28 replies to this topic

[novicediver]

I am considering reservations for Blackbeard Cruises in the Bahamas. I am wondering if anyone has used them before and how would you rate their service and the dive experience?
I am a new diver and I wonder if I am correct in thinking these dives are somewhat conservative and safe for me to gain experience. The travel information says most dives are between 20-80 feet although there is some wall diving with drops to several thousand feet.
And, I think I am going to pass on the dive where they do the shark feeding. Even if I am some distance away from the chum thrower, I do not want to chance having sharks think I am the main course.

[mantarraya]

I love Blackbeard Cruises (done 2 trips about 3-4 years ago). The boats aren't as plush as the Aquacat by any means (sailboats, but inside more rustic as far as accommodations - more Spree or Fling-like in that regard if you've ever done a Flower Garden liveaboard trip). The crew has always been attentive on the 2 trips I did with Blackbeards. The trip over to the Bahamas can be VERY rough, so do come prepared for being tossed around big time on the way in and out. Diving is also good to great, as some of the sites have been hammered by hurricanes and such in the past, but Mother Nature can be tough on reefs at times. Food is filling and good - nothing fancy, but more than adequate to keep you energized for diving.

[Latitude Adjustment]

Lee I think they moved their departure point to the Bahamas to avoid the Gulf stream crossing. I haven't used Blackbeards but a friend did and she loved the trip.

[mantarraya]

It is good they did move their departure to the Bahamas, because when I was on years ago, it was rough!

[TravelBunny]

You took the ‘plunge’ and ‘jumped’ right in to the SD community! Good Job and Keep on Posting! We love to hear from you.

Let the SD Travel Network assist you when you are ready to book Blackbeard Cruises. Find the best deal you can, and we will meet or beat the price. SD has wholesale buying power that could work to your advantage...let us know!

[novicediver]

You took the ‘plunge’ and ‘jumped’ right in to the SD community! Good Job and Keep on Posting! We love to hear from you.

Let the SD Travel Network assist you when you are ready to book Blackbeard Cruises. Find the best deal you can, and we will meet or beat the price. SD has wholesale buying power that could work to your advantage...let us know!

Oh no! I tried to respond to TexasStarFish this morning but ran into bill gates difficulties and could not post. Then I missed all the other replies, including yours, until now. Thank you all for offering your opinions regarding Blackbeard's.
Now for the semi-bad news, I did not see your post suggesting I could use SDTravel assistance until now and just a few minutes ago I made airline reservations, hotel reservations and reservations for a Sept 9-15th dive cruise. BUT, I promise I will use your service for all subsequent dive vacations. I am a beginner's beginner and need lots of practice so I have scheduled some trips and intend on scheduling 3 or 4 a year. As of now, I am booked for a Cruise on Norwegian with stops at Cozemel, Costa Maya, Belize City and Santos Tomas de something or other in Guatemala. I hope to dive at each of those ports - which is the purpose for the cruise.
Then, Dec 28 I am off to the Amazon Rain Forrest for 4 days before I return to Quito, Ecuador to fly off to the Galapagos. I booked the Galapagos thing before I was a certified diver so unfortunately I have no dive plans for the Galapagos but hope to do a ton of snorkeling. I am going to try and arrange at least one dive trip but do not know if I can since all arrangements have been made.
There are lots of places I hope to see and dive at. All seem pretty reasonably priced, the only problem is airfare,, that seems to be a killer right now. Hopefully fuel costs will settle down and airfare will again be within reach, making trips more affordable.
Thank you all for your comments, they are very much appreciated.
As for my posting, well, right now I know practically nothing and recognize that most of you all have experience so I am going to ask your opinions and suggestions on equipment and sites. I can be opinionated about things but lucky for you, I know nothing about diving and have nothing to opin about. Except, of course, you can count me in the group that does no diving in any water requiring greater than a 3 mm suit.
Be well, be safe and happy diving to all

Vince

[novicediver]

Hi, I saw your message but couldn't reply. Problem Fixed. I took a trip on the Aquacat and absolutely loved it. We had one person in our group finishing up her check out dives and she had no problems. Are you going by yourself or with other divers? We never had a guide on our dives, so we were on our own for navigation, though the dive briefings were very thorough.

One complaint I had was that the crew wasn't very attentive to everyone. I know they've registered that complaint and I'm not sure how the crew is now. Also, it may be different on the Blackbeard, being a smaller boat.

Finally, the shark dive is a must do! I was very hesitant, but did it and absolutely loved it. You have a choice of just sitting on the bottom and watching. Honestly, the sharks aren't interested in the divers in the slightest. If you start swimming around they may come close to you (they can't see very well) and then they swim away.

Let me know if you have any other questions, I'd be more than happy to help. I had an amazing time in the Bahamas and highly suggest the trip. Also Aquacat/Blackbeard have great itineraries.

so far, every trip I have been on has been alone. (Except those short Panama City dive trips where my buddy goes with me) Maybe with my aquaintance with SD I will now have a group of divers to go with.
And Tex,,, I am taking your word for it that the shark dive is safe,, but if I die, I promise I am haunting you forever.
Thanks for commenting on Blackbeard. I now feel a lot better about deciding to book with them.

