A Dive Adventure in Jardines de la Reina

Explore National Marine Park

Travel to Cuba to participate in an educational dive workshop in pristine Jardines de la Reina National Marine Park, located south of the island. Your home-away-from-home will be the dive liveaboard All Star Avalon. U.S. travelers qualify for legal travel to Cuba through the All Star Avalon Blue Sanctuary program, authorized to operate in conjunction with Dr. Fabián Piña Amargós.

Flight arrangements available via Havana or Camagüey. Visas are issued through the E-Visa website. 

Gardens of the Queen

Also known as Gardens of the Queens, divers will discover a protected, pristine location with Caribbean reef, silky, nurse, lemon, great hammerhead, blacktip and seasonally whale sharks, Goliath grouper and an abundance of fish and macro-critters. Find healthy coral reefs without traveling halfway around the world. Even snorkel with crocodiles.

Trips include accommodations, diving, tanks and weightbelts, educational workshops, meals, snacks, beverages and eco adventures.

Highlights

Starting from: $3,275.00

  • Departs Júcaro on Saturdays to Jardines de la Reina Marine Park (Gardens of the Queen)
  • 7 nights
  • Up to 18 dives, including one (1) night dive
  • Luxury accommodations with private baths, TVs
  • All meals and snacks
  • Eco adventures

Dive Sites

The marine park is home to 80-plus dive sites, giving divers plenty of options. With up to 18 dives per cruise, including one (1) night dive, guests will be briefed on how to make the most of each destination. The diversity of dive types in pristine water can include healthy reefs and walls, home to pelagics and macro-critters.

Eco Adventures

As part of this educational workshop, our focus while diving in the marine park will be to help sustain its pristine environment and conserve the site for future generations. Eco-adventures include snorkeling, appreciation of the park’s wetlands as a migratory stop for birds and of the importance of mangroves to the underwater world.

On Board

Our reputation for comfort and safety will only be outdone by high marks for our guest experiences. Stellar service from a fun-loving crew makes these year-round cruises a dive trip of a lifetime. Spacious cabins, some with portholes and others with large ocean view windows. Local Cuban and international dishes, many with fresh seafood, are served with gourmet meals.

Diving

In Jardines de la Reina Marine Park (Gardens of the Queen), its protected underwater residents flourish, creating one of the largest populations of adult fish in the Caribbean. Divers can discover snapper, Goliath grouper, as well as Caribbean reef, silky, nurse, lemon, great hammerhead, blacktip and seasonally whale sharks.

The unique underwater topography features walls with tunnels, caverns and giant ledges, all home to abundant marine life. Colors abound with brightly hued sponges, sizable pillar corals, black corals on the wall, gorgonians and delicate laminar corals.

Experienced, professional dive staff and guides are here to assist and ensure guest safety. With more than 80 dive sites in the Jardines de la Reina Marine Park (Gardens of the Queen), divers will discover an amazing, pristine environment. Highlights of the liveaboard dive trip include:

  • Black Coral I and II
  • Boca de Piedra
  • Cuevo del Pulpo
  • Farallón
  • Finca de Pepe
  • Five Seas
  • Los Indos
  • Los Mogotes
  • Moñtana Rusa
  • Peruano
  • Pipín 
  • Vicente
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Eco Adventures

Discover numerous opportunities for divers to explore the park. With All Star Avalon, get close to nature by:

  • Snorkeling with an endangered species of crocodile
  • Feeding indigenous endangered wildlife – cute hutías and iguanas
  • Snorkeling among the mangroves – the nursery for many young fish
  • Birdwatching
  • Exploring a few of the archipelago’s 250 virgin coral and mangrove islands and inlets
  • Touring a mangrove channel
  • Collecting Diadema sea urchins for relocation onto the reef

Elkhorn corals are on the endangered list and critical to reef building. In one location in the park, they thrive in shallow waters, making them accessible only to snorkelers. Other important corals also found here:  brain, branching gorgonian sea fans, pineapple, star and starlet. An amazing find was the abundance of pillar coral and porites, also known as branched fingers.  

With more than one (1) million acres of adjoining wetlands, it is the perfect resting spot for 68 species of birds as they migrate from North to South America.

