Bonaire by Cruise

Caribbean Girl wrote:
> We sail there in November. We've never been there. My husband is mostly
> interested in the off shore diving. I'll probably do an excursion to the
> Harbour Village Resort while he dives. The cruise line doesn't seem to
> offer an off shore diving package. Does anyone have any suggestions? Can
> we all just go to the Harbour Village by cab and maybe find a dive shop that
> will allow him to do the diving nearby?
>
> All suggestions are appreciated!
>
>
>
Bonaire is well known for its shore diving - my advice would be to not
book thru the boat - if he has his gear go to a dive shop rent a couple
of tanks and dive - he can probably get in 3 - 4 dives depending how
long you are in Bonaire.

Doesn't need a boat - just gear and tanks (you can rent the gear too)

Caribbean Girl wrote:
> We sail there in November. We've never been there. My husband is mostly
> interested in the off shore diving. I'll probably do an excursion to the
> Harbour Village Resort while he dives. The cruise line doesn't seem to
> offer an off shore diving package. Does anyone have any suggestions? Can
> we all just go to the Harbour Village by cab and maybe find a dive shop that
> will allow him to do the diving nearby?
>
> All suggestions are appreciated!
>
>
>
Bonaire is well known for its shore diving - my advice would be to not
book thru the boat - if he has his gear go to a dive shop rent a couple
of tanks and dive - he can probably get in 3 - 4 dives depending how
long you are in Bonaire.

Doesn't need a boat - just gear and tanks (you can rent the gear too)

Caribbean Girl wrote:
> We sail there in November. We've never been there. My husband is mostly
> interested in the off shore diving. I'll probably do an excursion to the
> Harbour Village Resort while he dives. The cruise line doesn't seem to
> offer an off shore diving package. Does anyone have any suggestions? Can
> we all just go to the Harbour Village by cab and maybe find a dive shop that
> will allow him to do the diving nearby?
>
> All suggestions are appreciated!
>
>
>
Bonaire is well known for its shore diving - my advice would be to not
book thru the boat - if he has his gear go to a dive shop rent a couple
of tanks and dive - he can probably get in 3 - 4 dives depending how
long you are in Bonaire.

Doesn't need a boat - just gear and tanks (you can rent the gear too)

Joe English wrote:
> Caribbean Girl wrote:

< I wonder WHY the same post under two different subjects >

Ok, I take it as a valid reason that the one I responded to was posted
ONLY in rec.travel.cruises, and perhaps as an after thought that the
scuba divers may know more, that this was cross-posted to three
other groups, including rec.scuba and rec.scuba.locations -- the latter
should draw useful INFO about diving in Bonaire.
> >
> >
> >
> Bonaire is well known for its shore diving - my advice would be to not
> book thru the boat - if he has his gear go to a dive shop rent a couple
> of tanks and dive - he can probably get in 3 - 4 dives depending how
> long you are in Bonaire.
>
> Doesn't need a boat - just gear and tanks (you can rent the gear too)

Good advice about the shore diving on rented tanks. The itinerary:


Day Port Arrival Departure

1 San Juan, Puerto Rico 11:00 PM
2 St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands 7:00 AM 6:00 PM
3 St. Kitts, St. Kitts & Nevis 7:00 AM 3:00 PM
4 Grenada 9:00 AM 3:00 PM
5 Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles 12:00 PM 7:00 PM
6 Aruba 8:00 AM 5:00 PM
7 At Sea
8 San Juan, Puerto Rico 6:00 AM

There are scuba diving opportunities at St. Thomas, St. Kitts
(crummy),
Grenada, Bonaire, and Aruba.

For those like myself who are over the 4-5 dives a day on liveaboards,
this will be a suitable "dive cruise" to do one or two dives per port
over
several of the well-known Caribbean dive locations.

-- Bob,

Joe English wrote:
> Caribbean Girl wrote:

< I wonder WHY the same post under two different subjects >

Ok, I take it as a valid reason that the one I responded to was posted
ONLY in rec.travel.cruises, and perhaps as an after thought that the
scuba divers may know more, that this was cross-posted to three
other groups, including rec.scuba and rec.scuba.locations -- the latter
should draw useful INFO about diving in Bonaire.
> >
> >
> >
> Bonaire is well known for its shore diving - my advice would be to not
> book thru the boat - if he has his gear go to a dive shop rent a couple
> of tanks and dive - he can probably get in 3 - 4 dives depending how
> long you are in Bonaire.
>
> Doesn't need a boat - just gear and tanks (you can rent the gear too)

Good advice about the shore diving on rented tanks. The itinerary:


Day Port Arrival Departure

1 San Juan, Puerto Rico 11:00 PM
2 St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands 7:00 AM 6:00 PM
3 St. Kitts, St. Kitts & Nevis 7:00 AM 3:00 PM
4 Grenada 9:00 AM 3:00 PM
5 Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles 12:00 PM 7:00 PM
6 Aruba 8:00 AM 5:00 PM
7 At Sea
8 San Juan, Puerto Rico 6:00 AM

There are scuba diving opportunities at St. Thomas, St. Kitts
(crummy),
Grenada, Bonaire, and Aruba.

For those like myself who are over the 4-5 dives a day on liveaboards,
this will be a suitable "dive cruise" to do one or two dives per port
over
several of the well-known Caribbean dive locations.

