great diving in Antiqua

[saxcop]

I just returned from the Norwegian Jewel. The cruise ship did not offer any diving in Antigua. So I did some research and arranged my own.

 

There is not many favorable reports of diving on the cruise ship pier side of the island. I decided to go with http://antiguascuba.com/.

 

I took a cab to the Nelsons ship dock on the other side of the island. Cost was about $8 a person and about a 30 min ride.

 

Interesting harbor and shops there and small crowds.

 

Carlo Constantini is the owner and took my family out. Very laid back guy. High level of service. I didn't have to do a thing. He arranged and paid for my cab ride back.

 

The diving was right outside the harbor. Great Viz and reef. Second dive was more of a wall dive and one of the best dives I've ever had.

Antiqua was the highlight of my diving on this cruise.

[w&k]

Saxcop-

 

What E-mail did you use to get in touch with them? I didn't get an answer to my first one, and just sent another.

 

We're heading that way at the end of February on the Empress, and would love to add another diving stop.

 

Thanks!

 

Wendy

[saxcop]

Carlo Costantini

E-mail Address(es):

diveinfo@antiguascuba.com

he's been really good about email

[w&k]

Saxcop-

 

Got through this time & got an E-mail back from Carlo this evening.

 

The generic answer I got was $110 per diver with gear included. Do you happen to know if the price is the same without gear?

 

Thanks so much!

 

Wendy

[gvre]

Thanks for the update. We are booked with them in February. They got good recommendations on other scuba boards. We have our own gear and we paid $110

[saxcop]

I paid $110. We brought our own fins, mask, suits.

 

The low pressure steel tanks are really nice. Our first dive was almost an hour. MY wife and daughter decided they were worn out and didn't want to make the second dive so he only charged me $60 for the single dive.

 

THere is no comparison to the service this guy gives and the big operators. I would have had the boat for just my family if I hadn't met two guys from my cruise ship that I invited along.

 

I had two brand new divers that were very nervous. He was excellent at making it a fun laid back experience.

 

The cost of diving here or in the other virgin isles seems to be more than cozumel or Roatan. Dont get on a cattle boat to save a few bucks. If you think about how much it really cost you to be there the only way to go is with small almost private service, which is what I experienced here

[Kim in CA]

Hi All,

 

We will be on Carnival's Destiny June 10 - 17. We will be visiting: St. Thomas, Dominica, Barbados, St. Lucia and Antigua. I think we will be able to afford to dive on two (maybe three) islands. I know that we will dive on St. Lucia and Dominica, but it is the possible third that is still up in the air. I was leaning towards Barbados, but now you have piqued my interest in Antigua.

 

gvre... which scuba boards have you found to have good information? I have been looking at scubaboard.com and it has some great information.

[cmdchiefthom]

GVRE,

 

Hey, nice to see you here. Let me know about Antigua. We'll be there the first week in April and are looking for some decent diving. I emailed an outfit near the cruise ship dock, but haven't heard anything back. I'm going private in Barbados, Dominica and Tortola, and nothing on the ship is offered in Antigua. If the diving is as good as saxcop says, I'd probably do it.

 

By the way, 6091 on the Tahitian Princess IS the largest cabin on the ship, according to the Captain. I can't wait to get back onboard!:D

[christygobar]

I'm diving with Carlos in April and also read the good recommendations on the other scuba message boards. Can't wait! The itinerary for the Empress is a diver's dream. I've got diving booked everywhere except Barbados and Margarita Island :)

[gvre]

Hi Thom,

We leave February 17th for 14 days on the Sea Princess, this time we are suffering in the largest cabin on the ship at 689' square feet.

 

We are diving with UBS divers in Tortola, our second time with them and third time on the island. Both times we did RMS Rhone.

In Antigua we are diving with Antiquascuba center our first time with them.

In Dominica we dive with Dive Dominica our first time with them.

 

And Barbados West Side Scuba, also our first time with them and our Fourth time to Barbados.

 

This is our 6th cruise down to the Caribbean and we enjoy the diving even though it is completely different from the South Pacific. Still waiting to see your dive photos.:D

 

I will try to give you up date posting from the ship on the diving.

 

Tahiti 2006 photos

 

Richard

[cmdchiefthom]

Richard,

 

I took a couple of shark stills with my video cam, but most of what I have is video. I've got about an hour on disk, which is not totally edited, so if your interested in that.....lots of black tips, lemon's, eagle rays, a couple of nice mantas, and of course turtles, let me know and I'll burn you a copy.