gear on a cruise?

[baywatch106]

Do people take their scuba gear on cruises with them or do they rent when they get to their stops?

[Jay_SMART_Diver]

On the two cruises I've been on I have taken my gear, but I didn't have to fly to get on the ship. I'm close enough to Galveston/Houston to drive. This could make it a factor If you are flying in to the port of departure with all the bag charges these days. On another note I'm a little picky about my gear, I know where it's been and the last time it was serviced. I have seen some of the rental gear available at some of the charters and it's mostly in good usable condition. My only suggestion is to check it out well before leaving the dock. Hook it up and make sure the regs and gauges all work and the inflator works and the BC holds air, also make sure your tank has a full fill. Once you've left the dock you can be S.O.L. I was going to try to trim down what I haul but after packing snorkel gear and regs that only leaves the BC, so I just bring it all. It gives me the peace of mind that I know I'll be able to make the dives and be comfortable in my own stuff.

[gander]

My wife and I took our gear on the cruise. It was a bit of a pain, but I prefer to use my own equipment. The hardest part was actually dealing with the gear for the cruise excusions (we booked our diving through the ship for convenience). We would drag our gear to the meeting place (typically an auditorium) and then in our case, had to drag our gear down numerous flights of stairs and onto a tender (Grand Caymen).

If diving from a cruise again, I would still take my own gear.

Greg

[Diver Kat]

We always take our gear with us on a cruise - whether we drive to Galveston, or fly to Florida. 2 dive days or 4 dive days .... it's just more comfortable knowing your own gear, and knowing who serviced your gear!! If we have a balcony cabin it gets rinsed in the shower and put outside. If not, we rinse it using the pool showers and just dry it out a bit on deck before taking it to the cabin.

[Straegen]

We carry ours on as well. We do drive though.

[rawalker]

My first dive after completing OW was a from a cruise in Aruba. I used the rental gear. During the first of a 2 tank dive the inflator assemble separated from the inflator hose at 42' ending my dive. Luckily I accended properly and came up right by another dive boat that assisted me. I was ok and after finding another BCD to use, I was able to enjoy the second dive.
When I returned home I spent a few weeks doing research into new gear and purchased my own set. I won't say I'd never use rental gear again but it is highly unlikely.

[heydn62]

We're taking our own on our cruise next month. Initially, I thought we were driving to FLL for the cruise, but decided to fly instead. Now I'm trying to figure out how to pack economically. Each checked bag has a fee now, so can I make it with one checked bag and one carry on. I have a carry on for dive equipment, and I think I can get 2 BCDs and 2 Reg sets in it; but what about our wetsuits? Do you think any one would notice if I wore the same pair of shorts and t-shirt on the cruise for a week? I guess until I start to pack a couple of days before we leave, I won't know about the wetsuits.

Everyone enjoy your cruises!

[JCAT]

heydn62 said

Do you think any one would notice if I wore the same pair of shorts and t-shirt on the cruise for a week?

No worries!! No need to impress anyone with clothes, anyone impressed by clothes is not someone you should worry about, besides scuba gear takes priority!

[comet24]

I've taken mine with me on a cruise before.

[scubadiver888]

I used to rent. I only went diving on vacation (yes I was one of them). The last few times I would get sinus infections and colds during or right after the cruise. I was noticing that a lot of the rinse tanks were just a big bucket/drum with no tap or drain. I don't think they changed the water much. People would put everything in the tank.

Two years ago I read an article about how sanitary rental gear was. The article changed as the writer was writing it. He found out the gear was bad but then so was the gear people brought. That was because everyone, renters or owners, use the same water tanks.

After that I bought my own gear and started diving at home too. Additionally, after a dive I take the gear back to the cruise ship and wash it there.

As far as lugging the gear on a shore excursion. Whether I booked through the ship or on my own, I typically had to lug my gear from midship to the front of the ship and when I got off I had to walk to the back of the ship to get to the port terminal and taxis. Solution: a gear bag that has shoulder straps. I just wear the thing like a huge knapsack.