Avalon Fleet III

Avalon III is a brand new, state-of-the-art vessel with an overall capacity of 30 passengers and 9 crew members. She is scheduled to set sail in March 2019. Avalon Fleet III has a total of 15 cabins, 10 standard cabins, 1 standard plus and 4 suites with balcony. All cabins have private bathrooms & 2 beds (double or twin), air conditioned with individual thermostats. The Gardens of the Queen are a complex network of untouched marine ecosystems that have been regarded by many knowledgeable scientists and organizations as a reference of what is the original status of a coral reef as Christopher Columbus found it in the times of the discovery. The underwater paradise is all that comes into the mind when you first enter the water, the vertical walls covered with brightly hued sponges, the huge Pilar Corals, the black corals extending the branches in the contrasting blue water, many species of gorgonians, fragile laminar corals showing its beautiful shapes through crevices, canyons and caves built along thousands of years of invertebrates work, converting tons of calcium carbonate into architecture masterpieces, all this combined with one of the biggest fish diversity and biomass of the Caribbean makes each dive an unforgettable experience.
The amazingly healthy mangrove system provides nursery area for young fish populations, filtering the water that goes to the reef together with the seagrass beds and in return receiving from the reef protection against the open ocean wave energy, all interconnected in a very fragile network that here keeps its variety, richness and splendor intact. The biggest populations of adult fish in the Caribbean, Sharks, Snappers and Groupers, Jewfish up to 400 Pounds are an everyday experience.

In Jardines de la Reina, the season is year-round. Diving will start on Sunday morning through Friday. Saturday 9:30 am: disembark & transfer to Santa Clara or Camaguey Airport.

Program

Arrival: The diving weeks run Saturday to Saturday. We suggest arriving into Cayo Coco, Santa Clara or Camaguey airports. Transfers from these airports are $60 per person one way to Jucaro port. If arriving into these airports, the flight must arrive no later than 12:00pm to ensure same day arrival to the port and navigation to Jardines de la Reina. If clients prefer to arrive and depart in Havana, they must arrive in the city on Friday, overnight, then take the collective land transfer to Jucaro port ($120pp one way — 6 hours). This transfer leaves Havana in the morning and ensures that clients will arriving at the port in time to board and navigate on Saturday. Guests MAY NOT arrive into Havana on Saturday, it must be at least the day before. Diving occurs Sunday thru Friday and will be up to 4 dives/day (including night dives). While on the boat, all meals and drinks are included.

Departure: The boat will navigate to Jucaro port on Friday afternoon and will overnight in port. Clients will depart between 5 and 9am on Saturday morning, depending on the group transfer needs. Flights from Cayo Coco, Santa Clara or Camaguey airports can be booked after 11am and flights out of Havana can be booked after 8:30pm on Saturday or the clients may overnight and fly home on Sunday from Havana.

*Any flights outside of these guideline times will be subject to private transfer fees*

US Citizens: Our cruises fall under the humanitarian and environmental projects general license category.

Marine biologists working with Avalon will be teaching and collaborating with the guests about marine conservation and the Gardens of the Queen's unique ecosystem. The guests will be immersed in a participatory environmental project throughout their diving week that integrates perfectly into the diving schedule while building on a long term sustainable conservation initiative through active engagement from divers, Cuban marine biologists and guides. All travelers will be granted a certificate of participation and completion of this humanitarian and environmental project along with a full itinerary of activities that will certify them as legal under US and Cuban regulations for their diving week.

For more information visit: www.BlueSanctuary.Org

Daily routine

Diving schedule is usually at the discretion of the customers following the instructor’s suggestions with 3 to 4 dives daily. The day begins with a wakeup call at 7:00 am, coffee/tea ready, breakfast at 7:15 am. Our diving instructors are ready to go diving from 8:00 am. Fast diving boats are used to reach diving spots having the opportunity to explore different sites each day and enjoy the view of mangrove channels, virgin beaches, birds and other exuberant fauna during the trips. There is no chance for loneliness; dive guides and crew are available every single minute.

The group guarantees all the equipment required to ensure safety (First Aid kits with O2 on every boat, excellent communications with mother boats and mainland, life jackets, AED etc.). Sunday morning, check-in dive to get acquainted and make sure all equipment is in good shape. During the briefings, our experienced instructors will explain every detail of the dive, from what will be seen in a particular spot to the correct behavior while diving with sharks or highlights of the area and special characteristics of the marine life present. After the first dive, surface interval in one of the beautiful beaches. Second dive and, at midday, boats will return for lunch.

Together with the instructor, arrange time for afternoon dives or for excursions through the lagoon and mangrove channels. Coming back to the live aboard, it is time to drink a frozen “mojito”, enjoy the afternoon pizza and talk about the dives. Around 8:00 pm, dinner is served and, like a family, everyone gets together around the table. Night dives available.
The staff will be in contact every minute to assist and receive special requests or suggestions. Evening time next to the bar, to watch photos and videos while breathing the sea atmosphere, it’s time to plan with the instructors what will happen next day.
On Friday there are 2 dives in the morning then navigation back to Jucaro port where the group will overnight on board the mother yacht and disembark for transfer home on Saturday morning.

Boat specificationsDescriptionYear created2019Length160'Width28'Top speed20 knotsCruising speed12 knotsMax guests30Number of cabins15 (11 cabins + 4 suites with balcony - all cabins, except 4, have twin beds convertible in double beds)Bathrooms15Diving Skiffs3