Curacao Sea Aquarium Excursions?

[Marshmelo]

Hello. I will be on the 10/3 AOS cruise. For the shore excursions offered through RCCL, there are only three in Curacao. I was hoping to do one of the dives or snorkels at the Curacao Sea Aquarium. I contacted them directly and they told me that RCCL should offer the encounters dive onboard. Does anyone know if they usually do? Is it usually added late?

[paolo007]

Hi there,

 

There is a tour that will allow you to learn how to scuba and have an animal encounters. See below...you can book it online or through the shore Excursions Desk. It is a pretty amazing experience...

 

Animal Encounter Scuba Adventure

 

Approximate Duration: 4 Hours

Adult: 89.00 (USD) | Child: 89.00 (USD)

 

A natural tidal pool at the edge of a beautiful coral reef is home to sharks, turtles and stingrays. Here divers can have the unforgettable experience of hand-feeding these animals. The sharks and turtles are behind fencing with five big plexiglass windows with feeding holes. The animals can be seen, fed and filmed close up. The stingrays and other fish swim among the divers. The option of having pictures or a video made is available and may be purchased at the end of the dive. In addition to your 30 to 40 minute dive, you will have time to explore the Seaquarium before returning to the ship. This is available to non-certified divers as it operates in only 12 feet of water. A complete PADI-approved familiarization is conducted on scuba equipment and safety prior to the dive. Medical restrictions apply and the minimum age is 12 years. See the Shore Excursion Desk for details. This tour is only offered on the Adventure of the Seas.

 

Minimum Age: 12 years old.

 

*** This tour needs completed PADI medical release form to participate. Click here to download

 

= To fully participate may require extended periods of walking over even and uneven surfaces, steep terrain and/or water activity in a slight current. There may be steps, inclines, cobblestone surfaces, and extended periods of standing. Participants with physical limitations should take this into account.

 

*** = You will need Adobe Acrobat to view the PADI Medical Release Form. If you do not have Adobe Acrobat, please click on the Acrobat Reader image below to download Adobe Acrobat.

[DChabira]

Book it Directly online and it's only $54. You can take the bus each way for $1

[screagan]

I'm curious about something: How can people book scuba through the shore excursions desk if it requires a padi medical form to be filled out by a physician?

[DChabira]

The Sea Aquarium excursion is like a Discover Scuba experience. You do not have to be certified to participate. Some Tour Operators require you to fill out the PADI Medical Questionnaire and some want it signed by a doctor, but most don't. You can download the form on the Sea Aquarium's website before you go on the cruise and have it signed by your doctor, but it's not necessary.

 

If you're already scuba certified you just need to bring your C-Card.

[screagan]

The Sea Aquarium excursion is like a Discover Scuba experience. You do not have to be certified to participate. Some Tour Operators require you to fill out the PADI Medical Questionnaire and some want it signed by a doctor, but most don't. You can download the form on the Sea Aquarium's website before you go on the cruise and have it signed by your doctor, but it's not necessary.

 

If you're already scuba certified you just need to bring your C-Card.

All of the discovery dives listed on the RCI website, say that the forms MUST be filled out. I imagine they won't let you go otherwise if you book through RCI?

[DChabira]

Simple solution. Don't book it thru the Cruiseline. We have done it three times now on our own. Its $54 booking direct and $89 thru the RCI Excursion Desk.

[screagan]

Simple solution. Don't book it thru the Cruiseline. We have done it three times now on our own. Its $54 booking direct and $89 thru the RCI Excursion Desk.

Right, but I'm still curious about something. Right now, it seems that we won't being doing any scuba - expensive for only 20-30 minute dive.

 

However, if we do decide to do a scuba discovery, then will we still be able to book through the shore excursion desk w/o having any forms previously filled out by a doctor?

[DChabira]

You seem to be confused about the excursion to the Seas Aquarium. This is a scuba diving adventure.

 

You arrive at the Sea Aquarium and you have a quick fifteen minute class in a classroom. You then put on full scuba gear and you enter the aquarium pool which is a closed off section of the ocean. You go underwater to three different locations. In the first area you can feed a variety of fish. In the second area you can feed sharks through holes in a plexi-glass wall, and the third are you can feed huge sea turtles through the same kind of plexi glass wall. I did this tour most recently in May when we were there on the A.O.S. I am PADI Rescue certified but my wife is not. This was her first experience on scuba. It is a great experience and I highly recommend it.

[screagan]

You seem to be confused about the excursion to the Seas Aquarium. This is a scuba diving adventure.

You seem to be confused about me being confused :).

 

I should probably have started a new thread, as my question no longer pertained to the sea aquarium excurion exclusivly. In fact, I'll start a new thread now.

 

Thanks for the info on what plexi-glass anyways; I was curious about how the shark feeding worked.

[Sheffie]

We did this excursion a few years ago. The sharks were behind a plexiglass and chain link fence divider. We fed them through holes. It was an interesting experience. There were fish that were on our side of the fence and, if I remember correctly, a stingray or two. Good for a one time excursion.