Royal Caribbean Offers PADI Scuba Centers on Board

Cruise News – Jan. 24, 2017

Royal Caribbean International now features onboard PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) Five Star Dive Centers, which allows guests to become certified scuba divers as part of their vacation. Cruisers can then utilize their certification at dive sites in ports such as St. Thomas, the British Virgin Islands, Belize, Cozumel, and in the South Pacific.

“For the past 16 years Royal Caribbean has worked closely with PADI to develop our onboard dive program,” said Roberta Jacoby, managing director, Global Tour Operations at Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd. “When guests sign up for the PADI Open Water Diver Course, they receive first-rate training and diver certification, performing their own scuba dives amidst the beautiful and serene waters of multiple Caribbean destinations and the South Pacific.”

Royal Caribbean’s partnership with PADI brings a range of programs from a 30-minute Try Dive program, for those just wanting to get their feet wet, to PADI’s Reactivate Program for certified divers wanting a refresher; prices starting at $29 and $59 per person, respectively.

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Those seeking the ultimate scuba dive vacation can enroll in PADI’s Open Water Diver course to earn their complete scuba diving certification, starting at $599 per person. The premiere scuba course begins at home with an online course using either the PADI Touch app for mobile devices or PADI eLearning online for desktop and laptop computers. Once on their cruise, divers will test the waters in the ship’s pool before heading out to complete the four mandatory, open-water training dives, which will be split among two different ports of call. Upon returning home, guests will be certified scuba divers able to plan and execute dives on their own.

Royal Caribbean’s exclusive PADI Five Star Dive Centers are on 10 ships across the fleet, including Oasis-, Freedom-, Voyager-, and Quantum-class ships.