Dining

Dive trips include three meals a day – breakfast, lunch and dinner. Breakfast is made-to-order.  Lunch and dinner are prepared by our culinary team and served family style. Snacks are available throughout the day. Meals showcase Cuban and international cuisine, using local ingredients, as well as vegetarian options, plus a variety of fresh seafood, including lobster. Guests can choose from one of several dinner entrees and wine selections. Open seating encourages interaction among guests.

Beverage selections include coffee, soft drinks and bottled water. A selection of wines, beer and rum drinks is available (one free per day). Additional drinks can be purchased, or you can BYOB. 

If you have special dietary needs or restrictions, please note them on the Trip Application form. Special dietary requests, such as vegetarian, can be accommodated with advanced notice. Due to limited product availability and food labeling, it can be difficult to accommodate allergies and vegan or gluten-free diets. 

Trip Information

2026 Rates

$3,950.00 per person October to May

$3,275.00 per person June-September

Up to 3 day dives per day; 1 night dive offered per week

Fees*

  • $240.00 Port Fee
  • $160.00 Conservation Fee

*Subject to change

2027 Rates

$3,950.00 per person October to May

$3,275.00 per person July-September 

Up to 3 day dives per day; 1 night dive offered per week

Fees*

  • $240.00 Port Fee
  • $160.00 Conservation Fee

*Subject to change

Booking Single? We will pair you with another guest of the same gender. 
Single supplement fee for those who wish to have a private cabin is 65% more.
Premium Suite available for $600 surcharge. Limited availability, please Contact Us for more info. 

Departs From

Port Jucaro, Cuba

Flight Planning: Camagüey (CMW) is the closest airport to Jucaro. If flying into Havana, please note that the bus transfer to Jucaro leaves around 9:00am.

See Ground Transportation below.

Boarding:  Saturday, 2:00pm

Returns To

Port Jucaro, Cuba

Flight Planning: Camagüey (CMW) is the closest airport to Jucaro. If flying out of Havana, please plan your flights for late afternoon or evening, as the transfer to Port Jucaro from Havana takes approximately 6-7 hours. 

Disembark: Saturday 9:00am

Airfares

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Included

  • Accommodations
  • All meals, snacks and beverages (coffee, soft drinks, bottled water)
  • One (1) beer, wine, or rum drink per day; additional can be purchased, or you can BYOB 
  • Three (3) day dives per day, plus one (1) night per week
  • All shore excursions and eco-adventures
  • Tanks and weightbelts

Not Included

  • Airfare to Cuba
  • Ground transfers on Saturdays between Havana and the dock.  Transfers are $210.00 each way*.  Transfers from Camagüey are $85.00 each way. 
  • Upgrade to four (4) dives per day – $250.00
  • Nitrox – $130.00*
  • Dive and snorkel gear* (available for rent) 
  • Fees – port fee and conservation fee 
  • Crew gratuity (15% recommended)

*Rental gear must be ordered on the Trip Application and paid for in advance.

Deposits / Payments

Individuals – $1,500.00 per person confirms the space. The balance is due 4 months prior to departure.

Method of Payment
Credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, or Discover), personal check, money order, and wire transfers are all accepted.

Cancellation Policy

Individuals:

  1. More than 12 months prior to departure, guests may reschedule their reservation to a future date. No refunds will be issued. Reservations may be rescheduled only once, and the rescheduled trip must be within one (1) year of the original booking. 
  2. Less than 12 months prior to departure, payment is forfeited.

NOTE: Policy for Trip Interruption Due to a Named Storm: A future credit will be offered for any missed days, with no expiration date for using the credit. We understand your busy schedules and the need to plan. There is no refund for cancellations due to weather.

Travel Protection

It is required that all divers purchase diving accident insurance. Travel protection insurance is also recommended to help protect themselves and their trip investment. For more information and to purchase dive and travel insurance, visit the providers below: 

  • Diveassure: For annual combination trip and dive accident insurance. 

Proof of certificate of diving accident insurance is required.