[Latitude Adjustment]

I can't imagine a cruise ship going to Belize City, it's the pits!
As for the Galapagos there is a lot to see above the surface and most liveaboards won't take you with less than 100 ocean dives anyhow however you could get a day boat to do some sea lion dives around the Plazas or Cousins rock. Bring oranges and banana peels for them to play catch with and pack lots of thermal protection for above and below the surface, it gets cool there!

[mantarraya]

I can't imagine a cruise ship going to Belize City, it's the pits!

Agree, Belize City is not that great, but I have known several people that use the stop at Belize City to catch a dive boat for the day. Most people seems to use Hugh Parkey's Dive Connection in Belize City as it is convenient to get to. You can dive the Turneffe Islands or Lighthouse Atolls easily from there.

[novicediver]

I can't imagine a cruise ship going to Belize City, it's the pits!

Agree, Belize City is not that great, but I have known several people that use the stop at Belize City to catch a dive boat for the day. Most people seems to use Hugh Parkey's Dive Connection in Belize City as it is convenient to get to. You can dive the Turneffe Islands or Lighthouse Atolls easily from there.

Thanks, jotted down Hugh Parkey's Dive Connection. I know I am going to be there from 8 am till 6 pm so I should be able to get in a 2 tank boat dive with no problem. Even though it will be Oct, I suspect the water temp will be warm. I have a .5 mil full suit and a 1.5 shorty. Belize City is the pits? And just when I thought I had already visited the pits. It cant be worse than Bimini or St Thomas, those places are armpits. I only booked this cruise because of the 4 stops. If I can arrange one day dives at each place, the poor accommodations on the boat and how poor the island is wont matter. I will see the best part,, reefs and fish.
As for the Galapagos, I read where the water temp is between 68-72 and I have a 4/3. I have used that suit in the Morrison Springs (Florida) where the water is 68 and it was adequate - not real warm, but fine as long as I kept moving.

[Latitude Adjustment]

In the Galapagos the water is cooler at the islands around the two airports than it is up at Wolf and Darwin so that average doesn't help you if you aren't going north. I've read that it can be done in a 5 mil but maybe that's on a day boat where you only do two dives, on a liveaboard doing 4 and 5 dives a day you soon get cold and start sitting out some very exciting and expensive dives. One diver on our boat had a 5 mil and he soon borrowed more layers, I got chilled a few times in a 7 mil.
The problem is this isn't the caribbean, on most dives you desend, check the rocks for scorpion fish and eels and then wedge yourself in, get negitive and watch the marine life parade by. You're not moving to generate heat and the current is flushing what heat you had out. The current can be so strong that you need to turn your head to breathe or stop the reg from freeflowing but the diving is all worth it!

[novicediver]

August 2006 issue of Scuba Diver is out and guess what? They have an article comparing the best live aboard dive charters in the Bahamas. Blackbeard was rated highest, beating out about 8-10 other boats/companies.
I also asked my LDS what they thought about Blackbeard and was told, the accommodations are rustic, the diving is great, perfect for the novice, beginner, intermediate diver and partying was rampant in the evenings.
By golly, by blind luck I apparently found a good deal. It sounds great except for the partying thing. I am much too old to party and believe all that stuff I read about drinking and diving. My only hope is the girls get wild, dance naked and ...well, nevermind.
Now, who wants to come along and save me from the big fish, drowning and lures of the wild party life?

[Scubatooth]

novicediver

one thing to understand about scubadiving(formerly published by rodales) magazine is that they will give the best ratings in anything to those that pay them for advertising, so anything they rate the best i take with a grain of salt at best. unfortunately sad that they do it this way.

FWIW

Tooth

[novicediver]

novicediver

one thing to understand about scubadiving(formerly published by rodales) magazine is that they will give the best ratings in anything to those that pay them for advertising, so anything they rate the best i take with a grain of salt at best. unfortunately sad that they do it this way.

FWIW

Tooth

Thanks Tooth, I apreciate the heads up. Such a shame to find out scuba journals are the same as the rest of the world. Isnt anything sacred? I briefly reseached some live aboard dive trips for the caribbean, keys and bahamas and settled on Blackbeards. Dont know why, I think because the coin came up heads two out of three without cheating, but maybe not, cant really remember now.
But above is/are two endorsements from members (TexasStarFish and Lgrahamtx) and I figured they had to be somewhat reliable,, I mean we all know women do not usually lie to us until after the first 5 minutes and since I dont know them at all, it is well within the first 5 minutes. Secondly, my LDS said Blackbeard was good, rustic but good and within my skill range.
I am really, really, really looking forward to the trip, dont know why but I really am. I sure hope it is hurricane free that week.
As for the magazine, it is harder to find dive magazines around here than it is to find the winning lotto ticket. Barnes and Nobles and Borders just do not stock any. They have surfer magazines but no dive magazines,, go figure, huh. I wondered who in New Orleans could possibly buy surfer magazines? So, during those rare times I get a dive magazine, I read it as if it was a new playboy--cover to cover, spending extra time on the pictures.