Cruise ship dive gear packing

[Big Mike]

I've always been stopped by TSA here in Phoenix, they have no clue. I keep my regs, camera, laptop, medications (if required) and a change of clothes in my carry on. I also print out the TSA regulation for dive gear and put a copy in my checked luggage (I'm assuming they can read), just in case. I also keep a copy in my carry on. There was a time they would call the cop standing by when my carry on went through, I just got to the point of calling him first.
I have very little regard for the TSA (as you can tell). It is no surprise when the Gov't releases their "report card" they do so poorly.
Good luck and enjoy your cruise

[ScubaNurse]

Scott S:
I am an experianced cruise guy with over 15 cruises, just never as a diver. How do you handle the "wet gear" in the cabin after a day of diving?

We booked an inside as the price was great ($149 each, 4 day cruise). I understand that if I had a balcony, then dryting gear is a lot easier, however, a small inside leaves us little air circulation and space.

We are really excited about it and I want it to start off right. We have a large roller bag for BC's, fins, wetsuits, etc and smaller backpack mesh bags for boat dives that we will split our gear up into when we go.

I even bought the DAN luggage tags and TSA locks, but what I am hearing is that will draw attention to the dive gear, especially when flying to Miami.

unclepooty:
How is the diving experiance going? Of course Courtney and I got our PADI OW in August. Courtney and I got our Peak Performance Bouyancy Certification a few weeks ago and have already planned on our Advanced Open Water Certification in May at Lake Travis before our Mexico trip.

We are having a good time and haved enjoyed our dives together. She is my "Buddy" and I have enjoyed our experiances. We hjave logged 14 dive (not couting endless pool dives at home). She'll go to college after next year, then my wife will become my "buddy" and she will get certified.

We plan on getting our Enriched Air Diver Cert soon, but time has been the issue. I had foot surgery yesterday and since Enriched Air is classroom, I think I will get it taken care of this month.

I guess I am starting my C Cart collection, all towards my Diver Master Certification (eventually!). Remind me, didn't your son get certified this summer? If so, the four of us should plan a small trip to Terrell this spring before the water greens up.

I think that is the thing Courtney and I are looking forward to the most, clear blue water, instead of 3-5 foot of greenish lake water.

Keep the helpful hints coming and if anyone has a cruise question, I have been planning and taking cruise at least yearly for 10 years.

Thanks,
Ray

[cgvmer]

Oh my only recomendtion is to remove any knives from carry-on dive gear. I forgot my console had a small knife tucked inside. I realized it was there when I started taking my laptop out of my bag. Luckily they didn't see it

[BuzzF117]

Wow thats all great advice. wife and I are going on a cruise in FEB and I am only one diving but I plan on carrying my regs and computer.

[georoc01]

As far as drying gear goes, what we did on my last cruise was that princess has freshwater pools and showers on deck. So we wore our gear up to the showers and rinsed it all off, then laid it out while we had a couple of beers to give it the best opportunity to dry for a couple of hours before moving it into our cabins for the night.

[ScubaNurse]

BuzzF117:
What cruise are you all going on? Courtney and I are on RCCL Majesty of the Seas from Miami, to Coco Cay and Nassau Bahamas. We leave Friday, Feb 1 and return Monday Feb 4.
We will have a shore dive on Coco Cay and then a 2 tank reef dive in Nassau.
We plan on bringing our wetsuit hangers to allow some drying, but know that we will be diving in damp/wet gear on day 2.
I am plannning on rinsing our equipment in the spa as the showers are bigger and have fresh water. The pools on RCCL are salt water, so rinsing in the pool in not an option.
Keep the information coming, it helps.

Thanks,
Ray

[mike_s]

On CoCo Cay, they have a nice rinse tank and will let you hang your gear up inside a fenced area (6' privacy fence) that is attached to the "dive shack". You just have to get a watersports person to let you in later since they lock it to get your gear out.