Cuba Underwater Photo & Video Workshop
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Why Join this Trip? - Trip Overview - Trip Type - Itinerary
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Cuba Underwater Photo & Video Workshop
Join us aboard the Jardines Avalon III for a 7-night photo & video workshop led by Romona and Shane Reynolds.
October 14 - 21, 2023
Photo Instructor: Romona Reynolds
Video Instructor: Shane Reynolds
7 Nights:
$3,950 per person for a standard cabin, double occupancy
Optional Havana Cultural Tour
October 12 - 14, 2023
$1,435 per person, double occupancy
$1,815 per person, single occupancy
More details here.
Why Join This Trip?
✓ One of the best Caribbean diving destinations
✓ Excellent destination for scuba divers of all levels
✓ Luxurious accommodations aboard the 160-foot Jardines Avalon III
✓ FREE daily Photo & Video workshops
Trip Overview
The 160-foot Jardines Avalon III is a luxury motor yacht with 15 staterooms, including 4 suites with balconies. Avalon III has an overall capacity of 30 passengers and 12 crew members. The liveaboard departs from Jucaro Port.
The underwater paradise is all that comes into mind when you first enter the Cuban waters, 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.
Read about our previous trips to Cuba: Cuba Group Trip 2017 with Katie Yonker and Cuba Group Trip 2017 with Tim Yeo
[See: Cuba Dive Travel Guide]
Inclusions
✓ Land transfer between Havana and Juraco Port ($150 one way), land transfer between Camaguey and Juraco Port ($60 one way, when less than 10 guests choose this option)
✓ 7 nights double-occupancy accommodation on the Jardines Avalon III
✓ All meals and snacks throughout the day
✓ Filtered water, coffee, tea, and local juice
✓ 6 specialty beverages per day (soda, local beer, wine, rum mixed drinks)
✓ 3 dives per day
✓ Free daily underwater photography and video workshops
✓ Laundry service
✓ Tanks and weights
Exclusions
✗ Land transfers to and from Jucaro Port
✗ Port Fee ($340)
✗ Conservation Fee ($120)
✗ Fuel Surcharge ($150)
✗ Nitrox
✗ Equipment rental
Trip Type
This trip is a PHOTO & VIDEO WORKSHOP. It will be led by one of our instructors and will include daily underwater photography and video tutorials, in-water support, and one-to-one advice and guidance as required.
What to expect from our Photo & Video Workshops
- Daily photo workshops - Your photo instructor will schedule seminars each day on topics including, but not limited to, equipment type and selection, the concept of underwater photography and videography, lighting and composition techniques, and post-processing. They will also include topics relevant to the location and your experience such as the use of snoots & diopters, single vs multi-point light sources, plus daily macro-specific assignments to practice your skills.
- In-water support - Where possible, each dive group will spend time underwater with the photo instructor, receiving in-water support and guidance on their shooting techniques. Participants can also request in-water assistance during the workshop and the photo instructor will do his or her best to accommodate all requests.
- Consecutive days of practice & review - Each day you will have the opportunity to practice the techniques and skills learned in the previous day’s tutorials. If you are new to underwater photography or videography you will likely see a vast improvement in just a few days.
- Daily photo image reviews - You are strongly encouraged to bring your laptop, a thumb drive, edit your photos, and submit your shots for review from both the instructor and your peers. These are fun and interactive sessions encouraging you to improve throughout the trip.
- Quality time with fellow photographers - Both new and experienced photographers and videographers from past workshops have expressed the advantages of joining a trip with like-minded divers with a passion for underwater photography and videography.
- Suitable for everyone - New and experienced photographers and videographers are welcome on all our trips. Gain the necessary skills to start shooting great photos and videos, increase your confidence in finding the best underwater shots, or hone specific skills. We also encourage non-photographers to join, as many of them really enjoy the daily photo and video reviews, learning about underwater photography and videography, and some have even returned to a workshop with an underwater camera setup!
Enjoy free, unlimited access to a wealth of knowledge and advice from your instructors.
About The Jardines Avalon III
Avalon Fleet III has a total of 15 cabins: 10 standard cabins, 1 standard plus, and 4 suites with balconies. All cabins have private bathrooms & 2 beds (double or twin), air-conditioned with individual thermostats.
Avalon Fleet III Boat Features
✓ Next generation Northern Lights Chiller AC individually controlled
✓ Large AC lounge
✓ Large open-air areas
✓ Top open air bar with hot tub
✓ 12 people crew
✓ Laundry service
✓ Daily housekeeping
✓ Audio & video entertainment
✓ TV & aircon in cabins
✓ Indoor saloon
✓ Warm water showers
✓ 220v in bar and restaurant
✓ USB in bar, restaurant, rooms
Avalon Fleet III Dive Facilities
✓ Nitrox
✓ Huge dive deck and camera tables
✓ DIN adaptors
✓ Rinse hosts
✓ Tenders for diving
✓ Dive equipment rental
About the Instructors
Romona Robbins (Reynolds) is an international, award-winning photographer who has been shooting above and below the water in over 40 countries for various clients including National Geographic, Lonely Planet, Travel Channel, and The Red Sea Project. Romona is a Canon™ shooter (Nauticam) and a certified PADI scuba instructor with a degree in biology and an intricate mastery of Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom. What sets Romona apart is her adaptability and efficiency in capturing imagery that tells a story. Whether it’s through her heart or her lens, Romona Robbins has never met a stranger, which might be why her photography often feels so familiar.
