Scuba Diving from Cruise Ship

[Web Monkey]

Your son will not be allowed to do the shark dive and even if they're OK with it, you shouldn't let him.

The sharks are mostly harmless to humans, as long as everything goes as planned, however 10 year-olds are not little adults and are much less predictable.

If your son happens to bolt for the surface during the feeding, or do anything that makes him appear food-like, the sharks may decide to take a "sample".

I would recommend that you find your own dive op that's willing to accommodate your needs as well as your son's. Chartering an entire small boat won't be much more expensive than the dives your family signed up for on the ship.

Terry

I have spoke with Dive Bahamas and they said we can go and "there is still plenty for my son to see on the first dive" but we are diving with the sharks, so I am not sure what they plan on him doing (I am waiting for their reply).

Carnival said "Dive Paradise" is the dive shop, but I cannot find anything on a dive shop named this in Freeport.

Thanks for your time. Cindi VanWingerden

 

[cindivan]

I am not comfortable with him going past 40 ft - so the shark dive would be out. Quite frankly, I am not sure I am all that thrilled about diving with sharks myself. I think they would think he would be snorkeling the first dive (and I would stay with him).

I cannot find anyone (and I written several dive shops in the Bahamas) who will take just me and my son out. And they won't let him go on the scheduled dive because the first dive is beyond his limit.

So the only option I think we have is booking through Carnival, and I cannot get any sort of response from their excursion email and their shore excursion desk doesn't know any more than what the description is online ("Take a custom 42 ft. dive boat directly to the dive site.
Take your first dive ranging from 55 to 99 ft.
Take a second dive ranging from 25 to 40 feet deep. Dive the sites that are best based on prevailing weather conditions.
Explore dive sites including Shipyard Wrecks (90 ft.), The Lost Blue Hole (80 ft.), Barracuda Reef (35 ft.), and Fish Hotel (30 ft.).
See all of the tropical marine life and beautiful coral growth.")

Carnival says the minimum age is 10. Do you think they will adjust the dive site based on the youngest diver? I cannot find anyone who has any knowledge of what Carnival will do. I guess worst case, we hang out during the first dive, and go on the second.

Thanks for your time.

 

[Web Monkey]

I am not comfortable with him going past 40 ft - so the shark dive would be out. Quite frankly, I am not sure I am all that thrilled about diving with sharks myself. I think they would think he would be snorkeling the first dive (and I would stay with him).

I cannot find anyone (and I written several dive shops in the Bahamas) who will take just me and my son out. And they won't let him go on the scheduled dive because the first dive is beyond his limit.

You might try posting here: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/bahamas/ and see if anybody has any suggestions for dive ops, or shore dives.

Terry

 

[cindivan]

Thanks - I just posted it and we will see if anyone has any suggestions.