Questions, questions:
1. A general orientation to cruise ship diving:
Here's a piece on cruise ship diving from my July '00 "Dive Workshop" column of "Rodale's' Scuba Diving":
"Cruise ships are seen by many divers as despoilers of the both the environment & culture at their ports of call. The situation in Cozumel in particular is regularly lamented on several scuba bulletin boards. Nevertheless, cruising is among the fastest growing segments of the travel industry, and bigger & fancier ships are regularly launched, and new piers constructed.
These floating megaresorts generally offer scuba diving as one of many activities, but rarely is it a focal point. This places them the most removed of water borne diving, with dedicated dive live-aboards being at the top. Between these two are the smaller boats operated by the likes of the Windjammer & Law fleets, which cater to those wanting some serious diving, but also a relaxed atmosphere and other diversions. Cruise ships do afford some advantages, however, such as allowing: (1) groups with nondiving members to vacation together; (2) the diver to screen a number of locations cost-effectively and with relative ease; (3) divers who are not into a trip of hard core diving to get an N2 fix; & (4) a convenient venue for a resort course or OW certification--anything beyond this will be conduced by the shore ops.
If you decide to cruise & dive, you can: (1) go with a traditional ship and let them make the arrangements; (2) do the same but arrange for your own diving; or, (3) select a ship specifically oriented toward diving. If diving with an op arranged by the ship, it may be selected based on it's ability to adhere to the ship's schedule, the amount it kicks back, and other factors not related to getting the best diving. If good diving is a priority, you often will be best served by making your own arrangements prior to the cruise. This can require some effort due to the ship's need to keep a tight schedule. It may dock after most dive boats have gone out in the AM, and may depart before others return in the PM. In addition, cruise ship piers are often some distance from the areas where the best diving is located.
Premier, Star Clippers and Windstar are among your best choices in dive oriented lines. On board dive centers have instructors, and offer at least a resort course, with other certs handled by the on shore op. They endeavor to get you to the better sites with the better shops at any particular port of call, although for very experienced divers they often are not the most advanced sites or personalized ops. Dive gear is typically available on board, and, if not, can be obtained from the local shop. Some ships include gear in the price of the dives, typically $80-90 for a two tank trip, but some, like Premier, charge for rental. Best to check beforehand if looking to save a few bucks, but remember that schlepping your gear from room to shore op everyday, and storing/drying it your cabin, can be a hassle. Also, some ships have odd rules, such as wanting a logbook as well as c-card, or requiring a refresher a course if you haven't dived a while.
Bottom line is, cruise ships are not dedicated dive venues, and will not satisfy those who want nothing but dive, dive, dive or advanced diving. They do, however, provide an opportunity to get in a few dives and several locations while enjoying the other amenities of this type of vacation."
2. A general orientation to day boat tipping:
Here's a piece from in my "Ask RSD" column of the Oct '99 in "Rodale's Scuba Diving":
"How much, when and whom do I tip on a day dive boat?
As with tipping in other situations, dive boat gratuities are a personal matter, although local customs should be respected. For example, tipping is not yet customary in Australia, New Zealand, Japan and other countries.
In many locations, including the US, Mexico and greater Caribbean, however, it does seem generally agreed that tipping for good service on a dive boat is appropriate. Keep in mind that some crews derive much, and occasionally nearly all, of their income from gratuities, regardless of whose fault this is. Repeat customers of a dive op can well vouch for the value of recognition of crew effort.
For those interested in tipping, guidelines for day dive boats include: (1) Gratuities are just that, something given voluntarily and beyond obligation for a service rendered. They are not mandatory--if the service is very poor, don't leave anything; (2) An appropriate amount for good service is somewhere between 15-20 percent of the cost of the diving expenses, not including gear rental, park or chamber fees, and other incidentals. This amount should be adjusted so as to fit the level of service, with a range of 0 to 20 percent being acceptable, although some generous divers do leave more; (3) In most situations, you need tip only one crew member, often the DM who primarily attended you. The tip will be shared among the crew according to their internal agreements. If a particular crew member rendered a special service which was above and beyond the call of duty, e.g., brought a piece of his personal gear from home for your use, cleaned up after you following an episode of sea sickness, etc., then an individual gratuity could be justified; and (4) If your crew changes every day, tips will probably be most fairly shared if given daily. If your crew is stable and you desire to consider tips at the end of the trip, let the DM know. Of course, human nature being what it is, the immediate rewards of a tip at the end of each diving day may result in the best service.
Finally, if in doubt about tipping, ask around. Local divers can tell you about their customs, and the consensus of your fellow divers will give you a good idea of what is appropriate."
In GC & Coz if you tip $5 per dive no one will be angry.
3. A general orientation to thermal protection:
Here's a piece, from my June '00 "Ask RSD" column in "Rodale's Scuba Diving":
"Have you ever been out on the street in the spring or fall and noticed people wearing everything from shorts & T-shirts to full coats with hats & scarves, all apparently in comfort? Well, things are no different underwater. This comfort is highly variable among individuals depending on such factors as percentage of body fat, age & tolerance to thermal discomfort. Other determinants, like how many dives a day over how many days you are planning, are also important. When you ask "What wetsuit should I wear?, you'll get answers ranging all the way from "just a bathing suit" through "5 mm full."
The question is better asked: "What water temps can I anticipate at my destination?" You'll receive a pretty accurate answer to this, and then can decide what's best for you based on your personal thermal comfort needs.
It's always a good idea to come thermally prepared, just in case."
That having been said, you'll be looking at GC & Coz water temps of ~83 degrees in early Nov. Certainly no need for a 5mm. If my only other choice was 3mm, I'd take it, although some divers wouldn't take anything.
4. On Carnival, I believe that check out dives are arranged through the local dive op they contract with.
Was this sufficient?
DocVikingo
I want to thank Doc on the exellent peice he wrote to you he put into words what I feel. I will be going in March on Norweian Lines. They call the trip their "Exotic Southern". I might call it more south central, there are many great Island south of this cruise although Trinidad was a place I'm glad I"m not returning to. We leave from Puerto Rico and go to Martinique, Antigua, St. Maarten, British Virgin Islands, and St. Thomas, before returnig to Puerto Rico. If anyone has a favorite operator in any of these locations I would be interested in hearing about them
