Discovery Dive vs Certification Dive

I am going on a cruise in April and DH would like to go scuba diving. I am unsure if I can do this. I am fearful of panic attack while under. I am going on a Princess cruise and was thinking about the New waves program. I live in Michigan and wouldn't be able to do open water dives but there is a local dive shop that I could do my pool dives and course work. My question is what will help me become more comfortable if I do the course work should I look into a discovery dive. I am not sure about DH but I don't really want to go to deep. What are the depths needed on the 4 open water dives to be certified????

I just finished my open water certification in September. The first two dives are no deeper than 40 feet (I think we went about 25-30). The second two dives are no more than 60 feet. This is per the PADI standard for the instructors.

With that said, I was very nervous before my first dives in open water and I had a blast. I am completely addicted now and have already completed my Advanced Open Water and my Enriched Air (Nitrox) certifications. I have 17 dives in just over a month and a half. I plan on finishing my Rescue Diver course in January or February and hopefully will finish some specialties in the meantime to get my Master Scuba Diver certification. I would love to ultimately become a DiveMaster and Instructor.

The discovery dive is basically the dive class without all the class and homework. You will go through the basics in a briefing. You'll then get into the shallow end of the pool to do some excercises with your equipment (retrieving your mouthpiece and filling/clearing your mask), then to the deep end of the pool for the same. For the actual dive part, you will typically go out with a regular dive group but stay in a relatively shallow part of the water with your instructor. You can usually book these as a tour through your cruise line. The open water certification would probably have to be scheduled by yourself depending on what your cruise line offers.

Howard

Last spring we did the discovery scuba dive in St Thomas with Coki Divers. Great setup, 10-15 minute brief, gear up, walk 20-30 ft to shoulder deep water, 10 minutes of work in shallow water, then off for a 30-40 minute guided dive (probably no deeper than 20 ft). DW and DD completed it, but didn't like it enough to do again, other DD and I have since completed our open water certification.....so from my perspective, I would recommend the discovery dive before spending the time, money and effort of the course. Our local dive shop also offers a free introductry pool dive, may want to ask if yours does the same.

I am going on a cruise in April and DH would like to go scuba diving. I am unsure if I can do this. I am fearful of panic attack while under. I am going on a Princess cruise and was thinking about the New waves program. I live in Michigan and wouldn't be able to do open water dives but there is a local dive shop that I could do my pool dives and course work. My question is what will help me become more comfortable if I do the course work should I look into a discovery dive. I am not sure about DH but I don't really want to go to deep. What are the depths needed on the 4 open water dives to be certified????

Personally I feel you, or anyone else for that matter, would be better prepared and trained if you do the open water course and get certified the way you outlined above. Typically if you have an open mind about diving the more you know the more at ease you will feel. Many people have apprehensions before trying anything but do just fine after the proper training. If you decide to try the discovery dive, at least read as much as possible on the safety aspects of diving. Either way I hope you enjoy the experience, earl.

Ditto what Earl says. Training = comfort = less stress = more enjoyable experience.

Personally I feel you, or anyone else for that matter, would be better prepared and trained if you do the open water course and get certified the way you outlined above. Typically if you have an open mind about diving the more you know the more at ease you will feel. Many people have apprehensions before trying anything but do just fine after the proper training. If you decide to try the discovery dive, at least read as much as possible on the safety aspects of diving. Either way I hope you enjoy the experience, earl.

Thanks for the advice. I just talked to the local dive shop. It is under new owners and they are running a special discount this month. Course work $220 for first diver and 150 for the second. It sounds like a good deal. I will get a referral card and just need to do my 4 dives with Princess.

Myself and wife are going to get certified on our up coming cruise

and the cost for this is $359 for me and $329 for the wife

since they only have to send 1 dvd for the both of us.

Now you might think this sounds high but it really isn't.

