Resort dive cert question

[friscuba]

"Resort course" is a wierd term. I've found some people use it to describe the intro dives resorts do, some use it as a derrogatory term to describe practically any training done at a resort destination. Is there any agency that officially has the term "resort course" as one of their offerings? I sure have met a lot of mainland instructors that have used that term in a negative sense.

To the OP, if you're looking for intro dives for your family, nearly any Instructor can do it. If you're looking for the full certification, you'll need to be a bit more choosy, whereever you have it done.

If you are looking to dive at home, get trained at home. If you're looking at a full certification but intend to dive only on vacation, I'd recommend looking into a referral situation where you take the academic and pool work at home, and then do the diving end of it at your destination. I see a mention above that "resort course" divers rarely dive when they come home.... well, that happens just about anywhere, unless the instructor that does the course has such a magnetic/electric/perseverant personality that people want to be around him and he makes the opportunity for that to happen, the majority of people are out of local diving quite fast. It's been my observations that many mainland instructors do a fabulous job on the front end of the course, and that conditions on the open water portion (depending on location) can make it to where the open water portion of the dives is not what many people hope for. On the other hand, in many resort locations, the front end is rushed, but the Open Water dives are great. Most agencies set it up to where you can split your training between your home and the resort, and if you pick the right people on both ends you can have a very good experience. I read somewhere that 40-50 percent of divers never dive again after their open water course, my feeling is they probably didn't have a good experience that made them want to try it again, with the referral situation you can potentially get the best of both worlds.... thourough skills and academic training AND a pleasant open water experience.

RJP's suggestion of giving an intro a try is a good one. A person can always get certified later.

 

[pedo]

Go to Aruba, give it a go, and if they like it, follow-up with full cert at home and look into local diving opportunities as well. Diving isn't just for vacation. I assumed it was for 40 or so years so never tried it. Had I known I could dive at home virtually year round I would have gotten certified a L-O-N-G time ago!

This almost exactly my experience.

 

[The Kraken]

Keep in mind that a "resort certification" is not a recognized diving certification in the US.

Don't be under the misconception that taking a resort cert will allow you to go diving when you get back home.

That is unless the certification is an actual PADI, NAUI, SSI or some other recognized full certification course.

the K

 

[catskill diver]

contact J.P @ JADS on baby beach - The best service we found. Ask if Walter is available -

They do the typical pick up and return. Sign them up for the O W and get the book work done before they go !!

 

[halocline]

Keep in mind that a "resort certification" is not a recognized diving certification in the US.

Don't be under the misconception that taking a resort cert will allow you to go diving when you get back home.

That is unless the certification is an actual PADI, NAUI, SSI or some other recognized full certification course.

the K

A PADI course is PADI, regardless of where you take it. I have no idea what the "resort certification" is, I have a feeling its a term with no actual meaning.

Common dive courses taken at resorts include something like PADI's discover scuba, which is a one-day non-certifying class, and regular OW certification just like the one at a local dive shop. If you get a PADI OW cert in Aruba, Bonaire, Cozumel, or Dearborn Michigan in January, it's the same course standards and the card will have exactly the same recognition.

The quality of the course is dependent on the instructor, of course, and that varies from resort to resort just like it does at local dive shops. The quality of course instruction and OW dive experience at a Caribbean resort like Coconut tree in Roatan is high quality, I'd recommend it to anyone. I am sure there are MANY excellent scuba instructors on Bonaire and Cozumel; these places are worldwide dive centers.

Regarding the often held opinion that students certified in warm clear Caribbean water are not then qualified to dive in cold dark lakes, that's true but hardly a reason to avoid OW instruction in the Caribbean. In fact, it makes much more sense for most people to initially learn in the easiest, most forgiving environment possible, then move on to more demanding dive situations. Maybe OW in the Caribbean, some experience and confidence-building down there, then AOW in cold water at home, something like that.

In general, skills are taught in the easiest environment possible to begin with. You'd never hear of a ski instructor recommending initial training on an expert slope, with the justification that "if you don't learn on the hard slope, you won't be able to ski anywhere you want."

 

[Scubadaddy]

I have no experience with resort certifications, but thought I would add my thoughts.

Why burden your vacation with the task of having to get certified? Why not do it prior to your vacation? That way you would be able to 'jump right in' on your vacation and enjoy your time there instead of having to worry about droning through theory/skills/certification dives etc.

There is no mention in the OP if the people have tried diving. If not, perhaps it would be worthwhile to do so before planning some vacation time & $$ on it.

Just my 2 cents, best of luck and have fun!

 

[The Kraken]

By no means take what I posted as a reason not to do a resort course.

If the course is well planned, executed and the divers are properly supervised then the resort course is an excellent way of helping people know if they want to pursue further education and training in the hobby.

Whatever your decision, we hope you have a wonderful experience, become a diver and come back here to join us as an honest to goodness scoober-diver!!!

the K

 

[idocsteve]

"Resort Dive Certification"

That's an oxymoron if there ever was one.

 

[halocline]

"Resort Dive Certification"

That's an oxymoron if there ever was one.

Really, that's interesting, the best scuba instructor I ever met teaches at a resort.

There are PLENTY of excellent instructors working at dive resorts. Where do you think they'd work? Do you have any idea how competitive it is to teach in top destinations like Cozumel, Bonaire, etc...

I have a feeling a big part of why people on this board like to trash the 'resort certification' is because they are confusing the Discover Scuba class with an actual OW certification course. It's easy to confuse them because the discover scuba classes are very popular at big resorts, and they are basically one day very basic classes designed to get a student breathing underwater as quickly as possible. It is NOT the intent of the class to poorly certify divers.

 

[idocsteve]

Really, that's interesting, the best scuba instructor I ever met teaches at a resort.

There are PLENTY of excellent instructors working at dive resorts. Where do you think they'd work? Do you have any idea how competitive it is to teach in top destinations like Cozumel, Bonaire, etc...

I have a feeling a big part of why people on this board like to trash the 'resort certification' is because they are confusing the Discover Scuba class with an actual OW certification course. It's easy to confuse them because the discover scuba classes are very popular at big resorts, and they are basically one day very basic classes designed to get a student breathing underwater as quickly as possible. It is NOT the intent of the class to poorly certify divers.

Matt my point was that a person who has taken a resort dive class is not certified. A "resort certification" is no more useful than a "discover diving" certification, which is about as useful as the toilet paper roll hanging in my bathroom. In fact the toilet paper is probably more useful 'cause it's softer and will get a better grip where it's needed most.