PG- "Scuba Review Course" required?+ Medical form ?

[IdRathrBCruzn]

We are planning on several dives while on the PG. We have not been diving for almost 1 year. In the back of the RSSC Tahiti excursions booklet, it states: "Divers that have not been diving within the last six months and cannot provide proof of a scuba review course since their last dive may be requested to participate in a scuba review course onboard prior to dive in the open water."

 

Anyone know what is involved in that onboard scuba review course? Can we do it on Sunday?

 

Tonight we are going to spend some time in the local pool where our dive shop operates their classes to review our skills together to prepare, but not "official" time spent with an instructor. We will be off in an area to our selves while class is going on.

 

If you had similar 6+ months since diving, what was your experience with the PG diving requirements?

 

Also, I have asthma, which has been well under control for several years (since I left my chain-smoking, cat-owning husband 10 years ago! ), and do not require medication. Will the PG require me to bring my doctor's release which I got for the certification course?

 

Thanks!

[cwc]

We did the referreal on PG, but this is what I know.

 

1. The refresher is a 1-2hr morning/afternoon in the pool with the dive master to go over all the skill with you (mask removal, buddy breath etc). That will cost 80$.

2. Get your doctor sign a release form and bring it onto the ship. My husband has childhood asthma. Got his doctor release form and we gave it to the instructor at home and finished all our pool section. But when we got onto the ship, we do not have a copy of the release form (stupid me) we have to go to the ship doctor again to get an ok (cost another 80$). Actually, my husband was more relieve after seeing the ship doctor to talk about his concerns. The ship doctor is also a diver, but our PD is not.

 

Have fun! Said Hi to Dominique for us (Cindy & Albert)!

 

Cindy

[IdRathrBCruzn]

Hi Cindy :)

 

$80 to go over skills in the pool with the dive master?? Well, it's important, but $80? I just called our dive shop and we will have an instructor there tonight to do an "official" refresher course with us. So, thanks for your quick response!

 

We will bring the doctor's release form I got when we were certified last year. Thanks, though, for the good info about the doctor on board.

 

We'd be happy to pass on your regards to Dominique!! We can't wait!

 

Kim

[Wandering]

Cindy: We are planning on doing our referal open water dives on the PG on the 2 week cruise in the middle of September. We have our referal package from our local shop and our medical signoffs. Is there any thing we need to do to sign up for this prior to arriving. I can't find it on excursions. Also will they get it done early so we have time to enjoy some of the diving the rest of the cruise? Any details on your experience would be great.

 

Thank you,

David

[cwc]

Hi David,

 

Since you are going on the 14 days there will be more choices for you on when and where to do the dives.

 

My suggestion is to sign-up for all the land excursion you want over the internet, on the night you board go to the dive desk (next to the excursion desk) bring your paper works. They will start planning the dives for you. You can cancel any land excursion if it conflict with a dive.

 

As for flexibility, it depends on how many new students are on your cruise, it can be very freestyle (do whatever dive you want) or very rigid (dive on certain day only) all depend on number of people.

Here is our the referral program dive schedule:

 

Huahine: Nothing

Raiatea: We were going on a hike in the morning, so they move our pool section to the afternoon.

Rangiroa: Nothing (we have an option to do our first dive here)

Rangiroa: 1st dive Motu Nuhi Nuhi

Bora Bora: 2nd & 3rd dive back-to-back table top (this really test if you can handle back-to-back dive, my husband tossed his “cookies” at the end of the 3rd dive)

Bora Bora: Nothing, but I think we have a choice to dive today or not too.

Taha’a: underwater navigation in the afternoon on the Motu (bring snorkeling equipment with you).

Moorea: Nothing (we had a choice of doing the ledge today or the shark gallery tomorrow).

Moorea: Shark gallery (the best dive)

 

You don't need to sign up for any dive excursion on the website. The referral program cost ~350$ (sorry I forgot the exact amount), which included all the dives, review class and documentation.

 

It is a total treat to do the dive with PG, so convenient! You will be total spoiled by this trip. For example, Walk (in your swim suit) to the back of the ship (the water platform) and jump onto the dive boat. When you return, just RUN back your room (all wet) and order room service. The food will be ready when you come out the shower.

 

On the Friday we got home, our PADI cards were in the mailbox already!

 

Cindy

[vrhiatt]

The dive refresher course is offered for $35 on the first or second day of the cruise. I doubt they will make you take it if you have been diving as recently as you say. It seemed two years was the cut off point. We took ours ahead of time, as we had not been diving in 10 years, but there were 5 or 6 people who took it on the cruise.

 

The diving is phenomenal. I have never experienced such hassle free diving. I don't understand why Radisson does not market this better. The divemaster, Dominic, is a native of Tahiti. He is friendly, entertaining, and very experienced. His helpers, Frederik and Martin, are both lots of fun as well. They spoil you so much, they have your BCD and tank on the Zodiac, you run down from your suite to the marina, listen to Dominic go over the safety instructions and signs, pick up your waiting weight belt and jump in the Zodiac. The trip to the dive site is usually only 5 to 15 minutes. You have 4 or 5 people in your boat, together will one of the guys. They put your BCD up behind you, you put your arms in, snap it shut and roll overboard.:)

 

I wish I was going with you, and I just came home. YOu will have a great time.

[Wandering]

Thanks Cindy and vrhiatt. That is great news. We are very excited. Also welcome to the board vrhiat. 1st post from a PG veteran. Thanks again for all the info.

 

David

[IdRathrBCruzn]

We are sooooooooooo excited about diving from the PG!

 

We're all set with our refresher course. Whether it's $35 or $80 or even required or not, we got it done. It's free from our dive shop and we feel good having done it.

