Never "Scuba"ed/Snorkeled Before, Have 3 Options, Need Advice

[tonyr1988]

We're planning on cruising for the first time in mid-December 2008. The ship has three ports it stops at: Nassau, CocoCay, and Key West. Neither my wife nor myself have every gone scuba diving or snorkeling, but it's something we're very interested in. Because of this, we don't own any gear at all - I'm not even sure there's anywhere around here to guy scuba gear (Northwest Arkansas...no oceans here :D) I've got a few questions:

 

-I'm assuming "scuba = diving deep, oxygen tank, etc." while "snorkeling = floating on top, occasionally going down." Does this mean that scuba diving is quite a bit more expensive than snorkeling?

 

-Do many places offer short training sessions for newbies?

 

-I know that there's a license (or similar) for scuba divers - is this absolutely necessary always?

 

-Which of those 3 ports would you recommend for us?

 

We're just trying to find some different things to do on the individual islands, and this was something that came up. If there's any advice you can give us to help make our decision, thanks! :)

[Quero]

We're planning on cruising for the first time in mid-December 2008. The ship has three ports it stops at: Nassau, CocoCay, and Key West. Neither my wife nor myself have every gone scuba diving or snorkeling, but it's something we're very interested in. Because of this, we don't own any gear at all - I'm not even sure there's anywhere around here to guy scuba gear (Northwest Arkansas...no oceans here :D) I've got a few questions:

 

-I'm assuming "scuba = diving deep, oxygen tank, etc." while "snorkeling = floating on top, occasionally going down." Does this mean that scuba diving is quite a bit more expensive than snorkeling?

 

-Do many places offer short training sessions for newbies?

 

-I know that there's a license (or similar) for scuba divers - is this absolutely necessary always?

 

-Which of those 3 ports would you recommend for us?

 

We're just trying to find some different things to do on the individual islands, and this was something that came up. If there's any advice you can give us to help make our decision, thanks! :)

 

Your assumptions are generally right--snorkeling is quite a lot less expensive than scuba; this is because the equipment and training requirements are much simpler for snorkeling. Snorkeling requires only a mask and snorkel (though a lot of people also wear fins). It's easy to learn to do at the simplest level, and even if you want to engage in a bit of skin diving (diving below the surface while holding your breath), a couple of tips is all you need. You don't really have to have any professional-level assistance to snorkel. Scuba diving, however, requires significantly more complex equipment (which you can rent--but the tanks are filled with AIR, not oxygen!) as well as some actual training, both before you dive and during the dive. The cost of equipment rental and the fact that you must be trained by as well as accompanied by a professional scuba instructor make scuba more expensive than snorkeling.

 

If you have not yet ever snorkeled nor done any scuba diving, the activity which would best suit you probably depends on how comfortable you are in water. That is, in your non-ocean Arkansas, do you participate in water activities like water skiing? If you don't spend a lot of time in water or don't really feel comfortable in deep water, my recommendation would be to start out slow: try snorkeling at the first shore excursion opportunity, and if you are excited about it, try scuba during the next one. OTOH, if you're already a water lover you may as well just "dive in" with scuba right off.

 

Scuba diving does require training, but if you just want to try it out, the training is short and sweet--just enough to get you in and out safely and comfortably. The program my scuba agency offers is called Discover Scuba Diving. To become a fully certified diver, though, you would need more extensive training and more dives.

 

Sorry I can't help with port information, but speaking from my scuba-crazed perspective, I'd start right out with either snorkeling or scuba diving at the first opportunity so that if you "get the bug" you can do it again at the next port.

[foneguy]

or this, ry snorkling this summer in a pool.....it is a very easy way to find if you are comfortable with breathing through a "tube" and the mask on

also for a discover scuba is easy and the training is quite simple, also on a discover scube you will generally be no deeper than 33 ft...

 

beaware....once you try scuba it can get addictive......thats how i got into it in hawaii w/ friends we went on a discover scuba and got hooked!!!!

