Snorkel question

[kbmeow]

we are going to try it on a excursion and I am worried about the mouthpiece. Should I just buy a mask and mouthpiece or can the mouthpiece be swapped out? Can I buy a mouthpiece on the boat?

[terkatz56]

we are going to try it on a excursion and I am worried about the mouthpiece. Should I just buy a mask and mouthpiece or can the mouthpiece be swapped out? Can I buy a mouthpiece on the boat?

 

Not sure I quite understand your question, but are you worried about germs? I have my own gear as it is easy to pack and even though they say they sanitize the gear on excursions..I just feel better having my own.

I don't believe you can buy equipment off the boat, perhaps they have a dive shop close by...but I think the boats just include the equipment in the rental...and they say they sanitize.

The mouthpiece to my knowledge is all one unit connected to your snorkel tube.

[BIG_Steve]

A lot of folks will buy a cheapie snorkel before they leave home and use that on the mask supplied. Carnival was hawking them on the ship recently, but I didn't check the price.

 

Also, go to the ports of call page that you're snorkeling from. State the tour name and ask. Some snorkel boats give everyone a clean new snorkel to keep. So if you find out yours does that, one less thing to be concerned with.

 

 

I personally have never seen a snorkel with a removable mouthpiece.

[kbmeow]

Ok so we will prob just buy our own here and bring it. I am not wanting my mouth on something someone else has had in there mouth. I am betting they do not sanitize in super hot water

[phoenix III]

They really don't sanitize the snorkles or masks, just rinse them in soapy water. We always bring our own. Carnival does sell snorkles for about $5, but the mouthpiece is cheap plastic. Go for a decent one and get a mask that fits properly! Same with fins. Hope you have fun!!

[Stevesan]

They really don't sanitize the snorkles or masks, just rinse them in soapy water. We always bring our own. Carnival does sell snorkles for about $5, but the mouthpiece is cheap plastic. Go for a decent one and get a mask that fits properly! Same with fins. Hope you have fun!!

 

Ditto. Buy the mask at dive shop. They will know how to ensure a proper fit.

 

You can buy a cheap set at any Walmart, but it you will have a miserable snorkel experience when the mask leaks.

 

Here's a reliable guide for finding a mask to fit your face:

Almost all modern masks have an outer seal and a narrower inner seal. This inside seal covers everywhere except just under the nose. If both of these seals touch the face than the odds of that mask fitting and not leaking are very good. This is done by putting the mask on with the strap loose, but in place, and then tightening it to what would be normal if you were diving. Some divers who have had very bad masks are in the habit of over tightening the strap on a new mask in hopes of a better seal. Don't do that especially while trying masks for fit.

 

The next step takes a second person or a mirror. Look around the entire inside of the mask checking to see that the inner seal touches everywhere. It is very important not to inhale through the nose which forces the mask seals to touch if they didn't naturally. Next check the outside seal the same way.

 

If the inner seal is not touching the face, especially next to the side of the eyes, it is likely the mask won't work well. But do check everywhere around the inside. The outer seal might keep water from dripping in but not as well as if both seals touch. Make sure the seals do not cut across any hairline or eyebrows. Also that the side seals are not right at the edge of the eye.

 

One other problem can occur when someone laughs, smiles or even squints. This motion creates lines or wrinkles next to the nose. Sometimes this makes a passage where water pours in. Almost every mask will leak when this happens. So don't laugh! Occasionally, depending on the person, these wrinkles may remain even after they stop laughing. In this case it may be necessary to straighten the face by pulling down or sideways on the cheeks. Again this is not necessarily a mask problem. So don't run out and buy a new mask.

 

If absolutely necessary, to keep everyone happy, you can now inhale slightly to check any unseen leaks. Sometimes a mask leaks around the glass. This is very unusual and is a one off problem, not the design of the mask. You can check this by holding the mask with the face plate parallel to the floor and putting water in the mask. If the face plate seal is faulty, drops of water will appear on the outside.

 

Don't be fooled by the size of a mask's frame and lenses. This has little if anything to do with how a masks fits. People will look for what seems like a narrow or wide mask, depending, but what counts is the size of the skirt where your face is actually touching the mask. An exaggerated example but if the lens of a mask is 1 foot wide but the skirt is only 4 inches, this would fit a rather narrow face but the mask looks huge.