Christmas Diving?

[aprils0909]

I know it's a bit in advance, but my husband and I are considering a cruise or liveaboard for Christmas instead of the family thing.

Does anyone have any suggestions or advice? We thought of Princess or Royal Caribbean. RC has better options for diving, but we've cruised with Princess (sans diving) and liked it a lot.

Never done a liveaboard, so I have no idea about that one.

Thanks all!!!

 

[vertaqua]

I believe Nekton offers discounts for there holiday cruises, there might be others that do this so just look around. I would definitely do the liveaboard over the traditional cruise, you'll get more and better diving. In general the food is excelent and plentiful, the crews are ussually very helpful and pleasant. Check out there website for more info, www.nektoncruises.com and look around this forum for info and trip report for other liveaboard boats.

 

[H20Bubbles]

We are booked on the Turks & Caicos Aggressor from Dec 30-Jan 6. Not quite Christmas, but diving in the new year will be a fun thing.

 

[BurBunny]

It's almost impossible to book too early for Christmas. That and New Year, for cruising, are the two busiest and most expensive weeks of the year on average. Early booking is your only chance for reasonable fares most years. One thing to look at too for holiday periods regarding certain lines - Princess limits the number of children onboard... Royal Caribbean doesn't. If you go the cruise route, I'd recommen you choose by ship/itinerary, not necessarily what the ship itself offers for diving. You can always book on your own (unless you're in port actually on a holiday, at which point many of the independents may be closed).

As for liveaboards, much different environment, but a whole lot more and less stressful diving. If your focus is really on the diving, go for the liveaboards. You become a family in the week, which would make celebrating a mutual holiday a lot of fun, even with people who were strangers the previous week.

 

[save-money-diving]

Agree with Amber. If you want to spend your X-mas holidays diving, the best choice is a liveaboard. The advantages are numerous: direct access to the dive sites, shorter cruising times, less stress- quality and quantity of dives.
If you go for a liveaboard, check carefully the kind of boat an operator you will be using and how many divers they are taking. Most boats offer a diver to dive master ratio of 4:1.

 

[aprils0909]

Wow, great leads! Thanks all!!!!!

 

[aprils0909]

BTW, I looked into the nextor site and noticed that the schedule is pretty full! Does anyone ever feel overwhelmed on a liveaboard? The day can start as early as 6AM with breakfast, 8AM briefing, and departing for the next site at 10PM. WOW! Talk about getting your money's worth.

Do you recommend novice divers avoiding liveaboards? Is it too intense for someone having their cert a year or less????

 

[diveborg]

BTW, I looked into the nextor site and noticed that the schedule is pretty full! Does anyone ever feel overwhelmed on a liveaboard? The day can start as early as 6AM with breakfast, 8AM briefing, and departing for the next site at 10PM. WOW! Talk about getting your money's worth.

Do you recommend novice divers avoiding liveaboards? Is it too intense for someone having their cert a year or less????

No, no, no, it isn't like that at all. You certainly do not have to dive every dive offered, so you can sleep in if you like. With little else to do but dive, eat, and sleep, there isn't the stress of "dressing" for a formal dinner (like some nights on a cruise) or anything like that.

You really have to decide where your priorities lay. If diving is the most important thing, they a liveaboard is without a doubt the way to go, even for novice divers. If you only want to do two dives on 2 or 3 days, and have lots of non-diving activities to choose from, then consider a cruise. Either way, you can do as much or as little as you choose.

 

[BurBunny]

so you can sleep in if you like.

Just be careful sleeping late on the T&C Aggressor. Capt. Piers may tease you mercilessly (especially if you were up late the night before...) If you do, just tell him Amber from DigitalDiver told you it was okay