 

there also is a thing callen snuba hwere the air supply is in a raft and you can go down aprox. 20ft on a scuba regulator, my wife want to try that on our trip in april

either way i guarentee you will have fun:D

[gmcrow]

Whatever you decide, in December Key West water is considerably cooler than the other two ports. Snorkeling at Coco Cay is easy, from the shore, and the water is clear enough to see a few things, and relatively warm in December. Have never done snorkeling in Nassau, only great diving, but I think Stuart Cove's offers snorkeling, and maybe even the Discover Scuba course. http://www.stuartcove.com They are the provider for Royal Caribbean's diving in Nassau.

http://www.cruisedivers.blogspot.com

[tonyr1988]

If you have not yet ever snorkeled nor done any scuba diving, the activity which would best suit you probably depends on how comfortable you are in water. That is, in your non-ocean Arkansas, do you participate in water activities like water skiing? If you don't spend a lot of time in water or don't really feel comfortable in deep water, my recommendation would be to start out slow: try snorkeling at the first shore excursion opportunity, and if you are excited about it, try scuba during the next one. OTOH, if you're already a water lover you may as well just "dive in" with scuba right off.

 

We had a somewhat-large lake around here, and we head up there quite a bit to do skiing, tubing, etc. I'm definitely not the best, but it doesn't bother me at all. :)

 

Scuba diving does require training, but if you just want to try it out, the training is short and sweet--just enough to get you in and out safely and comfortably. The program my scuba agency offers is called Discover Scuba Diving. To become a fully certified diver, though, you would need more extensive training and more dives.

 

So are there different "levels" of scuba certification?

 

there also is a thing callen snuba hwere the air supply is in a raft and you can go down aprox. 20ft on a scuba regulator, my wife want to try that on our trip in april

either way i guarentee you will have fun:D

 

I was looking into snuba last night, and it seems really cool. Is it just like scuba except you can't go as deep, the equipment floats on top of the water, and you don't need as much training? They generally provide all the equipment for that, right?

 

Whatever you decide, in December Key West water is considerably cooler than the other two ports. Snorkeling at Coco Cay is easy, from the shore, and the water is clear enough to see a few things, and relatively warm in December. Have never done snorkeling in Nassau, only great diving, but I think Stuart Cove's offers snorkeling, and maybe even the Discover Scuba course. www.stuartcove.com They are the provider for Royal Caribbean's diving in Nassau.

www.cruisedivers.blogspot.com

 

Thanks a TON for that tip. I hate freezing water. :)

[xSandman3`]

 

 

-I know that there's a license (or similar) for scuba divers - is this absolutely necessary always?

 

How much is your life worth? Do you trust it with an overworked and underpaid divemaster in a foreign country? I've chased more than one newbie to 100' while I was on vacation because they didn't know what they were doing and the DM wasn't paying the least bit of attention.

 

Get certified, dive a lot, and you won't have to worry.

 

Dale

PADI OWSI

[bruce-r]

You have already had knowledgeable responses, but just because I can, I'll also offer my opinion.

-I'm assuming "scuba = diving deep, oxygen tank, etc." while "snorkeling = floating on top, occasionally going down." Does this mean that scuba diving is quite a bit more expensive than snorkeling?

yes, scuba diving is considerable more expensive than snorkeling, especially if you end up buying your own scuba gear. As already noted, scuba tank=Air tank

 

-Do many places offer short training sessions for newbies?

yes. You are looking to do a Discover Scuba dive. Cruise lines offer such an excursion for many ports of call. You can also arrange for this privately

 

-I know that there's a license (or similar) for scuba divers - is this absolutely necessary always?

With the exception of the Discover Scuba dive, it is alway necessary to certified in order to scuba dive.

 

-Which of those 3 ports would you recommend for us?

It would depend on where the ship offers the excursion. Key West would probably be my first choice. If the ship doesn't offer it at Coco Cay, then it isn't available there at all as this is a "private island" and only the ship's excursions are available there, no private vendors.

 

We're just trying to find some different things to do on the individual islands, and this was something that came up. If there's any advice you can give us to help make our decision, thanks! :)

I agree with the Snuba suggestion. Better than snorkeling, but not quite as good as scuba.

