Certification or Discover Scuba dives?

[Freki]

Hi everyone -

 

Several family members are planning on a cruise this winter, probably the Grand Princess in late January. My sister and I are interested in scuba diving while on the trip, but neither of us is certified. I checked on getting certified with a local dive shop, but since it's Minnesota, they're done doing open water certification dives for the year.

 

We're trying to decide whether to do the course and pool work here and get a referral for certification dives on the cruise, or to just do discover scuba dives. I'd like a bit more information about what the two different kinds of dives are like.

 

Do you get to spend much time swimming around looking at things on a certification dive, or is it mostly a training experience? If we decide to do this, would it be better to go with the New Wave program, or set up our own dives with local operators? Does the cost of the certification with Princess include the dives, or do you need to pay more for the actual dive trip?

 

With a discover scuba dive, how long do you spend in training before you get in the water, and how long do the dives last compared to a certification dive?

 

I think we're both going to want to get certified before next year, but we're trying to decide what will give us the best experience for this trip.

[cruzegirl]

I am a certified diver and I would recommend doing the pool/class work at your local dive shop.... Then do your certification dives on your cruise. You'll be trained better, you'll be safer and you can get your skills/checkout dives done and go see things... then you'll certified...

Discover Scuba is just a taste... They don't go into as much detail as the regular training and you don't get to see as much..... And your not certified at the end.... So you've wasted money that you could put towards getting certified.... You'll love it..... Good luck.... And happy bubbles..:D

[Loves_Dogs]

I did Discover Scuba on a cruise back in 05, it started my love of diving. You get about 30 to 45 minutes of lecture before you get in the water. The actual dive was about 30 minutes. I enjoyed it enough that this year I went to my local dive shop and did the classes and poolwork for my certification. Then, on my Destiny cruise back in June, using the universal referral letter, I set up my 4 dives needed to get my certification.

 

For the certification dives, the first one I did in St Thomas and it was more or less a pleasure dive (my son who is certified was allowed to go with the divemaster and I). My 2nd dive in St Thomas was a skill test, just me and the divemaster and I did things like removing my mask, towing him, etc.

The 3rd dive I did in Barbados was a pleasure dive (my son went again). After the 3rd dive the boat went back and the other divers took a break while the divemaster tested me. I had to perform the swimming test and he also had me do the mask removal, clearing, losing my reg etc). When the other divers came back to the boat, I did my 4th dive which was another pleasure dive with my son and the divemaster.

 

 

Sorry so longwinded. Oh, and by the way my certification is SSI but with the universal referral letter you do not have to use an SSI shop for the dives, the shops I used were PADI. They simply test you, fill out the paperwork and sign the letter, you return the letter to your local dive shop to get your card.

[newlywedcruisers]

I just did my first discover dive, and I in no way shape or form think it was a waste of money. I spent 100 bucks (with tip to the instructor) and realized that scuba was one of the most enjoyable things I have ever known. I think it's good to "test the waters" (pun intended!) before you go all the way in, which I will now be saving up to do!

[Arubalisa]

I too recommend taking a "Discover Scuba" excursion before making an investment in Scuba certification. There are certain circumstances with diving where no matter how much you love the water, if you have trouble clearing your ears or develop sudden claustrophobia (and those are just 2 circumstances off the top of my head) you will have wasted a whole lot of $$$. Just make sure you love it before you make the committment because it IS expensive.

[Jacqueline]

I would do discover scuba unless you are sure that you really do want to be a diver.

If you have a long term love affair with water, and have the time and money, then do the course (at home) and do your checkout dives through Princess. The New Waves program is a good one, and I have met many people onbaord that have enjoyed this as a focus ot their cruise.

On your certification dives, you do need to demonstrate skills , but you see as much and probably enjoy it more since you are better trained and have used the gear before.

Why don't you buy the PADI open water manual at your dive shop and read through it. This will give you a good idea of what is involved with each dive.

[Jacqueline]

And once you are ceritified, you can go for your Ice Diving specialty ~

[newlywedcruisers]

And once you are ceritified, you can go for your Ice Diving specialty ~

 

Ice diving? something about knowing that the sea above is nothing but a thick sheet of ice would be discomforting...

[Jacqueline]

Its true- but y'all are from Georgia, so you will have to visit the Original Poster in MN to try it out. This is a nice winter ritual in NE. Take a chain saw, cut out a hole in the ice --- the diver is connected to the surface by a rope with people at the other end .. Sound like fun yet ?

Then there is a big bonfire where everyone celebrates that they are not under the ice.

[Freki]

The dive shop here does offer an ice diving specialty, but I'm not in a big hurry to try that out. Lake Superior is a pretty popular diving destination up here, and that would be plenty cold for me.

 

Thanks for all the feedback. We were planning to do a discover scuba session in the pool at the dive shop, since it's only $20. It sounds like the discover scuba dives on a cruise would still be a good introduction, especially since we want to spend some shore excursion time with the rest of the family. Then if we both love diving we can get certified at home, and be ready for our next trip.

[bruce-r]

Its true- but y'all are from Georgia, so you will have to visit the Original Poster in MN to try it out. This is a nice winter ritual in NE. Take a chain saw, cut out a hole in the ice --- the diver is connected to the surface by a rope with people at the other end .. Sound like fun yet ?

Then there is a big bonfire where everyone celebrates that they are not under the ice.

So, is that an invitation? If so, count me in. ;)

 

To the OP, do the discover scuba dive. If you like it, and some people don't, then you can do a second one later on during the cruise. Wait until next year and do the whole certification thing at home. IMO, people who get certified in cold, limited visibility situations turn out to be better divers, especially when they do finally get to the warm water to dive.