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Seems like the best proof that there was a pricing error is that, even with a 10% discount, those who booked at the error price are unwilling to consider the cruise as one they'd like to take. The fact is, that the offered 10% discount is a pretty good remuneration when the only loss is "dashed hopes" of getting a screaming deal. Otherwise, those who booked get a full refund, which is all they are out, and all they are owed. For all the complaining, and allegations that "the law" says this, that or the other thing; the first hurdle to overcome would be proof of damages, and no one suffered any - again unless they'd like to argue "disappointment" is a damage. Harris Denver, CO

@flygirl2 It's pretty simple ( better than you're envisioning apparently). First, once aboard, check if it will be possible to stay in the same room for both cruises. In normal times, ships are fully booked and there's no chance. However, with ships not yet sailing at capacity, you may get lucky. If you do have to move, you can leave your things on hangers, and your stateroom attendant will move them. Your other things, you put in your suitcase/s and the attendant will move those as well, you do not debark with them. At a US port, you will have a couple options, both of which involve you physically leaving the ship. One is to go out as if LA is a port stop. You will be issued a Transit Pass, probably on the day before your arrival back in LA, and you'll take this with you. You will use that to bypass the line of new cruisers, and that gets you back on the ship. The other is to go to the assigned back-to-back meeting area. This is if you don't want to go out in LA. You will be escorted off the ship for the formality of complying with CBP requirements, and to get the ship count to zero. It can take as little time as walking off to the terminal and back, or there may be a 15-20 minute wait. As the first leg of your back-to-back comes to a close, you'll be invited to the back-to-back meeting. Attend and all will be explained. At the meeting you also have two options: first, sit there but do not pay attention, then ask questions receiving the same information that was already covered; or second do pay attention, and then be amused at the people asking questions inability to pay attention. 🙂 Harris Denver, CO

I'm wondering if they're adding it to itineraries over holidays, or times when they've had perhaps a lot of demand they may deem frivolous (I'm thinking spring breaks and so forth). I imagine when there are a lot of kids aboard they might get a lot of orders that tax the capacity of the food service staff. I just updated the app and checked all these cruises: Millennium Feb 23, Solstice April 23, Edge November and December 23, and Millennium April 24. All still show only the late night charge. Harris Denver, CO

Send me an email (the link is in my signature). I've got Catherine's WhatsApp number, but I don't want to post it publicly. Harris Denver, CO

On premium wi-if, calling, generally works well. However, if the overall Wi-Fi signal is poor, it will not. Usually that means there will be a period of a few hours where calls will not work. I do not believe you could call at all on the basic Wi-Fi. Harris Denver, CO

Was just on infinity for 40 nights, and in addition to the outlets described above, I was happy to find an additional US style outlet in the space behind the TV. I was able to plug in my multi-USB charger there, and the shelf below made a great place for all the electronics that needed a charge. This was ain a standard balcony room (6035). I have no idea if all rooms have it, but it's worth swiveling the TV to have a look. Harris Denver, CO

The water will be colder than the Caribbean, and wetsuits will likely be necessary (PV for sure, Acapulco unless you're very cold tolerant). The Pacific has greater biodiversity than the Caribbean, but that's on the macro scale. Particular sites you get no guaranties. I've not dived either Acapulco or Puerto Vallarta. A lot of people I know have dived in Puerto Vallarta and like it it fine, but I've not heard anything that indicates it's amazing. I know nothing about the quality of diving in Acapulco. If you contact Oceanos Dive Center in Guadalajara (https://oceanos.com.mx/?fbclid=IwAR0O-w_cZUfYa5LnEh__igB4a4p5k5RU6sCGD23YsaQAmu29OWGJbEy3Ayo), they're frequently running trips to PV, and could give you the name of the dive operator there that's good. The only thing I can advise directly is to avoid Vallarta Adventures. They're part of a chain throughout Mexico, and I've had bad experience with them in Cabo, and have heard of many similar stories from their various other locations Harris Denver, CO

Just a couple weeks ago I dove with Dive St. Maarten, which is sort of the reincarnation of what used to be Octopus Diving SXM. The day I was there the conditions weren't great with a fair amount of current, and fairly murky water. The location is good, at Bobby's Marina, which is reachable by either a vary short cab ride, a 20 minute walk, or the water taxi. If you take the water taxi make sure you tell them you want to go to Bobby's Marina, as only the small boat goes there. Their website is https://www.divesintmaarten.com/. St. Thomas I don't have a good recommendation for. There really isn't any diving worth talking about in the San Juan area. Harris Denver, CO

Please, do yourself a favor and go n with Gypsea. Catherine and Abel are fantastic, and you’ll arrive as a customer and leave as a friend. Mahahual has great Diving, and lots of sites that will be really good, while staying within the bounds of a Discover dive. Harris Denver, CO

Sucks for Holland America guests. 🙂 Harris Denver, CO

They have to. They can only call it a balcony if it comes from the Balcony region of France. 🙂 Harris Denver, CO

@eanselm if you look on the “Scuba and Snorkeling” section here on Cruise Critic (https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/24-scuba-and-snorkeling/) you will almost certainly find recommendations of several dive operators at every port you’re going to, where you can book these excursions independently. Since diving typically is scheduled in the morning, you really won’t have worries about getting back to the ship; you’ll get better dive sites; and save money. In the alternative, use the link in my signature to email me. There are very few Caribbean ports that Celebrity sails to where I don’t know someone in the dive business. Harris Denver, CO

For a day in Bonaire I recommend VIP Diving. They’re not the cheapest, but they do provide true valet service; and - assuming your certified for Nitrox - they include nitrox in the price. My friend Daniel Groener is back there for the winter. Ask for him if you go there. For Curaçao, Hans Pliej at CURios2Dive can set you in. He’ll provide port pick up and return, and you’ll have a great, stress free day. Harris Denver, CO

The operator for your ship sponsored excursion in Aruba will almost certainly be Red Sail (http://www.aruba-redsail.com/). If you're somewhat cold tolerant, you can probably do without a wetsuit in Aruba. The last time I was there for January, the water temperature at depth was 78 degrees (F). As early in the month as you'll be there, I'd expect the water to be a bit warmer. I was comfortable in just swim suit and rash guard. Otherwise, you could rent a wetsuit I'm sure. If it were me, I'd bring my own gear. However, you could easily just bring your computer and mask, and use rental gear for everything else, to save the packing hassle. This would be especially true if you're only diving in the one port. Harris Denver, CO

Baby Shampoo cut 50% with water. Harris Denver, CO

No tumbler. All soft drinks are served in the aluminum can, along with a glass with ice; unless you request the Can only. This is true in bars, poolside and in restaurants. They’ll gladly give you a sealed Can if that’s your desire. Water comes either in aluminum or glass bottles depending bn on the brand, no plastic bottles. Room service and mini-bar beverages are not included in your beverage package. Harris Denver, CO

That sounds like Buddy Dive for sure. VIP doesn’t do any boat diving. I join your positive opinion of Dive Friends. We use them for tank rentals when we are there on non-cruise Bonaire trips and they’re great. Harris Denver, CO

Mac, It sounds like the Pedernales Wreck. You’re exactly right calling it a “wreck/debris” site. The Pedernales was a lake tanker, that transported oil from Lake Maricaibo, Venezuela to Aruba for refining. During World War II, she was struck by a German torpedo midship. She made it to Aruba, where she was repaired by cutting away the midsection, where the damage was, and re-joining the fire and aft sections; making a shorter ship. The mid section was dumped where you dove, and between being used as a naval gunnery target, and storm damage -exacerbated by its shallow location - only the structural pieces remain. Harris Denver, CO

@jbrinkm First, while Cozumel has excellent diving, it's not a super choice for a Discover Scuba. The diving that makes Cozumel famous tends to be deeper than is suitable for a Discover Scuba. That being said, you can still do a great Discover Scuba there, if none of the other ports on your cruise are more suitable for you. I'm thinking you have 4 people, since you mention two teens. I'm assuming two adults as well. This is a big advantage for you since it's the maximum group size for one instructor, on a Discover Scuba. Also, your desired time might work to your advantage, because it sound like you could schedule your dive about the time most shops are finishing their morning two-tank dives. They might look at it like an easy way to schedule something without it interfering with their primary business of the day. My first thought is Paradise Divers. They do a lot with all levels of divers, and would probably be able to work something out for you. I have no idea if they could pick you up at a beach club, but their shop is adjacent tot he Hotel Cozumel (Wyndham) which isn't far from the cruise ports. If they can't help, come back and post more. I probably have other options that would work. Harris Denver, CO