[Quero]

We had a somewhat-large lake around here, and we head up there quite a bit to do skiing, tubing, etc. I'm definitely not the best, but it doesn't bother me at all. :)

 

Sounds to me like you're ready for scuba, then. It's not how "good" you are, but rather your comfort level in deep water and with your face in water. If you don't panic when you're dumped off the tube or fall while skiing, you'll probably be okay with water over your head.

 

So are there different "levels" of scuba certification?

 

More than you can even imagine as a potential diver-to-be. My own certification collection holds something like 20 of them, and I'm not done yet! The most basic full certification is a short course that you can do at home over a few weekends or on vacation in four days (or a combination of these two). It allows you to dive with a buddy to relatively shallow depths (60 feet). I don't recommend the vacation course, though, since you will have a hard time focusing and will spend most of your vacation time with your nose in a book.

 

I was looking into snuba last night, and it seems really cool. Is it just like scuba except you can't go as deep, the equipment floats on top of the water, and you don't need as much training? They generally provide all the equipment for that, right?

 

I dunno--I guess there are different opinions. I clearly remember the first time I snorkeled (in Hawaii at Hanauma Bay), but didn't even recall that I had ever been on snuba until one of my kids reminded me with a photo as evidence (I was denying ever having tried it). Yeah, you breathe through a regulator on snuba, but that's about the only similarity to scuba. When you snorkel you can get right over shallow reefs whereas on snuba you have to stay in sandy areas so you don't damage the corals or cut yourself on them. Fish live largely around corals rather than sandy areas. If you learn to dive you will eventually get to swim amidst beautiful coral fields where the real fish action is. I'm not a snuba fan, it seems--I don't want to be tethered to a surface-supplied air source; I want to go where I want to go.

 

I hate freezing water. :)

Yeah, but on scuba you will wear a wetsuit that will help keep you warm during your dive. You can also wear a wetsuit while snorkeling, but you get strange tan lines.

[Quero]

We had a somewhat-large lake around here, and we head up there quite a bit to do skiing, tubing, etc. I'm definitely not the best, but it doesn't bother me at all. :)

 

Sounds to me like you're ready for scuba, then. It's not how "good" you are, but rather your comfort level in deep water and with your face in water. If you don't panic when you're dumped off the tube or fall while skiing, you'll probably be okay with water over your head.

 

So are there different "levels" of scuba certification?

 

More than you can even imagine as a potential diver-to-be. My own certification collection holds something like 20 of them, and I'm not done yet! The most basic full certification is a short course that you can do at home over a few weekends or on vacation in four days (or a combination of these two). It allows you to dive with a buddy to relatively shallow depths (60 feet). I don't recommend the vacation course, though, since you will have a hard time focusing and will spend most of your vacation time with your nose in a book.

 

I was looking into snuba last night, and it seems really cool. Is it just like scuba except you can't go as deep, the equipment floats on top of the water, and you don't need as much training? They generally provide all the equipment for that, right?

 

I dunno--I guess there are different opinions. I clearly remember the first time I snorkeled (in Hawaii at Hanauma Bay), but didn't even recall that I had ever been on snuba until one of my kids reminded me with a photo as evidence (I was denying ever having tried it). Yeah, you breathe through a regulator on snuba, but that's about the only similarity to scuba. When you snorkel you can get right over shallow reefs whereas on snuba you have to stay in sandy areas so you don't damage the corals or cut yourself on them. Fish live largely around corals rather than sandy areas. If you learn to dive you will eventually get to swim amidst beautiful coral fields where the real fish action is. I'm not a snuba fan, it seems--I don't want to be tethered to a surface-supplied air source; I want to go where I want to go.

 

I hate freezing water. :)

Yeah, but on scuba you will wear a wetsuit that will help keep you warm during your dive. You can also wear a wetsuit while snorkeling, but you get strange tan lines.

[123Scuba.com]

We're planning on cruising for the first time in mid-December 2008. The ship has three ports it stops at: Nassau, CocoCay, and Key West. Neither my wife nor myself have every gone scuba diving or snorkeling, but it's something we're very interested in. Because of this, we don't own any gear at all - I'm not even sure there's anywhere around here to guy scuba gear (Northwest Arkansas...no oceans here :D) I've got a few questions:

 

-I'm assuming "scuba = diving deep, oxygen tank, etc." while "snorkeling = floating on top, occasionally going down." Does this mean that scuba diving is quite a bit more expensive than snorkeling?

