Diving on Dawn Princess Western Carribean Adventurer

Hi folks,

My soon to be bride and I are both recently certified divers, and are booked
on the October 4th sailing of the western carribean adventurer cruise of the
Dawn Princess.

I have a couple of questions for the cruise / diving veterans out there.
Our itinerary stops at St. Thomas, St. Maarten, Ochos Rios, Grand Caymen,
and Cozumel.

They have dive excursions organized at each of the ports. I wouldn't mind
diving each of them but the Mrs may want to do some sightseeing as well.
From what I can tell the two "must dive" locations would be Grand Caymen and
Cozumel. I'm hoping others might be able to offer insights with respect to
the other locations.

Next question would be should we bother bringing our gear or not? Does
princess give you a discount if you have your own gear? I definitely intend
on bringing masks, snorkels and fins. I'd like to bring my own regs and
BCS...... but am not sure if it's allowed (I heard disney didn't allow it).
I'm also wondering about exposure protection. We dive 7mm suits sometimes
with a second 7mm layer (shorty/vest) over top.
Does anyone know what the water temperatures should be around that time of
year? Would we be ok in a shorty? Are hoods necessary? Gloves? Etc....

Thanks a bunch in advance,
Matt

"mattimus" <mattisgrat@yahoo.ca> wrote in message
news:X%QQc.46027$vO1.223328@nnrp1.uunet.ca...

> Next question would be should we bother bringing our gear or not? Does
> princess give you a discount if you have your own gear? I definitely
intend
> on bringing masks, snorkels and fins. I'd like to bring my own regs and
> BCS...... but am not sure if it's allowed (I heard disney didn't allow
it).

If Disney didn't allow them then they're probably not allowed on Cozumel. I
believe Disney recently purchased the Puta Langosta complex which owns the
entire part of Cozumel that's safe for cruise ship passengers. Something
about carelessly dropped regulators (like in the DIR 3 video) and suicide
clips dragged from BCs scratching up all the pretty white marble.

> I'm also wondering about exposure protection. We dive 7mm suits sometimes
> with a second 7mm layer (shorty/vest) over top.

That would be plenty for Cozumel though you'll want to bring a cover-up for
the wickedly cold surface intervals.

MUST DO..


TURTLE COVE (snorkle) St. Thomas.... we did the Royal Carribean Adventure of
the seas.. Oct 17th last year.

loved the cruise some much we are doing the same thing this year.. and are
going through the same issues as you, on how to dive on the cruise..
but turtle cove is a MUST,

and Doubloon is the sail boat group we took and it was awsome..
check out their web site

http://www.doubloon.com/

"Jeff H" <azjeffh@nospamcox.net> wrote in message news:<6KTQc.4122$Lj.2565@fed1read03>...
> "mattimus" <mattisgrat@yahoo.ca> wrote in message
> news:X%QQc.46027$vO1.223328@nnrp1.uunet.ca...

> > Next question would be should we bother bringing our gear or not?

I would, and did, for just one two-tank dive.


> > Does princess give you a discount if you have your own gear?

No. But why book with Princess? You can do much better booking
your own, if you do a little research on Cozumel diving.


> > We dive 7mm suits sometimes
> > with a second 7mm layer (shorty/vest) over top.

You'll be roasted and drown if you dive with that in Coz.


> Matt,
>
> I have never had a problem bringing my gear aboard RCCL ships, don't know
> with Princess (I believe they would allow it).

Did both, last year and this March. Why would they NOT allow anyone to
bring their own gear?


> It is allot of stuff to take for a couple diving days.

Nah. Not at all. It's your LIFE support. I wouldn't leave it to
chance to some poorly maintained (or defective) rental equipment.


> Water temps should be in the low 80's at a minimum . A 7mm would be
> overkill. I tend to dive in a 0.5 mil full and am very comfortable. BTW, I'm
> from Phoenix Arizona where we are wuss's when it comes to the cold:).
>
> Jeff

A lycra skin will be fine if you have a little blubber around the waist.
I am a dedicated Warm Water Wimp, and I never dive in Coz with more than
1 mil, any time of the year -- and I've dived there every month of the
year, many times.

-- Bob.

On Fri, 6 Aug 2004 15:31:03 -0400, "mattimus" <mattisgrat@yahoo.ca>
wrote:

>Hi folks,
>
>My soon to be bride and I are both recently certified divers, and are booked
>on the October 4th sailing of the western carribean adventurer cruise of the
>Dawn Princess.
>
>I have a couple of questions for the cruise / diving veterans out there.
>Our itinerary stops at St. Thomas, St. Maarten, Ochos Rios, Grand Caymen,
>and Cozumel.
>
>They have dive excursions organized at each of the ports. I wouldn't mind
>diving each of them but the Mrs may want to do some sightseeing as well.
>From what I can tell the two "must dive" locations would be Grand Caymen and
>Cozumel. I'm hoping others might be able to offer insights with respect to
>the other locations.
>
>Next question would be should we bother bringing our gear or not? Does
>princess give you a discount if you have your own gear? I definitely intend
>on bringing masks, snorkels and fins. I'd like to bring my own regs and
>BCS...... but am not sure if it's allowed (I heard disney didn't allow it).
>I'm also wondering about exposure protection. We dive 7mm suits sometimes
>with a second 7mm layer (shorty/vest) over top.
>Does anyone know what the water temperatures should be around that time of
>year? Would we be ok in a shorty? Are hoods necessary? Gloves? Etc....
>
>

