8 Reasons You Just Might Love a Cruise Ship Dive Trip

On October 22, 2020
By Kimberly

There are at least eight reasons you should consider a cruise ship dive trip, and probably a few more! I guarantee you are going to LOVE #7 and #8!

1. You can dive the last day of your vacation!

You can dive on the last day of a cruise ship dive trip if you are driving your car to the cruise ship port.

Also, if you are flying out 24 hours after the end of your last dive; then you are still in good shape. This is a great reason to dive from a cruise ship!

Realistically, you can cram a three-night cruise into a weekend. This means you can dive the last day of the cruise, finish the dive by 11:00 a.m., and then get off the cruise ship the next morning around 9:00 a.m.

Even if you had to fly; by the time you get to the airport, you would have waited 24 hours since your last dive.

For a week-long dive and cruise, often the first and the last day of the eight-day cruises are days at sea.

You can use the first day at sea to get your dive gear organized, and the last day at sea will allow you to wind down and relax from four days of diving all over the Caribbean.

If your plans is to fly out the same day as disembarkation; you will be ready to go no matter how early your flight is!

2. Other than your dives; there’s nothing for you to plan.

You don’t have to plan for hotels, you don’t have to plan breakfast, snacks, lunch, snacks, tea, and dinner for every day of the trip.

All your ports are scheduled, entertainment is provided, someone else is cleaning the pool and emptying your trash and making your bed. The most you are required to do is put your dive gear in your rolling bag and show up!

3. No clearing Customs in every port.

Also, you don’t have to worry about clearing customs at every port. Everything is taken care of by the cruise line in every port.

We do find that in Nassau, you will need to wheel your dive gear through customs on the way to your dive and on the return trip as well. They briefly check that you do have dive gear in that huge bag – and not parrots or iguanas.

4. There’s lots more for you and your family to do beyond diving.

Between the diving, depending on the age and interests of the divers in your group, there are dozens of activities for them after dive time.

There’s an endless list; like bungee jumping, ice-skating, comedy shows, rock climbing, gym, spa, eating, or dancing all night. It’s like a dive trip on land; only with a lot of added entertainment.

5. Less expensive than a flight and trip to a resort.

You are going to pay for the entire cruise ship dive trip about what lodging alone would cost you on land.

Add in three meals a day, dives, and flights, and your cost has doubled.

6. It’s a cruise!

You get the run of an entire ship!

In addition, you get to go somewhere of the old-fashioned way, with civility and grace and views of the ocean for the entire voyage.

So it’s not just a trip: it’s a voyage with ocean views the entire trip!

7. If the weather turns bad; you lose fewer dives.

This is a HUGE benefit for you!

Since you are driving at several different locations; if conditions deteriorate, one venue is shut out; you might still manage to get in your dives at the other islands.

From land, if you were at your destination for the week and the whole week is bad… That’s all you’ve got, all your dives might be cancelled.

Since the ship moves; if the weather in one port is bad; you might have to scrub one dive, but you get to salvage the others.

8. Unlimited luggage, and no size or weight restrictions.

Planning a cruise ship dive trip means no worry about luggage!

Well, you certainly can’t say that about flying out of country! As many bags as you like, as much weight as you like, and whatever dimensions – all allowed.

What to read next: How to Pack for a Cruise!

Western Caribbean Dive Sampler by Cruise Ship // Diving Four Countries in Four Days

Planning a Budget Three Night Cruise Ship Dive Trip // Budget Dive Trips and Tips

How to Turn a Three-Night Cruise Into Two Days of Scuba Diving // 8 Options For Getting in the Water on a Cruise

And, my favorite:

How We Cut Our Dive Gear Weight by 38 Pounds for Travel

My favorite cruise line is RCCL, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line. I can get ALL my dive gear AND clothes and shoes in this: Akona Roller Dive Gear Travel Backpack. The bag in the photos above – Bill fits either all his dive gear and clothing, or both our sets of dive gear into his BLACKHAWK! Enhanced Divers Travel Bag with Wheels That red tag on the bag – our Divers Alert Network insurance!

We Don’t Go Anywhere Without:

Stream2Sea Reef Safe SPF 20 or 30 mineral, regular or tinted sunscreen, mask defog, shampoo, conditioner, rash guards and more reef-safe supplies. Use my code “DeepWH” for 10% off. The packages are biodegradeable – not just recycled and recyclable.
Cycle Booty Citrus Cleanser and Post Ride Cream.
Crisis Medicine Tactical Casualty Care Course knowledge so we can help ourselves. With code “DeepWH” you save 20% on the TC2 course
MyMedic Individual Bleeding Control Kits, this link and my code “DeepWH15” will save you 15% on your purchase. We take ours everywhere.
North American Rescue CAT tourniquets. Use code “MAY25” for 20% off through midnight on 5/31/20. This is a huge savings!
Airbnb, “Kimberly gave you up to $55 off your first trip.”
Airbnb says, “Deep gave you up to $415 off your first adventure.
Uber gives you $2 off your first three rides.
Travelex is our trip insurer – click for a free quote.
Girls That Scuba – members discount card for all things diving.
REI Co-op for great sports equipment and travel clothes.
Sailo for $100 off your next boat rental! Discount Code: “KimWa1”
PierShare to rent your dock out or rent a dock.
BoatUS for your boat towing insurance! Code: “HEWAF88”
RoadId for $5 off your cycling/running/kayaking/travel id.
Dazer Ii Ultrasonic Aggressive Dog Deterrent Repeller Dazzer – keeping dogs at bay while we cycle.
Guardline Security Wireless Driveway Alarm – alerts us when someone approaches. Less expensive directly from the company.
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Thanks Bill for being the Best Dive Partner Ever!