Jardines Avalon 3 | Jardines de la Reina

Boat

Jardines Avalon III is a brand new state-of-the-art vessel, where each space is created to provide its guests with maximum comfort and safety. It start it will start operating in January 2019. This yacht is 48.8 meters long, 8,6 meters wide, with cruising speed at 12 knots.

The boat has the perfect balance of substantial exploration capabilities and a unique and noble style. It guarantees all guests a pleasant, exciting and exclusive voyage through Jardines de la Reina.

There is a spacious and comfortable combination lounge, dining room and bar area on the boat deck. In cabins and common areas you will find european /american sockets (220 volts and 110 volts ).

Jardines Avalon III offers to the divers a lot of space for dive equipment and photo and video cameras . On the top deck a Jacuzzi (500-gallon hot tub) ,with panoramic view: ideal space to drink a mohjito after the last dive at sunset.

Dining on board combines the style of the best Continental Italian cuisine with delicious seafood and traditional Cuban favorites like rice and beans, black bean soup and fried bananas. Lobster is our specialty and is served in a variety of ways. For those who like something different, chicken, pork and beef are also available. Salads and different fruits are served in every meal. Desserts feature our famous Cuban caramel custard, rhum-flavored cakes, cookies, puddings, pies and many others. Vegetarian and kosher meals are served on request with many different choices available.

Onboard beverages available are: Bottled mineral water, sparkling and tonic water, various soft drinks, juices, beers, rums, whisky and excellent wines (6 beverages/day are included in the package).

Cabin

Jardines Avalon III has 15 comfortable guests cabins, it can accommodate up to 30 guests per trip :

All cabins have ensuite bathroom, comfortable beds, electricity plugs - european /american sockets (220 volts and 110 volts ), as well as plenty of space for the storage.

2 Suite Cabins (#14& 15)：
Located on the upper deck, each cabin comes with two single beds side by side, upon request, it can be converted into one king size double bed. Each cabin has its own private balcony.

2 Suite Cabins (#11& 12)：
Located on the mian deck, each cabin comes with two single beds side by side, upon request, it can be converted into one king size double bed. Each cabin has its own private balcony.

1 Standard Cabin (#13)：
Located on the mian deck, this cabin comes with two single beds side by side, seaview windows.

10 Standard Cabins (#1 - 10)：
Located on the lower deck, each cabin comes with two single beds side by side, some of the cabins can be converted into one double bed, portholes.

Diving

• Usually 3 dives per day, include 1 night dive / week.

• Only 2 dives will be provided on the last diving day.

• No dive provided on the day of arrival and departure.

• All diving will provide experienced guide to lead the dive.

Other Informations

• Nitrox：Available with additional cost ($100/week)
• 15L Tanks：Limited available, provided free of charge
• REBREATHER Dive：Not available at the moment
• Technical Dive：Not available at the moment yet
• Dive Equipment Rental：Available with additional charge
• Dive insurance：Divers must have valid dive insurance
• Wi-Fi Internet ：Not available at the moment yet
• Laundry Service：Available with additional charge
• Massage Service：Not available at the moment
• Payment on board：Cash Only (USD/EUR/CUC)
• Crew Number：12, include 3 - 5 dive guides

Gardens of the Queen 8D/7N

Duration :
From Saturday to Saturday for 8D/7N each week.

Arrival Information :
We suggest arriving into Cayo Coco Airport (CCC), Santa Clara (SNU) or Camaguey airport (CMW). 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.

US Citizens :
The cruise 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.

Please feel free to read more about this program at BlueSanctuary.Org

Daily Program
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.

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.

Our 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.

Jardines de la Reina

There are more than 80 dive sites in the Gardens of the Queen, and yet more to be discovered, all dive sites are well protected from wind and marine currents.

The biggest populations of adult fish in the Caribbean, Sharks, Snappers and Groupers; Jewfish up to 400 pounds are an everyday experience. Sharks are one of the main attractions and you can see them everywhere. You can easily dive with 6 different species: Silkies, Reef, Lemon, Black tip, King Hammerhead and nurse sharks. From July to November you have the chance to swim with Whale Sharks. Gardens of the Queen is certainly one of the last virgin reefs known by man. Dive and snorkel sites are well protected from the winds and sea currents. Visibility is more than 40 meters. There is a wide variety of fish and corals.

In addition, this marine park acts as a critical refuge for North American birds migrating along the route through Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to South America. This wildlife sanctuary hosts more than 68 species of migratory birds.

Crocodiles Snorkel : There is an area back in the mangroves where dive operators over many years have developed a relationship with a few resident American crocodiles. Less aggressive than the infamous Nile and Australian crocodiles, American crocodiles are normally shy, but not in the Gardens of the Queen.

This is an absolutely magic environment of clear water (at high tide anyway), with abundant seagrass below and mangrove forest above. If an over/under photo with a crocodile is on your wish list, there may be no better place on the planet to get one.