I read on other posts that the classroom reading part

costs between $150 to $200 then you also have to

complete 5 confined dives at ? $ in some pool and

then 4 open water dives at ? $

I know for a fact that most dive sites in all of the Caribbean

would cost around $100 for a 2 tank dive.

So lets say Classroom $150

Pool Dives (5) total $100

Open Water (4) Total $200 ( also at the best place on the planet) priceless ------

Total $450

With the Cruise Waves PADI Course with all dives included 5 confined on ship in pool and then 4 dives (2 at each island) in the Caribbean. $359

Plus only in groups of 6 at the most, so far only the two of us signed up

on our weeks cruise.

My daughter is a dive instructor here in Illinois and said she could not even

do better than that cause we would still have to book a cruise or fly

to one of the island for 3 or more days and cost for diving charters would

be alot more.

I will let you know how ours goes. We are looking forward to it as we have

done the discovery dive and loved it. Hopefully after our cruise we will

be certified open water divers.

ccawalleye

Just signed up today. I am getting a little excited and hope this turns out to be fun. I decided to do the course work and pool dives at the local dive shop. Cost $375 for the both of us and then New Waves is charging $189 each. It is slightly higher but it doesn't take away as much cruise time and it allows me to get more familar with everything at a slower pace. The local instructor said he will take it very slow and I can have as many pool dives as needed to get it right. I am still very apprehensive that I can pull this off without getting anxious underwater. Like my DH says that is the worse thing to do so I want to be over prepared and confident before I go in the ocean. It makes me feel better knowing there is only 6 person max.

I am going on a cruise in April and DH would like to go scuba diving. I am unsure if I can do this. I am fearful of panic attack while under. I am going on a Princess cruise and was thinking about the New waves program. I live in Michigan and wouldn't be able to do open water dives but there is a local dive shop that I could do my pool dives and course work. My question is what will help me become more comfortable if I do the course work should I look into a discovery dive. I am not sure about DH but I don't really want to go to deep. What are the depths needed on the 4 open water dives to be certified????

You need to go as deep as 33 feet, which is on atmosphere, for your cert dives. The only thing is spending time in the water alot to get you comfortable. I would discover scuba them if you like it get certified. That was how I got hooked. 1000+ dives since 1990

Bob

I too did the Discovery before deciding on getting certified. But

have learned so much more now that I am certified. Sounds like

you have the same concerns that I had before I did the Discover,

so thats what I would reccommend before investing $329-$379

in getting certified cause if you don't panic in the discover you should

be ok then to do the certified. As promised before on this thread,

I said I would post after we got back from our Crown Princess cruise

and let you know about our experience with New Waves instruction

at home and confined dives and open water on the cruise ship.

Well I am very happy to say both the wife and I are certified divers

and very proud of it as we were fortunate enough to get certified

over a very famous wreck in the southern caribbbean.

Here is my Review of Our Cruise: In Attachment

Charlie

Cruise Review 2008.txt

Just signed up today. I am getting a little excited and hope this turns out to be fun. I decided to do the course work and pool dives at the local dive shop. Cost $375 for the both of us and then New Waves is charging $189 each. It is slightly higher but it doesn't take away as much cruise time and it allows me to get more familar with everything at a slower pace. The local instructor said he will take it very slow and I can have as many pool dives as needed to get it right. I am still very apprehensive that I can pull this off without getting anxious underwater. Like my DH says that is the worse thing to do so I want to be over prepared and confident before I go in the ocean. It makes me feel better knowing there is only 6 person max.

It was only the two of us on our week and instructor can take time

to make sure you are comfortable with all tasks in the pool on the

ship before going to the ocean. Our instructor was great and very

knowledgeable and trusting. Like I had said previously my daughter

is a dive instructor and she even said that he sounded like he was

very well qualified. If you decide to go with getting certified just

relax a enjoy the new underwater adventure, cause it is awesome.

We are already planning our next dives and probably on a cruise.

Charlie & Shirley