Corigan:I would also write a letter to Carnival. I'm sure Carnival would like to know that one of the companies they are subcontracting for entertainiment of THEIR guests is behaving in an unprofessional manner.
Absolutely! This is what I would do immediately. Not that it will do you any good, but many people do their first Ocean dives on the cruise ships. What happened to you will certainly happen to others. Carnival doesn't want their passengers mistreated by their contractors. Bad for business.
My first dive after cert was through Princess Cruises with an operator in Barbados. My experience was almost the exact opposite (except we did to to 80 ft). The DM took extra care to keep an eye on me and monitor my guages since I told her I was new. She made me so comfortable that my first experience was wonderful. So, they are, in fact, out there.
Anyway, write the letter to Carnival and post to Cruise Critics (www.cruisecritic.com) or a similar site. Many of us use these boards for planning, and new divers need to be treated better. I certainly do, because my vacation/diving time is precious and I can't afford to gamble.