New Cruiser *and* New Diver... and I have questions. :)

[Just Don]

I am both a first-time cruiser (if ever cruise ships manage to sail again...) and a newly-certified scuba diver (got my OW certification in April). I am hoping to go on a scuba expedition on one of our cruise ports when we sail in (hopefully) July. Looking at the itinerary, it appears that the best of our ports for diving is Grand Turk, so I'm planning to sign up for a scuba excursion there. (My wife doesn't dive, but she's a saint so she said it's fine for me to take one of the ports for diving. 🙂 )

 

Though I'm brand new, I want to get the most out of my diving experience when I go. Therefore, I'm planning on doing another 8-10 dives in the local dive lake (The Scuba Ranch in north Texas) to get some practice in so hopefully I can at least practice my buoyancy control, trim, breathing, etc. There's nothing I can do between now and then to avoid being inexperienced - but hopefully I can avoid being *that* diver...

 

So, here are my questions, in no particular order:

1. Since my wife doesn't dive, I don't have a dive buddy. How hard is it to find a dive buddy on a ship excursion? Any cautions?
2. Any special considerations for diving as part of a cruise excursion? (What, for instance, do I need to take with me from the ship, and where do I store it while diving?)
3. How is Grand Turk as a dive location for me? (I understand it's a fabulous dive location - but how is it for a brand new, inexperienced diver?)
4. Although I'm new, I do have much of my own equipment - pretty much everything except a tank. (I decided pretty quickly I liked diving, so decided to gear up so I would have gear with which I am familiar - and maybe a little higher quality than rental gear?) I'm assuming that I'm able to take and use my own stuff rather than their gear, right?
5. I have a 3mm wetsuit. Am I right in assuming that I am likely to be too warm in a 3mm wetsuit in Grand Turk in July? What should I plan to wear?
6. Any other recommendations for what I should plan to work on between now and July in my practice dives in order to make my excursion (a) as safe, and (b) as enjoyable as possible?
7. As a new guy, what questions should I be asking that I didn't think to ask here?

 

Thanks!

 

 

[omeinv]

Welcome to the sport, and welcome to cruising.  I hope you come to love both as much as I do.

 

 1.    Since my wife doesn't dive, I don't have a dive buddy. How hard is it to find a dive buddy on a ship excursion? Any cautions?

 

There are a few different options:  One use your cruise’s roll call here on Cruise Critic, and see if there are other divers on your cruise planning to dive in the same port.  If so, you can email back and forth and get some ideas who you’ll be diving with.  Otherwise, if you don’t have anyone in advance, you’ll either be paired up with another diver, or the divemaster will act as your buddy.  If you’re paired up with someone on the boat, you of course don’t know anything about them. I always suggest that in this situation, you make a fairly formal pre-dive check (buddy check).  Seeing the other diver’s reaction to your following the steps deliberately and carefully gives you insight into what type of diver they are.  By all means be completely up front with the boat crew, and anyone you’re buddied up with about your level of experience and your comfort level.  

 

2.    Any special considerations for diving as part of a cruise excursion? (What, for instance, do I need to take with me from the ship, and where do I store it while diving?)

 

You have all your own gear, so you’ll have a fair amount to carry with you.  On cruises I use a big mesh roller bag that fits everything easily.  Another bag style I like is a large mesh backpack style.  Remember you’re going to be walking a fair bit from your cabin to exit the ship then another good hike to get out of the port.  If you’re carrying a bag with a single shoulder strap, you’ll really regret not having a better bag.

 

Things you’ll want/need beside your gear: Cash for crew tips (generally 10-15% of the cost of your dives), a credit card for any other expenses, your ship card of course, and I like dry clothing so I don’t have to stay in wet stuff post dive.  A decent towel from the ship is always nice.  As you can see, you’ll have some things that you won’t want in the dive boat’s wet area with your gear.  Be careful to pack items so you have your gear and your dry stuff separately.  A classic move by “that diver” is to get all geared up, only to announce his mask is in his back pack in the dry area, or to have to ask that his cell phone he has in his gear bag be placed in the dry area.  

 

Bring your log book.  Especially if this is your first “real” dive, you’ll want to get it stamped by the dive operator.  

  
 3.    How is Grand Turk as a dive location for me? (I understand it's a fabulous dive location - but how is it for a brand new, inexperienced diver?)

 

I’ve not dived Grand Turk, but letting the operator know of your level of training and experience generally allows them to get you to sites that are appropriate.  

 

 

4.    Although I'm new, I do have much of my own equipment - pretty much everything except a tank. (I decided pretty quickly I liked diving, so decided to gear up so I would have gear with which I am familiar - and maybe a little higher quality than rental gear?) I'm assuming that I'm able to take and use my own stuff rather than their gear, right?

 

 

Yes, you can.  Some cruise lines make a bit of an issue with dive knives.  If you have one, you may want to leave it home, or you may be asked to surrender it to security on the ship, and then reclaim it on the day of your dive, then again at the end of the cruise.  Particularly on dives you book yourself, bringing your gear usually lowers the cost, so make sure the operator knows you have gear.