IMPORTANT: Travel Requirement to Cuba
& U.S. Restrictions Tied to Cuban Businesses

U.S. citizens desiring to travel to Cuba must meet certain requirements, including proper documentation. To learn more, click here.

The U.S. Department of State maintains a list of sanctioned Cuban businesses. U.S. citizens are prohibited from engaging in financial transactions with those on the list.

Ground Transportation from Havana

Ground transfers on Saturdays between Havana and the dock.  Transfers are $210 one way.

The charter bus to Port Júcaro only picks up from the Hotel Iberostar Parque Central.

Guests staying at any other location will need to take a taxi to this hotel , then take the bus to the vessel. Please arrive well in advance to avoid missing the bus. It’s a long walk, as alternate modes of transportation in Cuba are difficult to find.

The bus pick up from Havana is in the early morning (approximately 8:00am) and arrive at the vessel by mid-to-late afternoon (3:30-5:30pm). The trip from Havana to the dock takes 6-7 hours. 

There will be a stop for snacks, drinks and a bathroom break about half-way to Jucaro. You are welcome to bring water and snacks on board.

Ground Transportation from Camagüey

Ground transfers to/from Camagüey can be arranged for $85* (in 2026). 

  • Camagüey’s Ignacio Agramonte International Airport (CMW) – 2-3 hours away

*Subject to change.

Currency Conversion

Divers will need cash for any purchases and gratuities. You can easily exchange money at the airport or at any bank for CUC (Cuban Convertible Pesos).

Major hotels and banks offer favorable currency conversion rates. See above “Restricts Cuban Businesses.”

The best currency to bring on your trip to Cuba is Euros (€). At present, there is a 13% penalty*, in addition to the exchange rate for U.S. dollars.

* Subject to change

Our Vessels

To best manage reservations based upon group size and availability, we will accommodate guests aboard one of three luxury liveaboards to Jardines de la Reina National Marine Park (Gardens of the Queen). All vessels have the same amenities, the only difference being vessel size/maximum occupancy. All departures are guaranteed.

The Avalon fleet includes Jardines Avalon II, Jardines Avalon III and Jardines Avalon IV. Vessels remain moored in calm waters throughout the dive trip. Divers are ferried to dive sites aboard 30-foot power boats. Dive teams will typically be split into groups of 10 and are taken to different dive sites to prevent crowding on the reefs.

The Diving and Marine Conservation team, consisting of a head marine biologist and underwater naturalists/dive guides., engage with workshop divers.

Vessels are crewed by an experienced team including a captain, engineers and gourmet chefs.

Avalon’s luxury liveaboards were designed with comfort and safety in mind.

  • Ample space for dive briefings and underwater camera and video setup (plus a charging station)
  • Shaded dive deck and warm water showers
  • Cabins, each with a TV, private bath and individual temperature control
  • Dining room and bar area 
  • Upper deck with sundeck with lounge chairs and Jacuzzi®

FAQs

Yes, with prior arrangement, you can rent dive gear. For rental rates, click here. Please request these items on your Trip Application. All rentals must be ordered and paid in advance of your trip. No rentals or purchases can be made on the boat.

This program makes it legal to dive in the Jardines de la Reina, Cuba.  To learn more about the Blue Sanctuary program, click here.

Boarding the vessel can begin any time after 2:00pm. Typically the buses from Havana and Camagüey arrive after boarding has begun.

The All Star Cuba returns to port on Friday. Guests overnight on the vessel and disembark by 9:00am on Saturday in order to board the bus  Camagüey or Havana.

All Star Cuba departs from Jucaro in the south-central region of Cuba.

The closest airport to the docks is Camagüey (CMW). Ground transfers to/from the following airports can be arranged.

Camagüey’s Ignacio Agramonte International Airport (CMW) – 3 hours away

Ground transfers can also be arranged from Havana – 7 hours away.

For more information on Sanctioned Businesses in Cuba, ground transfers and pricing, click here.

Please also read the following page thoroughly:  USA Cuba Dive Travel Info.

6 species of sharks can be seen in the Jardines de la Reina Marine Park (Gardens of the Queen), Cuba – Caribbean reef, silky, nurse, lemon, great hammerhead, blacktip and seasonally whale sharks.

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