-- Bob,

Joe English wrote:
> Caribbean Girl wrote:

< I wonder WHY the same post under two different subjects >

Ok, I take it as a valid reason that the one I responded to was posted
ONLY in rec.travel.cruises, and perhaps as an after thought that the
scuba divers may know more, that this was cross-posted to three
other groups, including rec.scuba and rec.scuba.locations -- the latter
should draw useful INFO about diving in Bonaire.
> >
> >
> >
> Bonaire is well known for its shore diving - my advice would be to not
> book thru the boat - if he has his gear go to a dive shop rent a couple
> of tanks and dive - he can probably get in 3 - 4 dives depending how
> long you are in Bonaire.
>
> Doesn't need a boat - just gear and tanks (you can rent the gear too)

Good advice about the shore diving on rented tanks. The itinerary:


Day Port Arrival Departure

1 San Juan, Puerto Rico 11:00 PM
2 St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands 7:00 AM 6:00 PM
3 St. Kitts, St. Kitts & Nevis 7:00 AM 3:00 PM
4 Grenada 9:00 AM 3:00 PM
5 Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles 12:00 PM 7:00 PM
6 Aruba 8:00 AM 5:00 PM
7 At Sea
8 San Juan, Puerto Rico 6:00 AM

There are scuba diving opportunities at St. Thomas, St. Kitts
(crummy),
Grenada, Bonaire, and Aruba.

For those like myself who are over the 4-5 dives a day on liveaboards,
this will be a suitable "dive cruise" to do one or two dives per port
over
several of the well-known Caribbean dive locations.

-- Bob,

What kind of transportation would be involved in this plan? Would he just
take a taxi to the rental shop and to the dive spots?


"Joe English" <joeenglish2@wisperhome.com> wrote in message
news:4474752a$0$8606$ec3e2dad@news.usenetmonster.c om...
> Caribbean Girl wrote:
>> We sail there in November. We've never been there. My husband is mostly
>> interested in the off shore diving. I'll probably do an excursion to the
>> Harbour Village Resort while he dives. The cruise line doesn't seem to
>> offer an off shore diving package. Does anyone have any suggestions?
>> Can we all just go to the Harbour Village by cab and maybe find a dive
>> shop that will allow him to do the diving nearby?
>>
>> All suggestions are appreciated!
>>
>>
>>
> Bonaire is well known for its shore diving - my advice would be to not
> book thru the boat - if he has his gear go to a dive shop rent a couple of
> tanks and dive - he can probably get in 3 - 4 dives depending how long you
> are in Bonaire.
>
> Doesn't need a boat - just gear and tanks (you can rent the gear too)

What kind of transportation would be involved in this plan? Would he just
take a taxi to the rental shop and to the dive spots?


"Joe English" <joeenglish2@wisperhome.com> wrote in message
news:4474752a$0$8606$ec3e2dad@news.usenetmonster.c om...
> Caribbean Girl wrote:
>> We sail there in November. We've never been there. My husband is mostly
>> interested in the off shore diving. I'll probably do an excursion to the
>> Harbour Village Resort while he dives. The cruise line doesn't seem to
>> offer an off shore diving package. Does anyone have any suggestions?
>> Can we all just go to the Harbour Village by cab and maybe find a dive
>> shop that will allow him to do the diving nearby?
>>
>> All suggestions are appreciated!
>>
>>
>>
> Bonaire is well known for its shore diving - my advice would be to not
> book thru the boat - if he has his gear go to a dive shop rent a couple of
> tanks and dive - he can probably get in 3 - 4 dives depending how long you
> are in Bonaire.
>
> Doesn't need a boat - just gear and tanks (you can rent the gear too)

What kind of transportation would be involved in this plan? Would he just
take a taxi to the rental shop and to the dive spots?


"Joe English" <joeenglish2@wisperhome.com> wrote in message
news:4474752a$0$8606$ec3e2dad@news.usenetmonster.c om...
> Caribbean Girl wrote:
>> We sail there in November. We've never been there. My husband is mostly
>> interested in the off shore diving. I'll probably do an excursion to the
>> Harbour Village Resort while he dives. The cruise line doesn't seem to
>> offer an off shore diving package. Does anyone have any suggestions?
>> Can we all just go to the Harbour Village by cab and maybe find a dive
>> shop that will allow him to do the diving nearby?
>>
>> All suggestions are appreciated!
>>
>>
>>
> Bonaire is well known for its shore diving - my advice would be to not
> book thru the boat - if he has his gear go to a dive shop rent a couple of
> tanks and dive - he can probably get in 3 - 4 dives depending how long you
> are in Bonaire.
>
> Doesn't need a boat - just gear and tanks (you can rent the gear too)

Caribbean Girl wrote:
> What kind of transportation would be involved in this plan? Would he just
> take a taxi to the rental shop and to the dive spots?
>
>
> "Joe English" <joeenglish2@wisperhome.com> wrote:
> >
> > Bonaire is well known for its shore diving - my advice would be to not
> > book thru the boat - if he has his gear go to a dive shop rent a couple of
> > tanks and dive - he can probably get in 3 - 4 dives depending how long you
> > are in Bonaire.

One hitch with this will be the Bonaire Marine Park "permit" and
checkout dive requirement. To avoid losing a lot of time on a single
day visit, it may be wise to do some prior arrangements.

For who/where to dive with, if the cruise line is using the pier that's
south of town, a very short walk south gets you to the Divi Flamingo
hotel complex, where there's a diveshop.

Its been a few years since I've been to Bonaire, but I'd say that this
is probably only a 100m walk (from the Flamingo, we used to walk past
the pier when going into town for dinner).

I'd also recommend checking out: http://www.infobonaire.com/

And asking for advice on the discusion groups at:
http://www.bonairetalk.com/



-hh