Looking for Travel Tips on a Cruise

[xaveri]

I'm going on a Carnival Cruise on June and I'm planning to dive in Dominica and St. Lucia. I have my own gear and so does my girlfriend so we are planning to take it with us, as we feel the dives should be more comfortable with it.

So I'm looking for advise as how to do this properly of if it's even wise to take it with us on a cruise. After all, we need to take it back with us to the ship, all wet and all, so keeping it on the cabin is a concern. Our cabin will have a balcony so we could place it there. Also, having some piece of equipment stolen on the cabin is another concern.

I'm open to suggestions and tips on how to travel on a cruise with your own scuba equipment (masks, fins, regulator, dive computer, BCD, lights, uw camera, and wetsuit). Everything except the weights and the tanks of course.

Any comments would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

[Fly Girl]

I dove with Carnival last fall. The dive shops they used were very good, and the dives were definitely geared to newer people (which was fine with me), and I had a great time. I had no problem putting my stuff in the bathroom. I rinsed everything out in the shower/tub. As far as packing, I carried by regulators and computer with me on the plane, but packed everything else in a suitcase. It worked for me. Have a great trip!!!

 

[oceanbound]

I cruise a lot. (at least did until i got my scuba certified) my sons and I went diving in cozumel last year from a cruise. We brought our own gear with the exception of weights and tank of course. i can say i felt a little strange going off the ship with all my gear (rolling bag lol) and the crew asked if I had planned on coming back
but still glad i brought my own gear as its a personal prefrence.

we had no problems putting the gear in the bathroom to rinse and dry. if you have a balcony all the better.

as far as dive operators its a matter of prefrence. After a cattle boat experience on a snorkeling excursion one year, i have not taken a cruise ship's excursions again for anything and have not had a problem getting back to the ship on time. i've been on 7 cruises. Until I found SB I researched cruisecritic dot com for other cruisers who have had good experiences with operators. I would probably search SB first now but if you can't find an operator who can work with the time restraints of a cruise, then search the other board.

enjoy the cruise

 

[Winterpeg]

We did a cruise with Royal Caribbean about a year ago and dove in 4 ports. We have almost all our own gear, so had to haul it on and off the ship 4 times. It's do-able but a PITA. Also, we had an inside cabin, so had to rinse it all in the tiny shower and hang it up in there after. It never really did dry, so get used to the idea of packing and hauling damp gear. On a balcony you may fare better, but beware anything getting blown off! The crew warn people against hanging anything to dry on balconies.
There's no problem getting off the ship with your gear, but every time you reboard you have to have the bag X-rayed, and as ours was oversized for the small X-ray machine they use for most bags, it meant going to the large machine in the back room. If you carry a dive knife they will not allow you to board with it (it will show on the X-ray) and will insist it be kept by the crew, which means that you would have to pick it up in each port when you head off to dive.
We booked all our dives through the ship. The main reason for this is that even although it is more $, if there is any problem and you are delayed getting back to the ship, they will wait for you. If you book on your own, you are SOL. There are many differing opinions on this, and if we were to dive from a cruise again, we would reconsider based on the following advice from our travel agent: if you have lots of extra time in port to allow for delays, go ahead and book on your own. If the time is tighter, book through the ship.
Three of the dive ops were great - organized, professional and safe. The fourth seemed to be run by the keystone cops. So there is no guarantee that the cruise line has vetted the dive ops. I would try to find reviews on either this board, or try TripAdvisor or CruiseCritic.
Hope this helps.

 

[Doc]

Rent gear. You're on a vacation and will happen to go diving.... twice.

 

[GradyDiver]

I would suggest at a minimum to bring your own mask(s), reg(s), and computer(s)/gauge(s). Though he rentals will probably work fine, you never know how they have been treated. I also travel with my BC, but I prefer a back plate and wing, most rentals are jackets. You can probably live without a wetsuit there (I was diving Dominica in October and a shorty was overkill) unless you're concerned about your buoyancy abilities. The rental wetsuits there are fine.

I would definitely recommend a decent underwater camera. In Dominica, we saw Sea Horses on every dive and Frogfish on about every other dive. I brought my own camera, so you may want to research rental options if you're not interested in buying.

If there is time for both in Dominica, consider some of the land based activities. I wish I had done more of them there and I usually just want to do more diving. There are dramatic waterfalls, mineral springs, intense topology, and the people there are great too. My wife and I went to Titou Gorge and Trafalgar Falls. I could spend a month there and still not cover everything interesting.

Whatever you do, have a great time. You're going to some great places.

 

[hypersonic]

My wife and I took an NCL Hawaiian cruise in late 2007. Since we prefer to dive with our own equipment, we carried our mesh bags and dove on two separate islands. There wasn't much difference between us and the golfers carrying their bags off the ship though we did get some strange looks since we are both in our mid-60's (now late-60's). Suspect those lookers may have thought we should learn to act our own age.

But I would recommend getting dive bags with rollers. Depending on where your cabin is located, it can be a long walk on the ship to disembark and the piers can go on for ever.

 

[DivingPrincessE]

I would strongly advise bringing your own gear. Rental gear is questionable at best...plus you bought expensive scuba gear for a reason, to use it!!

I've been on two cruises since being certified and had no trouble rinsing gear in the bathroom (interior small cabin).

On the first cruise (Royal Caribbean) I booked through the cruise excursion and will not be doing that again. Cattle boats that were waay overcrowded, took us to the cheapest/easiest sites NOT the best sites. In cozumel we actually spent more than half the dive over SAND Plus they ran late the whole time and weren't very safe.

On the second cruise (Carnival) I did my own research here on SB and booked my own dives. Two of the three were GREAT!! Here is my report (http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/lesser-antilles/228144-trip-review-st-thomas-dominica-st-kitts.html). SB won't normally steer you wrong.

In the future the only time I'll be booking through the Ship's excursion is at ports were you are tendered. On those, the Ship's excursions get off first (in Belize the dive boat actually picked us up right from the Ship, no going to land). If you book yourself you have to wait in a mighty long line to get off the Ship.

Btw, in Dominica I would strongly recommend Nature Island Divers. They were great! :thumbs_up:

 

[DivingPrincessE]

My wife and I took an NCL Hawaiian cruise in late 2007. Since we prefer to dive with our own equipment, we carried our mesh bags and dove on two separate islands. There wasn't much difference between us and the golfers carrying their bags off the ship though we did get some strange looks since we are both in our mid-60's (now late-60's). Suspect those lookers may have thought we should learn to act our own age.

But I would recommend getting dive bags with rollers. Depending on where your cabin is located, it can be a long walk on the ship to disembark and the piers can go on for ever.

Yes agree about the roller bag. Akona makes some good ones.

 

[xaveri]

I really appreciate all of you comments. This is my first time posting here and Im really impressed by the answers I got.

I've decided to take all of my equipment with me to be sure that I have the best diving experience. I do have a bag with rollers so that wont be an issue. Thanks again for your responses. They we all great!