How many is too many?

[MXGratefulDiver]

I typically do my vacations in small groups ... anywhere from 2 to 10. However, a few years back I was on a ScubaBoard trip to Bonaire that had 33 people in the group ... it was wonderful!

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Tigerman]

That said, scubaboard divers is a bit over average interested in this sport though Bob?

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

That said, scubaboard divers is a bit over average interested in this sport though Bob?

I'll say ... some of those folks made me look like a slacker ... I believe I only managed about 30 dives that week ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[snowdog]

I have found the size of the group is less of a factor; the key thing to consider is "What CAN the destination Dive Operator handle"

As noted; the larger groups typically split on their own

 

[phasechange]

It depends on the type of trip. One destination (resort) or a liveaboard it should not be a problem. All you have to worry about in this case is getting your own butt there. Group will split into smaller dive groups. For a multiple destination trip(multiple travel days) I would see an issue. Everyone has their own travel habits, need to be early or last minute boarders,

 

[Guba]

As for the diving...only so many can fit on the boat. To me, it's far more important to make sure the charter refuses to crowd the boat than to worry about how many folks are traveling with the group. As said many times before, big groups tend to fragment into smaller ones. They'll do that whether its for the diving or going to dinner. As long as there is no pressure to attend functions (dinner, entertainment, trips into town, etc...) together as a single "herd", there's not a problem. Who knows? You might even meet some folks who will become some of your favorite travel and/or dive companions!

 

[Tigerman]

My last dive trip was actually one of those "group things".
A couple that Ive been diving with before where getting married and invited a bunch of people to meet them in the red sea for 2 weeks of diving. We were about 10-12 people that had planned meeting up and we ran into 6-7 other regular divers that weve met on various trips there before, so for the two weeks we were 12-18 people who knew eachother from before (varied a bit from day to day). It was brilliant, we could pretty much tell the boat where we wanted to go and always had the majority vote

 

[snowdog]

We are all saying (about) the same thing.
I think there should a simple correction... A bunch or divers should be referred to as a "School" or "Pod", not "Herd". (even on shore)

 

[Phil_C]

As a fairly newbie to diving I have probably been spoilt - all my training was completed in the sea on a one to one basis, and half my dives since have been in a buddy pair with my instructor, all my other dives have been four of us as two pairs. I guess my view would be that it depends on whether you use a large group to get discounts and bookings, then break into smaller groups to dive. I really wouldn't fancy diving in a large group, and would probably not want to dive with more than six people if I could help it.

 

[knowone]

When you are herding around a dozen stock, and before you have even arrived well before time, are fielding phone calls about the location of the resort office, rooms, pier, pool, time of dives tomorrow, and depth of wrecks, all information which is shown in detailed maps and other relevances that each member received as part of their itinerary

Then it is termed a "Crutch."