Cruise ship diving

[Dive Muppet]

I'm wondering if anyone knows of any cruise ships ( particularly in the Caribbean) that have positions for Dive Instructors. I'm an SSI Instructor/ Naui DM and I'm interested in finding a position on one of these ships towards the end of the year. I've worked land based and live aboard, but never on a cruiser, so I'd love any good info on boats to work on, conditions, wages, down time etc.
If anyone has done this before, please post your tales.
Thanks all.

 

[ScubaMike14]

Royal Carribean International is looking for PADI Instructors to staff thier private islands as well as thier cruise ships. You need a passport, and room/board is included. I am sure you can do some type of crossover from SSI to PADI for a couple of bucks.

You can fax a resume to 305-982-2280

Mike Rushton
PADI DM 174448

 

[fire_diver]

Welcome to Scubaboard!

As far as I have seen, none of the cruise ships have any direct involvement with scuba diving. The most they do is book excursions with a contracted, land-based, dive op on behalf (and for a cut of the money) for thier passengers.

fd

 

[nyprrthd]

We were recently on the Grand Princess, and there was a small dive staff on board. I was told by someone (I have not confirmed) that the Grand is the last Princess ship to have it's own dive staff. There was a group of around a dozen (give or take a few) passengers working on their certification, and the staff devoted a lot of their time to teaching, and doing the paperwork and organization for the other pax who were going on the ship's diving and snorkeling excursions. They accompanied the students on their open water dives, but didn't go on any of the other dives.

I believe that they also had other duties on the ship, and worked with the cruise director's staff. Most of the employees on cruise ships work like slaves. They also have to sign contracts for several months at sea, work 6 or 7 days a week, and then take 1 or 2 months off between contracts (assuming that their contracts are renewed).

 

[DandyDon]

Those big barges are what a hundred feet tall? I'd be afraid of the giant stride... :11:

Welcome to Scubaboard!

As far as I have seen, none of the cruise ships have any direct involvement with scuba diving. The most they do is book excursions with a contracted, land-based, dive op on behalf (and for a cut of the money) for thier passengers who dives with the passengers even when a local Operator takes care of the diving.

fd

Yep, welcome to SB...!

I don't know about the foo-foo ships, but I'd think they'd want their own instructors for liability reasons. Even Windjammer has an Inst on each boat.

 

[Doc]

Absolutely, most offer the pool work prior to OW or Discover Scuba/Resort.

 

[Web Monkey]

I've been on a few ships that had OWI's on staff. Not sure I'd want to do it, since it's a real factory. Once you run someone though the class (just a few days) and they do their dives, you never see them again.

It's sort of like wanting to be a chef, then getting a job at Burger King.

Terry

I'm wondering if anyone knows of any cruise ships ( particularly in the Caribbean) that have positions for Dive Instructors. I'm an SSI Instructor/ Naui DM and I'm interested in finding a position on one of these ships towards the end of the year. I've worked land based and live aboard, but never on a cruiser, so I'd love any good info on boats to work on, conditions, wages, down time etc.
If anyone has done this before, please post your tales.
Thanks all.

 

[Scuba Brad]

Hey Don just roll back.............trust me on this one. Be sure and hold your reg and mask........ahhh BC, tank, knife, octo, computer, fins, wets suit, underwear, false teeth, toopie, and you'll be fine really.

Muppet.......love to cruise. Some have them and some don't. Mostly they use third party dive shops to take care of their guests. I was on NCL in Hawaii over the holidays and they did a get job.

Happy Diving

 

[DandyDon]

Hey Don just roll back.............trust me on this one. Be sure and hold your reg and mask........ahhh BC, tank, knife, octo, computer, fins, wets suit, underwear, false teeth, toopie, and you'll be fine really.

Who's gonna pass my camera to me? :silly:

 

[dive_lover88]

Go down to the deck where the waterline is and punch a hole in it,and hand the cam over to DandyDon.

Darren