Weight limit for snorkeling?

[poncho1973]

On the horseback excursion, I saw them deny a man for being overweight.

 

Thank goodness for that.

 

I'm a big dude. Less rolly-polly and more just a big dude*. I'd fear for the horse that carried my butt around... unless it was truly a horse bred for that. I've seen small ponies that I'd be scared to put anything more than a child on and you seem them with some GIANT person on them. It's not fat-shaming, it's saving the horse's back.

 

 

 

 

 

*Meaning... in line with this thread, I can swim like a champ, I can climb in and out of a boat without a problem, I can climb ladders, run, hike, play sports, etc. etc. Although, I could probably do them all a wee bit better if I were carrying less weight, but I'm an athletic dude with extra weight, not someone who is inhibited by it.

[Cuizer2]

Both in Jamaica...I saw them weighing people for the zip-line excursion and the horseback riding excursion. On the horseback excursion, I saw them deny a man for being overweight.

 

I'm sure the horse appreciated that. However, if the water can hold a ship that weighs a million pounds (give or take a few thousand pounds), I don't think a 300 pound person is going to bother it to much.

 

However, I don't know the reason for the snorkeling weight limit, and as such would advise honoring and respecting it. There may be a very good reason for it, unrelated to the person's ability to swim and/or climb ladders.

[bigbeergut]

The 250 lbs is a safety issue and has nothing to do with the person's fitness level. If the person would get hurt in the water or need assistance for any reason the crew needs to be able to bring the person back onto the boat. There has to be a limit somewhere and they have set 250lbs. Above that value the crew cannot guarantee they can get you back onto the boat. Sorry but you should avoid these trips.

[DrD]

Which weighs more? A ton of bricks or a ton of feathers?

 

A pound is a pound is a pound.

 

True, but, feathers being far less dense would have much greater buoyancy, so a ton of feathers would float in water and almost even in air, while a ton of bricks would not.

 

And I've heard that buoyancy is of great interest to those swimming in the ocean, or any other body of water.

[MonDreamr1]

I'm guessing this is a royal excursion? If so, go private. As a diver and marathoner approaching 60, so I know what you mean.

 

 

I've found the private dives far superior to Royals, I'd have him reconsider.

 

 

 

Royal is now using Buddy - I don't care for them. No safety issues, just some personality issues - in laws had similar issues when they stayed there too.

 

We used VIP diving when we were there in Nov, the resort our LDS uses and the last place we stayed down there doesn't do day trippers.

 

VIP was great - we were paired with two other people from the ship -DM discussed where we wanted to go what we wanted to see (where we hadn't just been in June). Made sure everyone was having fun - would set up gear and change tanks if you wanted. They call the do/guide your dive butler. Picked up and dropped off at the pier. They had a nice shop (with rinse setup post dives so easier than cleaning stuff back on the ship) and we went back to the shop so we could clean up before going back to the ship.

 

 

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[JenGang]

Spookwife- ugh, that is the first time I've ever heard of them actually weighing people! Glad I never had to do that! Which excursion was it?

 

Both in Jamaica...I saw them weighing people for the zip-line excursion and the horseback riding excursion. On the horseback excursion, I saw them deny a man for being overweight.

 

The tour guide for the Segway tour in San Juan pulls out a scale and weighs anyone that he thinks is over 250 lbs. Doesn't matter if it's 1lb or 30lbs, if you are over weight, you will not be allowed to go on that excursion and you will lose your money.

[Johnamac123]

zipline tours. IIRC I also saw Segway tour hopefuls being weighed in and every single helicopter tour I looked into were very explicit about you WILL be weighed no matter what.

 

again purely a safety issue WRT equipment and has nothing to do with fat shaming or being discriminatory.

 

Please provide what I'm sure are several examples of someone being weighed prior to engaging a catamaran/boat sail/snorkel excursion and being denied participation in the excursion, losing their payment. Please include all possible details....

[PTAngel]

I'm getting a little nervous now. We have booked a snorkeling tour from the beach in Cozumel. DH is 6' 5" & weighs 300 pounds. He just wanted to try to see the fish. We are both in our 70's. I am a new snorkeler (tried it twice) & I wanted to share a little of this with him. Our tour is through RCI. We are starting to have trouble pulling ourselves out of the water onto a boat so figured a beach would be fine. If we have trouble I thought we could just sit on the beach. Do you think they would make an issue of his weight when we are not on a boat?

