Trip Planning

[Minion_Diver]

I am wanting to go diving next spring break, and have been trying to figure out where and when should I start looking at dive charters and everything. When is it or is it too soon to start looking at trips and when is it too late to book everything by next spring.

On this trip too I am thinking about doing my AOW too. I thought that it would be nice to go somewhere nice and do it versus where I am from.

I am wanting to stay state side or Caribbean for the trip. Any ideas on where would be nice for someone with my experience to dive.

 

[TMHeimer]

It just varies so much. I'm always using the internet to check out stuff. Some places (S.C., Fl. panhandle for example--I've experienced these 2 first hand) you will find it hard to get a boat to go out at Spring Break because not enough customers. Other places advise to book well in advance. In summer I have read that some ops even in the mid-Atlantic states book up real fast. Good luck with the search.

 

[Doc]

When is it or is it too soon to start looking at trips and when is it too late to book everything by next spring.

On this trip too I am thinking about doing my AOW too. I thought that it would be nice to go somewhere nice and do it versus where I am from.

It is not too early- you're going to want to start evaluating the possibilities and costs well ahead of decision time. If you are saying that you want a trip in March>May 2011, you should be well into pulling the trigger by December 2010. Airfares? Likely you should wait for that sweet window of lower pricing. If you buy air now, you'll get hosed this far in advance.

Thinking of traveling to one of the retail dive shows should be a consideration. Check locally for dive clubs in your area, many are associated with LDS, so that's probably not a bad place to start. Many times, such trips are a great way to go- they usually get a freebie land package for a group, so the trip leader should be in charge of all the messy details.

I would suggest doing your AOW back home. Studying anything (even if you do all the pre-study back home) isn't conducive to a good time. During the AOW training dives you'll have to do to perform various monkey-tricks... wouldn't you rather have that completed before your warm water pretty fish vacay?

 

[TMHeimer]

I would suggest doing your AOW back home. Studying anything (even if you do all the pre-study back home) isn't conducive to a good time. During the AOW training dives you'll have to do to perform various monkey-tricks... wouldn't you rather have that completed before your warm water pretty fish vacay?

I always suggest getting it done locally also. Just assumed OP can't fit it in there. You don't want to be doing any studying or tasks on the trip, especially if it's just a week long.

 

[TSandM]

Well, I have to say I was really pleasantly surprised with the quality of the diving off West Palm Beach, Florida, when we were there in February -- and the weather for diving should be nothing but better in your time frame. The dives are relatively deep, though, so getting your AOW before going would be advisable.

Florida has the advantage of not being terribly far away, not involving passports, and using the same currency. I started to say they speak the same language, but I'm not entirely sure . . .

 

[discokat]

I did my AOW in West Palm Beach too while on vacation. Very pleasant atmosphere to do it and it was a lot of fun. I did Drift, Deep, Underwater Navigation and Nitrox there for it. If you are from a colder region like WV you might want to do it in a warmer atmosphere. You can find yourself easily distracted if you are cold underwater and not able to maximize your learning experience like you would when you are more comfortable.

 

[rivers]

Florida has the advantage of not being terribly far away, not involving passports, and using the same currency. I started to say they speak the same language, but I'm not entirely sure . . .

I found they speak more English in Mexico than they do in Southern Florida...

 

[Minion_Diver]

I was going to get my AOW this summer but with school and lack of money I am now not able to do so, thats why I thought it would be nice to start of the diving year by going somewhere warm and get my AOW. Yea it will involve studying for it and doing dives but I am out for the fun of it. Im out right now to make myself a more diverse diver than the same lake I have been diving in so far.

 

[diversteve]

Are you going as a single diver? rough idea of a budget? what sort of non-diving activities are you interested in - if any.

 

[rameus]

hey there!
just wrote an article about exactly this topic how i choose my destinations. and i also added some recommendations for the caribbean, africa or latin america.

you'll find the article about finding the right divetrip destionation on my website.

let me know if that helped

Thomas