Check out dives

[crusinhokie]

My sister is getting certified right now but won't necessarily have completed her open water dives before our cruise. Should she try to get those done before hand or will it take much time to do during our dives?

 

We are planning to dive in Grand Cayman (hopefully with Neptune's Divers) and Cozumel (hopefully with Eagle Ray Divers). Obviously, I will check with both of the shops to see her doing her open water dives would be an option. I've heard good things about these shops but has anyone done open water check out dives with them?

 

Thanks

[Hilary]

If it were me, I'd try to get the certification dives done prior to the cruise. Although a dive op may agree to do the dives on your excursion, your sister not only will likely pay a referral fee (which could be costly), she will also find yourself doing skills rather than enjoying the dive scenery. In addition, if she needs all 4 of her required dives, she will have to potentially pay 2 referral fees since she'd be diving with 2 different operators at 2 different ports.

 

Even if they don't charge her the referral fees, she also may not get the attention she needs and the time to practice and demonstrate her skills to the DM, since they may be more focused on getting the group out and diving. If they cut corners and she is allowed to just dive without doing the skills (mask flooding, mask removal, nagivation, out of air ascent, etc.), then she's taking risks she shouldn't even consider taking. It is so important to practice the skills you learn in the confined dives out in the open water. A certification that cuts corners is a potentially dangerous (or lethal) way to go. Food for thought.

 

Make sure you post a full report when you return, would love to hear about your dives.

[sportsterjohn]

I did my certification dives while on a cruise in march. Luckily everything worked out for me and I got all 4 dives completed in 2 ports but if I had the time, I would have completed them prior to the dive. I did have to pay a bit higher prices since checkout dives cost more than standard dives. I was very lucky though and had a my own private dm for all 4 dives. As far as doing skills instead of enjoying the dives, I do have to disagree with that. I did my 1st 2 dives in Roatan. I did my surface skills while my wife was doing a resort course with another dm. Once we actually started the dive, I really only had to spend about 5-10 min doing any skills. The dm incorporated alot of the stuff into the dive. I did all the 'optional' stuff in the 1st 2 dives so when I did dives 3+4 in Cancun 2 days later, I did not have to do anything other than than a fin pivot. Doing the check out dives on the ship worked out fine for me but I was extremely lucky with finding 2 good dive shops to work with. There are too many variables that have to fall in place for it to work, such as finding good dives shops, weather cooperating and hoping the ship makes port ( I did 2 of the dives in cancun, I later found out that our cruise was the 1st time the Dream made cancun in a month). So my bottom line suggestion is to have them done prior to your cruise, however don't stress too hard over it, it is possible to get it done on your cruise!

[crusinhokie]

Thanks everyone for the great advice. I think she is going to try to get her dives done before the cruise. As always, I get great advice from the people on this page!