scuba question

[Ambifins]

Hey folks,
I was wondering if anyone had done the scuba excursion in the Bahamas. I'm a beginner, and both concerned about safety but eager to get some dives on my card.
Thanks!

 

[two-foxes]

We are in the same situation. Our dive in Nassau in Sept will only be our third "real" dive outside our certification (we did DiveQuest at Epcot, but that doesn't really count!) The one thing our dive instructor told us over and over was that we should avoid ship sponsored dives. They often have a higher diver to dive master ratio, and they often get screwed by the cruise line deals.....I don't know how much of that is true, but he knows a heck of a lot more than me about it, so I've believed it! We researched and booked our two previous dive excurisions last year on our own in St Thomas and Cozumel and both worked out great...they were very understanding to our inexperience and they completely catered to us because there was alot less of us. We will do the same for Nassau. So far I have looked at Stuarts Cove and Nassau Scuba Center. By booking on your own, you can communicate with them, let them know of your skill level and know exactly what you're getting. Hope my long windedness helps!

 

[vascubaguy]

I went on one of the cruise sponsered dives in Nassau a couple of years ago and it was not the best experience. The dive site consisted of taking a boat out of the inlet and just around the corner. We weren't more than a couple hundred yards from shore and the cruise ship never left our site.

The worst part about the experience was that the air made me sick. When I was down on the dive I noticed a strange "taste" to the air and then I realized that they were probably using old filters at their air station. I felt pretty sick the rest of the day.

Personally, I will never book another dive excursion from a cruise ship, they are definately overpriced for what you get. Try going to your certification agencies website and research some of the dive centers around there and read reviews, and book direct. It will likely save you money and you'll have a much better time.

Good luck and happy diving. =)