Snorkel activity on Caribbean cruise. Bring your own?

[micheleata]

We bring our own.   Maybe they are sanitized well by the tour operator, and maybe they are not.   Definitely not going to take a chance.

[Merly]

Bring your own. They have been in other people’s mouths. Yuk 

[Noreen411]

We like to bring our own also.

 

We normally snorkel right from the beach rather than through an excursion so probably not really answering the initial question.

 

But having our own gear allows us to snorkel when we feel like it rather than being tied to a schedule.  And we feel safe that it’s clean and sanitary and not used by others.

 

I am sure the snorkel companies clean and sanitize fine also.

 

Noreen

 

 

[DirtyDawg]

17 hours ago, Fouremco said:

LOL. One I can control, but I have no ready solution for the buffet.

 

Simple solution, bring your own utensils.

They don't take much more room than the snorkel and mask. 

You can also buy quite fashionable disposable latex gloves these days too.

Mrs. Dawg prefers these for Formal nights in the buffet.

[zitsky]

That doesn't help if a spoon falls in the food and someone picks it out with their fingers.

 

Buffet or snorkels.. you take a risk.

Edited November 17, 2019 by zitsky

[jsacco20]

I usually just use the ones provided however, we now have the full face ones so we are bringing them with us. 

[Fouremco]

33 minutes ago, jsacco20 said:

I usually just use the ones provided however, we now have the full face ones so we are bringing them with us. 

Given the dangers and the number of deaths associated with some versions of full face masks, particularly less expensive models, I hope that you've done the necessary research to ensure that the design of the ones you have purchased is safe.

[OCruisers]

6 hours ago, micheleata said:

We bring our own.   Maybe they are sanitized well by the tour operator, and maybe they are not.   Definitely not going to take a chance.

 

5 hours ago, Merly said:

Bring your own. They have been in other people’s mouths. Yuk 

 

We don't worry about the forks,etc. we use that others have used and have been cleaned.

Nor do we worry about the snorkel gear that was used and cleaned by the operator.

Long time cruising/snorkeling ... NO Problems!  

 

[Fouremco]

28 minutes ago, OCruisers said:

 

 

We don't worry about the forks,etc. we use that others have used and have been cleaned.

Nor do we worry about the snorkel gear that was used and cleaned by the operator.

Long time cruising/snorkeling ... NO Problems!  

 

Sanitary standards and their enforcement for restaurants is quite high in many countries and on most cruise lines, but there are many areas of the world where that simply isn't the case. I doubt that your level trust in the cleanliness of utensils would be quite so high when eating in some of these other areas. As for sanitizing dive and snorkel equipment, to the best of my knowledge there are no established government or industry standards even in first world countries, let alone in the poorer Caribbean nations. Moreover, I can speak from personal experience when saying that I know that some tour operators don't sanitize their equipment.

 

For example, when travelling with another couple who owned no equipment, our tour provider issued snorkels from a tub of what looked to be just plain water. Both members of the other couple said that there was no taste or smell of any sanitizer whatsoever, let alone that of any bleach, a common sanitizer used by operators.  OK, so this was the first tour of the day, and perhaps they had been sanitized overnight and then placed on the boat in the water-filled tub. BUT... At the completion of the excursion, we watched from the dock as the next group boarded and were issued the same snorkels that had just been used. Yuck! That's just one of many examples that I could cite, but it makes the point.

 

I've been snorkeling for over 60 years and scuba diving for a good many of those. There are many operators in whom I have great trust as to the cleanliness of their equipment, but that trust is far from universal. For the minimal weight and space required, I'll always opt to bring along my own equipment. 

[jsacco20]

1 hour ago, Fouremco said:

Given the dangers and the number of deaths associated with some versions of full face masks, particularly less expensive models, I hope that you've done the necessary research to ensure that the design of the ones you have purchased is safe.

For the few mins we put our face under the water while at the beach to look at fish, we’ll survive. But thanks. 

[zitsky]

2 hours ago, Fouremco said:

Given the dangers and the number of deaths associated with some versions of full face masks, particularly less expensive models, I hope that you've done the necessary research to ensure that the design of the ones you have purchased is safe.

 

Are regular snorkels perfectly safe?

[Fouremco]

2 minutes ago, zitsky said:

 

Are regular snorkels perfectly safe?

Used properly, they are perfectly safe.

 

Full face masks are designed with two separate chambers, a viewing chamber and a breathing chamber. When you inhale, air from the snorkel is drawn into the viewing chamber and from there into the breathing chamber through a couple of one-way valves. The snorkel has three tubes, one large for intake and two small for exhaust. When you exhale, your breath exits the breathing chamber and follows the two smaller tubes to the snorkel to be expelled. In well designed and manufactured masks, this system works well and is perfectly safe.

 

The problem lies with cheaper versions of these masks that don't have an airtight separation between the two chambers, allowing your exhausted breath to enter the viewing chamber to be mixed with new air from the snorkel and re-enter the breathing chamber. Now, instead of breathing in oxygen, you are breathing in a toxic mixture of oxygen and increasing levels of carbon dioxide.

[OCruisers]

6 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

Used properly, they are perfectly safe.

