Scuba Certification on a cruise

[terapintpaf]

Greetings,

 

I'm thinking of getting scuba certified on a cruise ship. Part of the certification process is two deep water dives which will be while your in port. Does anyone know if your entire day is taken up with the certification process for both days or will you have time to still do another excursion. Also, I would appreciate any opinions or comments on getting scuba certified while on a cruise.

 

Thanks in advance for your input.

[dot73]

For certification, you will need to do a total of four open water dives. You can do two in one port and two in another port. Two dives will take approximately 3 to 4 hours. As to doing an excursion after the dives, you may find that you are exhausted after the dives. Whether it was nerves, excitement or both, but when I got back to the ship I slept for two hours.

 

You will need to make arrangements for the certification directly with a scuba company. Once you know what your ports are, ask questions on this forum and people will tell you of their experiences.

[mystkittsdivebuddy]

Greetings,

 

I'm thinking of getting scuba certified on a cruise ship. Part of the certification process is two deep water dives which will be while your in port. Does anyone know if your entire day is taken up with the certification process for both days or will you have time to still do another excursion. Also, I would appreciate any opinions or comments on getting scuba certified while on a cruise.

 

Thanks in advance for your input.

 

 

As you probably already know your Scuba certification is in 3 parts:

1. Academic Knowledge.
   
2. Scuba Skills taught in a Pool enviroment.
   
3. Open Water Dives.
   

You will complete the first two parts at a dive centre near your home. The Open Water dives you then complete while on your cruise.

This is called a referral and is a very common way to get your certification.

 

If your certification agency is PADI then there are are 4 Open Water dives, Some other certification agencies require a 5th dive. (with NAUI for instance this can be either a Scuba or a Skin Dive).

 

These dives need to be done over 2 days, so that means two ports of call on your cruise.

 

You will need to research dive centres well ahead of time and ensure that they can actually do the certification dives. (Not all will because they are busy with the cruise passengers.)

 

As for the time it will take, expect about 3 hours on the dive boat, plus the time to travel to the dive sites and pickup etc, so say 4 to 4 1/2 hours. This may be less if you are diving from the shore rather than a boat.

You will be tired after 2 dives so I suggest you do not plan to do too much after diving.

 

I am an Instructor in St Kitts and I regulary teach cruise passengers, it is a great way to get your first Scuba Certification.

 

 

Some advice ("words of wisdom" from experience:;)

• Plan early and do your research, then contact the dive schools way ahead of time.
  
• Get your Instructor to go through the neccesary paperwork with you for the referral, make sure you make a copy, just in case your luggage goes missing or whatever. (Better still, email it to the dive schools you are using ahead of time and then take the original with you).
  
• Buy your own Mask and Snorkel (Take the advice of your Instructor), and use it during your pool training.
  
• If you are going to need a seasickness remedy then make sure you "test it" well ahead of your Open Water dives to make sure you are okay with it.
  

Scuba Diving is incredible, you will wish you got certified years ago, believe me it is well worth the effort and time taken to get certified.

 

My website is in my profile if you want to have a look at some really cool dive photos.

Enjoy your course.

Terry

[Friscorays]

Do you really want to be doing a fair amount of bookwork on your vacation? I would suggest getting certified in advance. Maybe you will find that diving is not for you or that you need a little extra time to feel comfortable. Assuming you have no problems getting certified, you can go on to enjoy some "real" dives on your wonderful cruise stops rather than dropping to a shallow bottom to practice some skills (which you can do literally anywhere).

 

Some recent threads on the topic:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1092194&highlight=certification

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1101001&highlight=certification

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1031164&highlight=certification

[Dive Master]

For certification, you will need to do a total of four open water dives. You can do two in one port and two in another port. Two dives will take approximately 3 to 4 hours. As to doing an excursion after the dives, you may find that you are exhausted after the dives. Whether it was nerves, excitement or both, but when I got back to the ship I slept for two hours.

 

You will need to make arrangements for the certification directly with a scuba company. Once you know what your ports are, ask questions on this forum and people will tell you of their experiences.

 

 

I believe RCCL offers the PADI Scuba Diver course on their ships that do require 2 open water dives. I don't want to call this course "worthless" (taken from an iidiot who did 3 scuba resort courses before certification) but you would have to dive under the supervision of a PADI Instructor or Dive Master.Your depth limit would be 40 feet and you can not purchase life support equipment.I definitely recommend taken the full Open Water course which does require 4-5 dives.

 

Speaking of exhaustion, I slept "hard" for 3 hours today when I returned home from Lake Jocassee,SC. I was totally exhausted.I did get to solo dive my favorite "mud hole" the historic Mount Carmel Church Cemetery featured in the May issue of Scuba Diving Magazine.I am just a lowly DM ---tech wanna be but dont have the funds---so after doing 19 minutes of DECO on air I was one tired puppy.I think it is time to explore doing deco on 50% 02 ! As everyone else posted, I don't think I would plan a lot of activities after diving.

 

In memory of:

 

Doris Yvonne Hamilton

Nov. 27, 1934 --- Nov. 12, 1936

'I pray to the Lord my soul to keep"

 

She is resting peacefully 142 feet under the cool, dark waters of Lake Jocassee.