Thread: Learning to Scuba Dive

I have snorkeled, but never tried scuba diving. I have heard that you can learn on some cruises. Has anybody ever gotten certified on a cruise?

I would recommend NOT to do it on a cruise. I'm certified and there is a lot entailed (classwork, tests, skill-based dives, etc.). To spend money on overpriced classes and a significant part of your cruise studying, etc., it would take away from your cruise.

I suggest if they have an "intro class" or a "discover diving" class, start with that...if you like it, come home and take a true OPEN WATER class!

If you know you want to learn...then get certified before you leave and then enjoy the luxury of actually SCUBA diving in the open waters!!!

I just watched the movie "Open Water" last night, and Scuba Diving on a tour is now pretty low on my list of must do's.......

Originally Posted by bs_outwest

I just watched the movie "Open Water" last night, and Scuba Diving on a tour is now pretty low on my list of must do's.......

Oh wow, I forgot about that! I haven't seen the movie but the previews were really scary!!

I would suggest a land vacation some place in the Caribbean to get certified.

I agree.. There's way too much to learn about SCUBA diving to expect to pick it all up in a cram coarse on a ship.. Look in the yellow pages under 'Dive Shops'.. Most of them offer classes... Good Luck Lady.....

.

In 2000, we took a HAL E. Caribbean cruise which included a visit to St. Croix. I signed up for the "Introduction to SCUBA" excursion.

We met right on the cruise ship pier-only about 10 of us in all. We had about an hour of orientation with the equipment and safety rules before actually entering the water. We had to take a written test, too.

We donned all the gear and jumped in-and then went over to the beach in waist-deep water to practice loss/replacement of mask and mouthpiece, clearing, etc.

Then we swam/scuba'd out to where the water was about 20 feet deep--clear as could be! I am not a great swimmer, but you don't have to be. I absolutely loved the experience. Lots of fish, including seahorses. The bottom was white sand, unfortunately with smatterings of Red Stripe bottles and a bicycle wheel (go figure).

I would like to get certified some day, but I agree, on a cruise is not the place--I don't think it would even be practical to do. All the other SCUBA excursions on the cruise required you to be PADI certified.

If your cruise includes an intro course for beginners, I'd go for it!

Originally Posted by bs_outwest

I just watched the movie "Open Water" last night, and Scuba Diving on a tour is now pretty low on my list of must do's.......

There's so much wrong with that movie that it's laughable!...Don't let movies like this and "Jaws" keep you out of the water...you have a better chance of winning the lottery than seeing such peril in the water...

I went to coz. on a cruise and did the discovery scuba tour and fell in love with scuba diving.
So when I returned I went to a shop to go through the program and was on my second to last open water dive to be certified when I had a severe migraine about 60 feet down. I had to surface and abort the rest of the dive that day. I have not yet returned to finish but will go back( to another dive shop- more info about that then I can share here) and start all over.
May I suggest you do the book work here including the pool work and then do the open water dives in a place such as Coz.( the water clarity is sooo much better).
Plus I will get someone to go to the classes with me so that I have a buddy to dive with from the get go.
It is a great experience.
Too much time on the ship is spent in classes to go that route.
It is a good idea to do the discover scuba to see if you enjoy it.

Karen