omeinv

@Etta1213 The critical thing is you will be participating in a water sport, so you must be able to be safe in the water. Neither sport requires expert swimming, but you do need to be able to swim at a level that will keep you safe in the water. Additionally, for real enjoyment, both sports require water comfort. The requirement for scuba diving is that a person must be able to swim continuously for 200 yards, or 300 yards with a mask, snorkel and fins. There is no time limit for this and any stroke or variety of strokes may be used, but it is required the person not stop. The other requirement is that a person be able to tread water or float unaided for 10 minutes. I'd recommend using these criteria to evaluate yourself for either sport. Thy provide for the minimum ability to keep oneself safe if separated from the boat or shore briefly by current or other issues, or if one falls in the water accidentally. If you're going to be in or around water, this level of swimming skill is indicative of the ability to prevent tragedy. Since you assess your own swimming ability as poor, I'm understanding you can swim, but that you recognize a deficiency. The nice thing is with any ability to swim, is it's a skill that improves with practice. If you use the above criteria, you can easily and safely go to a pool and see how you do. If you can complete those exercises, then you could move on with training for either sport; and if you have difficulty, perhaps either practice on your own, or seek a bit of swim instruction. Generally difficulty swimming is is not a lack of ability, but more a poor application of technique. As far as which sport is easier to learn; at the entry level snorkeling certainly is since there is no requirement for any formal training. Scuba diving requires certification, involving study, classroom, pool training, and then evaluation dives. This is because scuba diving requires the use of equipment and techniques that would be dangerous without proper knowledge. With snorkeling, though no training is required, I strongly recommend a snorkeling class. These are typically a 2 or 3 hour class, and they're generally available through dive shops. Where I teach the cost is $75.00, which is about the cost of a single snorkeling excursion. Whether they've been snorkeling before or not, people feel they get much more out of snorkeling after taking this course; and it adds value to all their future snorkeling excursions. Harris Denver, CO

Sign in to your cruise, then go to "MANAGE RESERVATION": Then go to "RESERVATION DETAILS": That works for me to then see the "GRATUITIES" Field. It only shows up using my laptop, not on my phone. Harris Denver, CO

@jbrinkm If you only have two days of diving on your cruise, PLEASE go ahead and get certified in advance. I realize the local dives are not inviting, and the money only adds to the marks in the "NO" column. However, I've conducted certification dives in local reservoirs and the ocean. What they have in common is they are not fun dives. While there should be some "excursion time"; the focus of your certification dives is skill demonstration. You will definitely be restricted to diving for that purpose. The depth limits for the certification dives are set by standards, 40 feet max for dives 1 and 2; 60 feet for dives 3 and 4. In short everything about the dive will be geared toward successful certification dives, not diving enjoyment. It's particularly disappointing when there are a group of certified divers on the boat when you're doing your cert dives. You see them go off on a "real" dive while you're hovering over a sand bottom doing your skills. To add insult to injury, they'll probably come back talking about some amazing thing they saw. Additionally, there's a certain value to those local dives. You'll be diving in poor visibility, and colder water. Having that experience can be very beneficial when you someday get in poor visibility in the ocean, for example when the current kicks up sand, or someone kicks up a bunch of silt. Finally, if you're relying on getting your cert dives done at two separate ports on the cruise, there's always the chance that bad weather could scrub either day for you which would mean you'd be in the bad position of having 2 dives done, and needing the other two. While I appreciate the downsides you're seeing, I really think your shop is trying to look out for your best interests. If their prices for the local certification seem truly out of whack, send me an email (the link to the address is in my signature), and I can give you a couple other ideas that may work for you. Harris Denver, CO

No, not once you're out of the port/harbor. Harris Denver, CO

I guess I hallucinated how I just pre-paid mine then. Harris Denver, CO

Log in on the website, then go to Manage My Reservation, then open the drop down for Reservation Details, you'll see the gratuities option there. Harris Denver, CO

It was made permanent April 7, 2022; via an email from Andrea Shey, VP of Loyalty Programs. Harris Denver, CO

