Has anyone SNUBA dived?

[TimeforMe]

I love snorkeling but am too afraid to learn scuba. This looks like a good compromise. Has anyone done this and how did you like it?

 

[carmie3377]

We went SCUBA diving 2 times almost 11 years ago in Jamaica. We loved it. I was a bit nervous at first but once I got used to breathing, I calmed down and enjoyed every minute of it. The only thing that gave me a problem was the first time they didn't give me enough weights and our guide had to put a rock that he found in my belt to keep me from floating up. Anyway, haven't been since and still have never snorkeled, but we would definitely do it again in a heartbeat.

 

[tvguy]

My son and I did it in Hawaii and loved it. You don't have to leave the surface if you don't want to, they let you go at what you are comfortable at.
I was surprised at my own reaction to this. Now, I went through the entire SCUBA diving program and got my NAUI certification in 1977, and spent a month in Hawaii taking a college marine biology class that had us doing 2 and 3 dives a day for the month. No problem. Fast forward 30 years, and it took me about half the SNUBA dive to feel comfortable doing down to 20 feet. The air lines are only 25 feet long, so you can't go any deeper. Now my 20 year old son,who had never done anything snorkeling, had no issue at all.
Funny how you change as you get older.

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

I love snorkeling but am too afraid to learn scuba. This looks like a good compromise. Has anyone done this and how did you like it?

I don't know about LOVING to snorkel but DH loves scuba diving (and DS wants to real bad) -and snuba is the best compromise we can come up with for the upcoming trip. So we have a snuba excursion planned for all of us except our youngest (not old enough).

I'll be FINE- as long as nothing scary comes along (ie: shark, barracuda, and anything else that is large and/or dangerous looking)- but if they do show up- back in the boat I'll be faster than you can blink. LOL I hope I like it. I know the kids will- they like scuba diving with dad in our POOL- and snorkeling any chance they can get- so I'm sure they'll enjoy this.

 

[dinahfig]

We did Snuba in Belize! It was so fun! It took me a while to get used to breathing too. The guide had to keep adding more weights because I kept floating up to the surface. LOL! The tank is on a raft at the top of the water and everyone in your group shares the tank. You breathe through a regulator with long air hoses. The less you breathe, the more time you can spend under water. My sister who is a certified Scuba diver liked this better since she was less confined and didn't have to carry around a heavy tank.

 

[tjbaggott]

Is there a Shore excursion where a SNUBA experience can be had through DCL or book privately?

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

Is there a Shore excursion where a SNUBA experience can be had through DCL or book privately?

We are doing our snuba excursion (at Cozumel) thru DCL. It's the only port/only excursion we're booking thru DCL this time! LOL

 

[TimeforMe]

Is there a Shore excursion where a SNUBA experience can be had through DCL or book privately?

If we decide to do it, we'll book it on our own. We're on the 7/18 Tortola cruise and it's not offered as an excursion.

 

[ibouncetoo]

If we decide to do it, we'll book it on our own. We're on the 7/18 Tortola cruise and it's not offered as an excursion.

My friend is considering this for our September Tortola cruise too.

.

 

[Surfergirl]

We did SNUBA on St. John. We all loved it although I was worried the whole time that my teens would breathe in water but they did fine. Just worry wort mom.

 

[pouncingpluto]

We did Snuba in Key West and in Grand Cayman this past week (through Celebrity, but I know DCL uses the same company in Key West... don't know about Grand Cayman). It was really great... on both trips there were a couple people who just couldn't get comfortable with it and didn't really go down. But my husband and I are very good swimmers, very comfortable with snorkeling, and we had each breathed on regulators before (once a Scuba resort course and once the behind-the-scenes thing you can do at Living Seas). So for us, it was easy to get used to the equipment and enjoy ourselves.

The Key West one was a bit better... on that one, we took a long boat ride out to a coral reef. Tons of colorful fish and beautiful scenery.

In Grand Cayman, we walked from the pier to a dive shop and snuba-ed right off the beach behind the shop. There is part of a shipwreck down there and also a bit of a reef. We saw fewer fish but more HUGE fish who live really deep down... so it was interesting.

It's nice because you follow around a guide underwater who points things out to you. And there's an underwater photographer selling way, way overpriced pictures. (well, at least the Key West ones were... don't know how much the Grand Cayman ones cost, bc we needed to get back to the ship in a hurry)

 

[disneycrazzzy]

My 9 year old son did SNUBA diving at Molokini, Maui in 2003. He was not afraid at all, BUT he had a lot of trouble with his ears hurting when he got down to any depth. He didn't really know how to clear his ears and it just hurt....so I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who has problems with their ears. One of the guides stayed with my son the whole dive and worked with him figuring out how to relieve the pressure. He would do it again if we were willing to pay the $$.

 

[Anal Annie]

I didn't get to but my DH did it in Hawaii and LOVED it. I stayed on the surface to snorkel with DS. I can't remember now why DS didn't snuba...either he was too young to meet their age requirements at the time or he didn't want to. Anyway, it just didn't work out for all of us to snuba together...but DH raved about it. I hope to get to try it one day.

 

[cats mom]

on both trips there were a couple people who just couldn't get comfortable with it and didn't really go down.

Yep, my DD was one of those people who had a hard time with it.
We have a backyard pool, so she's very comfortable in the water; she's quite the fish actually, and she loves to snorkle. She just couldn't get the hang of the breathing apparatus.

We only had one guide for our entire group, and obviously he had to stay with the majority, so I didn't really get a chance to try it. The guide encouraged me to go down, leaving DD alone hanging onto the raft (which was a looong way from the boat) with no one helping or watching her. Ummm, I think not. DD was 10 at the time and she kept getting tangled in other peoples' hoses and pulled under a bit. She was pretty frightened with me there, can you imagine if I had left her by herself? Yikes!

Anyway, my DH loved it; he's always been interested in trying scuba, just hasn't made time to take the necessary classes. I'd say the other kids were lukewarm. They were OK with it, but no one has asked to go again, and I don't think any of them have ever mentioned snuba when they talk about their favorite cruise experiences.

 

[JOANNEL]

We did it in Cozmel w/ RCCL. Was great. We were a group of 10 every one loved it, even those who were not comfortable in the water. Have a great time.