Brand new divers question

[texswamper]

My DH and I are getting certified in Key Largo at the end of the month and will do 6 dives.

 

Do all of you recommend diving with the Princess program on our first cruise diving in St. Thomas, Bonaire and Aruba?

 

I'm a little concerned about "cattle call boats" and reviews that I've read about some dive locations that other cruise passengers have been taken to.

 

Your experience and advice is greatly appreciated. I look forward to starting on this new adventure!

[BuzzF117]

I am planning on using http://www.admiraltydive.com/ when I am in St Thomas on the 29th of Feb I will be using Princess cruises shore excursions for two other days diving so if your going after March I will give a report. I plan on diving Barbados, BVI, and USVI St Thomas. It will be six dives over 4 days.

 

Buzz out

[texswamper]

Yes Buzz, it will be after March 1, so I'll look forward to your report about St. Thomas. Thanks

[gmcrow]

There are two ways to look at it. The first is to realize that many of the complaints experienced divers have about cruise diving is the lack of respect we sometimes get from the operators. They think we all got certified to go on our cruise. That's good for you; you'll get moderately easy dives and will be treated with the extra care you need. The rest of us are simply looking for an acknowledgement that we know what we're doing, won't screw up their good reefs, and that they can show us the good stuff even if we did just get off the boat.

 

Even if you book on your own, there's no guarantee that you'll get any better dive sites. Most operators, whether they work with the ships or not, will assess the skill levels of everyone on the boat before they decide on the dive sites. If there are new divers on the trip they aren't likely to take you on a dive site that could be easily damaged by inexperience, or where you could get into a difficult situation.

 

The flip side of the issue is that maybe you'd prefer a small operator, small boat, more attention, which you aren't likely to get if you book through the ship. Either way you are going to enjoy your diving, simply because its ALL sooo cool when you are new! Enjoy! http://www.cruisedivers.blogspot.com

[chadbeck]

I really think that you will be fine. I have used cruise booked trips and there is more people and its more of a follow the leader type of dive. If thats ok with you then it will be a good time. I like buzz have booked with admiralty when in st. thomas. They pick you up at the same dock as the crusie ship. I will be there next week so we will see how that goes. For boniare I can't speak via a ship but have spent a week there and you will love it. Perfect for beginners. I will also be in aruba next week so I will have a better idea after I get back.

[scubadiver888]

My DH and I are getting certified in Key Largo at the end of the month and will do 6 dives.

 

Do all of you recommend diving with the Princess program on our first cruise diving in St. Thomas, Bonaire and Aruba?

 

I'm a little concerned about "cattle call boats" and reviews that I've read about some dive locations that other cruise passengers have been taken to.

 

Your experience and advice is greatly appreciated. I look forward to starting on this new adventure!

 

I just sailed on Crown Princess beginning of December 2007. I was not overly impressed. In Aruba someone was not keeping track of their bouyancy. As they started heading for the surface the dive master took off to catch them. The people at the front of the group weren't paying attention. I was at the back of the group and could not see the dive master take off. Five minutes into the dive and we are all floating at 50 feet wondering where the dive master was. I later found out from Princess that there should have been only 8 people per dive master. We had 11 people per dive master. On other dives I've been on, the take out 12 people but they have two dive masters (one at the front and one at the rear).

 

Another example of not good experience, dive master on a drift dive asked us to tell him when we were at half tank. We were swimming against the current. I told him I was at half tank. The moment I did he turned us around and ended the dive. Going with the current we were back at the boat in 5 minutes.

 

Talking with other divers, you can get a better dive for the same money by going with a private dive operator (you just have to ask other divers who they have enjoyed diving with) or you can get the same dive for less money.

 

 

I haven't found a good dive operator in Aruba yet. Divers I have talked to recommend Buddy Dive in Bonaire. I don't know if they do cruise ships though.

[texswamper]

Thank you everyone for your advice. Since I will be so new to diving, I'm sure I will be staying very close to the divemaster! Since I've made reservations through Princess, I will probably keep them and begin my comparisons with cruise ship dive trips and privately organized dive trips.

 

I look forward to hearing about your diving experiences when you return.

[Cynthia Bl,ue]

Not having gone on a cruise yet I can't say... however, I spent a week in Bonaire back in the late 90s. And it is the most amazing dive spot I've ever been too. We stayed in a hotel on shore, unlimited shore diving and 2 boat dives a day. And the thing that impressed me most about Bonaire is the care they take of the environment. I highly recommend Bonaire.

[2Ports]

I highly reccomend Admiralty for St. Thomas - great dives in spite of the shark. Nice boat (6 pack), picked us up at the dock, asked where we wanted to go, what we wanted to see, checked experience levels. Excellent operation. Dave was our Divemaster & Fransisco drove the boat - they trade off jobs and are both great.

 

http://www.admiraltydive.com/

[tunseeker1]

I look at this a lot different then everyone here I guess.

 

First. What do you consider "Cattle Boats"? If you have never dove before then you are listening to the wrong people about a good dive trip.

 

Second. Where are you going in Largo? I worked down there for a bit and got to go on all of the boats at one time or another and most are "Cattle Boats"

 

Third. Remember that the people talking bad about different dive operators have different levels of experience and have different ideas what makes a good trip.

 

I was on a boat and the operator told us what our profile would be. Not suggested it, TOLD US. If you don't follow then you don't dive the rest of the day. On a wall dive the max depth was to be 60 ft. No more.

After hearing the complaints about the entire set-up from other divers we went in the water. The most vocal goes to 60-65 ft straight away and stays down there to the end of the dive. Straight back up, no safety stops and hits the boat with 200 psi. When changing tanks he had a first stage o-ring blow out. The boat doesn't carry gear so he was SOL. When asked about last service he said he didn't remember when it was.

 

He now blasts the operator to anyone who is around on dive boards, in person and any time he can talk about it.

 

Remember that the people telling you what you want are actually telling you what they want, and the reason operators are strict is because while you are doing 1 dive the people working there are doing those profiles 5-6 dives a day and might not have the no-deco time to come save you if something happens.

[texswamper]

tunseeker1

 

Thanks for your advice. We will be diving with SeaDwellers in Key Largo next weekend. Our instructor is going with us to finish what we started with her and there will be 10 in our group. I look forward to posting that I am OWC!