@mac66 For Costa Maya, please set things up with my friend Catherine at Gypsea Divers. I promise you’ll have great dives and a lot of fun. The shop is right on the beach in Mahahual, so your non-diving family can have a great day too, away from the hyper-commercial cruise port. If you tell Catherine Harris sent you she’ll probably charge you extra 🤣 http://gypseadivers.com/ Harris Denver, CO

I suspect that the OP is talking about repeat Resort dives, but the “Scuba Diver” certification (as opposed to Open Water Diver) certifies someone to dive to a maximum depth of 40ft/12 meters, and only accompanied by an instructor. These are the same limits as a Discover Scuba dive; so the person with that certification can dive resort dives without the classroom and confined water instruction that a resort dove is supposed to (although often doesn’t) include. Harris Denver, CO

I couldn't agree with this more. You want a dive shop near home for training, equipment and advice. Of course one could argue I'm biased, but I don't own a dive shop, but I do see the value of the local relationship. Even if you do all your certification training while on a trip, you should still have a dive shop at home that you consider "yours". Harris Denver, CO

@Cruzin&Snuzin OK, you want tidbits, you'll probably be sorry you asked 🙂 I'm a dive instructor myself, and here are things I wish every potential student would do: Do research of what shops are in your area. You want someplace close enough that it's possible to have a relationship, but you don't need to select the closest place. A huge factor is does the shop have their own pool. If they do they can keep water temperatures at a level appropriate for dive training, and allow for trying different equipment during a class since all the shop gear is at the pool. Ask what training agency they are affiliated with You've obviously already heard of PADI, you'll likely also see SSI, and perhaps NAUI. All agency's certifications are accepted equally as each provide training in accordance with the standards of the World Recreational Scuba Training Council. At the student level there's no difference that is significant enough to be the determining factor in your decision. Full disclosure: I am an SSI Instructor. What equipment do they provide for class, and what do they insist the student purchase? A very common - although wrong IMO - technique is to insist that all students purchase a mask, snorkel and fins prior to class. Where I teach, we do the opposite,and discourage any purchases until the student has tried these items in the water, to make sure they have items (particularly masks) that fit properly and work well for them. Ideally, you'll visit the shop while a class is in the pool. Look at the instructor and the students. If you see a lot of kneeling/sitting on the bottom, they're not learning neutral buoyancy, which is the primary skill of scuba. You want to see students horizontal and face down, floating, rather than resting on the bottom. What options does the shop offer for class type. Where I teach we offer regular scheduled group classes, custom scheduled classes for families on their schedule, as well as semi-private and private (one-on-one) classes. All of these have different costs, and all have advantages and disadvantages. The cost difference is actually rather low, and may well be worth it if you do well with lots of individual attention. As an example at the shop where I teach the total cost for Class/Pool in a group class is $375.00. a semi-private class is $500.00 per person, and one-on-one is $575.00 per person. Of course this will be different where you are, but the idea is, for a reasonable amount of money you can get instruction tailored to you and your schedule. As for cost, ask what the price you're quoted includes, and what it doesn't. Some shops break out the cost of materials separately. They are required, so make sure you know the total. Specifically get a total for your entire training to the point you're ready to complete your certification dives. This includes your classroom and pool training, including any equipment needed, your on-line materials, and any miscellaneous fees (card printing fees, referral document fees, etc). I'm suspicious of shops that don't provide a simple straightforward price. It's not usually possible for a shop to provide you a price that includes your certification dives in the off-season, since you'll have many options about how to accomplish those dives. Now, on to what I think is the most important step, and it's one almost no one does. Shop for your instructor! Once you've got your choice of dive shop narrowed down, it's time to get your instructor. Most people don't even think about this step. They show up for class and that's the first time they hear the instructor's name. It's well worth making this an active rather than passive process. Ask the shop who the instructor will be if you choose them, and ask to meet the instructor in advance. This may take some schedule flexibility on your part. Almost all instructors are not full time employees of the dive shop, so they'll be making an effort as well to do this. If necessary, you could do this with a phone or Zoom call. Questions you should ask: How long have you been teaching scuba, and how many divers have you certified? You shouldn't rule out a newer instructor, instead look for a number of certifications that's reasonable for