suzski

We will be on a cruise this summer which includes Antigua, Barbados, Dominica, St Kitts, St Lucia and St Thomas. We are interested in diving in at least one port and I'm looking for suggestions on which one. As some background, we've done dives in Jamaica, Mexico, Turks and Caicos and Belize and our youngest (11) is recently certified and will be doing her first (non-certifying) dive on this trip.

Thanks in advance for your advice!

Pulley

I've only dived off St. John and it was great. 30' - 60' depths lots of bottom time, fish & coral. My favorite dive is in 25'-35' around Perkins Cay right off St. John.

RoamsAround

Of the islands on your list St. Thomas will give you access to the best sites. I've heard there's some decent dive sites around St. Lucia but that's a big island and where your ship docks may limit your choices. Diving around St. Kitts is just average at best. Can't really comment about diving on Dominica and Barbados as I've not been to either of those places. Antigua has some interesting dive sites but they are not as good as you'll find in the Virgin Islands.

Joepa

Dominica has the best reputation for diving among the islands on your list by far. In fact, it's probably the only one on your list that can even be classified as a dedicated dive destination. St. Lucia and St. Thomas are a distant second.

doug_stallings

Yes, try to dive near "Champagne" in Dominican, an underwater volcanic vent that naturally carbonizes the surrounding ocean. It's a real experience. Dominica has excellent diving, as does St. Lucia. You can dven do good shore dives near the Pitons.

doug_stallings

...in Dominica. I hate it when people make that mistake ... It's either Dominica or the Dominican Republic. it's never "Dominican".

jiffer111

My hubby is an avid diver and I know he has dove a few of these places and by far Dominica would be the best choice. He said St. Lucia was ok nothing to write home about.

suzski

I was "afraid" that I was going to hear Dominica....we are really looking forward to exploring the island there (waterfalls, sulphur springs, etc.) so I did not want to dive there for that reason.

So, I guess the obvious question is this: striking Dominica from the available list, what is the best choice? St Lucia (we pull in to Castries)? And for Pulley, is St John easily accessible from St Thomas? i.e., is it doable on a cruise itinerary? (we pull in at 7:00 and out at 5:00)

Thanks again!

Joepa

I dove both the USVI and St. Lucia and St. Lucia would get the nod in my book - assuming you can easily get to the Anse Chasanet (Piton) region.

St. John is an easy 30 minute ferry from St. Thomas. Although it's one of my favorite Caribbean islands, it just may not be worth the trip on a cruise if you only have a limited window. You won't be able to really do all that much. Also, the diving off St. John was really pretty less than spectacular (not bad - just nothing exciting and very little marine life). I know this is taboo for a diver to say but, I actually found the snorkeling on St. John better than the diving. If you want to dive, you're better off just doing it off of St. Thomas.

Again - if you can swing it - Dominica will be your best diving option, though.

suzski

Thanks Joepa. I've found a dive operator that will get us down to the Piton area so we'll take advantage of that.

As far as St Thomas, looks like we're going to go with a day sail that will get us out for some snorkeling.

Again thanks!

DiverDuke

If you are thinking about a daysail off of St. Thomas, consider Capt. Max (www.sailwithcaptainmax.com). My wife and I have taken her daytrips three times and would gladly do so again. She departs from Red Hook on the eastern end of St. Thomas so you are probably in for a 30 min. cab ride to that harbor. She usually sails across to St. John, drops anchor in Hawksnest Bay where you can do some decent snorkelling, serves you lunch, goes over to another snorkelling spot and then sails you back. It is a great day.

ScubaMom

Of the ones you've listed, St. Lucia will probably have the best diving for colorful reefs and lots of clouds of small fish.

Island Divers has a day trip for cruise ship divers (and snorklers)
http://www.islanddiversstlucia.com/

The main thing is that you be sure to be standing on the dock in Castries when the dive boat loads at 8am.

Have fun!

suzski

Thanks for the suggestions ScubaMom and DiverDuke...both companies look fantastic and will have to go on the "short list"!

Stephie

Though it's been a while (1990), the diving we did near St. Thomas was superb - much to see at fairly shallow depths. I did my checkout dives there and thought I'd died and gone to heaven. Hurricanes have been through there since then, but I would think it would be good by now. I dove in Cayman too and would put the dives we did in St. Thomas on equal par with Grand Cayman.