diving spouses and friends. On our last scuba cruise, more than half of the divers dove with us in each port.

 

Each diver is responsible to book their own dives. I will provide you with secure online links that you must access on your own. I will keep track of the numbers on each boat. The cost can vary, and I can't tell you exactly how much the dives will cost you in 2010, but plan on most two tank dives to run under $100pp. I

 

I believe the biggest benefit to diving in a group is the fact that we all dive together the entire week with no surprises. During our pre-dive meeting on board the ship, you will get an opportunity to meet your fellow divers. At our meeting, I will review each port, transportation to the dive operation and fill you on the debarking process. If there is any tendering to be done (I have not looked into this yet), our group will be given priority.

 

If you are diving with us, I will let you know where to meet every day on the ship the morning of our dives. We will be debarking the ship and heading over to the dive shop as a group.

 

Here are some answers to questions I often get:

 

1. If you had to pick one or two ports, which would you most likely dive?

 

Our ports of call this year will include Cozumel, Grand Cayman, Roatan and Costa Maya; if I had to pick only one, it would be Cozumel, followed by Roatan. The diving is also very good in Grand Cayman and in Costa Maya.

 

2. How much input will we have as to which dive operations are selected for the group.

 

Liz Gonzales, from ShoreTrips is our dive coordinator and will be contacting dive operators in each of our ports to set up our dive package. All dive operators are PADI insurred, who generally cater to small groups. I will post information about each dive operator, the type of dive boat we will be on, and dive site information.

 

ShoreTrips will provide us with a group page where members can purchase the dives. I dive in each port with the group.

 

3. How many divers are in a group.

 

We deal with dive operators who have the ability to accommodate eveyone in the group. Our request is to keep the group exclusive - meaning only group members and approved passengers will be diving on the boat with us. Depending on the number of divers, we may have one dive boat or two at our disposal. We will have 6 divers per small boat and one dive master or up to 12 divers and two dive masters on a larger boat.

 

4. Storing dive gear on the ship

 

One person was wondering about storing scuba gear on the ship and if it would be possible to make arrangements to store ours while on the cruise. Unfortunately, I had to say that won't be possible. I've asked a number of times, and each time I am pretty much told the same thing - there is no secure place on the ship within easy access to store our equipment.

 

That being said, I can make a few suggestions. First off, if its within your budget, book a stateroom with a balcony. Besides providing extra living space, it's also the best place to put your gear out to dry. It's so warm in the Caribbean, your gear will dry off in a couple of hours. Dealing with wet gear after your dives is the biggest hassle - you just made life a little easier by putting your stuff on your balcony to dry. No balcony? No problem! You can always take your stuff out to the pool deck for an hour or two - in the hot sun, I guarantee it won't take long for your stuff to dry out. Go with a friend, grab a cold one and relax! Trust me when I say that you won't be the only divers on the ship - this itinerary is very popular with divers, so no worries.

 

5. Dive boat questions

 

I get a lot of questions and concerns about diving in the Caribbean mostly from newly certified folks. They want to know how well equipped the boats are, how many divers will be on each boat, and often express concerns about doing back-flip entries. Since we have not yet made any arrangements with dive operators, I can't tell you what to expect from each port we visit. But I can tell you that PADI certification and a solid safety record are key. Some dive operators will split us into small groups of 6 divers per boat while others have up to 12 people on one boat. Boats can be small open hauled boats (and yes, you will be asked to do a back flip entry).

 

A few dive operators have larger, more comfortable boats that can accommodate up to 12 divers. As a rule, you'll find storage space below deck, and all divers make giant stride entries. There are pros and cons to both types of boats. Personally, I prefer diving in smaller groups. Doing a back-flip for the first time can be a little intimidating, but most divers, after doing a few, have no problems.