I did Cozumel in Sept. '97 and Belize in June/July last year. Water
temp was 86 F down to 110 fsw and I did it in a 3 mm shorty, no hood.
Air was typically 92 F to 95 F. Wind can be a problem so a cover up
is good idea. Cozumel is a National Park and preserve, no gloves, no
knives, no taking anything but pictures and memories, no touching the
reef. The currents run 2 to 4 knots along the reefs on the west side
and all the boats practice drift diving. You don't swim much at all.
Just let the current take you past the scenery. Very nice long dives.
The dolphins came to play with us. Snorkeling off the beaches is fine,
not sure about scuba off the beaches, didn't do it then and conditions
are quite different now, I expect you'll find good facilities but the
viewing may not be as nice as it is on the six packs. The girls that
didn't have wet suits and just went in a skin or tees were cold after
30 minutes. Drift dives lasted about an hour and the girls were very
ready to come out by then. In my opinion a full length 7mm is probably
too much. I was opening my shorty on the boat a few times to cool off.
Definitely take hats and sun screen. SPF 15 or better, probably not
more than 30 unless you are a total photophobe. Add the hood for
insurance just in case but I never needed mine.

I would imagine the other waters to be about the same. Wear a long if
you are afraid of coral sting, but being parks they frown on bottom
crashing anyway. Buoyancy control is a must. If you lack sufficient
control, getting stung will be a nice reward. :)

Not sure what the ships allow for gear. Consult them ASAP so you are
not surprised. I expect wetsuit, mask, fins, boots, regs are ok. BC's
maybe; cylinders are never allowed. I don't know about some others
but my gear all packs into a single rolling duffle/backpack except for
cylinders and weights and I've never scratched anything. I carry my
mask, regulator and camera and other essentials in a small soft
carry-on about the size of a briefcase or laptop bag suitable for air
travel. No problems with security.

"Reef Fish" <Large_Nassau_Grouper@Yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:8fb7380b.0408062025.408e6ec6@posting.google.c om...
>
> > > We dive 7mm suits sometimes
> > > with a second 7mm layer (shorty/vest) over top.
>
> You'll be roasted and drown if you dive with that in Coz.

I can see how they would get roasted, but I'm not sure how they could
possibly drown. Float all the way to Cancun maybe.

Reef Fish wrote:

> "Jeff H" <azjeffh@nospamcox.net> wrote in message news:<6KTQc.4122$Lj.2565@fed1read03>...
>
>>"mattimus" <mattisgrat@yahoo.ca> wrote in message
>>news:X%QQc.46027$vO1.223328@nnrp1.uunet.ca...
>
>
>>>Next question would be should we bother bringing our gear or not?
>
>
> I would, and did, for just one two-tank dive.
>
>
>
>>>Does princess give you a discount if you have your own gear?
>
>
> No. But why book with Princess? You can do much better booking
> your own, if you do a little research on Cozumel diving.
>

Be careful of the difference in ship time and local time. You usually
have to do the morning dives especially at Cozumel - depending on your
itineary. If you dive thru the ship the boat won't leave without you.

Joe English <jenglish@accessusn.net> wrote in message news:<pbmdnT0J3ZAUUYncRVn-hA@accessus.net>...
>
> Be careful of the difference in ship time and local time.

No difference. The ship keeps local time.

Passengers sometimes forget to set their watches according to the time
zone. I was on a dive boat once when three divers were late for their
cruiseship (which was leaving as our boat was heading back downtown).
No problem. The captain radioed the pilot boat, and it took the three
divers to the cruiseship which already left dock.


> You usually
> have to do the morning dives especially at Cozumel - depending on your
> itineary. If you dive thru the ship the boat won't leave without you.

BOTH you and your dive shop have to be very clueless to be late for the
ship's departure. When I dive in Cozumel, the captain of the diveboat
delivers me to the cruiseship pier (sometimes with a little bribe to the
cruiseship guards at the pier).

No taxi ride from the dive pier. No long walk on the cruiseship pier.
Gain at least an hour this way, if the cruiseship is docked at the
Punta Maya, and the dive shop pickup/dropoff is at the Aldora Pier
downtown.

-- Bob.

Reef Fish wrote:
> Joe English <jenglish@accessusn.net> wrote in message news:<pbmdnT0J3ZAUUYncRVn-hA@accessus.net>...
>
>>Be careful of the difference in ship time and local time.
>
>
> No difference. The ship keeps local time.
>
Actually on every cruise I have been on local time is Miami time and
when you get to Coz there is one hour difference. If you do the
afternoon dive in Coz - you are fucked!

In article <QcKdndLgqNQSGojcRVn-ow@accessus.net>, Joe English
<jenglish@accessusn.net> wrote:

> Actually on every cruise I have been on local time is Miami time and
> when you get to Coz there is one hour difference. If you do the
> afternoon dive in Coz -

There is no one correct answer. Some ships I have been on changed the
time to local time while others stayed on the local time in Florida.

--
Charles