eli homza
Registered
Just got back from a Carnival Cruise. Left Tampa, FL on May 18. Visited Grand Cayman, Cozumel, Belize, and Roatan (Honduras). Dove only at Grand Cayman and Cozumel - wanted to snorkel with my wife (a non-diver) at the other two ports. Got back to Tampa May 25. Here's some insights that may be helpful.
I took along a dive knife. It was no big deal. Turned it into port security at the first security screening point in Tampa. They gave me a receipt/claim check, and turned it over to the ship security. Somehow, they annotated my "Sail and Sign" card (the card Carnival uses to identify passengers as they leave and return to the ship). SO when I left the ship at Grand Cayman, the machine that reads the card made an "alarm" sound that told them I had a dive knife in their possession. They gave the knife back to me right there at the gang plank - took about 3 seconds. I gave it back to them when I signed back onto the ship after the dive excursion at that same gangplank. Same process at Cozumel. Only problem was the card made a TERRIBLE racket every time it was put in the ship's screening machine, and I had to tell them whether I wanted the knife or not. ALSO, for what it's worth - I was the only diver on any of the ship dive excursions who carried a knife. Doesn't really seem necessary since the places we dove were all national marine parks and/or otherwise protected reef areas, and in pristine condition. Not much risk of getting entangled. I will not likely take my knife next time. ALSO, there apparently is some Mexican governmental regulation that prohibits dive knives in their marine parks, so they were a bit miffed when they discovered I had one during the dives in Cozumel. No big deal, but I kinda felt like the ugly American
The dive excursion off the ship at Grand Cayman was run by "Don Foster's Dive Cayman" dive operation. A VERY well organized and controlled dive trip. We did two dives - the first was a wall dive to about 78 feet; the second a reef dive to about 40 feet. We had two groups of about 10 divers each, both with a local divemaster. Used a mooring line to descend on both dives, and for the safety stops. Only fresh water provided on the boat; no fresh water dunk tanks on the boat or ashore after the dive except for computers and cameras. No toilet on board the boat ;-( The reef and marine life at both dive sites was pretty disappointing. Not sure why. . . I dove in a shirt and swim trunks, and was very comfortable. My dive computer said the temp was 87 degrees, but I think that might be a bit high. (I'm beginning to think the thermometer in my brand new Oceanic VT-3 is not working quite right.) The water is supposed to be about 82 degrees year round in the Caymans. Anyway, I was totally comfortable for both dives without a wetsuit, and I HATE cold water!
The dive excursion off the ship at Cozumel was run by the all-pervasive Sand Dollar dive operation - no dive shop, just a dive operation. Actually, I felt pretty good about the organization and safety briefings, etc., but when I asked for 20 pounds of weight once aboard the dive boat, I think they actually gave me 16 pounds (4x4 lb solid lead weights). All the weights were so old and beat up you could not read a weight designation. Anyway, when I tried to descend for the first dive, I couldn't. The divemaster gave me (while we were in the water) a couple more weights to stuff in my pockets. Claims they were each 2 pounders. I was finally able to descend, but had to struggle, and became positively bouyant again when my tank got below about 1000 psi. I spent the last 15-20 minutes of the dive snorkeling while everyone else was below enjoying the dive - a VERY VERY frustrating feeling since I could see them from my location at the surface. The first dive was another wall dive, to about 87 feet, with a VERY fast current - the divemaster claimed it was about 9 kts. All I know is the wall was going by at a pretty good clip. Again, the reef and marine life was kinda disappointing.
The second dive I added weights - everything I could get my hands on. (They were short of weights on the dive boat as well.) By the way, I was wearing a 3mm wetsuit for the dives in Cozumel because I was told the water was in the upper 70's. I don't believe it was. I think it was closer to the same temp as Cayman, and I could have dove without a wetsuit - ameliorating some of my bouyancy problems. But the second dive went fine - down to about 40 feet for almost an hour. Saw some marine life, but not much. As in Cayman, all the boat provided between dives was fresh water - and this time a toilet
Interestingly, the snorkeling in Belize and Roatan - especially at the latter location - provided significantly better reef and marine life. I suspect if I go to the same ports again, I will pass on diving Cayman and just snorkel with my wife at Eden Rock - a great dive shop we discovered a few cruises ago about 200 yds from the cruise ship terminal - where you can snorkel a SUPER reef right off the shore. I want to dive Cozumel again because the drift dives - with the currents - were a great experience for me. Now that I know there's a potential problem identifying the weights, I'll be more sensitive to confirming the weights and/or overweighting myself a bit. But I will definitely try to dive Belize and Roatan next time around those ports - especially the latter. If the dives are anywhere near a good as the snorkeling, they should be GREAT!
Bottom line - I am NOT sorry I decided to dive ship excursions - sure did take the stress out of worrying about timing, getting to the dive shop, etc. With the exception of the confusion over weights with Sand Dollar at Cozumel, the operations seemed extremely organized, done safely, and well managed in the water by the divemasters. I will NOT take a dive knife next time, nor will I take along my wetsuit. In my opinion, based on these dives, both are unnecessary hassles.
