Avalon Fleet II

Avalon II is a state-of-the-art vessel with 10 staterooms that began operating as a floating hotel in April 2014.

NOTE: This boat forms part of the Avalon Outdoor fleet. When you book a trip to Cuba with Avalon Outdoor, you'll be assigned one of their boats upon arrival. For an overview of the fleet, please visit this page or contact us for more information.

Divers booked on the Avalon will board at the port of Jcaro. The trip to Jardines de la Reina lasts 5 hours. Once the Avalon arrives at Jardines de la Reina, it will remain stationary and tender boats will take divers to sites within a 20-minute ride.

Dive Overview

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 (Montastraea Annularis), the black corals extending the branches in the contrasting blue water, many species of gorgonians, fragile laminar corals (Agaricia sp.) 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.

[See: Cuba Dive Travel Guide]

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Accommodation Overview

Avalon Fleet II has 10 deluxe, comfortable staterooms air-conditioned, with individual thermostats. All cabins have private bathrooms and 1 Bunk bed (double lower, single upper). The vessel has an overall capacity of 20 passengers and 9 crew members.

Dive Information

Diving in Jardines De La Reina

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 (Montastraea Annularis), the black corals extending the branches in the contrasting blue water, many species of gorgonians, fragile laminar corals (Agaricia sp.) 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 (Thalassia testudinum) 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.

Avalon Diving Center is the only operation in the area, and hosts no more than 900 divers per year. Dive sites are well protected from the winds and sea currents. Visibility is more than 40 meters. The dive center is well equipped with new compressors, nitrox blenders and quality equipment for rent.

Sample Itinerary: 8D/7N Jardines De La Reina

• Duration: From Saturday to Saturday for 8D/7N each week.
• Airport:If possile, please fly to the minor airports, like Santa Clara, Camaguey, Cayo Coco. Where the group transfer will be included. If guests arrive in Havana / Jucaro, there will be extra transfer surcharge.
• Daily Routine onboard: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.
• During the dive 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, the third dive will be done in the afternoon. And if possible, we will make a night dive or sunset dive.
• 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. Evening time next to the bar, to watch photos and videos while breathing the sea atmosphere, its time to plan with the instructors what will happen next day.

The Ultimate Sharks Paradise

Diving with sharks is one of the main attractions in Gardens of the Queen. There are resident populations of Caribbeans and Silkies, in some spots is absolutely guaranteed to have more than 25 curious sharks swimming around during the dive, at least 6 different species can be seen: Very abundant: Caribbean, Nurse and Silky sharks, occasional: Lemon, Blacktip, Great and Scalloped Hammerhead and the amazing Whale Shark.

Avalon Fleet Program

Program includes transfers from/to the Santa Clara or Camaguey Airport to Jucaro Port (2 1/2 hours) where the Liveaboard departs from. Transfers are included for flights arriving by 6 pm Saturday at both airports. Guests arriving before may wait for the transfer. Clients arriving by their own to Jucaro will board around 6 pm. Clients booked on Tortuga need to arrive to Santa Clara or Camaguey airports on Friday, so to be able to take the transfer on Saturday morning. 

Diving will start on Sunday morning through Friday. 

Marine Biologists working with Avalon will be speaking with the clients about Marine conservation and Gardens of the Queen unique ecosystem. 

Saturday 9:30 am: disembark and transfer to Santa Clara or Camaguey Airport.