Cruise Question

[aquageek]

I'll be taking a cruise in January that includes a stop in Grand Cayman. Of course I would like to get a dive in. This is the first time for dive travel so I have a queston. Which, if any, gear should I bring?

Thanks,
Jim

 

[salty]

I went on a cruse this summer and brought my gear.
Regs, back plate/18 lb wing, mask, fins, safty sausage and a spool. The only thing I left behind was a light, if I did it over I would bring a back up style (3 or 4 c-cell ) light.

 

[crpntr133]

BC, regs, mask,fins, suit,computer...pretty much everything but weights unless you don't mind renting.

 

[Cecil]

Agree with Salty bring it all but lead and tanks. I'm also going on a cruise in January and planning on diving Miami, Cozumel and Grand Cayman.

 

[DWJ]

Are they allowing diving in Grand Cayman yet? I did a dive there last Feb. from a Disney cruise. We used the cruise deal which was Red Sail Sports. They were ok. We brought all of our own equipment except for tanks and weights. The only problem was finding a place to store the dive bags (2 of them) in the room. The cabins get real small real quick. I didn't bring a light and really didn't need one. The floor on the first dive was set at 80' and the second was a shallow 50' reef dive. Plenty of light. Don't bother bringing gloves you can't use them. 3mil wet suit is fine in fact I was getting warm in a 3 mil. If you don't have a good camera get a disposable with a flash They have them now that are good to 90 ft. Thats what I used before I got a Oly 5050 and pt015 case. It took reasonable pictues My avatar of the parrot fish was in Cayman with that camera.

Have a great trip.

Dave

 

[Damselfish]

If you're doing only one dive it may seem like a pain to drag all your gear along, but if you've it I'd still bring it if possible. Unless you are very sure the op you're diving with will have good gear, it's to common to get crappy rental gear that doesn't fit right.

 

[Jim Baldwin]

Jim,

I would take everything except the tank and weights. You don't have a weight limit when you're cruising you come prepared.

I have used the cruise ship diving operations and have found that it is much more enjoyable to book my own diving. You need to understand that diving is not a money making venture for cruise ships.

Do some serarching about operators in Grand Cayman and line up your own diving. You will have much smaller groups and better bottom times. Be sure that whoever you book with knows what time your ship will arriving.

When you arrive in GC your dive operator will either meet you at the port or you can grab a cab and head straight to their shop.

One one cruise when we stopped in Playa Del Carmen I found that the diving had been cancelled I just got off the ship grabbed a cab and said take me to the beach. Found a dive shop and had two great dives with only two people on the boat.

Jim
Louisiana

I'll be taking a cruise in January that includes a stop in Grand Cayman. Of course I would like to get a dive in. This is the first time for dive travel so I have a queston. Which, if any, gear should I bring?

Thanks,
Jim

 

[aquageek]

Thanks all for your assistance. It looks like I'll be shlepping everything