 

Full face masks are designed with two separate chambers, a viewing chamber and a breathing chamber. When you inhale, air from the snorkel is drawn into the viewing chamber and from there into the breathing chamber through a couple of one-way valves. The snorkel has three tubes, one large for intake and two small for exhaust. When you exhale, your breath exits the breathing chamber and follows the two smaller tubes to the snorkel to be expelled. In well designed and manufactured masks, this system works well and is perfectly safe.

 

The problem lies with cheaper versions of these masks that don't have an airtight separation between the two chambers, allowing your exhausted breath to enter the viewing chamber to be mixed with new air from the snorkel and re-enter the breathing chamber. Now, instead of breathing in oxygen, you are breathing in a toxic mixture of oxygen and increasing levels of carbon dioxide.

 

Do beware of the above.  Fine to just stick your head under water for a couble of minutes ... BUT not for longer with the cheap ones.  

[mayleeman]

 

2 hours ago, jsacco20 said:

For the few mins we put our face under the water while at the beach to look at fish, we’ll survive. But thanks. 

 

Don't scoff at the warnings.  I bought one of the early cheaper models before I saw any of the warnings. I would routinely get winded after only about 2 minutes of using it. I thought I was just out of shape. But with my regular snorkel I could swim 15 to 20 mins nonstop. Only after reading about the deaths in Hawaii and subsequent investigations did I learn that my problem was due to excessive CO2 buildup in the mask that didn't clear out as well as does a tube (and the better fullface versions).

 

Had I bulled through trying to build stamina, it could have been dangerous. Trust me, it only takes a few minutes to be affected, and any breathing accidents in the water ain't pretty. At a minimum, it is only sensible to research your purchase and make sure it exchanges air properly.

 

Edited November 18, 2019 by mayleeman

[jean87510]

We have our own masks, pipes, and fins. I dont understand the concept of leaving fins at home unless you snorkel daily at home and get use out of the fins. With the Caribbean vacations, we have an extra checked bag for snorkeling stuff(husband has free diving fins). I'd give up packing an extra pair of shoes and a chic night tux to get the fins in.  As for using others equipment, its not just the sanitary aspect although to each his own. Has anyone ever sat in a ship or big excursion where so much time is wasted trying on and adjusting masks? When you have your own, you go right in. We have a giant waterproof backpack that my husband puts everything in for the day (towels, snorkeling stuff, chsnge of clothes, fins) and we are good to go. 

[Esprit]

I took my own snorkel & mask and used it three times last month. Twice in Labadee as we were on a B2B and then in Cozumel. The water there was amazingly clear and the fish far more abundant.

Edited November 18, 2019 by Esprit
typo

[zitsky]

2 hours ago, Esprit said:

I took my own snorkel & mask and used it three times last month. Twice in Labadee as we were on a B2B and then in Cozumel. The water there was amazingly clear and the fish far more abundant.

 

When you say "there", you mean Cozumel?  So no seaweed problem?

[Esprit]

1 minute ago, zitsky said:

 

When you say "there", you mean Cozumel?  So no seaweed problem?

Definitely no sea weed where I swam in Cozumel. it was close to where the ships berth. People were throwing in food for the fish from a nearby restaurant so I was surrounded by fish. Just brilliant.

[shipshape sam]

On 11/16/2019 at 1:38 PM, zitsky said:

If doing a snorkel activity,  do you bring your own equipment? (We have some.)  I posted on roll call but no answer.

If we have preplanned a snorkeling excursion, we bring our mask and snorkel.  We use excursions fins if offered.  They do not take up a lot room and I like to bite down on 'my snorkel' and also know my mask will fit me.

[Lady Chew]

I have my own mask, and I also have my own VEST!!  It's a little more substantial than the ones usually provided by the operators, and it gives me a little more confidence/security in the water.  I don't need a noodle or other flotation device so my hands & arms are free.  I can stay in the water much longer than I used to without it.

[jsacco20]

21 hours ago, mayleeman said:

 

 

Don't scoff at the warnings.  I bought one of the early cheaper models before I saw any of the warnings. I would routinely get winded after only about 2 minutes of using it. I thought I was just out of shape. But with my regular snorkel I could swim 15 to 20 mins nonstop. Only after reading about the deaths in Hawaii and subsequent investigations did I learn that my problem was due to excessive CO2 buildup in the mask that didn't clear out as well as does a tube (and the better fullface versions).

 

Had I bulled through trying to build stamina, it could have been dangerous. Trust me, it only takes a few minutes to be affected, and any breathing accidents in the water ain't pretty. At a minimum, it is only sensible to research your purchase and make sure it exchanges air properly.

 

I wasn’t scoffing at all! I was merely stating that because we aren’t scheduled for any snorkeling excursions and we literally are standing at the beach looking in the water (not even swimming) we’ll be good. 

[mayleeman]

12 minutes ago, jsacco20 said:

I wasn’t scoffing at all! I was merely stating that because we aren’t scheduled for any snorkeling excursions and we literally are standing at the beach looking in the water (not even swimming) we’ll be good. 

 

My beach snorkeling have all involved swimming out to 10 to 15 foot depths. If you are snorkeling above reefs near a beach, you will not want to be standing and in some protected areas it is prohibited (including bans on reef runner shoes).

Edited November 18, 2019 by mayleeman