Top 10 Places in the Western Caribbean to Snorkel and Dive

If you thought the Caribbean was beautiful on the surface, just wait until you go deeper into the mystery and the majesty of the kingdom under the sea! The Western Caribbean remains one the most dramatic locations anywhere to encounter a vast variety of colorful sea wildlife and inspiring coral reef formations.

It really doesn’t matter whether your goal is just to have a fun family cruise with a casual snorkeling adventure, or a deep dive into a wondrous aquatic realm. If your best memories include a face mask with a watertight seal, here is what you need to know about the top 10 places in the Western Caribbean where you can snorkel or dive.

1. Key West

The best part about snorkeling is how easy it is to see just below the surface. The best part about scuba diving is how much more you can see. Why can’t you combine the best of both? Wish granted. Try “Snuba” – the ideal combination of ease and range. Our Key West Snuba Adventure is truly breathtaking.

2. Yucatan (Progreso)

The sea isn’t the only place to snorkel. The caves and cenotes of the Yucatan contain some of the most amazing fish and other types of wildlife that you can imagine – maybe even some that you can’t imagine! Bike down a jungle trail to this exotic, unexplored world with our Biking and Cave Snorkeling excursion.

3. Cozumel

The coral reef in Cozumel attracts serious divers and scuba enthusiasts from all over the world. If you have your diving certification and have logged at least one dive in the past three years, you qualify for our Certified Two-Tank Dive. This includes two unbelievable dives going down as deep as 80 feet, but junior divers are restricted to a safe-depth limit.

4. Costa Maya

This might be the year for you to go deeper. Find out if scuba is in your blood with this Discover Scuba excursion for first-time and inexperienced divers. Tour guides will show you exactly what to do and how much fun you could have with diving in the Western Caribbean.

5. Belize

Swimming with sharks is a metaphor for taking care of yourself no matter what. For you, it doesn’t have to be a metaphor anymore. Your whole family, including children as young as 5, can see and even touch the safe, gentle nurse sharks along with awe-inspiring manta rays in the Sharks, Rays, Barrier Reef Snorkel & Island Escape.

6. Nassau

For North Americans, The Bahamas is an unknown world next door, with as much variety and as many stark contrasts as the entire Caribbean in microcosm. The shallow waters between the islands make it possible to snorkel in the middle of the sea on the 2 Reef Snorkel by Boat excursion.

7. Grand Cayman

The Cayman Islands are world-renowned as the place to go for top-of-the-line scuba adventures. For repeat cruisers and divers with valid diving certification, the Cayman Wall, Reef & Wreck Two Tank Dive presents an experience unlike anything they have seen before, including tunnels, chutes, caverns and a real shipwreck.

8. Ocho Rios

Jamaica is a land of magic where families can find a wide range of exciting things to do in exotic locations, from the jungle to the beach. Kids as young as 6 can learn to snorkel in the calm waters of Dolphin Cove’s private lagoon. Bring the family together at the Exclusive Snorkel & Dunn’s River Falls excursion.

9. Mahogany Bay

What if you could walk on the bottom of the sea wearing an astronaut’s space suit? Somebody already thought of that. Try out a full-visibility helmet that lets you see everything and breathe normally on the sea’s floor in the Sea Trek Helmet Diving excursion near Isla Roatan, off the coast of Honduras.

10. Grand Turk

The sea is a big place. You’re going to need a sea-scooter to see it all. Power glide along coral reefs as you snorkel in a truly original way as a part of the Power Snorkel, Rays and Gibbs Cay Adventure. At the end of it all, you can relax on a secluded beach on a private island and share your discoveries.

Waves of Happiness

Just about every cruise to the Western Caribbean includes a group of snorkel and scuba enthusiasts who keep coming back to see more, year after year. There’s an entire living landscape down there that changes from season to season, and is always full of delightful surprises.

Come back to see some fishy friends or keep exploring the great unknown. A family cruise with snorkeling and scuba in the Western Caribbean is always familiar and always new.

Note: Onboard activities, shore excursions, and dining options may vary by ship and destination.