Certification help!!

[Albertan_diver]

Hello all,

I recently did my classroom/pool portion and I am looking to complete the open water on the cruise (Barbados).

The dive shop where I did my initial training is going to write a letter for me, but they need a name of the dive outfit to address it to??

That's where the plan falls apart, NCL of course doesn't release the names of its vendors. Which makes snese?

 

But I need some help, does anyone know the name of the outfit in Bridgetown so that i can get the letter addressed to them?

 

Thanks for your help,

Darren

 

email: indydmann@hotmail.com

[bruce-r]

You do know that you don't necessarily have to use the ships dive excursion, in fact, for your needs you are probably better off making your own arrangements.

[w&k]

Unless I have old information... you will need four dives for certification, which means two islands (unless you are staying two days in Barbados).

 

I will have to defer to the instructors out there - is the requirement still four dives, and does it have to be in the same certification agency?

 

When we are in Barbados, we dive with John & Mary Moore at Dive Barbados - it's the classic dive shack on the beach. We have been with them three times, and are heading back in the spring.

 

Here's a link to their website http://www.divebarbados.net/ and to my reviews here on Cruise Critic. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=121690 and http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=367272

 

Have a great time - and welcome to the underwater addiction!

 

Wendy

 

pix

http://community.webshots.com/user/wendyandkeith

[dtchem1]

The previous poster is correct that there are 4 dives for basic open water certification. I don't know why the dive shop needs the Barbados dive operator. I did my classroom/pool in PA and my checkout dives in Cozumel, but I had no idea who I was going to dive with and I had no problem. If you are certifying with PADI you just need the referral sheet filled out by the dive shop that did your classroom/pool work.

[reddi]

I agree fully with the 2 previous posters. Our 3 sons did class/pool work at our local dive shop and did 5 open water dives on the cruise (1 was with snorkel). The dive shop provided referral forms and we took them to 2 different dive shops we worked with at 2 different ports of call. The divemasters fill out their portions at the end of the dives and you return the paperwork to your dive shop when you come back home, so they can process your Ccard.

[cmdchiefthom]

If you've taken a PADI course, your instructor would not need a specific dive shop, or instructor to refer you to, just your training record, and the referral. Personally, I would contact PADI diving facilities at the ports where your ship is visiting ahead of time, and arrange for your open water dives. Your current instructor should be able to help you with the arrangements.;)

[Albertan_diver]

hey guys,

thanks for all your help!

Darren

[Loves_Dogs]

I also did all my book/pool work at the local dive shop and the certification dives on my cruise last year. The local dive shop gave me a Universal Referral form to take and I arranged the dives myself (not through the ship). I did 2 dives in Barbados and 2 in St Thomas. It worked out very well for me, it was not crowded and we had a blast.