What about adding a forum for travel with non divers? I meet a lot of other divers who are in my predicament. Our ability to do reef diving trips requires keeping the non diving spouse happy. We must find destinations and hotels our spouse likes, dive in the morning, and be back in time for lunch and afternoons/evenings with the spouse. I learn a lot sharing tips and reviews of various destinations with other divers who share my handicap
Suggestion Travel with non diving spouses
- Thread starter Big Dan K
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drrich2
Contributor
I suppose a forum section could work; I'd recommend it have an article or pinned topic with a breakdown of strategies and recommendations for dealing with non-divers, to quickly get people up to speed with common advice and options without having to sift through a dozen threads right off. And I suggest 'non-divers,' not with 'non-diving spouses,' because kids, friends, parents, in-laws, there are a range of possible extra baggage on your trip.
I am married with an elementary age daughter. My wife was certified many years ago, did maybe 30 total dives, drifted out of it, and hasn't dove since well before our kid was born. She was more the 'cruise ship excursion' valet operation boat diver type, not the how-many-dives-can-I-pack-into-this-trip type. On her land vacations with an old buddy, they don't really plan, they basically get a hotel with a balcony so they can sit, stare at the ocean, yak and occasionally go for a drive and saunter around some shops. I'd go mad with that trip plan. To me a vacation is an expensive, dearly priced rock I aim to squeeze all the blood (er, joy, that is...joy!) out of that I can. And that takes planning!
Now that I'm retired, economic realities (i.e.: a whole lot less money) will mean more focus on solo dive trips, but here's what's historically been done.
1.) Some of those 'dive trips disguised as a family vacation,' to Jupiter, FL (x2), Key Largo (x1), Morehead City, NC (x1), St. Croix (x1) and Curacao (x1). All 4 destinations offer a good range of drivable topside activities, plus we took her mother along to give my wife socialization and help with our daughter. I did carve out some time spent with the family.
You can either dive heavily a few days, then take some off, or do the '2 morning dives, back from lunch onward' approach.
An A.I. resort (e.g.: Sunscape Resort Curacao) or a hotel near restaurants (e.g.: in Christiansted, St. Croix) is helpful. Some of the southern A.I. resorts in Cozumel with dining ungrounds and short boat rides to the reef by on-site dive op.s should work for this.
2.) A cruise is the ultimate 'a little diving but mostly family vacation' option. Or maybe a Sandals Resort; they're noted for vacation divers and rather short dive times, from what I recall in trip reports, and the prices scared me off. They don't do kids, but the Beaches Resorts do.
3.) How clingy (er, sorry, companionate) is your spouse? Do they just need something to do (and is that as simple as reading in a hammock, or spending money shopping, or excursion tours?), or does this spouse insist on your bodily presence a large portion of the day? Some couples seem joined at the hip, and some touch base occasionally.
If lots of family time is a must, destinations frequented by cruise ships often offer a range of topside excursions.
4.) Non-diver children add a whole other level of complexity to trip planning. Younger minors may not be practical to leave alone. Even if you and your spouse dive, somebody's got to be available. A.I. resort with a good kids' club can be a real winner (our daughter loved Sunscape Resort Curacao). Good healthcare readily available is a plus, in case of middle ear infection, bronchitis, etc...
Then consider what categories one might address. The basic idea is diver-friendly, non-diver-friendly, and family (e.g.: got kids)-friendly.
1.) Solo-friendly locations - when you even dive solo part of the time (this is the opposite of what you asked about; hey, I like solo!).
2.) Traditional buddy diving destinations for divers.
3.) Dive destinations with a non-diving spouse.
4.) Dive destinations with a non-diving spouse and kids.
5.) Dive destinations for a diving couple with a non-diving kid (yes, they can swap out diving vs. babysitting, but locations with a kids' club or reputable baby sitter for hire would be a nice option).
Within a destination, location and operator matter. Is there an A.I. option? On grounds entertainment? When will you be back from the morning dives?
To address your original situation, Sunscape Resort Curacao rocked but wasn't cheap. I imagine one of those southern A.I. resorts in Cozumel would be good. Maybe Sunshine Suites or Comfort Suites as your base in Grand Cayman near 7 Mile Beach should be good. I hear good things about some places in Roatan (e.g.: Turquoise Bay Resort), but CocoView Resort (would love to go back!) could bore a non-diver over a week. Jupiter, Florida and Morehead City, NC offer beaches and topside things to do.