Examples of her work can be found at www.romonarobbins.com.
Read more about Romona here.
Shane Reynolds is a world-renowned producer/videographer with underwater credits including “Caribbean Pirate Treasure” with the Cousteau’s (Travel Channel), “The Trip” with Josh Gates, and his own prime-time shows “Shane Untamed” (Nat Geo Wild) and “Not Your Average Travel Guide” (Travel Channel) to name a few. Shane is a master certified diver, a cinematographer, and a master Adobe Premiere Pro editor as well.
Travel Information
For guests joining the Havana Cultural Land Tour before the liveaboard:
Fly into Havana (HAV) arriving in the afternoon of October 12.
Fly out of Camaguey (CMW) / Santa Clara (SNU) no earlier than 2pm on October 21
OR
Fly out of Havana no earlier than 8pm on October 21
For guests NOT joining the land excursion prior to the trip
Boarding: 1pm-2pm on Saturday 14 October, 2023
Disembark: 7am on Saturday 21 October, 2023
You may fly in or out of any of the following airports following these timeline parameters:
Havana (HAV)
N.B. the transfer from Havana to the boat takes a minimum of 6 hours and costs $150 per person.
Arrival Flight: Must arrive into Havana the day before embarkation (13 Oct) or earlier. Overnight in Havana - we recommend either the Iberostar Parque Central Hotel (Old Havana) or Melia Habana Hotel (Miramar) where the land transfers to the boat will depart from. The transfer will depart Saturday (14 Oct) early morning - 6hr+ land transfer to Jucaro Port to meet the boat.
Departure Flight: Saturday (21 Oct) no earlier than 8pm out of Havana. Though it is suggested to overnight in Havana and fly out on Sunday.
Camaguey (CMW) / Santa Clara (SNU)
Arrival Flight: Arrive into Camaguey or Santa Clara no later than 11am on Saturday (14 Oct). The 3hr land transfer to Jucaro Port will depart mid-morning on Saturday. However, you should consider arriving the day before as a precaution due to flight delays, etc.. We recommend staying overnight in the Hotel E Santa María in Camaguey as this is where the transfer will depart from on Saturday morning.
Departure Flight: Saturday (21 Oct) no earlier than 2pm.
Payment Schedule
Deposit: $1,500 to confirm trip
Payment 1: $1,200 due Apr 1, 2023
Balance: July 1, 2023
Want to Extend Your Trip?
We can help with that! See more of the Cuba before your workshop with Bluewater. Flying all that way merits a multi-destination vacation! Here are some examples of packages we can add on to your workshop reservation:
*Rates are subject to change at any time; please contact us for the most updated pricing.
2 EXTRA NIGHTS IN CUBA
Trip Extension Itinerary
THURSDAY AFTERNOON ARRIVAL:
VIP Airport Expedited Arrival Services
Meet-and-greet guide and driver pickup/airport transfer
Revolution Square stop
Hotel Check-in – Unpack - Leisure Time
Private Top-rated Paladar Dinner
Post-dinner Exclusive Havana Club Rum Tasting
Nightlife/Music Option
FRIDAY
Old Havana Guided Walking Tour
Cigar Factory Tour
Bodeguita del Medio Mojitos
Lunch with History Professor – Cultural Attaché
Salsa dance lessons – one-on-one instruction
Classic Convertible Tour & Professional Photoshoot
Private Top-rated Paladar Dinner – early evening post-dinner return to hotel
SATURDAY
Transfer to Avalon Havana pick-up spot for land transfer to the boat (6 hours) to begin the workshop
inclusions
✓ Two nights Havana lux hotel accommodations including daily breakfasts
✓ 2 dinners and 1 lunch plus 2 beverages/meal plus service gratuities with food served family style pre-fix menu
✓ WIFI
✓ Havana Airport VIP Arrival Expedited Entry Services
✓ Arrival Airport private transfers (assuming all arrive on the same flights)
✓ Dedicated Havana full-time expert bilingual guide
✓ Havana Full-time personal air-conditioned transportation
✓ Havana private professional driver (separate from the guide)
✓ Base gratuities for the guide and driver
✓ A fully planned itinerary that includes all touring, rum tasting, photography, and featured exclusive interactions/experiences
Got Questions? Ready to Book?
Call Bluewater Travel at +1-310-915-6677 or email info@bluewaterdivetravel.com and let them book your dream vacation at the best price!
Photo Gallery
Photos provided by Amos Nachoum, Michael AW, Greg Lecoeur, Scott Johnson and Xavier Safon
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