 

David, you said you're cruising mid-Sept.we return 09/11. If you haven't left yet, we will try to post and let you know how things went for us. We're doing a B2B.

[Wandering]

thanks Cruzn. We will look forward to your report. We'll still be here, likely frantically packing.

 

David

[sita]

You are in for fantastic diving with the best dive crew! You might want to book Tapu, Ledges and Shark Gallery on the first week, as you'll regret doing them only once if you spread out your dives over the back-to-back! The dive in Raiatea is okay but is with an outside operator. Tabletop is a good dive but the others I mentioned are superior. TableTop at night is with an outside operator.... night diving is not my thing but it was fun to try it once.

 

You're in for 100+ vis and temperatures around 82F at depth. Fantastic sharks, rays, eels, turtles and tropicals. Enjoy!

[IdRathrBCruzn]

The diving was wonderful! Hellos were delivered to Dominique from Cindy and Albert! He showed us your photos ;-)

 

Water temps were 77-79. Vis was less than expected, but still very good.

 

We dove Table Top, Tapu, The Ledges, and Shark Gallery the first week. My partner also did the night dive the first week. Due to the strong current at Table Top that day, they dove Tapu at night.

 

The second week, we did Mushroom Patch, which was pretty good. We also dove Table Top, Tapu and The Ledges again. This time, we both went on the night dive at Table Top. My partner was able to tag along on a beginer dive at Tapu the second week, so had 10 dives total. I had 8.

 

The big fish are at The Ledges and Shark Gallery. But, all the dives were wonderful! The colors and abundancy of tropical fish at each dive site are spectacular! The dive team on the PG makes the experience extra special!

 

David -- I am having trouble focusing on specifics, but if you have any questions, please let me know! We landed at Logan at 10:00 last night after 20 hours of travel.

[sita]

Wow, pretty gutsy diving outside the reef at night, especially given the size of the sharks we saw there during the day! Glad you had fun; Dominique is a gem.

[Wandering]

Thanks Cruzn. Great info. We are very excited. Not looking forward to that return trip though. Are we made to wear shorties? Or is it so warm you don't even need them. I am thinking you probably need them. My wife is not real fond of them. We have due to packing contraints opted not to bring our fins. They provide full foot fins no doubt, are they resonable? Thanks again for all the info.

 

David

[IdRathrBCruzn]

We took our full 3mm wetsuits. I don't get cold easily, but wear the full suit anyway. I noticed toward the end of one dive that I was actually chilly! You'll probably want to wear at least the shorties they have.

 

We had a bit of bad luck on Motu Mahana Monday before we had done any diving! I broke one of my fins when I stepped on it coming in from snorkeling. My partner went for a massage and her watch broke when it dropped on the tile floor. (The next morning, there was a $20 watch sale in La Boutique!) They do have full foot fins. I wanted to wear my booties diving and they had one pair of strap back fins they let me use for the duration. On Motu Mahana the second week, we just got some of the full foot fins for the day. They were, as you said, reasonable.

 

The night dive my partner went on the first week was good, she said, but not great. As the Tapu morning dive isn't until the next day, she didn't know what to expect. There were only 3 divers, which was a nice and comfortable. They didn't see any sharks. I wasn't interested in night diving, especially since our first dive in almost a year was just that morning. By the next week, I thought I could handle it so went on the night dive at Table Top. It wasn't worth it. There were 7 divers (2 of which had just been certified 2 weeks prior and this was there first dive since!!). I can only describe it as underwater roller derby in the dark. Divers were running into each other and piling up constantly! Visibility was not good. And it was cold. It is with an outside operator who did a good job, gave us warm tea and oreos on the ride back to the ship. But, I would have rather saved the $180 it cost us. On the other hand, I have now experienced a night dive.

 

One couple the first week were wearing shorties over swim skins. I thought that was a great idea.

[IdRathrBCruzn]

Oh, about photographs. Our disposable underwater digital cameras did not survive. We were skeptical that we'd get any photos since the cameras are only supposed to be good for 50ft and they went deeper. However, the camera shop said they had been x-rayed too much. But, the nice thing is that Dominique takes photos on all the dives and makes a CD that you can buy Friday night at the divers' cocktail party. Take cash. $40.

[cwc]

Dear IdRathrBCruz,

 

Thanks for the message to Dominique. We almost plan for another trip to Tahiti when we come back but husband wants to do something different next year.

 

To David,

Dive during the "winter" of Tahiti will require thin shorty for sure but I recommand getting a full length skin suit instead because you will get cut by the coral eventually and the suit does protect you somewhat. Both my husband and I had some scratches on the leg and the marks still there today.

 

Cindy

[BulldogR]

Most dive companies that are members of PADI or NAUI will not take the responsibility or liability of a diver who has not been out recently (you cant go with a local shop for an hour even to a quarry to get some time in before your trip). Lawsuits have changed things...

 

 

The medical release is used not only for liability but for people who don’t realize having a collapsed lung 10 years ago could put you in a world of trouble scuba diving even at 25 feet. :eek:

[IdRathrBCruzn]

Dear IdRathrBCruz,

 

Thanks for the message to Dominique. We almost plan for another trip to Tahiti when we come back but husband wants to do something different next year.

 

To David,

Dive during the "winter" of Tahiti will require thin shorty for sure but I recommand getting a full length skin suit instead because you will get cut by the coral eventually and the suit does protect you somewhat. Both my husband and I had some scratches on the leg and the marks still there today.

 

Cindy

 

Yep, I just talked to my TA and asked when can we book for 2007!

 

David, one of the dive instuctors went out on the first dive w/o a shortie and put one on for the next dive. He was too cold without it.

[sita]

My understanding is the '06 is the last year for the PG; things can always change, of course.