Dive operators in Curacao?

[DiverII]

I am looking to dive while in Curacao. I understand the diving is excellent, mushroom gardens? I do not want to dive on a boat w/ 30+ divers however. Does anyone know of any reputable dive operators that take 10 or less divers at a time? We will be there Feb. 27, 2008.

Thanks.

[Rent-A-Guide]

Hi DiverII,

 

I am able to help you with this.

Please contact me direct.

 

Henry"Leo"Plaate

Rent-A-Guide

[DiverII]

Okay I will try to do that.;)

[jmps]

I have yet to try them but I have booked with the Dive Bus based on a lot of recommendations here.

[carib_traveler]

None of the dive operators take such large groups (Curacao is not Cozumel yet :eek:). Usually it's 4 to 14 people tops so you're pretty safe with any dive operator.

[BethV114]

None of the dive operators take such large groups (Curacao is not Cozumel yet :eek:). Usually it's 4 to 14 people tops so you're pretty safe with any dive operator.

 

That's not entirely true. We dove with Caribbean Sea Sports a few weeks ago in Curacao and they told us that they can/will take up to 25 people wiht them.:eek: My sister and I were lucky, though, since we were the only ones that had signed up for the day, so we had the boat and the divemaster to ourselves. It was a great experience and the divemaster was wonderful with my sister, who had a case of the nerves at the beginning of our first dive, but I'm not sure we would have received quite the same level of service if they had been fully booked. So, to the OP, you should always ask how large a dive operators trips are and/or what their divemaster to diver ratio is, just in case.

[helo driver]

I have yet to try them but I have booked with the Dive Bus based on a lot of recommendations here.

 

When are you going? We are considering doing the Dive Bus shore dive in March, if you are going sooner, please let us know how it works out.

[Joby]

helo driver, I used Dive Bus the last time we were in Curacao and I'm using them again this January. A fantastic dive. There were just two of us plus divemaster, Mark.

 

Very safe, fun and easy going :)

[helo driver]

helo driver, I used Dive Bus the last time we were in Curacao and I'm using them again this January. A fantastic dive. There were just two of us plus divemaster, Mark.

 

Very safe, fun and easy going :)

 

Just completed Open water certification dives today with DD (13). Do you recommend the dive bus guided shore dive (Pierbaai reef), maybe repeat it on our own afterwards as a second tank dive after the shore interval?

[Joby]

Hi helo driver,

 

sorry for the delay in responding. Both of our kids are divers and were certified when they were 12 years old. They are now 17 and 19.

 

I would certainly recommend taking your daughter with the Dive Bus! I think they would be very good with her.

 

One thing I would recommend though--you mention that you are thinking about doing a 1 tank guided dive with Dive Bus and then going off on your own for the 2nd tank after the surface interval. I would probably NOT do that with just you and your newly certified daughter.

 

It would probably be better to do BOTH dives with a dive master. It would probably be more relaxing for you and your daughter to have a Dive Master along on both dives.

 

I'm just giving you my opinion on what we did with our kids and their first ocean water dives. Actually, that's what we still do any time we dive. If you get in with a good company, I think a good Dive Master familiar with the local waters can really enhance your diving experiences :)

[helo driver]

Joby,

Thanks and probably good advice, just looking at their website, looks like they offer two guided dives a day, one to Pierbaai reef and one to car pile (deep) (maybe I am reading it wrong). Would like to get two dives in, suppose I should go direct and ask if they can do two guided dives to Peirbaai. We are still in the "thought and planning" stage, don't go until late March.

[w&k]

If you are going to dive in Curacao, and want a laid-back day with great folks and AWESOME diving, you have to go with Suzy and Mark at The Dive Bus. We have been three times, and will make it four in the spring. Helo driver - we haven't made it all the way to Car Pile yet!

 

http://www.the-dive-bus.com

 

Come on over to the Scuba and Snorkeling board - we have everything you are looking for there, and here is a link to my review of our first trip. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=332272

 

Also, here is a link to a little (very rough) website I have put together for our next trip... we're heading out on the Galaxy at the end of February.

 

http://www.freewebs.com/galaxy-02-25-08/tours.htm

 

If you tell them I sent you, there will probably be extra abuse ;)

 

Have a great time!

 

Wendy

 

dive pix

http://community.webshots.com/user/wendyandkeith