Switching from PADI to SSI

[Divin'Papaw]

What about just regular OW diving certs and up the recreational ladder?
Are there any NAUI shops around that you know of in your area?
I know of one in San Luis Obispo called Depth Perceptions, they are a NAUI shop.
@BoltSnap says NAUI's curriculum is very good.
I know several long time instructors that started with NAUI then most crossed over to PADI because the shops they taught for were PADI and at the time the big P was all the rage.
But every one of them says the same thing, that NAUI was much better and they miss them.

I’ve never seen a NAUI shop, only a few NAUI instructors.

Across the Midwest, Florida, & the Carolinas where I’m most familiar, I don’t recall a single NAUI dive shop. I know of a handful (3-4) current or former NAUI instructors.

NAUI has to be a distant 4th in the US behind PADI, SSI, and SDI, maybe even behind GUE & RAID as well.

ADDITION:
Just used the shop locator on the NAUI website: Locate Dive Centers & Professionals - NAUI Worldwide.
In Florida there are a smattering of small shops (most I’ve never even heard of), independent instructors & entities such as universities & police/fire departments. I was surprised to see Force-E on the list. I never knew they were a NAUI shop. They don’t really advertise that. They push SSI but also teach SDI. Related to this thread, they used to be a large PADI shop until they had enough of PADI and switched to SSI.

 

[NothingClever]

What about just regular OW diving certs and up the recreational ladder?

Yep, instruction is readily available here in Florida. Not so sure about their shop-centric footprint.

The NAUI HQs is an easy 20 minute drive from my house.

I was all set to be a NAUI Trimix diver training with @RainPilot in Dubai until COVID squashed travel. I was coming off some really horrible PADI instruction so I liked the fact that @RainPilot was afforded the flexibility to tailor the course. I ended moving back home to Florida and pursued my normoxic training through TDI with Landon.

I enjoyed a coral reef conservation course through NAUI with Mote Marine Laboratory down in the Keys a few years ago so I have a NAUI account and I keep it active.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Yep, instruction is readily available here in Florida. Not so sure about their shop-centric footprint.

The NAUI HQs is an easy 20 minute drive from my house.

I was all set to be a NAUI Trimix diver training with @RainPilot in Dubai until COVID squashed travel. I was coming off some really horrible PADI instruction so I liked the fact that @RainPilot was afforded the flexibility to tailor the course. I ended moving back home to Florida and pursued my normoxic training through TDI with Landon.

I enjoyed a coral reef conservation course through NAUI with Mote Marine Laboratory down in the Keys a few years ago so I have a NAUI account and I keep it active.

I didn’t realize NAUI had their HQ in Florida. So that makes SSI US, SDI/TDI, GUE, and NAUI all based in Florida.

 

[NothingClever]

I didn’t realize NAUI had their HQ in Florida. So that makes SSI US, SDI/TDI, GUE, and NAUI all based in Florida.

“Dive Capitol of the World” - not because we have the best category of diving but because we have the best variety (minus coral walls) of diving and a significant concentration of the education side of diving.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

“Dive Capitol of the World” - not because we have the best category of diving but because we have the best variety (minus coral walls) of diving and a significant concentration of the education side of diving.

And don’t forget the business & employee friendly tax structure. I think that probably also has a lot to do with it.

 

[NothingClever]

I didn’t realize NAUI had their HQ in Florida. So that makes SSI US, SDI/TDI, GUE, and NAUI all based in Florida.

Don’t forget the Incense and Namaste Training Disciples (IANTD) up in Lake City. All about their chakras.

There’s one other totally obscure organization here in Florida that The Chairman belongs to.

ETA: NASE in Ocala. I think that means Not Actual SCUBA Experts.

 

[scubadada]

It is always interesting for me to read these threads discussing the various training agencies.

I was initially certified in 1970 by LA County and dived for 10 years in Southern California before moving from the state. After a long hiatus, I was recertified by PADI with my 12-year-old son in 1997 on Grand Cayman. My last PADI training was in 2005 when I did Rescue, also on Grand Cayman. My only other training was when I did SDI Solo Diver in SE Florida in 2013.

Perhaps I was lucky, but all of my recreational dive training was quite good and has served me very well over the years. I'm just short of 2,500 dives since 1997 and am headed back down to Florida tomorrow for more

 

[NothingClever]

NSS-CDS is in Gainesville. They’re serious so not going to make fun of them. They might beat me up on the playground and take my lunch money.

NACD is right up the street from me in Zephyr Hills. I’m not sure what’s going on there. I thought they were entirely and completely dead but Orie Braun (Halcyon COO and Santi national rep) took over as the President.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

It is always interesting for me to read these threads discussing the various training agencies.

I was initially certified in 1970 by LA County and dived for 10 years in Southern California before moving from the state. After a long hiatus, I was recertified by PADI with my 12-year-old son in 1997 on Grand Cayman. My last PADI training was in 2005 when I did Rescue, also on Grand Cayman. My only other training was when I did SDI Solo Diver in SE Florida in 2013.

Perhaps I was lucky, but all of my recreational dive training was quite good and has served me very well over the years. I'm just short of 2,500 dives since 1997 and am headed back down to Florida tomorrow for more

I've had outstanding PADI training and unfortunately lousy PADI training.

My OW and AOW instructors both broke standards left and right. My OW instructor was eventually expelled from PADI, and we know how hard it is to achieve that!! Of course, at the time I had no idea that they had violated standards as I was brand new and didn't know any better. I learned after the fact.

Thankfully, shortly after my initial OW-AOW training, through ScubaBoard I connected with a number of divers who became great mentors and friends. I then connected further with local buddies of a like mind in Indianapolis. They all helped me immensely develop as a diver.

Also thankfully ... my PADI, SDI and TDI training after that initial rough start was all quite good.

 

[Miyaru]

I'll answer for Malta in general.

• How has the transition gone for you?
• Are students receptive to SSI?
• Any regrets?
• Does anyone operate both PADI and SSI under one roof?

In 2024, PADI announced to all Maltese centers: you're exclusively teaching PADI courses, or you leave the agency.

Now in 2025, this has resulted in lots of dive centers saying goodbye to PADI. SSI has done an amazing job by talking to all of these centers and giving them a better deal. Brand loyalty is important for many centers, but in the end the money talks.

At the same time, the centers that stayed with PADI, saw a big increase in courses, in general 10 to 15 times as many courses were booked through the adventure and travel app, compared to 2024. New divers are of course not brand-loyal, but people still walk in saying "I want to do my PADI" and that doesn't happen for other agencies.

Regrets? The PADI regional manager and territory director are still making promises without delivering any result. Nobody really has any grounds for regrets.

Operating PADI and SSI under one roof: simply not allowed anymore. Not in EMEA.