Scuba Diving During a Cruise Vacation

Scuba Diving During a Cruise Vacation

Coastal Vacations

Word Count:
755
Summary:
Options for certified scuba divers who wish to go scuba diving during a cruise vacation.

Keywords:
cruise, ship, ships, vacation, scuba, diving, dive, divers, ports, excursions, caribbean

Article Body:
Say you want to scuba dive but your significant other is not a diver and would rather do other activities like shopping.  If you both decided to go on a Caribbean cruise vacation, is it still possible for you to go scuba diving?  The answer is yes.  This will be a big relief to all certified scuba divers who are going on cruises with itineraries that include such great scuba dive destinations as Cozumel and Grand Cayman.  After all, as certified scuba divers, it would be a shame to go to these ports and not dive.
Many cruise ships offer scuba diving as part of their available shore excursions.  Some ships even have small dive centers on board for those who want to take introductory sessions in the ship pools.  These cruise lines will often have business contracts with local dive operators at each port that has scuba diving.  These local dive operators will take certified scuba divers on boat trips on behalf of the cruise lines.  Booking and payment will be through the cruise ships rather than the local dive operators.  The cruise lines claim that if for any reason the scuba trips run late, the cruise ships will not leave port until all passengers from these cruise ship organized excursions are back on board.  They won’t wait around for passengers who decide to take their own excursions not booked through the cruise ship.  This is how the cruise ships try to convince divers to take their excursions even if the cost is usually at a premium compared to what local dive operators would normally charge directly.
Another way to get some scuba diving in during a cruise vacation is to make arrangements and book in advance with local scuba dive operators at each port you are interested in diving at.  Although there is always some risk in missing your port departure if your own outing runs late, just make sure you plan your own dive trips so that you are back on the ship well in advance of port departure.  Usually if your cruise ship arrives at port early in the morning, you could book the morning dive trips with the local operator and still have the rest of the afternoon to shop or do other sightseeing.  For later arrivals where you would miss the morning dive trips, it is still possible to take the local operators’ afternoon dive trips but in this case, it is very important to make sure that you confirm what the estimated time of return to the docks are.  If you can return to the docks at least two hours before the cruise ship’s scheduled time of departure, than you will have ample time even if the dive boat returns a bit late.  It it’s only an hour or less, the timing may be too tight.  See if the dive operator has a shorter single tank afternoon trip which might get you back to the docks earlier.
Some local dive operators even have special pick up and drop off services to and from the cruise ship terminals to their dive shops.  These dive businesses are obviously making an effort to take some dive business away from the cruise ship organized excursions.  These particular local dive operators would be ideal if you could find them before your cruise vacation.  Otherwise, you may have to take a local taxi to the dive shop if it is not within walking distance of the cruise ship terminal.  Of course, this is usually not a problem either and even with the added cost of taxis, the overall cost of going with a local dive operator may still be lower than the cruise ship organized dive excursion.
Some cruise ship passengers have successfully gotten on local dive trips without any advance booking.  These divers just walked into a local dive operator once at port.  Although this is certainly feasible, it is not recommended especially in a destination that fills dive trips up quickly.  With the internet, it is quite easy to make arrangements with many local dive operators in advance of your cruise vacation.  Tell them which day your cruise ship will be coming in and the expected time of both arrival as well as departure.  Some ports like Cozumel have more than one cruise ship terminal so it’s important to let them know if possible which one your ship will be docked in.  They will then give you your best options for some scuba diving for that particular day.


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Coastal Latinos Club de Vacaciones y Negocio Paquetes de Vacaciones Ganar Dinero en Internet
 

http://www.coastal-latinos.net/Arzuaga

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Cruise Vacations Are Better Than Ever For The Physically Challenged

Cruise Vacations Are Better Than Ever For The Physically Challenged
Word Count:
661
Summary:
For years cruise vacations were not comfortable for the physically challenged.  With the many new and mega cruise liners have come staterooms that cater to passenger who have a disability so they too can enjoy cruise travel

Keywords:
Cruise vacations, cruise travels, physically challenged, vacation,using a wheelchair, wheelchair accessible cabins, physically challenged passengers, larger cruise ships, stateroom,ports, ships, wheelchairs, cruise ship, travel agent

Article Body:
Most of the newer ships offer wheelchair assessable state rooms and can provide dining room seating arrangements to avoid stairs and raised areas.  Just be sure your travel agent notifies the cruise line of your wheelchair usage and any other special needs prior to sailing when making your cruise vacation reservations.  Cruise travelers with physical challenges should check with the onboard tour office to ensure that all pre-reserve tours can accommodate their needs.
Cruise travel may be the ideal vacation for an individual using a wheelchair, since it provides the opportunity to visit a number of destinations in a relatively short time. A cruise vacation provides effortless travel between locations without the inconvenience of packing and unpacking. You'll appreciate the choice of experiencing the ship's destinations or relaxing and enjoying the comfort of being pampered at a "resort at sea."
Is important that if one of your party uses a wheelchair you want to ask the following questions:
* How many wheelchair accessible cabins on the cruise ship?
* Are the doors to the rooms and elevators wide enough to accommodate a regular wheelchair?
* Can I get my wheelchair out on deck and into the public rooms during my cruise vacation?
* Will I be able to access the dining areas?
In some ports of call, where the ship must anchor, access via wheelchair may not be possible.
Ships generally stock a limited number of wheelchairs but please be aware they must be pre-reserved at the time of your booking.
Due to S.O.L.A.S. (Safety of Live At Sea) Regulations, physically challenged passengers must have partial mobility, and a traveling companion who can assist them, should an emergency arise.
You'll find that the newer, larger cruise ships have been built with the goal of full-accessibility. A new ship will have wider corridors, more spacious cabins, more, and larger, elevators and ramps where needed. In addition, the designated "accessible" cabins on newer ships are outfitted with many of the following features that will make your cruise vacation a more comfortable experience:
* Stateroom and cabin doorways wide enough for wheelchairs (at least 30")
* Stateroom dimensions and floor space for maneuverability and bathroom dimensions adequate for maneuvering
* No "lips" or sills into bathrooms
* Sink positioned so wheelchair can roll under it
* Roll-in shower  wit a fold-down stool in shower with detachable showerhead
* Bathroom walls with handrails
* Raised toilet seat, at least 17" inches high
* Pull-down clothing racks
* Light switches at wheelchair level
* Adjustable mirror above sink
* Portable telephone
* Blinking lights in staterooms for the hearing challenged
In some ports, ships must anchor offshore due to size of the port or because of extreme weather (if the weather is too extreme they won’t stop at that port at all). They "tender" guests to shore with small boats that may not be accessible to guests in wheelchairs. You'll want to check with the shore excursions department to determine which shore excursions are most suitable for you. In some destinations, particularly those outside of the United States, you will not always find accessible transportation and facilities.
Some of the Princess cruise line ships have hoists by the pool so a physically challenged passengers can enjoy the pool.  Some of Holland American ships have the ability to tender wheelchairs into ports where they do not dock.  Ask your travel agent to inquire with those lines to find the ship that is suitable for you.
There is no reason that anyone who is physically challenged should avoid a cruise vacation.   Just remember when you are looking into cruise travel that you have your travel agent find the cruise ship that caters to your needs.
Now that you know that a cruise vacation may be perfect for you, call your travel agent and start packing.
Happy Cruising!


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Coastal Latinos Club de Vacaciones y Negocio Paquetes de Vacaciones Ganar Dinero en Internet
 

http://www.coastal-latinos.net/Arzuaga

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