the length of time they've been teaching. If someone's been teaching 10 years and has only issued 50 certifications, they've got a hobby. Understand, most instructors are certified to teach a variety of other courses besides open water, so there should be a pretty good number of certifications issued. How many scuba dives do you have and when and where was your last dive trip for fun? It's not uncommon for instructors to get to where they're just teaching by rote. If they're no longer diving for enjoyment this might be a red flag that they're not going to share the joy of the sport with students. How many students have you had that did not successfully complete training, and please tell me the reasons why? If your instructor says this has never happened, that's a HUGE red flag. You don't want an instructor that simply passes every student. On the other hand, the instances should be rare. Notice I didn't use the term How many "failed". Most of the time a student who doesn't complete a class makes their own decision, because a good instructor will work with a student having difficulty, until/unless the student decides they want to do something differently. If you choose a group class ask, How many students will there be in my class, and how many instructors or assistants? Standards allow for as many as 8 students to one instructor, and a lot of shops use this ratio, at least in the classroom and pool. It's too many in my opinion, and results in either very little individual attention, or a very long class, with a lot of down time. The specific answers to questions aren't as important as gauging how you and the instructor interact. Would you feel comfortable if this instructor was teaching you to drive a car or use large power tools? While scuba is a safe activity, there are critically important things that make it safe. This instructor will be the one deciding if you understand those things at a level that will keep you safe, and make the sport fun. While my student's goal is often "to get certified", I will tell them that for me their certification is almost irrelevant, as my goal is for them to "become divers". This means they take to the sport for life. Of course the certification is necessary, but lots of people are certified to dive, but aren't divers. They don't stick with it and really develop a love for the sport. I trust you see the distinction. Once you have the class and pool portion completed, it's time for your four open water certification dives. There are three basic ways these can be done: Local dives, On a trip with your instructor, or referral dives. Local Dives are usually done at some site not far from your shop, and for those of us inland, that means a lake or quarry. Usually the water's cold, and the visibility is poor. This often dissuades new divers from really embracing the sport. However, the plus side is you learn in conditions that make you more confident, since in the ocean you'll seldom see such poor viz. Of course the other advantage is convenience and lower cost. However, since we're now half way through November, this option doesn't exist for most of the US until Spring. On a trip with your instructor happens when the shop you take classes with sponsors a trip somewhere, and their staff conducts certification dives as part of the trip. These trips some times are solely for the purpose of getting certifications done, and other times may be combined with group trips the shop is running for other customers. The advantage is you go someplace more desirable,and have instructional staff you're already familiar with. Referral dives happen by your completing your class and pool work with your shop, and then you take a "referral form" to a shop in your destination. The form in essence verifies you've completed the class and pool work; and is then used by the instructor at the destination to document your completion of the open water dives. You then return the completed form, signed off by the instructor who conducted the open water dives, to your shop, and they issue your certification. If both shops use the same training agency (i.e. PADI to PADI or SSI to SSI) the process will be a little more streamlined since the second shop can simply issue the certification. Once you're certified, you can dive anywhere in the world. There is no requirement that your certification be issued by the agency used by the dive shop. This is because all the legitimate agencies adhere to the requirements of the World Recreational Scuba Training Council (WRSTC) and the ISO (International Standards Organization). Thus certified is certified. Again, there are differences in training methodologies, and I certainly think some agencies have advantages. However, none of these would be more significant that the difference you will benefit from by choosing your instructor to meet your needs. Harris Denver, CO http://www.divessi.com/pro/64612

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It’s been several years since I’ve dove with them myself, and they’ve changed ownership, but Maui Diving was good when I was there. We fairly regularly send open water students to them on referral, and they’ve all been happy as well. (www.Maui ding.com). Also at least ten years since I’ve dove with them, but Lahaina Divers ifs close to the tender dock. They were more expensive then, and tended to run larger boats than I liked, but they certainly weren’t bad. Harris Denver, CO