 

-Do many places offer short training sessions for newbies?

 

-I know that there's a license (or similar) for scuba divers - is this absolutely necessary always?

 

-Which of those 3 ports would you recommend for us?

 

We're just trying to find some different things to do on the individual islands, and this was something that came up. If there's any advice you can give us to help make our decision, thanks! :)

 

Some points to consider about Scuba vs. Snorkeling...

 

Snorkeling requires little more than mask, snorkel and fins. (Some folks get fancy and have wetsuits (or diveskins) and snorkeling vest but all in all it is still considerably less equipment. Less investment, less cost to try and less overall cost to get involved long term. Since it is also a "surface sport" it requires less (or no) training and does not incur the same risks as scuba diving. Since you are breathing compress air (gas) while diving it is vital that you are trained - short, often called resort courses may not be enough for some people to be comfortable. Either way because of the adding training (and necessary equipment) it will cost more to try and if you decide to continue.

 

I will add that snorkeling and scuba diving are some of the most incredible experiences and I would encourage anyone who is willing and able to become involved in the sport(s) if they have the opportunity.

[scubadiver888]

We're planning on cruising for the first time in mid-December 2008. The ship has three ports it stops at: Nassau, CocoCay, and Key West. Neither my wife nor myself have every gone scuba diving or snorkeling, but it's something we're very interested in. Because of this, we don't own any gear at all - I'm not even sure there's anywhere around here to guy scuba gear (Northwest Arkansas...no oceans here :D) I've got a few questions:

 

-I'm assuming "scuba = diving deep, oxygen tank, etc." while "snorkeling = floating on top, occasionally going down." Does this mean that scuba diving is quite a bit more expensive than snorkeling?

 

-Do many places offer short training sessions for newbies?

 

-I know that there's a license (or similar) for scuba divers - is this absolutely necessary always?

 

-Which of those 3 ports would you recommend for us?

 

We're just trying to find some different things to do on the individual islands, and this was something that came up. If there's any advice you can give us to help make our decision, thanks! :)

 

To do snorkeling you need a mask, fins and a snorkel. To do scuba diving, you need all the snorkeling equipment plus a bouyancy control device (BCD), i.e. the vest, a tank of compressed air (not oxygen just regular air) and a regulator to provide the air from the tank to your mouth.

 

If a resort or cruise ship offers scuba diving, they usually have a thing called Discover Scuba. In this they will give you the basic training, i.e. enough to keep you safe so long as you follow the dive master. You might want to give this a try. Rent the equipment, at most just buy the mask, fins and snorkel. If you like it, you can think about spending more money.

 

I have seen people who spend years just doing Discover Scuba, over and over. I've seen others who will sign up for a course and become Open Water (OW) certified. This is the basic training. After that you can learn how to dive deeper, safely. How to go inside a ship wreck, safely. How to navigate underwater. How to use a camera. You can decide how much you want to do.

 

I did a Discover Scuba once. A few years later I took the OW training at a resort in Negril, Jamaica. For quite a few years I have been going diving on cruise ships as a certified diver. This year I'm buying all my equipment (until now I rented) and getting Advanced Open Water (AOW) certified. I'll probably start diving more here in Canada and continue to learn more and more. Until now I didn't have the time or money to go too deep into the training.

 

The most important thing is make sure you like it. I see a lot of people who go to a scuba store and the guy in the store convinces them to buy 'the package' deal. They get the equipment for 25% off if they buy all the equipment with dive training. They get all the equipment, go to the first class and find out something about scuba diving freaks them out. The store refuses to refund the money for the equipment. Now they don't like scuba diving but have $1000 worth if useless equipment.

 

It really is worth renting once or twice to see if you like it before spending too much money. A really good dive shop will even let you rent the gear really cheap with the hopes of getting a sale. It is sort of like, some shops have rental gear and they'll let you "test drive" the equipment before you dive.

 

My current shop let me "test drive" the equipment for $15. This included the tank of air and everything.