RCI Scuba certification course

[Airbear232]

Hi,

 

I'm going on the EOS in December and they offer a "PADI Scuba Diving Certification Course" on the cruise. My wife and I are interested in diving, have never done anything more than snorkling in the past and are on this cruise. So, it seems like it might be a good opportunity.

 

Has anyone taken this course on previous cruises? What was your experience and do you recommend it?

 

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

 

 

Cheers,

Aaron and Hasheda

[bruce-r]

It isn't the full Open Water certification.

 

From the PADI website:

 

PADI Scuba Diver Course

Short on time and long on the urge to become a certified diver? The PADI Scuba Diver certification might just be for you. This course requires less time than the PADI Open Water Diver course, covering only the first three of five sections of knowledge development, the first three of five pool sessions, and the first two of four open water training dives, resulting in a limited certification. Particularly if you expect to go scuba diving primarily in the company of a dive guide or if you have limited time to devote to scuba certification, consider becoming a PADI Scuba Diver.

 

PADI Scuba Divers are qualified to:

• Dive under the direct supervision of a PADI Divemaster, Assistant Instructor or Instructor to a maximum depth of 12 metres / 40 feet
  
  
• Obtain air fills, rent or purchase scuba equipment and participate in other diving activities as long as they have the required supervision
  
  
• Continue their dive training and complete PADI Open Water Diver certification
  
  

 

As you can see, it is a limited certification. The Open Water certification doesn't have the first two restrictions.

 

If you have never ever tried scuba diving, I'd recommend that you try it first before deciding to get certified. Most local dive shops do a Discover Scuba to get people interested in getting certified. Second choice would be to do the Discover Scuba dives offered thru the ship or from select private operators.

[Canadian_Commodore]

Bruce is absolutely right...it is a limited cert. You can for an extra fee, take the upgrade to open water and also pay for the final 2 OW dives. That's what I did when I took EOS last Feb.

 

The other option you have is to take your book work and pool dives at a local dive shop...then on your vacation do your referral dives. That way you spend less time on your cruise doing book work and pool dives...and more time enjoying the cruise :)

 

Warren

[Airbear232]

Bruce and Warren, thanks for the feedback. We in Toronto in Ontario and I'm going to contact a dive shop here this week to see the options.

 

Warren, did you do all dives on EOS and get certification on the cruise? If so, did this take up a lot of time that you could have done other things? We're taking EOS out of Bayonne for a 14 day. There are a few days at sea, so we thought the classes would easily fit in this time.

 

In hindsight, would you recommend the RCI "PADI-lite" course or going through a dive shop with the referral program?

 

 

Cheers,

Aaron and Hasheda

[rednose83]

My scuba class starts tomorrow.

 

I'd do the course at home and then complete my checkout dives on the cruise or just finish the whole course at home.

[Canadian_Commodore]

Bruce and Warren, thanks for the feedback. We in Toronto in Ontario and I'm going to contact a dive shop here this week to see the options.

 

Warren, did you do all dives on EOS and get certification on the cruise? If so, did this take up a lot of time that you could have done other things? We're taking EOS out of Bayonne for a 14 day. There are a few days at sea, so we thought the classes would easily fit in this time.

 

In hindsight, would you recommend the RCI "PADI-lite" course or going through a dive shop with the referral program?

 

Glad to help in some small way. I wouldn't have done the course on a short 7 day cruise, but it helped on the sea days of our 12 day cruise. I had a great instructor on EOS so that really helped and with only 3 of us in the class that made it nice too. I managed to get in 3 of my 4 OW dives on that cruise and doing my final OW dive next week when I visit Catalina. We did our first two dives in St Maarten. I did my third in Barbados. Seeing as how you are on a 14 day cruise you could do it. You'll spend a couple of your sea days in class or in the pool and there is reading later in the afternoon or evening. Once you get the lite version you can take the "upgrade" which is another day of class and pool and then your final 2 OW dives for certification. I didn't mind doing things that way as it gave me something to do while the Mrs was at the spa or an art auction..lol.

 

Warren