NO Experience Scuba Diving

[Sheils65]

Hi all,

 

Just wondering if you can do a scuba excursion if you have NO experience with this. I have never been scuba diving and I am reading all the posts about how fascinating and fun it is.......now I want to do it..... lol.

 

Do I need to have some kind of licence or cert. to do this? If not are there guides.......etc.

 

Any help appreciated...........Sheils

[mrsfuzzmo]

The only way you can do a dive with no certification/experience would be to do a "discover scuba" also known as a "resort dive". This will be an hour or two of instruction and then a shallow dive with an instructor/guide. They are a great idea for those who want to "try" scuba. There is also SNUBA which you need no experience or certification. This is similar to scuba in that you have an air supply, but in snuba you are tethered to an air supply on the surface and have very limited depth. Look for an excursion that has either "Snuba", "resort dive" or "discover scuba". You will fall in love and want to get certified!

[crock921]

Discover scuba is the way to go. You get a taste of what scuba is like without having to go through the entire certification. I did it in hawaii and it led me to be a scuba nut.

 

I think my dive was around 30 feet deep or so, so it was not very deep but it was completely different than snorkeling. Give it a whirl, it is a good time.

[jetskier]

Hi all,

 

Just wondering if you can do a scuba excursion if you have NO experience with this. I have never been scuba diving and I am reading all the posts about how fascinating and fun it is.......now I want to do it..... lol.

 

Do I need to have some kind of licence or cert. to do this? If not are there guides.......etc.

 

Any help appreciated...........Sheils

 

Hi Sheils,

Like everyone else has said, I would try the resort course first. I would also do this with an independant operator instead of through the ship. Better service and lower cost. I would also check out the various ports of call that you are going to. It could make a big difference in cost.

Dave

[crock921]

if you are going to do the discover scuba thing, i would highly rec. finding a 5 star padi dive center. I have taken courses at two different 5 star centers, and at some ordinary dive shops...the level of instruction is much higher at the 5 star shops. It may be more expensive but it is truly worth it.

[KaC-Cruiser]

If you happen to be in Cozumel, you can alway do a Resort Course with Scuba with Alison .... she is very well trained, and extremely reliable. Dave (Jetskier) I know has dove with her an number of times, and would recommend her, I can't say enough good things about her too ....

<B>

The Resort Course:

Includes about one hour of instruction, skills practice in water shallow enough to stand up in; along with a relaxed, easy dive. It is a great introduction to scuba diving and allows you "check out scuba diving" to see if you are interested in being certified. It also allows you to do limited diving on vacation under the direct supervision of an instructor. (Hopefully me...) without wasting precious vacation time studying or taking exams.

 

http://www.scubawithalison.com/next_step.htm

</B>

[jetskier]

Hi Kathy,

Super cheap cruises over here. I am leaving Monday for $262 solo. I am leaving the following Monday for $420 for two. These are for 5-night cruises.

We had a wicked storm come in between dives Nov 2nd. The clouds were practically touching the water. The blue water was green from the fresh water.

 

Dave

[KaC-Cruiser]

Hi Kathy,

Super cheap cruises over here. I am leaving Monday for $262 solo. I am leaving the following Monday for $420 for two. These are for 5-night cruises.

We had a wicked storm come in between dives Nov 2nd. The clouds were practically touching the water. The blue water was green from the fresh water.

 

 

Dave

Great (scary) picture Dave!!!! Sound like some killer deals .... where are you cruising out of??? Florida???

[Scuba Laura]

Added info on the PADI Discover Scuba -

 

You may also use one of the dives (if you do a 2 tank dive package) towards your Open Water Certification Dives.

 

Great advice of going with a PADI 5 star operation. You should be with in good hands with well trained Instructors.

 

What are your cruise ports?

[jetskier]

Great (scary) picture Dave!!!! Sound like some killer deals .... where are you cruising out of??? Florida???

 

Hi Kathy,

We are going out of New Orleans and Mobile. Both ports are a little less than two hours away from me. On this last trip, me and Michelle did a one tank dive. We then went to Paradise Beach to pick up my BIL so that he could do a Discover Scuba. We then went south from there to an isolated area so that he could do the chest deep demonstrations. He went all the way through it until it came time to remove and replace the regulator and he got a little salt water in with the air. He panicked a little and decided not to do the dive.

 

Of course you cant force anyone to have fun that we all enjoy. So we dropped him back off at Paradise and dove at San Francisco Wall for our second tank as the squall line passed over. Poor Carlos, as he was left up top in the cold rain.

Dave

[KaC-Cruiser]

Hi Kathy,

We are going out of New Orleans and Mobile. Both ports are a little less than two hours away from me. On this last trip, me and Michelle did a one tank dive. We then went to Paradise Beach to pick up my BIL so that he could do a Discover Scuba. We then went south from there to an isolated area so that he could do the chest deep demonstrations. He went all the way through it until it came time to remove and replace the regulator and he got a little salt water in with the air. He panicked a little and decided not to do the dive.

 

Of course you cant force anyone to have fun that we all enjoy. So we dropped him back off at Paradise and dove at San Francisco Wall for our second tank as the squall line passed over. Poor Carlos, as he was left up top in the cold rain.

Dave

Thanks for the info Dave .... N.O. is a 10 hour drive for us, so not a good option. And if they keep pulling the good ships from Galveston, that may become less appealing too!

 

Glad you had some good diving, even with the weird weather. We'll be seeing Alison on 12/14, and can't wait!!

[jetskier]

Glad you had some good diving, even with the weird weather. We'll be seeing Alison on 12/14, and can't wait!!

 

Hi Kathy,

Hey, when did you sneak the Grand in there???!!!! :) We will be diving with her on Dec 6th. My cruise Monday when I get to Cozumel, I am renting a car and just driving around. Since I am going solo, I will have a little more freedom to see things.

Dave

[KaC-Cruiser]

Hi Kathy,

Hey, when did you sneak the Grand in there???!!!! :) We will be diving with her on Dec 6th. My cruise Monday when I get to Cozumel, I am renting a car and just driving around. Since I am going solo, I will have a little more freedom to see things.

Dave

Hi Dave ... we actually booked the Grand a year ago August .... it's been a LONG wait!!! We actually hooked up with 5 other divers and they're coming with us to dive with Alison - their first time with her ..... so it should be fun. It would have been too funny if we ended up with Alison on the same day, but different ships! Oh well ... one of these days!!!

[Sheils65]

Thank you all for the great info. Haven't made up my mind yet. Still have a bit of time to decide. I think I am leaning more towards the snuba.........happy sailing.........Sheils