[pbfp2008]

At the risk of being indelicate, is the member of your party that weighs 280 lbs in good physical shape and a good swimmer? Would he be able to climb the boat's ladder to reboard? Would he fit in a snorkel vest, a requirement for many snorkel tour providers? Even if it wasn't an insurance issue, it is understandable why, from a safety perspective, the Sea Cow might choose not to allow him to participate.

 

On the positive side, you could all take the water taxi to Klein Bonaire and snorkel on your own: http://www.watertaxikleinbonaire.com. This would mean bringing your own gear, but provides an excellent alternative.

 

How insensitive and ignorant. No matter how fat someone is, it's never appropriate to refer to them as a "Sea Cow."

[Johnamac123]

I'm getting a little nervous now. We have booked a snorkeling tour from the beach in Cozumel. DH is 6' 5" & weighs 300 pounds. He just wanted to try to see the fish. We are both in our 70's. I am a new snorkeler (tried it twice) & I wanted to share a little of this with him. Our tour is through RCI. We are starting to have trouble pulling ourselves out of the water onto a boat so figured a beach would be fine. If we have trouble I thought we could just sit on the beach. Do you think they would make an issue of his weight when we are not on a boat?

 

No, you will be fine. You might consider buying an XXL size snorkel vest for your DH to bring with him. That would be the only consideration I would prepare for. Enjoy your cruise and the next time your in Cozumel, consider Fury Catamaran Sail/Snorkel. They put on a great excursion and don't have a size restriction.

[sanger727]

Just my 2 cents. My BF is 6'3 and has never been under 250 lbs while I've known him. He's been everywhere from about 260-300+. It's the combination of being built like a linebacker and being a bit chubby. We've done catamaran/boat/snorkel excursions on every cruise we've taken. Never been an issue. I'm under 150, so more than balance him out for the weight limit on the boat, he's a strong swimmer... and really, people are going on about running 10 miles a day and running marathons... snorkel excursions involve putting on a life jacket and floating/lightly swimming in the water.

 

I've never seen him or anyone else pulled aside and questioned about weight. I'm sure it's an issue for insurance, agree it probably has to do with max weight on the boat and life jacket max. IMO if you can fit in a large life jacket, get yourself in and out of the water, and handle some light swimming, it will be fine.

 

No, we don't mess with anything involving horses, zip lining, or anything where his individual weight would actually matter. As far as our joint load on a boat, we are well under 500 combined so no matter.

[spookwife]

Please provide what I'm sure are several examples of someone being weighed prior to engaging a catamaran/boat sail/snorkel excursion and being denied participation in the excursion, losing their payment. Please include all possible details....

 

 

It's called google. Even ignoring the cruise line specific hits, and the odd blog or two that reference cruise ship tours, I found several that directly referenced weight limits by tour operators for snorkeling and catamarans and what looked like giant oversized 2 man life rafts of the bright yellow inflatable variety(300 pp, 700 total. ). . I used the search terms of 'weight restrictions on shore excursions ' and ' weight restrictions on boat excursions'.

 

But getting back to the original 280 pound person wanting to take a snorkeling trip with a max of 250: ever try and lift dead weight up on to a boat? Not easy. Has nothing to do with being able to climb out on your own( I weigh less than 180 and can't do that, which is why I don't snorkel) and has everything to do with being able to assist someone in distress. Mr spook is a former lifeguard. He had a fellow life guard nearly drown in a public city pool trying to help someone who was..of size.. in distress

 

 

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[spookwife]

I'm getting a little nervous now. We have booked a snorkeling tour from the beach in Cozumel. DH is 6' 5" & weighs 300 pounds. He just wanted to try to see the fish. We are both in our 70's. I am a new snorkeler (tried it twice) & I wanted to share a little of this with him. Our tour is through RCI. We are starting to have trouble pulling ourselves out of the water onto a boat so figured a beach would be fine. If we have trouble I thought we could just sit on the beach. Do you think they would make an issue of his weight when we are not on a boat?

 

 

Beach dives are much less worried about stuff like that although you may want to provide your own equipment( except fins) to ensure he can get proper seals and fit into the wetsuit if applicable.

