Bringing a scuba diving knife on ship????

[momof4boys]

Our kids just got certified to dive and we plan to do a dive in Costa Maya.

 

During training they were told to bring a knife in case they get caught in a vine or fishing line.

 

We have talked to 3 difference CCl people via phone and keep getting different answers about how to take this knife on board. Has anyone done this?

 

Thanks.

[Flip2cruise]

Our kids just got certified to dive and we plan to do a dive in Costa Maya.

 

During training they were told to bring a knife in case they get caught in a vine or fishing line.

 

We have talked to 3 difference CCl people via phone and keep getting different answers about how to take this knife on board. Has anyone done this?

 

Thanks.

 

 

Did any of them tell you this?

 

http://www.carnival.com/CMS/FAQs/What_NOT_to_Pack.aspx

 

Scuba Gear Diving Knives: Diving knives are permitted on board. Due to security reasons, the knife will be confiscated by Shoreside Security at embarkation and turned over to the ship's Chief Security Officer. The guest will sign for the knife for diving excursions and return it to the Chief Security Officer upon returning to the ship. At the end of the cruise, the knife is returned to the guest in the cruise ship terminal.

[tammymacb]

Something else you may want to keep in mind. Sometimes depending on a certain countries laws ( or dive operators rules ) dive knives are not allowed. You can't bring one on a dive in Grand Cayman, for example.

[DqALEX]

Something else you may want to keep in mind. Sometimes depending on a certain countries laws ( or dive operators rules ) dive knives are not allowed. You can't bring one on a dive in Grand Cayman, for example.

I just brought my B/C dive computer, and Finns some places won't even let you were gloves

[wnctarheel]

You might want to try getting a pair of emt shears. That way you will not have to go through the pain of turning in your knife and then getting it back later. In most places that that you dive off of the ship you will not need them anyway but I always carry a pair just in case.

[corinnv]

On RCI in Feb, my husband had his taken away.. he forgot it was still in his gear. They took it to voucher at the x-ray scanner. Made me happy that they noticed it.

[momof4boys]

Thanks for the CCL FAQ. That makes it much clearer. BAsically we were told to pack it in checked luggage, then take it to the purser's desk once on board. We were a little worried about walking around with a knife on the ship. (Not that we would do anything, but just the idea that people might have a knife and be walking around with it is creepy!!)

 

Thanks again.

[river_sand_bar2]

DO Not bring a long dive knife with you.... most dive ops do not allow knives on dives. You can get away with a BC knife... another words a small 3-4" blade knife attached to the B/C or EMT sheers.

 

The reason for "no dive knife" and the same with "gloves" is that they dont want you messing up the coral reef by touching it and probing it with a knife.

[bajathree]

I have not gone diving with a knife in a long time...really little need for recreational.

[susanNjay]

Hello, Momof4boys...

I am a mom of two girls...

our younger daughter would like to scuba dive, and she is currently 10 years old. Actually she has already played around with diving in the pool...

How old are your boys that are now certified?

 

Please post when you return and tell us how your boys liked diving in Costa Maya. Costa Maya is one of our favorite ports.

 

Enjoy your vacation!

--Susan

[*Gidget*]

I do not like the idea of people being able to bring knives on a ship in the checked luggage.

[suzy1212]

I do not like the idea of people being able to bring knives on a ship in the checked luggage.

Why?

[Wennfred]

I have not gone diving with a knife in a long time...really little need for recreational.

 

Its not about Recreation but more of a Survival tool, lets say you see a Great White:confused: you simply break out your trusty dive knife and cut your dive buddies leg just a little then swim away :D

 

 

Fred

[caribbean dreams]

During training they were told to bring a knife in case they get caught in a vine or fishing line.

 

.

 

Honestly, i don't think they will need them, not to many vines or knotted up line in the Waters they will take you diving to.

 

Do you really want the hassle of checking out the knives everytime you want to leave the ship?

(just my personal opinion)

[Sandgnat]

I do not bring my knife or shears with me to Mexico. In Cozumel they won't let you dive with a knife because it is a marine park. I have always worn gloves diving because I am a Labor and Delivery nurse and don't want scratches on my hands due to where my hands are during work.:eek: I have never been told I could not wear them, I wear light weight gloves. I never touch the coral because I want to keep coming back and seeing it for many years to come. I do not want it to become like Jamaica where the reefs have been so damaged that there is hardly any sea life to view. I have never seen any reason to need a knife in diving in these areas and you have a dive master with you that can help you if you ever were to need it. Enjoy diving in Costa Maya I plan to dive there the next time I return, the pictures looked wonderful when I stopped a a dive shop while there in Nov. 06.

[Mr. Incredible]

Just got back from Roatan. Don't need the knife. There is no fishing where you dive as a result no fishing line. We were not allowed to wear gloves. Did not dive in Costa Maya but buddy did and basically same rules. In other words don't take the knife you won't need it.

[bruce-r]

I also agree, you don't need a knife to dive in warm water. Entanglement issues will be exceeding rare. If someone was still worried, the a set of Shears would be a much better choice than a knife.

 

Knives and gloves are not permitted in the Cayman Island or Cozumel as well.

 

I do not like the idea of people being able to bring knives on a ship in the checked luggage.

 

Do you have a problem with the steak knives used in the Dining room too?

