Scuba Diving Recommendations

[ClipClop]

We are cruising in May on Carnival and stopping at Grand Cayman. All 3 of us are certified and wish to go diving. I'm torn between booking through the cruise line (Don Fosters seems to have larger groups) or booking independently (some of the other companies seem to have smaller groups). The costs seem pretty close so that's not an issue. I'm looking for advice from anyone on past experiences they had and what they would recommend. We will be in Grand Cayman from 8 am to 4 pm.

[drew sailbum]

It depends. If you are an expereinced diver and have been diving recently then you will be given much more freedom by booking privately with a small dive operator.

 

Most cruise lines place limits on the depth and bottom time as a part of their shore excursion contract with a dive operator. Typically maximum depth is 80ft. Dive time generally does not allow for longer dives on multi-level or comupter dives.

 

Admittedly this is a more conservative approach. If you think getting bent is bad, try finding out you are bent after you get back on your ship and the ship leaves port. It could take a day or two to get you transferred to shore for treatment.

[Capt_BJ]

Having been to Cayman many times my preference now is to shore dive at Sunset House. I can get in two nice dives with lunch in between on MY schedule.

[ClipClop]

Thank you for your responses. I'll take them all into consideration. One in our group is a divemaster and has been diving for 30 years so he's not an issue. My hubby and I are open water certified with about 50+ dives under our belt... however, most of them are quarry dives (30-90' depths usually) and only 2 ocean dives. Neither of us have done shore diving.

[Capt_BJ]

Thank you for your responses. I'll take them all into consideration. One in our group is a divemaster and has been diving for 30 years so he's not an issue. My hubby and I are open water certified with about 50+ dives under our belt... however, most of them are quarry dives (30-90' depths usually) and only 2 ocean dives. Neither of us have done shore diving.

 

well with this additional information I'll make a case for shore at Sunset House

 

If you want to do a wall dive in Cayman you are locked into a boat dive and the profile is pretty much fixed cuz you need to get to 70 feet just to get to the top of the wall. IME the profile will be to 100 feet for 20 min. Then after about a 60 min interval a second shallow dive.

 

At Sunset you can do nice shore dives with an easy entry point and control your max depth. We typically don't exceed 50 feet, but you can by going a bit farther out. But you will not be forced to go deep just to get to the dive site as is the case with a CG wall dive.

 

If you've done quary .... you've done shore :). And the folks at the dive shop can give you a good orientation to the immediate area.

 

And you have the side benefit of being at My Bar between dives for lunch and after the dives a libation.

 

check 'em out on the web...

[divemedic]

We went with Ambassador Divers and was a group of my family (4) and 2 others. We decided to do the SC dive although I wish I could also have had the time for a wall dive...darn cruise ships!! Don't regret doing this ...how often do you get to dive, swim with and feed stingrays? Had a least an hour in the water at about 15'. Shorty's a must!

[Susan2u]

Hi, Years ago my husband and son dove with Off the Wall Divers. They absolutely loved it. There were 4 people in total. This is the site with pricing and other information.

 

http://www.otwdivers.com/