 

6. Questions about what to take & wet suits

 

My husband and I always travel with our gear, minus our tanks and weights. You will get weights and tanks from each dive operator. You can also rent your dive BC, regulator, etc. for a small fee. I know with only a 50 lb per bag limit, you have to really pack smart. We bought two small rolling duffles that can be carried onto the airplane. Everything fits, except our fins, which we pack in checked luggage. We have soft-backed BC's each, so they can easily fit into a small space. I never check my dive gear especially if I have to change planes, as we have on more than one occasion, had bags not make it onto an airplane. I may be short of underwear and my formal clothes, but I'll be diving!

 

You won't be able to dive with gloves, so leave them home, and dive knives seem to make ship security a little nervous. We always bring a light weight wetsuit - I have a 3mm shorty that works very well for me, though I know a lot of divers who feel most comfortable in a full wetsuit. You can expect water temps to be around 84 degrees which is considerably cooler than your body's core temperature. I for one find that the more I dive in a week, the cooler I get. Some people never wear any thermal protection. What ever makes you comfortable is what I recommend you do. If you have never been diving in warm salt water, remember you will need to adjust your weights; remember it's better to have a little more than too little!

 

7. Sea sickness

 

Okay...I admit I get sea sick on dive boats when its choppy, but I know to take precautions and so should you if you are concerned. I never become ill, even in rough weather, on a cruise ship. But for some reason, rocking and rolling on a dive boat, just prior to entering the water, just kills me. Because of this, I am usually the first one in the water. I take sea sick pills when necessary and I always eat a banana - never dive on an empty stomach. That banana thing is strange in psychological way, but it works for me!

 

8. How much can I expect to spend on diving while on the cruise?

 

That's a hard question to answer, because I have no idea with whom we will be diving or how much the dives will cost us next summer. That being said, my goal is to hook up with reputable dive operations who will offer our group a good price and the ability to keep the group exclusive. As of this posting (November 2009) I am am going to say that you should count on about $100pp for two tanks. Some ports of call will be considerably less, while others a little more. In the end, the cost of diving in four ports of call (two tanks) should average out to be around $80 per port.

 

9. I will be traveling with non-divers and can't see diving in all ports of call. I would like to dive in two or three ports only; will this be possible?

 

Yes. You are under no obligation to dive with the group. You can pick the ports where you want dive with the group.

 

10. Will dive boats allow snorkelers to come along?

 

Some dive operations allow snorkelers to come along for an additional cost, as long as there is room on the dive boat. Divers have priority, but we will let you know if there is room a month or two before the cruise.

 

One thing to keep in mind is the dive sites we visit may not be good for snorkeling, since some reefs and walls begin around 30-50 feet - a snorkeler at the surface may not see much.

[Sailfish]

Estimated Cost for Diving

 

Below is an estimate of the cost of diving; the toal comes to just under $400pp if you were to dive in all four ports of call. All are boat dives, and do not include equipment rental. The actual dive package price will be available in mid-January 2010 and will be posted at our group forum.

 

Please note that this year, we are proud to offer a Discover Scuba package in Cozumel - limit of 4 non-divers.

 

Day 3

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

George Town, Grand Cayman

Tendered

Arrive 7:00 AM

Depart 4:00 PM

 

Approximate Cost for 2 Tank Boat Dive: $120pp

 

Day 4

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Cozumel, Mexico

Docked

Arrive 9:00 AM

Depart 6:00 PM

 

Approximate Cost for 2 Tank Boat Dive: $85pp

 

Discover Scuba: $80

 

Day 5

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Costa Maya, Mexico

Docked

Arrive 8:00 AM

Depart 6:00 PM

 

Approximate Cost for 2 Tank Boat Dive: $90

 

Day 6

Friday, June 25, 2010

Roatan, Honduras

Docked

Arrive 8:00 AM

Depart 5:00 PM

 

Approximate Cost for 2 Tank Boat Dive: $90

[Sailfish]

Our group forum here at Cruise Critic has a lot of good information, including pricing, in one place. Details concerning our dive package are also posted there. Members can find out about the cruise, check out dive related articles and get feedback concering the cruise.

 

Please feel free to visit:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=616

[Sailfish]

We have space for only 6 divers left; please visit our group forum for more information.

 

Thanks.