Best & cheapest place to get scuba licence

[TrooperLauren]

Thanks for all of the responses.

Of course I do not want to forfeit my safety for the cheapest option, however I'm traveling the US & Canada on a budget. I've never scuba dived before but have good swimming skills. It's an activity that I'd like to try and possibly get a qualification in, however it's also an additional cost that's not in my budget, so I need to weigh it up against other things.

Perhaps I shouldn't have asked for the cheapest and best, but a reputable and relatively cheaper place. A shop or resort somewhere on the West coast, I would think a resort would cost more though.

Thanks especially to JKPAO, --tom--, k ellis, orm, peterrobbemond, PhilEllis and Mike Boswell for your suggestions.

 

[Selchie in LB]

I will add my 2c worth since I just got certified. Cheap is no way to go! Instructors go through a lot to get certified to train. They are not going to go cheap unless they won the lottery or some left them the fortune!

Here in So Cal most local dive shops (LDS) seem to have pools. They are not Olympic size, but all you need is a deep end to try and clear your ears and stay long enough to complete basic drills! Finding a shop where they will take the time to talk with you is important. There are posts here about why do shops make you buy fins, boots, snorkel, and mask. The shop I went through allowed us to basically try different gear. That is if when they first outfitted us and we discovered the mask or fins weren't quite doing it for us, they exchanged them (of course paying the difference if it came to that.) They have since become "my dive shop".

The are plenty of rants about bad instructors too. Hang around the shop and ask the customers there if they have been certified there or somewhere else. The book instruction is pretty basic and anyone who can read can get the basics out of the books. More often you or others will have more questions as a result of reading the basic info. Pool time or controlled open water time are essential. Just as much as ocean time. Also, depending on where you are, you might actually be in lakes! Different from ocean experiences.

Overall did I get the best instruction? Probably not. Did I get the worst? Probably not. Would I have gone somewhere else? Probably not. The reason I can say all that is because everyone at the shop including the instructor has taken the time to work with me and explain what they know. I have taken the basics and got myself out there on boat dives, shore dives, scubaboard, hanging around the shop and talking talking talking to people.

Good luck and Go For It!

 

[Mike Boswell]

Thanks for all of the responses.

Of course I do not want to forfeit my safety for the cheapest option, however I'm traveling the US & Canada on a budget. I've never scuba dived before but have good swimming skills. It's an activity that I'd like to try and possibly get a qualification in, however it's also an additional cost that's not in my budget, so I need to weigh it up against other things.

Perhaps I shouldn't have asked for the cheapest and best, but a reputable and relatively cheaper place. A shop or resort somewhere on the West coast, I would think a resort would cost more though.

Thanks especially to JKPAO, --tom--, k ellis, orm, peterrobbemond, PhilEllis and Mike Boswell for your suggestions.

The first course you will take is called "Open Water" or just OW, and that will give you the basics and a certification card. Many shops offer PADI training, and PADI is the biggest training agency worldwide, but there are many other training agencies to choose from.

There are several reputable dive shops in San Diego that offer scuba certification courses at affordable prices. The nice thing about San Diego is that we have a pretty diver-friendly beach (La Jolla Shores) to dive from, and lots of people do their training dives there.

 

[vjanelle]

Thanks for all of the responses.

Of course I do not want to forfeit my safety for the cheapest option, however I'm traveling the US & Canada on a budget. I've never scuba dived before but have good swimming skills. It's an activity that I'd like to try and possibly get a qualification in, however it's also an additional cost that's not in my budget, so I need to weigh it up against other things.

Perhaps I shouldn't have asked for the cheapest and best, but a reputable and relatively cheaper place. A shop or resort somewhere on the West coast, I would think a resort would cost more though.

Thanks especially to JKPAO, --tom--, k ellis, orm, peterrobbemond, PhilEllis and Mike Boswell for your suggestions.

You're still going to need to drill it down more.

There's also PADI, NAUI, SSI, GUE, UTD, SEI, etc to consider...

You might want to do a discover scuba (which is usually cheaper) and find out if you're capable of doing it at all or not. Not all places will offer refunds if you're physically incapable of diving or can't handle it.

 

[TSandM]

Well, what parts of the US and Canada are you planning on hitting? If I were going to get certified to dive, I'd want to do it somewhere where the diving is exciting, which means on one of the coasts. And if you are thinking of continuing to dive near Sydney, it wouldn't be a bad idea to get certified someplace like Southern California, where the water conditions will be somewhat similar to what you will deal with at home.

I don't know how long you have planned to spend in any one place, but budget at least a week to go through a certification class. There ARE weekend classes, but they're very rushed, and don't work well at all in areas with colder water/low viz.

 

[Cruisin Home]

Great old saying "You are too Poor to buy Cheap"!!!!!

 

[Damselfish]

As they say - better, faster, cheaper - pick 2.

Sounds like you have a fair amount of flexibility so with some research you should be able to find a class that is a good value - reasonably priced of good quality. Just make sure what the class includes. Often classes that look cheap up front don't include as much and will wind up costing you more by the time you pay for all the needed add-ons.

Florida is a good bet, lots of shops and competition and easy diving, and should be able to find a decent number of cheaper flight and accommodation options. If you go someplace that doesn't have shore diving, like the FL Keys, you will spend more on boat charter fees. Around Ft Lauderdale might be a good place to look. Are you renting cars? Getting around an area is another thing to look at.

Some folks will say if you have any plans to dive at home in cold water you should learn in cold water. This is not a bad idea and may make you a more skilled diver sooner. If you want to do that I'm sure someone can point you to good options in say California. But it's also possible to learn in the easier conditions then add on cold water skills later, and for some people that might be better.

If you go to a vacation area like Florida, it may be easier to find a scheduled class that can be completed over a week or even a few days, and you'll have lots of choices. (Not that quicker is a good thing for most people.) In many areas of the country, you'll find classes scarcer and often stretched out over more time, designed around most peoples work schedules, with classes/pool time at night and dives on the weekends. (Doesn't mean they necessarily spend more time, but it gets spread out.) So your choice might depend some on how long you want to spend someplace.

 

[Chris Hipp]

I will have to second trying to find a community college to take your classes. It will usually be a longer class, one day a week for 8 weeks, so you will have more time to study and absorb. At my school the cost of the class was$72, but that was back in '02 so I would imagine it has gone up since then. The schools also usually have a deal set up with a dive shop to give you cheap rentals and gear discounts.

 

[Stu S.]

Here is a business that due to location is able to train people almost every day, all year. Cave, OW, Instructor training, deco, everything. Because they are so well liked, they train more folks than anyone around Orlando. That volume of business allows them to make a decent living while not charging an arm and a leg. Example: OW students do not have to buy or rent any gear.

Have a look.

Dayo Scuba Orlando Cyber Cafe - Year Round Diving & Training - Dayo Scuba

 

[knowone]

When you complete your course and obtain certification you will be more qualified to follow a diving path that will fulfil your needs.


All agencies have certified affiliates that are qualified to provide adequate courses affordably.