|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Snorkeling, Scuba Diving and Other Underwater Adventures |
|
|
|
|
| Diving in the Caribbean is a special experience. As clear as you think the water is when you are on top of it, you are stunned by the view once get in it. The fish come right up to you and will even eat bread right out of your hands. Some of the colors on the fish are indescribable. If you’ve never been diving, this is the place to jump in. |
|
|
|
| It’s Okay To Consider Outside Vendors For Diving, But Be Smart This is one of the excursions that it makes sense to consider a vendor other than the ship’s vendors. But, we have a few precautions if you are going to do this. |
|
|
|
| First, NEVER use a dive vendor that sells their service in the street right outside the port. It’s just too easy to get hooked up with someone who simply isn’t a pro. In some ports, such as Nassau, you will find dive vendors located inside the Welcome Center which are probably fine. Conversely, in Cozumel, you'll find vendors walking around the gate with notebooks filled with colorful pictures of divers surrounded by schools of fish against a colorful reef backdrop. Truth is, you have no way of knowing where those pictures came from and whether the guy showing them to you works for a reputable vendor. |
|
|
|
| This is less of a problem with scuba diving than with snorkeling. When it comes to dive operations, it takes a lot to provide scuba diving excursions. For starters, the people offering the scuba excursion have to be professionally certified, which is a whole different level of expertise than being a snorkel provider. And as a precautionary note, don’t even consider doing a scuba dive with an operation that isn’t certified. |
|
|
|
| If you are new to diving and you just want to have the experience, stick with the ship’s vendors. You’ll be satisfied with the overall experience. But, if you are a serious diver, or at least one who wants to get the most out of the experience, take the time to check out the websites of dive shops in your port, and get on the message boards. Most ports have several very good shops, and the really good ones will have plenty of endorsements from past customers. |
|
|
|
| Stick with a dive shop that has a website and a phone number, and call them in advance to determine how they operate, particularly with regards to getting picked up at the port. You can also purchase your excursion online or on the phone. |
|
|
|
| One big advantage to using the ship’s vendor is that you don’t have to deal with transportation, and you can be sure that you will get delivered back to the ship when you’re done. (This applies to any excursion you book, not just diving). Make sure you have that covered if you use and outside vendor. Most professional shops are able to accommodate cruise ship passengers as part of their normal operation. |
|
|
|
| If you already know you are going to dive, it might be a good idea to bring your mask and snorkel with you. You can find a completely suitable set for about $25, or you can rent one for about $5/day at a local dive shop. You don’t need to bring fins. There are two advantages: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1. |
You can take the time to get the mask to fit properly on your head. That’s a big deal when you’re diving, especially for the first time. You could also find a local swimming pool and learn how to use the snorkel. It’s easy enough even if you learn it at the excursion site, but the added familiarity will be welcome. |
|
|
|
|
2. |
Sorry to be yucky, but you just never know whose mouth that snorkel has been in and how thoroughly it has been cleaned after each use. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
SNORKELING |
|
|
|
|
|
If you’ve never been diving, you’ll have to stick with the snorkeling unless you can find a vendor that provides a “resort certification”. Some cruise ships offer this package and some don’t. Scuba diving requires a certification and before you can scuba dive you have to complete some level of training. A resort certification allows you to dive with a particular vendor, but you don’t end up with a certification. More about this in a bit. |
|
|
|
|
|
If you just want to get your head underwater and don’t want to spend the time getting trained, snorkeling is for you. Getting checked out on snorkel gear is a breeze, though you do want to take the time to learn how to defog your mask, get water out of your mask, and breathe through your snorkel (duh. But, it’s not natural for us humans to breath underwater, so it takes a bit of getting used to). |
|
|
|
|
|
You can relax and not worry when snorkeling on shore excursions. There are plenty of other people around, you’re NOT going to drown and you’re not going to get left behind. For experienced snorkel-ers, these very things may detract from your experience, since you guys are up for a bit more risk and seclusion. |
|
|
|
|
|
Open Water or Shore Based? |
|
|
|
|
|
You’ll have two general types of snorkeling opportunities – shore based and open water. The shore based excursions allow you to take a break from the diving and lay out on the beach if you want to, while the cats will take you out in the water. The open water excursions (usually done on a large catamaran) offer greater diversity of underwater life since they are farther away from the shore. This can make them a bit more intimidating to first time divers, but they are just as safe as the shore based excursions. |
|
|
|
|
|
You’ll have two general types of snorkeling opportunities – shore based and open water. The shore based excursions allow you to take a break from the diving and lay out on the beach if you want to, while the cats will take you out in the water. The open water excursions (usually done on a large catamaran) offer greater diversity of underwater life since they are farther away from the shore. This can make them a bit more intimidating to first time divers, but they are just as safe as the shore based excursions. |
|
|
|
|
|
Snorkeling Combos |
|
|
|
|
|
Snorkeling is usually one of the least expensive excursion you can do, at least if it’s just snorkeling. But it is often combined with other activities to give you more variety with your excursion. Many folks who choose snorkeling on a shore excursion are more delighted by the actual experience of snorkeling in crystal clear Caribbean waters than they are concerned about what’s growing on the bottom. So this is an ideal activity to hook up with something else, such as beach trip, sailing, or kayaking. |
|
|
|
|
|
One very popular combo is to include an animal encounter (usually swimming with sting rays). The snorkeling itself isn’t all that great because you are restricted to a specific area which houses the rays. But it can be quite delightful. Of course, any time you add in live animals the cost gets significantly higher. So, if your real passion is the snorkeling, don’t include an animal encounter. We think these combos can be a pretty good idea if you like both of the activities offered, and the price is usually reasonable. |
|
|
Underwater Adventures cont. (next page) |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
| Prescription Sun Glasses |
 |
|
Articles we've written about
Cruising In The Caribbean |
|
Ten Mistakes When Taking A Cruise - It’s a shame to lay out
$250 - $2,500 on a dreamy
cruise vacation only to encounter unnecessary mishaps and
inconveniences. So, in an effort
to minimize the likelihood of a
bump in the road to your perfect
vacation, here are some common
potholes that can tarnish your
experience.
|
|
|
|
Eleven Expert Cruising Tips - Some useful,relevant tips and
ideas, and other neat stuff you
can use to make their cruising
experience better.
|
|
|
|
Hooked On Cruising (And I Like It!) - It's official! I have a
condition, a disorder by some
people's assessment. It's called
"Caribbean Obsession Disorder",
and there really is such a thing.
Imagine that!
|
|