[wolfie2012]

Some of these replies are a little misleading in my opinion. First, yes some places will not allow knives. However, there is nobody who can say definitively that you will not NEED a cutting device of some sort during an emergency. Second, while a divemaster will be there on guided dives, please don't use that as a reason to not bring items that you would normally carry on a dive. The first person to try and help you in an emergency should be yourself.

 

Bottom line really though is to do what you're comfortable with. You're the only one who can access the level of risk that you are willing to take with any dive you take.

 

As for cutting utensils, my suggestion is to bring emt shears at the very least, and try bringing the knife but know that you may be asked not to bring it under the water with you.

[cruzegirl]

I'm with everyone here.... you basically won't need a dive knife on your dives in the Caribbean......I carry one when I dive due to Kelp out here in Calif....

I have done dives in Grand Cayman, Belize, Costa Maya and they won't let you carry knives on those dives....But shears is a good idea.... you have to do what your comfortable with.

Sandgnat,

Welcome Aboard.... I'm a labor & delivery also out here in Calif. We're a great group......lol....:D

[Woodsmaster]

If you don't mind the risk of losing your knife, bring it along. I have had trouble on Celebrity and RCI with a dive knife. Since mine are all titanium, I was not going to part with them, so they are not brought along. Instead, I use Sea Snips (EMT shears). They are attached to my BC and I have never been challenged about them on any cruise line that I have traveled, including RCI and Celebrity.

 

The hilarious thing about the "Security issues" of a dive knife... I guess there are no metal knives that are sharp on a cruise ship.... you know, like a steak knife..... What a bunch of BS.

[jimw]

My wife forgot that her knife was in her dive bag on a cruise last September. It wasn't discovered by Carnival until we were leaving the ship for a dive. They registered it and kept it when we returned. Then each time she left the ship, an alarm would sound and they would offer her the knife. The alarm, etc got embarassing for her. So I bought her some EMT shears for the last cruise in April--no problems, no alarms.

 

I've carried shears for 20 years or so, ever since an Eagle Ray circled me a number of times getting ever closer--I eventually saw that it had a hook, some heavy line and an 8 ounce weight attached to it when the ray stopped right in front of me. I could do nothing with the knife I had as the ray would not stand for it, with shears I might have cut the weight loose.

 

I thank that Eagle Ray for teaching me about shears!!!

[nrh322]

I don't know hide nor hair about bringing a dive knife on a cruise ship, but I can tell you a little story about what can happen if you accidentally try to go through airport security with one...

 

Back in the late 80's/early 90's, I was running trips to Cozumel several times a year. This was back in the days when dive computers were just starting to come into vogue and most of us still had real instrument consoles. I used to keep a Crocodile Dundee size dive knife in a sheath on my instrument console. Being young, stupid, disorganized and possibly a little hung-over from our last night out on the town, I FORGOT to take the stupid knife off the console before passing through security on the way out of the airport. No amount of assurances on my part or the part of any of the people in my group could convince the Cozumel airport security that I was simply a dumb kid - not a terrorist in waiting. I missed my plane...was strip searched...was detained in a small scary room with a single chair straight out of a horror film... had to use every shred of 6 years of junior high and high school Spanish to try and figure out what the hell was going on... and ended up having one of my instructor buddies wire transfer $1000 cash to bribe my way out of ending up in jail. All in all, a scary experience. To this day, I'm a nervous wreck when I go through airport security and they must know it because I'm ALWAYS the one they stop.

 

On another note, I've been diving for a loooooong time. I stopped logging dives when I hit 5000 and that was some time ago. I'm a retired PADI master diver trainer and used to train the FT. Lauderdale Police Department's Dive Team in search and recovery work. To this day, I have never used any of my dive knives for anything other than cutting up fruit on the boat for an after dive snack. :) That's not to say that they don't come in handy sometimes... and couldn't potentially save your life, but if you follow the old addage, "dive your plan and plan your dive"... you're unlikely to ever need one.

[booth22]

if you're worried about line, just get a Z kinfe. Security could care less if you have one and it's fine for cutting fishing line.

[dabear]

I've had a couple of bad experiences since 9/11 on cruises bringing my knife and I recommend that you don't bother. Definitrely do not carry it in your carryon luggage on an airplane. see a prior post of mine if you want greater details

[JaimeJ]

I am diving in Cozumel and Belize next month, cruising on the Enchantment on 9/24. Anyway - my boyfriend and I just finished our check-out dives in June. This board has been very helpful to me.. I've been looking into getting some EMT shears, just because on my last check-out dive. I became entangled in the most freak situation possible.. haha! My boyfriend and I were getting ready to do the underwater navigation portion.. we were on the platform next to the diver down float (attached to the platform with rope). Anyway, my instructor at the last minute clipped a little additional weight to the outside of my BC using what he called "suicide clips".. I later found out why they're named that! lol! Just standing on the platform next to the dive flag, somehow the suicide clip "clipped" onto the rope for the dive flag! We were in about 3 feet of viz (large algae bloom the week before), and I couldn't exactly see what was snagging me. Anyway, I got the instructor's attention and he quickly found the problem and unsnagged me. I didn't get worried or anything.. I just figure if something off-the-wall can happen like that to me once, it can happen again :rolleyes: