'PADI certification + Dives' Package Deals...worth it?
 

anyone got an opinion on those tours that offer package deals which include PADI open water certification plus X number of dives on a liveaboard ship......i've seem some package deals in Cairns (heading there in late April 08) that run about 5 days...sorta perfect for what i need.

they say you get 2 days classroom work, plus 3 days liveaboard, including room, shelter, etc....some promise up to 11 dives, from what i see.

anyone have an opinion, either way?

Zach.

Hey Zach,
You should consider a PADI Open Water Referral. With the OW Referral you do the classroom and confined water dives (pool sessions) in the area where you live. That frees you up to finish the course during your trip by doing the 4 open water training dives. So rather than spend 2 of your 5 days in the classroom on the boat, you can begin diving right away. You should call a local PADI dive shop and the tour company to get all of the details.

Alot of my customers like doing the OW Referral program because it gets the "tedious" book work out of the way and lets them have more vacation time!