Scuba Training

[Howie74]

My wife and I are going on the Liberty of the Seas on July 25th- August 1st. I saw that you can get scuba certified on the ship and then make two dives for $250. I know that we could probably get certified for less money, but with that including two dives (I am sure that they are not great dives, but for a beginner) is this worth it? Has anyone done this?

[seahags]

My wife and I are going on the Liberty of the Seas on July 25th- August 1st. I saw that you can get scuba certified on the ship and then make two dives for $250. I know that we could probably get certified for less money, but with that including two dives (I am sure that they are not great dives, but for a beginner) is this worth it? Has anyone done this?

 

Being a certified SCUBA diver is wonderful!!! However, the certification offered for your $250 is a "scuba diver" certification as opposed to an "open water" certification. (I am a PADI Master Instructor and have taught for many years for all levels of certification). You don't say where you live, but you might be far better off to take classes locally, do your academics and pool work and leave home with what is called a "referral". You can then arrange to do your FOUR Openwater dives with the ship and end up with your Openwater certification which will enable you to dive worldwide as a certified diver. I encourage you to go to the PADI (Professional Association of Dive Instructors) website for additional information! It is a fantastic sport and there is SO much to see in the underwater world... best of luck and enjoy yourselves!!!:):):)

[Howie74]

Thanks! We live in Missouri, and have looked at getting our certification before. We can do it here pretty cheap I think. Would I need to tell the instructors upfront what we are planning in order to get the refferal to do the open water dives for certification?

[mjyanne]

Being a certified SCUBA diver is wonderful!!! However, the certification offered for your $250 is a "scuba diver" certification as opposed to an "open water" certification. (I am a PADI Master Instructor and have taught for many years for all levels of certification). You don't say where you live, but you might be far better off to take classes locally, do your academics and pool work and leave home with what is called a "referral". You can then arrange to do your FOUR Openwater dives with the ship and end up with your Openwater certification which will enable you to dive worldwide as a certified diver. I encourage you to go to the PADI (Professional Association of Dive Instructors) website for additional information! It is a fantastic sport and there is SO much to see in the underwater world... best of luck and enjoy yourselves!!!:):):)

 

The PADI course includes 2 dives. To get the Open Water certification you just need to book another (two) dives (another port day). Doing this thru the ship is no problem. DW and DS did all their work and 4 dives on Adventure back in 2005.

 

If you have time at home to do course work that is great but not everyone has the time. Working it into our (cruise) vacation allowed them to get certified.

 

You will find that the cost of doing classwork at home and referral dives will be about the same. Of course you won't spend a few hours of you cruise in a classroom/pool but if you make it part of your vacation it is very doable.

[seahags]

Thanks! We live in Missouri, and have looked at getting our certification before. We can do it here pretty cheap I think. Would I need to tell the instructors upfront what we are planning in order to get the refferal to do the open water dives for certification?

 

Any reputable PADI facility will be happy to do your classroom and pool work, then furnish you with the referral forms. It would be advantageous to let the ship know ahead of time that you want to do your four certification dives while onboard to be sure they can accommodate you. Doing the pool work at home will give you much more time to be comfortable in the water without the distractions of cruisers all around, IMHO. It also will give you more free time to enjoy your cruise! I truly wish you a GREAT time and years of underwater enjoyment! What a privilege to share the underwater world with its creatures!!! ENJOY;):D

[Bellfree Bat]

Years ago, I did all the classwork and poolwork ahead of time and completed my 4 open water dives while on a cruise. I did 2 in Roatan and 2 in Cozumel. These dives were booked independant of the ship but the ship we were on did not have a dive shop. I am not sure if the ship can do referral dives but you would be able to book independant in your ports of call and I would suggest going that route.

 

Just on a side note, the dive staff on the Liberty are wonderful. We had a packing malfunction and forgot our dive computers. We rented computers from the ship at a reasonable cost and they were wonderful. Great service esp since we had booked independant dives.:)

[abigailinmaine]

Is it possible to contact Liberty dive staff ahead of time? I called RC about their dive course and wanting to do 2 more dives for DS's open water cert, but they told us to speak to dive shop once on board . . . thanks for any info or suggestions.

[imsulin]

Being a certified SCUBA diver is wonderful!!! However, the certification offered for your $250 is a "scuba diver" certification as opposed to an "open water" certification. (I am a PADI Master Instructor and have taught for many years for all levels of certification). You don't say where you live, but you might be far better off to take classes locally, do your academics and pool work and leave home with what is called a "referral". You can then arrange to do your FOUR Openwater dives with the ship and end up with your Openwater certification which will enable you to dive worldwide as a certified diver. I encourage you to go to the PADI (Professional Association of Dive Instructors) website for additional information! It is a fantastic sport and there is SO much to see in the underwater world... best of luck and enjoy yourselves!!!:):):)

 

Thanks for your informative reply! We used to pay to do what was called a "Resort Dive", where we spent a few hours with land and pool instruction by the DiveMaster, and then were accompanied by a DiveMaster in open water, and could not dive below 30 feet. I did this in the Grenadines, Hawaii, and Fiji. We did pay "some" money ( $100 tops - not $250) , but really enjoyed it! In Fiji, we were able to dive for five days in a row. Is this the same thing?

[seahags]

Thanks for your informative reply! We used to pay to do what was called a "Resort Dive", where we spent a few hours with land and pool instruction by the DiveMaster, and then were accompanied by a DiveMaster in open water, and could not dive below 30 feet. I did this in the Grenadines, Hawaii, and Fiji. We did pay "some" money ( $100 tops - not $250) , but really enjoyed it! In Fiji, we were able to dive for five days in a row. Is this the same thing?

 

No, not at all. A "Resort Dive" is simply an accompanied dive. Doing classwork and pool (with the accompanying quizzes for classwork and the learned underwater skills in the pool) prepares you to do four "Certification Dives" either with the facility where you do the class & pool, or with a "REFERRAL" to a PADI instructor elsewhere in the world...maybe on a ship, maybe at a port of call. On each of the four dives you will do prescribed skills (which you learned in your pool sessions). At the conclusion of the fourth dive you will become a CERTIFIED Open Water Diver. The PADI certification is valid world-wide and is your passport to a new world of adventure!!! It will enable you to independently rent SCUBA equipment, refill air cylinders and dive with others. Please feel free to ask any other questions...it's a fantastic sport!!!;):D:D