Looking for Scuba tips and advice

[MrPresident]

Hello,

 

After talking with some passangers on my last cruise, I swore I would go Scuba diving on the next one. Well, I just booked a cruise in December. One of the stops is Roatan and I'm targeting this stop for a dive. Looking for some advice on if I should get certified ahead of time or go through the boats services. I've heard both ways. Seems like getting it done ahead of time would be the more logical choice but the cost might be prohibitive seeing that this is my first time and I'm unsure if i'll enjoy it enough to do it a second time. Any tips for a "new-would-be-diver".

 

Thanks!

[Laurie S.]

If you have the time, absolutely get certified before you cruise. I was going to do a Discover Scuba in December 2009 on a cruise, and went to a local diveshop to get some equipment. Instead, they were able to get me into their program and I was fully certified when I went on the cruise. Oh, what a wonderful time!

 

I'm now a Divemaster with 180 dives and I've never regretted it.

[Dabaras]

You have plenty of time to get certified. Some dive shops will do a pool Discover Scuba experience for a reasonable amount where you can try it out before you buy all the stuff. Some will even apply the cost to the scuba class if you register after the experience. If you're still not sure whether it is something you want to do, then by all means, do the discover scuba in roatan before you put in the investment in time and equipment. Doing a discover dive in Cozumel ten years ago convinced me how wonderful it is and I haven't stopped diving since.