What to pack?

[mdr231]

We're planning a cruise vacation and plan to dive in a couple of Caribbean ports (boat travel, not plane, so weight not a major concern). Nothing extreme- just easy recreational diving (will be among our first few dives after certification!). Of course we can get all the gear we need through the dive operators down there, but I was wondering what equipment most folks would take with them, as opposed to renting, on such a trip:

Mask?
Snorkel?
Fins?
Wetsuit?
BCD?
Regulator?
Weight belt?
Tank?
Knife?
Mesh bag?
Other?

I'd also appreciate any general scuba travel wisdom.
Thanks in advance!

Michael
:gecko:

 

[wreckchick]

If you have all your own gear, take it. You won't need weights and tanks but you should make sure they're included with the charter price. If you don't have all your own gear you can rent but it might not be a bad idea to rent locally from your LDS if you like and trust their gear.

At a bare minimum take mask, fins, snorkel and a wetsuit. You should have some sort of bag for the gear you're taking. Get to the boat early, set up your stuff, check both tanks you'll be using to make sure you haven't been shorted on air, pay careful attention to the dive briefing and if you have ANY questions or concerns ASK!!

Water is usually provided on the boat but I always bring my own anyway just to make sure. I make it a rule to have at least a 1/2 liter on the way out, between dives and on the way back. If I haven't been paying particular attention to my water intake I'll make sure to drink a couple liters the day before I dive as well. If you're in a hot tropical climate, you should be consuming in the neighborhood of 3 liters of water a day just to keep even. Bring some salty snacks for your SI as well. Fruit is great but it often doesn't travel well. Packing a couple little rubbermaid containers is never a bad idea for any trip.

Don't drink to excess the night before your dives, get plenty of sleep and take whatever seasickness meds work for you even if you've never been seasick. If the cruise ship is a big one, your sea legs may not be effective for a smaller dive boat.

After all that, you can relax and enjoy the diving!! Good luck and have fun

Rachel

 

[mars2u]

mdr231 once bubbled...
We're planning a cruise vacation and plan to dive in a couple of Caribbean ports (boat travel, not plane, so weight not a major concern). Nothing extreme- just easy recreational diving (will be among our first few dives after certification!). Of course we can get all the gear we need through the dive operators down there, but I was wondering what equipment most folks would take with them, as opposed to renting, on such a trip:

Mask?
Snorkel?
Fins?
Wetsuit?
BCD?
Regulator?
Weight belt?
Tank?
Knife?
Mesh bag?
Other?

I'd also appreciate any general scuba travel wisdom.
Thanks in advance!

Michael
:gecko:

What cruise line are you traveling with? I did the same thing a couple of months ago. Check out my web site for more info if you'd like. I brought everything except for Weights, tank. The cruise I was on also had a dive shop on board and a couple of my friends rented gear directly from them (computers). If you book the excursions through the cruise line they usually have groups meet and disembark before everyone else which makes things easier.

 

[alanconstant]

Biscuit's advice is excellent.

I wouldn't bring a knife. Cruise lines have stepped up security, especially reboarding ships in foreign ports. They will confiscate your knife; take sea snips instead.

 

[Former FLL Now MSP Diver]

We went on a cruise three weeks ago and posted the same question.

We ended up taking our regulators and computers with us and used the rest of the euipment from the dive operation. The decision was driven strictly on how much luggage we wanted to haul around. If you take your regs, be sure to bring clips to clip your octopus and console off so they don't dangle.

The dive op's equipment was all new and in good repair. The only bit I didn't like was fins - very stiff full foot ones.

You can see recommendations others gave me
here and my trip report here.

Marc

 

[mdr231]

Rachel: Thanks for the advice. It seems like all I'll need! I guess all that hydration leads to the threads I've seen on wetsuit hygiene (and all the more reason to bring my own wetsuit)

Mars2u: We're taking Carnival out of New York heading for San Juan, St. Thomas and Virgin Gorda. Looks like you had a great time on RC. We took them to Bermuda last year and it was great. Had the same towel animals on our beds Were the tours you booked through the cruise line any good?

Alan: Thanks for the advice about the knife. Hadn't thought of that. Will get scissors.

Michael

 

[mdr231]

Marc-Seems like if you had to do it over again, you would have brought your own fins. Right?

Thx,
Michael

 

[Former FLL Now MSP Diver]

mdr231 once bubbled...
Marc-Seems like if you had to do it over again, you would have brought your own fins. Right?

Thx,
Michael

Exactly. They wouldn't have taken that much room.

Have fun.

Marc

 

[mars2u]

mdr231 once bubbled...
Were the tours you booked through the cruise line any good?

Yes, the tours were very good. Albeit, the tour in Coz. was much better than G.C., but that's becasue of the marine life and not due to the operator necessarily. I did however have one issue with red sail sports in G.C.....they used 72's. To some this may be no big deal, but I prefer 80's for spending that kind of cash. Albeit, again aside from the "kissing tutles" the marine life was not as abundant as Coz.

 

[mdr231]

Thanks, once again, to all who responded.

Michael
:gecko: