OP
Avoiding "Cruise Ship" Locations
- Thread starter DreadnoughtNH
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OP
DreadnoughtNH
Contributor
Based on what I experienced in Cozumel last week, sadly it is not a small minority. That or the entire population of that minority was in the custom's line.
OP
DreadnoughtNH
Contributor
Good point. I went to Santorini once and that was one time too many. The publicity photos did not show the crowds of hooligans!
I guess that I am part cruise zero, but I have found that I avoid short and/or cheaper cruises, and I stay on the ship when in port for many of the cruise zero tour locations. It’s like airlines. Fisticuffs happen on Spirit more often than Emirates.
It's people in general, I've found, that should be avoided. I try to stay away from tourist type people as much as possible, NEVER staying in a dive resort of any kind, or in any sort of tourist operation. If I were to develop a brain tumor and consequently decide that I wanted to have a few beers with the boys, I can do that at home.
I rent my own cottage, as isolated as possible, rent my own vehicle, and only dive with operators that have small boats able to handle no more than 4 or 5 divers, fewer if possible. I do my own shopping, and my own cooking (except when I'm part of a couple) except when I eat out, and then in places used by local people. I prefer to have no one serving of waiting on me. The airports are unavoidable, but they are small and quiet on islands like Dominica. Destinations that have very few amenities and that require at least one connecting flight in a two engine prop aircraft are all I visit these days. Solitude is something I value and enjoy, one of the reasons I like to solo dive. In an overcrowded and overconnected world it can be difficult to find.
I rent my own cottage, as isolated as possible, rent my own vehicle, and only dive with operators that have small boats able to handle no more than 4 or 5 divers, fewer if possible. I do my own shopping, and my own cooking (except when I'm part of a couple) except when I eat out, and then in places used by local people. I prefer to have no one serving of waiting on me. The airports are unavoidable, but they are small and quiet on islands like Dominica. Destinations that have very few amenities and that require at least one connecting flight in a two engine prop aircraft are all I visit these days. Solitude is something I value and enjoy, one of the reasons I like to solo dive. In an overcrowded and overconnected world it can be difficult to find.
I've never been on a cruise ship but I've looked into it a time or two. "Being late" to the boat is a privilege cruise ship passengers can pay extra for. It's some kind of agreement the dive boat company makes with the cruise ship for money (surprised?). The next time that happens, know that your boat operator is not only in on it, they're getting paid to make you wait. Feel free to give them the stink eye.
There's no excuse for bad behavior otherwise. I'd like to believe there's plenty of good people on cruise ships as well.
Like I said, I've never been on one.. but the cruise ships do offer and advertise that sort of thing as a perk you can pay extra for.
dlofting
Contributor
These people exist in the Philippines too. They are not usually Americans, they are definitely not Filipinos and they don't arrive by cruise ship. If you are selective in choosing your dive operation they won't be on your boat, but you may still run into them underwater.....or more likely, they will run into you.
Janie88
Contributor
Canadians are indeed perfect. When traveling internationally in recent years, it has been easier to tell people that I am a Canadian and avoid a long discussion about the previous CiC.
I would disagree about many people having these attitude, particularly when vacationing in the Caribbean region, but that flame war is for a different forum!
I agree that a lot of cruise ship people tend to be careless, both underwater and above. Now having said that, my husband and I and some friends who are all avid divers have gone on a few cruises together so I don't count us as the "typical" cruise diver!
Also, we had a horrible experience with some Canadians when diving Cayman Brac and staying at Brac Reef Resort. It was a group from Canada, they were the majority of divers on our boat, and were loud, with their stuff all over the place, and took forever to get off the boat into the water. Disorganized, and didn't care. They also had a handicapped diver who had to be led around by the DM on all dives and they never tipped.
So...I'm sure all Canadians aren't like the above, but they certainly put a sour taste in my mind. I think the better thought here is that discourteous people can exist anywhere. no matter where they are from. In general, I just find that common decency and manners are in shorter supply.
NeilA.
Contributor
I have to agree it is not just Mericuns that can be obnoxious. I would actually give the first place trophy to the British. I also find about 10% of the German population to be vile.
When traveling we are tourists (whether we like the label or not) and require tourist amenities. The challenge is to find the balance of amenities that we desire, or can live with, also convenience is a factor. If you research, there are plenty of good, or even great, dive destinations that are more “local” but they will likely not have the best beach, hotel selection, accessibility, water temp etc. whatever. Conversely, Cozumel is popular for good reason.
When traveling we are tourists (whether we like the label or not) and require tourist amenities. The challenge is to find the balance of amenities that we desire, or can live with, also convenience is a factor. If you research, there are plenty of good, or even great, dive destinations that are more “local” but they will likely not have the best beach, hotel selection, accessibility, water temp etc. whatever. Conversely, Cozumel is popular for good reason.
drrich2
Contributor
Shore diving Bonaire or Curacao would get you out of the direct sphere of influence of fellow divers.
Destinations that do a heavy 'occasional diver tourist' business such as popular cruise ports like St. Thomas may not be your thing...but a port that does a few but not a lot of cruise ships, is larger and less of a 'party island' (not as many excursion options) might be fine...like St. Croix.
As others mentioned, off-the-beaten-path destinations that take 2 days to get to/from or are more resort could be useful; Dominica was mentioned. I've never been.
Live-aboards would help avoid some of the hassles you ran into. Nobody's trying to get back to their cruise ship from a live-aboard dive.
Diving where more adverse conditions (e.g.: cold water - California's Channel Islands, to some extent the Galapagos) are in play may dissuade some of the divers you wish to avoid. I imagine many are dependent on dive guides, so operators who don't provide guides may be helpful.
Destinations for more advanced divers (e.g.: deep, current, colder water, lower viz.) may have a clientele you like better, particularly if they also have a relatively larger proportion of local divers rather than traveling dive tourists. North Caroline, California, and maybe Jupiter, Florida come to mind.
Destinations that do a heavy 'occasional diver tourist' business such as popular cruise ports like St. Thomas may not be your thing...but a port that does a few but not a lot of cruise ships, is larger and less of a 'party island' (not as many excursion options) might be fine...like St. Croix.
As others mentioned, off-the-beaten-path destinations that take 2 days to get to/from or are more resort could be useful; Dominica was mentioned. I've never been.
Live-aboards would help avoid some of the hassles you ran into. Nobody's trying to get back to their cruise ship from a live-aboard dive.
Diving where more adverse conditions (e.g.: cold water - California's Channel Islands, to some extent the Galapagos) are in play may dissuade some of the divers you wish to avoid. I imagine many are dependent on dive guides, so operators who don't provide guides may be helpful.
Destinations for more advanced divers (e.g.: deep, current, colder water, lower viz.) may have a clientele you like better, particularly if they also have a relatively larger proportion of local divers rather than traveling dive tourists. North Caroline, California, and maybe Jupiter, Florida come to mind.
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