Lots of Traveling coming up, lots of destinations

[Scuba_Jenny]

Where to start? It looks more and more likely that I will be getting a job on a cruise ship in the fall. Woot! The ships starts in Europe, with a cruise or two to the eastern Mediterranean before making the crossing west to the Caribbean. Would LOVE to get a dive or two in while in Europe. Ports of call are Santorini, Athens, Mykones Greece, Instanbul and one other city in Turkey, and a couple places in Italy. I am assuming Greece is the best place to get a dive in. Any suggestions on what to expect? What to pack?
I am thinking just renting gear for the Europe portion, and once back in the Caribbean, I will use my gear for the rest of the time on the ship. Caribbean destinations are Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Cox, Grand Cayman, St. Marteen, St. Kitts, Haiti, and a couple other places. Am hoping to find a local shop so i am not with the cattle boats off the cruise ship.
Would getting my solo diver cert be beneficial in the event I don't want to show my DM card?

 

[Beyond_Diving]

If you dont want to show your dm card, then show your rescue or aow card. That's what I do.

 

[KeithG]

Congratulations. Sounds interesting.

I claim a solo card would be overkill for the Caribbean destinations since an open water cert works fine just about everywhere.

Assuming you have sufficient storage space, I would take my own gear for both Europe & Caribbean

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

I would take gear to Europe, but am all new to this whole thing, and am assuming am gonna have huge weight restrictions flying over.

Also thinking if I have a solo cert, I might not get buddied up with some doofus with no skills and can suck a tank dry in minutes... Only thinking this route after a friend of mine came back from USVI and wasn't allowed to solo dive when her buddy had ear issues.. despite the fact that she has done hundreds of solo dives.

 

[Bryan Cunningham]

Solo diver cert will not allow you to dive solo, as it is unlikely that you are going to be showing up to dive with full redundant equipment. Are you? If not the cert is a waste of time. If you have a DM card, use it. Diving with a small dive shop you will get to see better sites and be given more freedom. Do not accept an inexperienced buddy though. Introduce yourself to the most experienced looking single diver and ask to buddy with him/her well before reaching the dive site.
When actually in the Caribbean, give me a shout and I will refer you to some of the smaller better run dive shops.
Don't hope for great diving in any of the destinations you are headed to in the Med.

 

[DennisS]

Congratulations! It sounds like a great opportunity.

Just my 2 cents, I'd concentrate my limited inport time on seeing the land sites in europe, and just do 1 or 2 diives with rental gear. You can do plenty of diving in the Caribbean and there's not much to see on land down there.

 

[Mike]

Just got back from Santorini, we did not dive there as everything I read or saw looked at on youtube was less than spectacular. Can't speak for the rest of Greece, it's a huge area with a lot of islands.