Diving Grand Caymen, Roatan, Belize?

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nicoleslaw
nicoleslaw

Hey guys,

My entire company is going on a cruise in Jan and I'm trying to figure out what to do with my shore days.

Stops are Grand Caymen, Roatan, Belize City, and Cozumel.

I've already booked diving with a small shop in Cozumel, but am debating whether diving is worth it in any/all of the other ports...

I've got my advanced PADI and have dove Fiji, The Poor Kinight Islands in New Zealand, Milford Sound (also NZ), Utila, Dahab Egypt, Coasta Maya and Cozumel before. I know th diving in Cozumel will be good, so I don't want to spend the money to dive JUST to do it anywhere... But if it's good, then I'd love to dive!

Any feedback on if it's worthwhile at Caymen, Roatan and/or Belize City?? If yes, and shop recommendations to go with? Obviously NOT going with the cattle boats of the cruise line. Haha.

If the diving is just so-so in any of these spots, any other suggestions of how to spend my day in each? (Again I want to avoid cruise ship crowds... I'm more of an independent LP style traveller).

Thanks In advance for any insight!

-Nicole

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hintermann
hintermann

Roatan could be similar to Utila which you have done and so consider Belize or Cayman Isles. Both are top diving destinations and have excellent week-long liveaboard cruises. I am going on the Belize one myself in March 2012. They also have very good dive centres locally. January is an excellent time to visit either although the Cayman Isles would probably be better in that month.

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nicoleslaw
nicoleslaw

Thank you for the feedback :) I may have to check out diving the Cayman's. Would love to do a livaboard, but can't as we'll be on a cruise.

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daydiver
daydiver

You may want to check scubaboard.com; there is a cruise ship diving forum in which people make more specific recommendations. Both Roatan and Cayman can be good, but I think the logistics of Belize are more difficult. Visiting the Mayan ruins at Lamanai might be a good option there.

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/cruises/

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nicoleslaw
nicoleslaw

Thanks DayDiver! I ended up diving in Roatan with Anthony's Key (it was okay) and then in Cozumel with Scuba With Allison (AWESOME!). Did a beach day in Cayman and ruins (Altun Ha) in Belize.

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hintermann
hintermann

Did you go to Punta Sur reef in Cozumel?

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nicoleslaw
nicoleslaw

I'm not sure... The first dive was Colombia Deep, but I'm not sure which reef the second site was on (Alison called it her "secret spot" and it's not on any maps to see. Both great diving though!!

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