 

 

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[spookwife]

How insensitive and ignorant. No matter how fat someone is, it's never appropriate to refer to them as a "Sea Cow."

 

 

Umm it's the name of a snorkeling boat/ touring company in Bonaire.

 

 

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[colesc15]

Can you get just as good of a snorkel experience doing a snorkel dive with a local from land? I found one that's actually cheaper and seems more personal but no boat is involved as you dive from shore.

[vacationlover_mn]

PTAngel- do they actually list a weight limit on that excursion? They don't always have weight limits...

 

 

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[spookwife]

Can you get just as good of a snorkel experience doing a snorkel dive with a local from land? I found one that's actually cheaper and seems more personal but no boat is involved as you dive from shore.

 

the locals know where the good stuff is and probably not over run with tourists from all the other ships in port that day. absolutely NOTHING wrong with a shore snorkeling excursion in most cases. plenty of close quarter shipwrecks that hold a plethora of fish and plant life.

[Johnamac123]

the locals know where the good stuff is and probably not over run with tourists from all the other ships in port that day. absolutely NOTHING wrong with a shore snorkeling excursion in most cases. plenty of close quarter shipwrecks that hold a plethora of fish and plant life.

Unless you'd prefer snorkeling over a reef, like some many avid participants do...

[Aquahound]

How insensitive and ignorant. No matter how fat someone is, it's never appropriate to refer to them as a "Sea Cow."

 

"Sea Cow" is a manatee....and it's the name of the dive boat.

[Johnamac123]

It's called google. Even ignoring the cruise line specific hits, and the odd blog or two that reference cruise ship tours, I found several that directly referenced weight limits by tour operators for snorkeling and catamarans and what looked like giant oversized 2 man life rafts of the bright yellow inflatable variety(300 pp, 700 total. ). . I used the search terms of 'weight restrictions on shore excursions ' and ' weight restrictions on boat excursions'.

 

But getting back to the original 280 pound person wanting to take a snorkeling trip with a max of 250: ever try and lift dead weight up on to a boat? Not easy. Has nothing to do with being able to climb out on your own( I weigh less than 180 and can't do that, which is why I don't snorkel) and has everything to do with being able to assist someone in distress. Mr spook is a former lifeguard. He had a fellow life guard nearly drown in a public city pool trying to help someone who was..of size.. in distress

 

 

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No specific examples??? I didn't think so...

[Fouremco]

How insensitive and ignorant. No matter how fat someone is, it's never appropriate to refer to them as a "Sea Cow."

I'm not sure if your post is serious or an attempted troll, but in the off chance that you are serious, let me explain that the Sea Cow is the name of boat used by the company that provides RCI's snorkeling excursion.

 

THE BOAT:

 

The boat is an original Venezuelan fruit vessel, found 20 years ago, abandoned on the southern tip of Bonaire. There were no signs of origin on the boat, so the owner could not be traced, and after a year the boat was declared "island property". The first years the boat was used as a water taxi and was later introduced for snorkeling trips for which it is still in use. After a thorough restoration, the boat is now in excellent condition and sails out almost daily to Klein Bonaire for great snorkeling trips and sunsets.

 

Some technical details:

 

- 36 feet hardwood fruit boat.

- Year of construction about 1975

- Cummins 82 hp diesel engine ca.1983

- Borg Warner transmission.

- Up to 30 passengers can enjoy a comfortable and safe journey.

- All required safety equipment is on board.

 

Finally, a photo:

 

[cockney1]

Are you talking about snorkeling or scuba? Should not be a problem with snorkeling. Scuba a different matter and health and good insurance really important as a Scuba diver I must insist on health and safety very important.

Brian.

 

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[Fouremco]

"Sea Cow" is a manatee....and it's the name of the dive boat.

Except, in this case, the boat is actually painted to look like a Holstein. :)

[Aquahound]

Except, in this case, the boat is actually painted to look like a Holstein. :)

 

Aha. Thanks for providing the picture. :)

[Fouremco]

Unless you'd prefer snorkeling over a reef, like some many avid participants do...

Fortunately, the two aren't mutually exclusive. Klein Bonaire's shallow reef areas, walls close to shore and fairly steep drop offs offer excellent snorkeling that can be achieved either as a boat or shore snorkel. Easy access to the island by water taxi, then snorkel to your heart's content.