I am married with an elementary age daughter. My wife was certified many years ago, did maybe 30 total dives, drifted out of it, and hasn't dove since well before our kid was born. She was more the 'cruise ship excursion' valet operation boat diver type, not the how-many-dives-can-I-pack-into-this-trip type. On her land vacations with an old buddy, they don't really plan, they basically get a hotel with a balcony so they can sit, stare at the ocean, yak and occasionally go for a drive and saunter around some shops. I'd go mad with that trip plan. To me a vacation is an expensive, dearly priced rock I aim to squeeze all the blood (er, joy, that is...joy!) out of that I can. And that takes planning!
Now that I'm retired, economic realities (i.e.: a whole lot less money) will mean more focus on solo dive trips, but here's what's historically been done.
1.) Some of those 'dive trips disguised as a family vacation,' to Jupiter, FL (x2), Key Largo (x1), Morehead City, NC (x1), St. Croix (x1) and Curacao (x1). All 4 destinations offer a good range of drivable topside activities, plus we took her mother along to give my wife socialization and help with our daughter. I did carve out some time spent with the family.
You can either dive heavily a few days, then take some off, or do the '2 morning dives, back from lunch onward' approach.
An A.I. resort (e.g.: Sunscape Resort Curacao) or a hotel near restaurants (e.g.: in Christiansted, St. Croix) is helpful. Some of the southern A.I. resorts in Cozumel with dining ungrounds and short boat rides to the reef by on-site dive op.s should work for this.
2.) A cruise is the ultimate 'a little diving but mostly family vacation' option. Or maybe a Sandals Resort; they're noted for vacation divers and rather short dive times, from what I recall in trip reports, and the prices scared me off. They don't do kids, but the Beaches Resorts do.
3.) How clingy (er, sorry, companionate) is your spouse? Do they just need something to do (and is that as simple as reading in a hammock, or spending money shopping, or excursion tours?), or does this spouse insist on your bodily presence a large portion of the day? Some couples seem joined at the hip, and some touch base occasionally.
If lots of family time is a must, destinations frequented by cruise ships often offer a range of topside excursions.
4.) Non-diver children add a whole other level of complexity to trip planning. Younger minors may not be practical to leave alone. Even if you and your spouse dive, somebody's got to be available. A.I. resort with a good kids' club can be a real winner (our daughter loved Sunscape Resort Curacao). Good healthcare readily available is a plus, in case of middle ear infection, bronchitis, etc...
Then consider what categories one might address. The basic idea is diver-friendly, non-diver-friendly, and family (e.g.: got kids)-friendly.
1.) Solo-friendly locations - when you even dive solo part of the time (this is the opposite of what you asked about; hey, I like solo!).
2.) Traditional buddy diving destinations for divers.
3.) Dive destinations with a non-diving spouse.
4.) Dive destinations with a non-diving spouse and kids.
5.) Dive destinations for a diving couple with a non-diving kid (yes, they can swap out diving vs. babysitting, but locations with a kids' club or reputable baby sitter for hire would be a nice option).
Within a destination, location and operator matter. Is there an A.I. option? On grounds entertainment? When will you be back from the morning dives?
To address your original situation, Sunscape Resort Curacao rocked but wasn't cheap. I imagine one of those southern A.I. resorts in Cozumel would be good. Maybe Sunshine Suites or Comfort Suites as your base in Grand Cayman near 7 Mile Beach should be good. I hear good things about some places in Roatan (e.g.: Turquoise Bay Resort), but CocoView Resort (would love to go back!) could bore a non-diver over a week. Jupiter, Florida and Morehead City, NC offer beaches and topside things to do.
dflaher
Contributor
Maybe we call the dedicated forum Sgt. Scuba's Lonely Tanks Club Band. 
I don't think that people understand that they need to up vote in order to show their support, even though you have explained this many times in other threads. I don't see how there can be 4 pages of posts and the vote count is 0, statistically speaking. That does mean there were at least 2 votes, since someone negated my up vote, but I have a hard time believing that everyone who has commented has voted and it's break even.
Erik
Thanks for explaining it again. Repetition helps get the word out.
Rob9876
Contributor
With all respect, although most of my trips involve non-diving family members also, I don't believe an additional forum is needed as this aspect is often already addressed in trip reports or requests for information about various locations. Whether specifically talking about non-diving family, or more generally describing "topside" activities (when not underwater), it seems to me that it is already covered a decent bit.