    

 

5.    I have a 3mm wetsuit. Am I right in assuming that I am likely to be too warm in a 3mm wetsuit in Grand Turk in July? What should I plan to wear?

 

In the Caribbean I always dive in just a long-sleeve rash guard and swim suit.  You’ll see plenty  of people in 3 mm wetsuits.  It’s all dependent on your tolerance for cold vs willingness to pack a wetsuit.  Your water temperatures, even at depth should be over 80 degrees.  

6.    Any other recommendations for what I should plan to work on between now and July in my practice dives in order to make my excursion (a) as safe, and (b) as enjoyable as possible?

 

Your plan to keep working on buoyancy is great.  Even if you won’t be diving Nitrox on this trip, you may want to take a nitrox course.  The knowledge you’ll gain about tracking oxygen exposure will only solidify what you know about nitrogen exposure from your open water class.  

 7.    As a new guy, what questions should I be asking that I didn't think to ask here?

 

You have a decision to make regarding dive operator when diving on. Cruise.  Do you want to book a cruise line’s excursion, or book independently yourself.  The cruise line excursion has a few advantages: The times of the trip will correspond to your times in port, and you will likely be met at the ship, so it’s super convenient.  However, there are a lot of down sides to the ship’s excursion:  First, the price is usually more than a price you’d get booking yourself.  Worse, that price is the result of the cruise line negotiating a low price from the operator, and then tacking in profit for making the booking easy.  This means the operator often feels compelled to book as many people as they can on the boat, and use sites as close as possible to the port.  Also, the cruise line trip is always going to be geared toward the very beginning diver’s ability.  While you’re a new diver this might not seem to be too bad, but it can get tiresome.  

 

The only times I’ll use the ship's excursion is when there’s a compelling reason to do so.  I doubt there is any such reason in Grand Turk.  Likely better you should research dive operators there, and contact them directly.  Be as straight-forward as you have here, and you’ll get good responses.  Sometimes you will get a response that an operator doesn’t work with cruise ship divers.  This is usually because the times the ship is in port may not work with how they schedule their days.   I often use Trip Advisor, but if you do that it’s critical to read what people say, rather than looking a the number of stars that are rated.  Some things that might appeal to some people, I hate, like having one boat with divers and snorkelers, or having really large boats.  

 

Everyone here on Cruise Critic is always very helpful, and I'm sure plenty have dived Grand Turk, so you may get more insights from them.  Feel free to email me by clicking the link below.

 

Harris

Denver, CO

 

Edited May 11, 2021 by omeinv

[bruzin_for_a_cruizin]

@Just Don, you will not find better advice on diving and cruising than from Harris here. Take every word as gospel and you won't go wrong!

 

I will reinforce a couple points he made from my experience:

1) the only real reason I see to book through the cruise line is if your later arrival in port negates any possibility of booking directly with a local dive shop. The cruise lines make a big deal about "if you're late, we will leave without you, so only book our excursions!" However, the shops in all these port towns understand the importance to their long-term existence of getting you back on-board in a timely fashion. Most two-tank dives depart early in the morning, and will have you back at port in time for lunch, so timing anxiety shouldn't enter into your decision.

 

2) I like diving in a 2mm wetsuit. I hate being cold even in the Caribbean, and I think the suit gives me a bit more tank-time (not shivering? Dunno...). But I don't pack the cumbersome suit if I'm only planning on diving once or twice during the week. On my last cruise -- December 2019 before the world ended -- I dove Bonaire and Aruba on a Southern itinerary. I just wore swim trunks and a long-sleeve rashie. Much easier to pack and carry.

[Kustomcars]

I will agree with the above posts. I have dived in Grand Turk, and it is amazing. You might not appreciate it, as a beginner, you're sometimes more focused on your buoyancy, technique and air, than the "scenery".

I usually only bring my mask, fins, and dive log on a cruise. Bring a towel, dry shirt, tip money, credit card, and ID's along. I have a water wallet, in case I decide I should have my valuables on me when I dive, but that's not often. Oh, you'll need more weight on you in salt water, than fresh, too.

Also, you should mention to your dive master, and/or dive buddy, that you aren't very experienced, so they can keep an extra eye out for you, just to be safe. I do this if I haven't dove in a while.

[gmerick]

On every cruise port scuba trip I've taken, I've always had an "insta-buddy" that I've never met before.  Not a problem, because the whole boatload of divers is in a gaggle between the dive guide and safety diver, and I only nominally had a buddy.  During the pre-dive check with my assigned buddy, I usually asked if I could follow my them behind and to their left.  This made for a very relaxing time, let me keep better track of my buddy, and I was able to use my Go-Pro without distractions.

I did notice that the divers who had a minimalist rig also had the easiest time on a crowded boat.  Dive knifes may look cool, but a paramedic scissors is much more practical.

[omeinv]

1 hour ago, gmerick said:

 Dive knifes may look cool, but a paramedic scissors is much more practical.

But then what do you do with your advanced training:

 

🙂

 

Harris

Denver, CO