Stivo
Contributor
Several years ago I worked on several ships as an entertainer. We would oftentimes repeat the ports over and over so we could take the time to figure out how to do things the way we wanted. We would always arrange our own dives. Since we were in port every week or two, we became regulars and had had good discounts with the operators we used. In general, the passengers would go one way and we'd go the other. Occasionally, we would meet some nice people and if they seemed like competent divers, we would invite them along. That said, you may find people who work on the ship to be a possible source for a good dive experience. I would recommend entertainers & musicians as they tend to have more time on their hands in port so they are usually the "regular" divers (not always though). You'll have to feel it out a little as well since not everyone is eager to share their "time away" with passengers.
I would recommend using a cruise more like a scouting mission. Use it to determine whether or ot you would like to spend some more time there. You get one day (sometimes 2 or 3) which will prove to be either too little or too much time in a given port. However, don't forget to have fun and make sure you know what kind of cruise you are booking yourself on. In general, if you want a more relaxed cruise vs. the "cruise n booze"... avoid the 3/4/7 day cruises to the bahamas or mexico. For more relaxed cruises, I found that you'll need at least 7 days and usually a non-domestic departure port. Be careful though as if it's too long a cruise or too far away it can be filled with really old passengers and on the stuffy side (the polar opposite).
I would recommend using a cruise more like a scouting mission. Use it to determine whether or ot you would like to spend some more time there. You get one day (sometimes 2 or 3) which will prove to be either too little or too much time in a given port. However, don't forget to have fun and make sure you know what kind of cruise you are booking yourself on. In general, if you want a more relaxed cruise vs. the "cruise n booze"... avoid the 3/4/7 day cruises to the bahamas or mexico. For more relaxed cruises, I found that you'll need at least 7 days and usually a non-domestic departure port. Be careful though as if it's too long a cruise or too far away it can be filled with really old passengers and on the stuffy side (the polar opposite).