I'm certainly not passionately against it, and I definitely do agree that it is an important topic -- I'm just not sure a separate forum is needed for it.
Edit: to the OP and others, I'm always happy to share any info I have on places I've visited for diving -- they are listed on my profile page and most of which I went to with non-divers also.
I'm certainly not passionately against it, and I definitely do agree that it is an important topic -- I'm just not sure a separate forum is needed for it.
Edit: to the OP and others, I'm always happy to share any info I have on places I've visited for diving -- they are listed on my profile page and most of which I went to with non-divers also.
She probably caught up a long time ago but didn’t mention it
jonhall
Contributor
I'm late to this party but will share what works for me and my non-diving wife as neither of us would think it to be a predicament.
To begin, I am a vacation diver (not the dive trip planner type, but someone who dives when the location allows for it.)
Regarding a/my spouse (it's all about the spouse) - it helps having a spouse who understands diving. My wife dove for several years before an ear issue took her out of it. She is aware of the time commitment. She also wants me to be able to dive when we travel. She says she is a big girl and can take care of herself while I'm diving. Her biggest concern is that I'm okay while I'm gone.
Traveling with friends makes it easier. We have good friends we have traveled with since 2008 - 2 trips a year since we all retired in 2012 (only 1 prior to that.) I have an automatic dive buddy and his wife is also a non-diver. Our wives are good about sleeping in and hanging out relaxing until we get back. They are aware that depending on the dive op, return times can vary. Getting back so we can have lunch together may not always be an option, but we figure it out.
Travel locations are dependent on our timeshare and/or our friends vacation club - we spend 2 weeks wherever we go - it's like getting 4 weeks for the price of 2, in my mind. We tend to pick places everyone is happy with and where diving happens to be available. We do plan dive days ahead of time so we can also plan days for other activities (we also plan activities on dive days.) This way, everyone has an idea of what each day will bring.
maj2
Contributor
Our family has three types of travel, and my daughter makes out like a bandit with this system...
a) Dive travel. My wife does not dive, so dive travel is for my daughter and I to go and dive, dive, dive. Cozumel, Bonaire, Florida, Bahamas, dive resorts, liveaboards, etc. Now that my daughter is in university, this will become more solo travel for me with my local dive club (eg Egypt in October 2023).
b) Girl Travel. This is where my wife and daughter (and sometimes friends) go off to New York, Atlantis resort, Cuba, etc. for beach time, shopping time, or whatever else one does in these places that I have no interest in doing. I can guarantee that they are not doing the museums, old forts and ruins, and historical stuff that i would be wanting to see.
c) Family travel. This has been destinations like Bermuda, Grenada, Belgium, and others. My daughter and I might get a day or so of diving during the trip, but it is mainly topside sightseeing and family time. I get dragged on some shopping days. They get dragged through some historical stuff. Everybody comes home happy.
As you can guess... my daughter absolutely LOVES this system.
a) Dive travel. My wife does not dive, so dive travel is for my daughter and I to go and dive, dive, dive. Cozumel, Bonaire, Florida, Bahamas, dive resorts, liveaboards, etc. Now that my daughter is in university, this will become more solo travel for me with my local dive club (eg Egypt in October 2023).
b) Girl Travel. This is where my wife and daughter (and sometimes friends) go off to New York, Atlantis resort, Cuba, etc. for beach time, shopping time, or whatever else one does in these places that I have no interest in doing. I can guarantee that they are not doing the museums, old forts and ruins, and historical stuff that i would be wanting to see.
c) Family travel. This has been destinations like Bermuda, Grenada, Belgium, and others. My daughter and I might get a day or so of diving during the trip, but it is mainly topside sightseeing and family time. I get dragged on some shopping days. They get dragged through some historical stuff. Everybody comes home happy.
As you can guess... my daughter absolutely LOVES this system.
Eric Sedletzky
Contributor
Is this only about warm water destinations, or do cold water places count too?
I was going to mention Monterey, California or Catalina Island, California. Plenty of great topside stuff for non diving spouses, great restaurants, great shopping, galleries, etc.
and the diving’s not bad either.
Just cold.
Just sayin’
I was going to mention Monterey, California or Catalina Island, California. Plenty of great topside stuff for non diving spouses, great restaurants, great shopping, galleries, etc.
and the diving’s not bad either.
Just cold.
Just sayin’
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