sogy

I just got certified:

I posted my experience here:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=44755750&postcount=16

It does take a good amount of time. I guess it was a blessing for me because it rained the first 3 days on my cruise, so being in a classroom, or just reading didn't' bother at all. that and i was feeling a bit queezy.

i believe if i wanted to get the full open water certification, i had to do two more sections and two more dives. but i wanted to see the ruins in cozumel, so i didnt' get the full certification.

however, maybe it's my comfort level, but i wouldn't want to a dive without a divemaster/ instructor anyways, so the PADI scuba diver was good enough for me.

I found one advantage of freedom of the seas vs oasis/allure.

It's the port of calls. Oasis and Allure does not stop at the grand caymans. because the grand caymans has no dock, all cruise ships are tendered. and because of that, oasis and allure does not stop because they don't tender.

I mean if you have your heart set on stopping at the caymans, oasis and allure doesn't stop there

I got Certified on my last cruise on Freedom of the Seas.

To sign up you have to visit the SeaTrek Dive Shop on Deck 11 before 5pm on Embarkation Day.

Typically, you would get a instruction package and they would ask you to read about 3 chapters over night. Just to prepare for a classroom session the next day.

The next day, a sea day, they would put you in a classroom and make all the students watch a video the chapters you read. Its' from 12:45 to 5:30. I don't think I needed to read in fine detail the instructions because the video covers what you just read.

You get a free day on day 3, but on day 4, you do the pool dives/sessions. Where you actually go into the pool to do exercises. You'd do this from 7 am to 10:30 am on the day you go to Jamaica.

then on day 5, in The Grand Caymans, You do your Shore dive.

the schedule is quite flexible, depending on how many students there are.

When i went, it was low season, so i went on a 1-1 instructions. so the video only took like 3 hours and the pool session was like 2 hours.

quite an experience on a cruise ship. My instructor Laura was quite helpful.

There is an option to get the full open water certification, just a longer classroom session, pool session, and an extra 2 dives in Cozumel.

its' a lot of work, but it's so convenient and makes your shore excursions so much special.