planning my cruise :)

[veurli]

Hi,

On November the 20th I'll be going on that cruise http://www.royalcaribbean.com/findacruise/cruiseDetails/itineraryAndPricing.do;jsessionid=0000_Oya3TgyqYrARYS0UPqdn_p:10kohi76p?packageCode=NE11ESC1&date=20064&selectedCurrencyCode=&promoType=
and I was wondering if anyone had scubadived in any of the locations i'll be visiting. If so please let me know your experiences :D

Thanks.

[thor32766]

wow sounds like a sweet trip!!!

[veurli]

sure does... now I just need to find the fine spots to dive :)

[veurli]

BUMP !! It's comming up ! Let me know. :)

Cheers

[csherlock]

I dove Curacao this past feburary....there are some good dives and there are mostly OK dives. I have to admit I was there just after the rainy season and it rain every morning ( usually done and dry by 7:30am) so that could have played a role in the vis...
Not allot of big fish, but a good deal of variety of fish and coral. They have had a lot of polution from the oil refinerey on the island, but I think the reefs are making a comeback. The waters do seem over fished.

They have a shipwreck out side of the harbor that is about 90ft down called the Superior Producer that sunk Christmas time of 1977...that was a cool dive.

I will admit I had a great time there and would go back...I would choose a different time of year though.

I had a friend dive St. Lucia that had a storm just before they arrived and the diving was just OK, she said.

[veurli]

thanks a lot for your reply ! People .... keep posting :D

Cheers.

[Cshradr7]

If you havent ever checked out scuba diving magazine or their web site...www.scubadiving.com, they do yearly ratings on hundreds of dive locations throughout the world. Here's the exact link for their Top 100 List this year...
http://www.scubadiving.com/community/top_100/top_100%3a_2006_readers%27_choice_awards/

Other web site to check of for good cruise reviews and ratings are-
www.cruisecritic.com
www.cruisereviews.com

Both of those were really helpful last year on my cruise to the western carribean. I dont know if you ever done a cruise before but if you havent, the shore excursions from the cruise line are way over priced and generally with a bit of research you can find the same or better opperator for half the cost.

If you need anymore help email me at cshradr7@aol.com or PM me

[squiddly]

One of the things you must be very careful about are "cruise divers." Many of these people take the shore excursion to scuba dive, who have no business being anywhere near scuba gear. Some are people who haven't been diving for years, got certified before they developed health problems, etc. etc. Dive operators know this and don't always take cruise divers to prime dive locations, and tend to treat the divers according to the lowest common denominator, i.e. 20 minute dive for everyone if one person has sucked the tank dry, having to stick in a tight little pack, regardless of whether the person next to you has just shoved you into fire coral through their inability to maintain buoyancy, etc.

If you are a new diver, that could be fine. If you are experienced, you might find it frustrating and wish to create your own excursion with a different dive operator. After I got shoved into the fire coral, this dive operator told me they didn't have vinegar on board. Not the most professional of operations.

[veurli]

Thank you guys. I know what you mean squiddly. I have been diving for over 10 years and experienced both sides. Last year was actually the best (but not the safest for sure), I went to puerto vallarta and they pretty much let us on our own so I was breathign waaaaay slow so my dive would be the longest and indeed it was :D I was the last one on the boat LOL ! LOVED IT !
Cshradr7, I know they always overprice everything ... that's why I'm asking here first :D

Thanks again

[csherlock]

When you come back from your trip, let us know how things went!

[rickyscuba]

Im agree with squiddly, the cuise dive are simple dive ussually no more than 45-50 ft 20-30 min.

I sugest if you want a premmier dive, contact a local dive operator by your own. They are very fiendly in Curacao.