@pete1681, @Sigyn I'm glad you mentioned this. I must have been in a hurry when I first responded to this, as I apparently completely did not notice you mentioned Cozumel, which I think is the best diving of all these places. There are a lot of operator's there (literally hundred's), and you'll get a lot of recommendations. When I go there, I dive with Aldora Divers, but they do not work with cruise passengers, as the times in port just don't comport with how they run. Dive Paradise is known for running a later boat, that works well for cruise schedules. If you want a genuine top-natch experience, contact Sherief Sanad, at Humarine. You'll pay more, but you'll get every bit of your money's worth. (https://humarine.com/). Otherwise, I've dived with Salty endeavors, and was pretty happy with them as well. Cozumel has many truly spectacular dives, and generally the visibility is amazing. It is drift diving which is likely something you won't have done before; but it's nothing to obsess over. Again for the full value, and to get a custom made experience, go with Sherief at Humarine. Harris Denver, CO

Well, I booked a Japan Cruise on April 1, 2020 (maybe the fact it was April Fool's Day has something to do with this). We are now scheduled to sail on April 9, 2024, so that's 1369 days. Of course it was supposed to happen in April of 2021, then April 2022, then April 2023. I think fourth time may be the charm. Harris Denver, CO

ExecutiveOffice@celebrity.com Harris Denver, CO

If you look back through the course of the program, most webinars have been five points, but many have been three points. No rhyme or reason to it. Realistically, the participants of this thread prove that any number of point is enough to get everyone to participate (in some manner) in a 1/2 hour webinar; and no amount of points would satisfy the participants of this thread. Harris Denver, CO

The mattresses on Celebrity Ships are generally good, but the Edge class are excellent. In fact, the mattresses can be purchased. https://celebritybedcollection.com/product/celebrity-cashmere-mattress/ Harris Denver, CO

Any WRSTC member agency (SSI, PADI, NAUI, SDI, And many others) is going to require a ten minute float/tread, and either a 200 yard/meter uninterrupted swim, or 300 yard/meter uninterrupted swim using mask, snorkel and fins. Harris Denver, CO

@Sigyn If one were going for a week, I think Belize would win first place. However, the sites you can do when there for a day on a cruise, are nice, but not in that super tier. Also, Belize is a tender port with a particularly long tend ride. It means that unless you use a ship's excursion, you take a 25 minute tender trip in, then go to the dive shop and the dive boat takes you right back out past the ship tot he dive sites. The ship excursions had the benefit that the dive boat would pick you up from the ship, saving a bunch of time. For this reason, Belize was one of the few ports where I felt the best answer was to use the ship's excursion for this reason. However, since cruising has resumed after COVID, it sounds like they really haven't restarted scuba excursions. Others here have reported there's a shop adjacent to the tender pier that they've worked with. I'm sure someone will be able to provide a name and review; although my recollection is that people were happy. Roatan has good diving. If there's a ship's excursion it will probably be with Anthony's Key Resort, in West End. If there is a ship's excursion, and the price is not too much higher than you can get doing it yourself, that's not a bad way to go. I've dove with them several times on ships excursions, and have had more good than bad experiences. If you arrange a private excursion, I'd make sure it includes port pick-up and return. The ports on Roatan are not terribly close to the diving, so if someone says you'll need your own taxi it will likely add quite a bit of expense. Costa Maya is easy. There's great diving and great people to dive with. The diving is on the same reef as Roatan and Belize (the Meso-American reef, the second longest barrier reef in the world). The nice thing at Mahahual (the actual town at Costa Maya) is that it's not near so well know nor as busy. It's a bit off the beaten path for tourists not on cruises, so things are smaller and nicer. You will want to dive with Catherine and Abel at Gypsea Divers. From the cruise port, you'll walk through the port complex, then take a taxi (Ask them to take you to the Hotel Nacional). It was $4.00 US per person the last time I was there. It's about a 10 minute ride. Then you can spend a great day diving, and when it's time to go, you won't want to. (http://gypseadivers.com/). Tell Catherine I sent you. Harris Denver, CO

