Dive Review of Avalon in
Cuba/Gardens of the Queen

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Avalon: "Plenty of sharks below; no credit cards above", Nov, 2023, by Linda Dunn, CA, US ( Sr. Reviewer 7 reports with 5 Helpful votes). Report 12845 has 1 Helpful vote.
No photos available at this time
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity
Dive Operation		Shore Diving	N/A
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	Having been on at least 15 live aboards, this was the first one shared with fishermen, and one brave fisherwoman. There were 39 guests and 19 were divers; others were all Canadians, and only fished. It was fine but felt strange. As a result, the mother boat moved only twice during the week.They left early in fishing skiffs, and the divers left a little later to visit our sites. Everyone ate communally, but divers and fishermen rarely sat together. Food plentiful, varied, and lobster was served 3 times. The diving: lots of sharks, some big stingrays, conch all over, crabs, lobsters, a few eels. Plenty of fish, tarpon, permit, barracuda. Not up to Raja Ampat standards, but much closer for Americans. Overall, recommended. The Cuban crew was wonderful, from the cruise director Elizabeth to every person who worked on our boat. Even the bus drivers went out of their way to help us. They offered 4 dives a day. For surface intervals we visited little islands with hungry iguanas and little mammals that were like a small beaver. We visited with the friendly local salt water Crocodile, who comes when they call his name- because when he visits, they feed him chicken. Plan on visiting Havana for sure- it’s like stepping back 50 years. The entire country is suspended in a time warp. No credit cards are accepted- carry cash and don’t trade it for Cuban pesos. And the cigars? They cost a fortune if you’re inclined.
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	501-1000 dives
Where else diving	Solomons, Fiji, Tahiti, Sulawesi, Malapascua, Sipadan, Red Sea, Caribbean, Raja Ampat, Palau, Borneo, Maldives, Cocos, Hawaii
Closest Airport	Havana	Getting There	Flew through Miami then to Havana; they picked us up in a large bus for the 6+ hour journey to port
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny, rainy, cloudy	Seas	calm, no currents
Water Temp	84-85°F / 29-29°C	Wetsuit Thickness	3
Water Visibility	30-70 Ft/ 9-21 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	no
Enforced diving restrictions	Dives were around 50 minutes at all times. Dive masters were good and knew the area well.safety was prioritized. ]
Liveaboard?	yes	Nitrox Available?	yes
What I Saw
Sharks	Lots	Mantas	None
Dolphins	None	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	1 or 2	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish	N/A
Large Pelagics	N/A
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter	N/A	Boat Facilities	N/A
Overall rating for UWP's	N/A	Shore Facilities	N/A
UW Photo Comments	[None]

Report currently has 1 Helpful vote

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Dive Review of Avalon in Cuba/Gardens of the Queen

Avalon: "Plenty of sharks below; no credit cards above", Nov, 2023,

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Dive Review of Avalon in
Cuba/Gardens of the Queen