RCCL Aruba dive restrictions

[djwang2000]

Can anyone explain these restrictions from RCCL's Aruba scuba excursion:

 

"Note: Tank and weight belt are included for all divers. ... Divers must have a minimum certification of PADI Open Water or equivalent. PADI SCUBA Divers, Junior Open Water Divers, or Equivalent can not be accepted. ...

Minimum age is 12 years. Maximum weight is 350 pounds."

 

The initial restriction (NO Jr. Open Water Divers) seems to exclude anyone less than 15? So that having been said, if we want to dive in Aruba with my 12 and 14 year olds -- any advice for shops?

[Capt_BJ]

probably has to due with planned depth of the dive

 

SCUBA Diver, and junior certification is restricted to 40 foot depth {WITH escort}

 

a quick flip thru my log for Aruba and Curacao dives shows most exceeded 40 feet, in fact I only have one where the max depth was 40 and none less than that . . .

[Laurie S.]

I agree, my Aruba dives were both over 40 feet for the main group.

[djwang2000]

probably has to due with planned depth of the dive

 

SCUBA Diver, and junior certification is restricted to 40 foot depth {WITH escort}

 

a quick flip thru my log for Aruba and Curacao dives shows most exceeded 40 feet, in fact I only have one where the max depth was 40 and none less than that . . .

 

40 ft is for Jr. OW ages 10-12. Those in the 12-15 camp can go down to 60 -- there are a couple of shops in Key Largo that won't do OW checkout for those under 12 for this reason.

 

I thought it was a depth thing also, but the aruba sites are the antilla and pedernalis. The antilla does go down to 60(?) (which should be OK by PADI standards -- though perhaps on the deep side for a 12 year old, admittedly).

 

*shrug* either way, I guess I'll look to do it independently.

[Laurie S.]

Just checked the two sites we dove in March at Aruba--we got down to 69 and 110 feet. Clive allowed us to do our own dives and kept the rest of the group at 40-50 feet. I'm sure it's still the depth issue. If we could find those depths on sites that supposedly maxed around 50 feet, it's not safe for junior divers.