@Sigyn I've not stayed at Buddy Dive, but a group from here stayed with them about a year ago and were happy. It's always hard to figure whether on-line reviews are valid or not. I'm leaving for Bonaire in 2 weeks, and we'll be staying in a condo, and getting an unlimited tank package from Dive Friends. We just use our rental truck to go all over, and thus don't need to worry about any resort facilities, or dive guide issues. I don't know of other lodging option s that would be great. I've stayed at the Courtyard hotel, and it was nice enough, but it's not on the water, and not someplace I'd recommend as a first choice. Harris Denver, CO

I’m sorry, I don’t have anything to report there. Harris Denver, CO

For Maui, I last used Maui Diving and Snorkeling. I've also used Lahaina Divers in the past. Both are good, although - at least when I was last there - Lahaina Divers had one of those huge Newton 46' boats; and thus had a lot of divers going out. I haven't dove wiht Maui Diving in years, but we refer a fair number of students to them for their Certification dives, and all seem happy. (https://mauidiving.com/) My favorite dive there is Mala Wharf. It's a collapsed pier (knocked over by Hurricane Iniki in the 1990's). The coral has done well on the collapsed structure, and you can almost bet on seeing turtles and reef sharks. The max. depth is only about 35-40 feet, so you get a nice long dive and plenty to explore. Since it's fairly shallow it's often dive operator's second dive, but my experience is that it's been better than the first dive every time I've been there. If I were trying to put something togeher, I'd ask about doing Molikini Crater (the inside side) and then Mala Wharf. They may not be able to accommodate that for you on a ship. Oahu is a little tougher, again I haven't been there is years. A favorite of mine there is the Corsair plane wreck dive, but it's not everyone's cup of tea; and it sounds like it wouldn't be yours. I've not dove with them, but have had very positive reports from customers regarding Island Divers. They have a location at Hawaii Kai, which puts their marina right at some of the nicer reefs. Hawaii Kai is probably about 20-30 minutes from the cruise port. (https://www.oahuscubadiving.com/) Harris Denver, CO

@jbrinkm That's great that you're set to get certified. For Aruba, please get in touch with Jeffrey Kost at Happy Divers Aruba. Let him know you're coming to do your cert dives, and he'll get you set for sure. (https://happydiversaruba.com/). For Curacao Hans Pleij at CURious2Dive is your man. (https://www.curious2dive.com/) He'll provide port pick-up and return. Even though we're a long way out, I'd recommend getting your dives scheduled now, before someone else books them up for regular dives. If you tell these guys I sent you, they'll probably charge you extra. 🙂 You're correct that one should wait 24 hours after diving to fly. As far as diving on consecutive days, you're suppose to dive 2 dives everyday once you're certified. Ok I'm kidding. The truth is that - as long as you follow your dive computer - diving daily is not going to present an issue. However, you'll want to take a break after several days of diving, not so much for any physiologic reason, but just cause daily diving wears you out. It's a lot of early mornings. Harris Denver, CO

100% agree about West Side for Barbados. I just got word they're moving back to the Boatyard beach, which is even more convenient for cruise passengers. Peter can't pick up inside the port anymore, but will meet you at the port gate. (https://westsidescuba.com/) I've used Scuba Steve's in the past and they were fine; but I've been happier with Eastern Caribbean Diving. Either will get you a good day of diving, and there's no easier port for cruise ship to dive boat pick up, regardless of which pier your ship docks at. (https://www.easterncaribbeandivingstlucia.com/) Harris Denver, CO

Yes, this season Eclipse, then Equinox. In both cases Solstice class in SA, not Edge class. Harris Denver, CO

November 2024, Eclipse will be in the Caribbean. Harris Denver, CO

You can bet not, since they just moved Eclipse to the South America/Antarctica runs replacing Infinity there. Harris Denver, CO

That's why I'm here. 🙂 Well, that and to give snarky answers to some posts. Harris Denver, CO

On bag per Elite member per sailing, so if both you and your spouse are Elite, you'll get 2 bags of 30 items each (20 items on certain water restricted cruises - Alaska cruises). Harris Denver, CO

In the Caribbean, the 6 months before expiration is recommended by Celebrity, but none of the countries you visit require it. Some Countries, including EU nations, do require the passport have at least month validity. Harris Denver, CO