The Pros and Cons of diving with the ships excursion

[bruce-r]

We get this asked from time to time, so I thought I'd just give my opinion as to what I think are some reasons a person might want to use the ship's dive excursion or make their own arrangement, so here goes

 

The way shore excursions work is that the cruise line contracts with companies at each port of call to provide the shore excursions the sell on the ships. In most cases, you can make your own arrangements and cut out the cost the cruise line adds to the trip.

 

Pros of making your own arrangements, at least for diving:

• usually cost less
  
• not limited on bottom time, dive your own profile
  
• can choose a smaller boat which will be less crowded
  
• can have a voice in decided the dive site
  
• smaller operator, more personal service
  
• better choice for more advanced divers
  
• you can shore dive if you want, which is much less expensive and not dependent on someone else's schedule. Grand Cayman is especially good for this.
  

 

Cons:

• more work for you to make plans, get to the meeting place
  
• ship won't wait if you are late, but being late is highly unlikely
  

 

Going with the ship's excursion

Pros:

• easy planning
  
• gear is often included
  
• good choice for the once a year cruise diver
  
• you get to dive with other people from your ship
  
• ship will wait if you are late ( this does matter to some people)
  
• easier logistically at some ports, especially Belize, or if you arrive in port too late for the morning dive boats from private operators
  

 

Cons:

• Usually cost a bit more, sometimes a lot more
  
• usually larger boats which can usually mean more people, but not always
  
• usually predetermined dive sites
  
• usually bottom times are predetermined, or everyone has to surface when the first person is low on air.
  
• dives are often follow the leader type dives, which is especially annoying for advanced divers or photographers
  

 

I hope this will help others decide which to choose, as there is no one right answer for everyone, every time.

 

[sea-jay]

What he said!!!

 

 

:D

[cruzegirl]

Bruce-r hit it right on the head... Now I do ships excursions for the very reason of arriving late to port and missing a dive excursion operator time wise and/or making sure the ship is waiting for me when I'm done in case the dive operator is late getting back....But another con to the ships excursions is that most of the time there are discover scuba students on board too and they have to choose dive sites that can handle beginners which usually is boring or very shallow for experienced divers.. I just did Pride of America and did the ships excursion.. It was a great dive but quite shallow/calm... But a good dive as it was in Hawaii:p .......lol.... Yet, with that said, I still do their excursions....

[mermaid40]

Cruzegirl - What port did you dive at on Pride of America? We are sailing on her in May, we want to dive while in Kona and Maui.

 

Thanks for the information Bruce-r!

 

Any suggestions or comments for diving Hawaii??

[MB_Diver]

I've always done the ship shore excursions and have never had a bad dive (except for an equipment problem in Cozoumel with Sand Dollar).

 

Last January, I had two shore excursions that arrived back late at the ship. One was a horseback ride the other a dive excursion in Nassau.

 

For that reason alone, I'd prefer to dive with the ship's dive excursions.

 

Dave (Explorer of the Seas Jan15/06)

[becca23]

Any dive/snorkel tips for Mexican Riveria sailing on the "Mercury" 11 day cruise

leaving San Diego 10/31/05...oh yea only 3 dives so far....

[cruzegirl]

Mermaid 40,

I dove only one excursion with the ship and the other I did was in Oahu on my 4 days of land before sailing....The one I dove with the ship excursion was in Kahului, Maui....It went to Lahaina and I dove with Lahaina Divers.... A fellow diver who did Kona said that dive was awesome too...But I didn't do that day.......