Hope this is helpful to folks who are new at this as I am - 23 dives, counting the four I did on this cruise - and most of those in the springs and rivers around Gainesville, FL.
Eli
I took along a dive knife. It was no big deal. Turned it into port security at the first security screening point in Tampa. They gave me a receipt/claim check, and turned it over to the ship security. Somehow, they annotated my "Sail and Sign" card (the card Carnival uses to identify passengers as they leave and return to the ship). SO when I left the ship at Grand Cayman, the machine that reads the card made an "alarm" sound that told them I had a dive knife in their possession. They gave the knife back to me right there at the gang plank - took about 3 seconds. I gave it back to them when I signed back onto the ship after the dive excursion at that same gangplank. Same process at Cozumel. Only problem was the card made a TERRIBLE racket every time it was put in the ship's screening machine, and I had to tell them whether I wanted the knife or not. ALSO, for what it's worth - I was the only diver on any of the ship dive excursions who carried a knife. Doesn't really seem necessary since the places we dove were all national marine parks and/or otherwise protected reef areas, and in pristine condition. Not much risk of getting entangled. I will not likely take my knife next time. ALSO, there apparently is some Mexican governmental regulation that prohibits dive knives in their marine parks, so they were a bit miffed when they discovered I had one during the dives in Cozumel. No big deal, but I kinda felt like the ugly American
The dive excursion off the ship at Grand Cayman was run by "Don Foster's Dive Cayman" dive operation. A VERY well organized and controlled dive trip. We did two dives - the first was a wall dive to about 78 feet; the second a reef dive to about 40 feet. We had two groups of about 10 divers each, both with a local divemaster. Used a mooring line to descend on both dives, and for the safety stops. Only fresh water provided on the boat; no fresh water dunk tanks on the boat or ashore after the dive except for computers and cameras. No toilet on board the boat ;-( The reef and marine life at both dive sites was pretty disappointing. Not sure why. . . I dove in a shirt and swim trunks, and was very comfortable. My dive computer said the temp was 87 degrees, but I think that might be a bit high. (I'm beginning to think the thermometer in my brand new Oceanic VT-3 is not working quite right.) The water is supposed to be about 82 degrees year round in the Caymans. Anyway, I was totally comfortable for both dives without a wetsuit, and I HATE cold water!
The dive excursion off the ship at Cozumel was run by the all-pervasive Sand Dollar dive operation - no dive shop, just a dive operation. Actually, I felt pretty good about the organization and safety briefings, etc., but when I asked for 20 pounds of weight once aboard the dive boat, I think they actually gave me 16 pounds (4x4 lb solid lead weights). All the weights were so old and beat up you could not read a weight designation. Anyway, when I tried to descend for the first dive, I couldn't. The divemaster gave me (while we were in the water) a couple more weights to stuff in my pockets. Claims they were each 2 pounders. I was finally able to descend, but had to struggle, and became positively bouyant again when my tank got below about 1000 psi. I spent the last 15-20 minutes of the dive snorkeling while everyone else was below enjoying the dive - a VERY VERY frustrating feeling since I could see them from my location at the surface. The first dive was another wall dive, to about 87 feet, with a VERY fast current - the divemaster claimed it was about 9 kts. All I know is the wall was going by at a pretty good clip. Again, the reef and marine life was kinda disappointing.
The second dive I added weights - everything I could get my hands on. (They were short of weights on the dive boat as well.) By the way, I was wearing a 3mm wetsuit for the dives in Cozumel because I was told the water was in the upper 70's. I don't believe it was. I think it was closer to the same temp as Cayman, and I could have dove without a wetsuit - ameliorating some of my bouyancy problems. But the second dive went fine - down to about 40 feet for almost an hour. Saw some marine life, but not much. As in Cayman, all the boat provided between dives was fresh water - and this time a toilet
Interestingly, the snorkeling in Belize and Roatan - especially at the latter location - provided significantly better reef and marine life. I suspect if I go to the same ports again, I will pass on diving Cayman and just snorkel with my wife at Eden Rock - a great dive shop we discovered a few cruises ago about 200 yds from the cruise ship terminal - where you can snorkel a SUPER reef right off the shore. I want to dive Cozumel again because the drift dives - with the currents - were a great experience for me. Now that I know there's a potential problem identifying the weights, I'll be more sensitive to confirming the weights and/or overweighting myself a bit. But I will definitely try to dive Belize and Roatan next time around those ports - especially the latter. If the dives are anywhere near a good as the snorkeling, they should be GREAT!
Bottom line - I am NOT sorry I decided to dive ship excursions - sure did take the stress out of worrying about timing, getting to the dive shop, etc. With the exception of the confusion over weights with Sand Dollar at Cozumel, the operations seemed extremely organized, done safely, and well managed in the water by the divemasters. I will NOT take a dive knife next time, nor will I take along my wetsuit. In my opinion, based on these dives, both are unnecessary hassles.
Hope this is helpful to folks who are new at this as I am - 23 dives, counting the four I did on this cruise - and most of those in the springs and rivers around Gainesville, FL.
Eli
