Do you require travel insurance?
No. But we highly recommend it. In fact, as soon as you put down your deposit, you should buy travel insurance. It costs so little and covers so much that it only makes sense. While we at Deep Blue would like to believe we can control every aspect of a trip, we know that there will come a time when weather, travel disruptions, illness, lost luggage, or something else might threaten to ruin a trip – be prepared.
We do not sell travel insurance or include travel insurance in our trips. However, most of us (yes, we get travel insurance ourselves) tend to go with DAN Travel Insurance; feel free to shop around for what works best with you.
Can I rent my scuba gear overseas? It seems like a hassle to tote all my gear with me.
In many cases… yes. However, we don’t recommend it. You’ve spent hundreds if not thousands of dollars on an epic trip; the last thing you want is some ill-fitting or improperly-maintained life-saving equipment failing while you are exploring amazing underwater vistas. In short, we never advise that you cut corners on a dive trip for expediency only. Having dove all over the world ourselves we know that there are places with new and maintained gear – but we’ve also seen gear that may be refurbished, unsanitary, ill-fitting and unsafe. There’s no reason to take chances.
If you don’t already own your own equipment, it is possible to rent from our well-maintained line. With state-of-the-art repair and testing facilities, we can assure you that your gear will work. We can even have our technician bench test your regulator & BCD right here before you walk out of our dive shop.
If you own all of your gear, or would like to own it, we can suggest travel-appropriate gear (while all gear designed for Southern California will work anywhere, sometimes it’s nice to take lighter, more packable gear with you). Additionally, any travel gear purchased will receive a traveler’s discount!
May a non-diver come on the trips? Some of them are live-a-board and I don’t want my friend/spouse/child to be bored.
Yes, of course! In nearly all of our groups we have 1 or 2 non-diving members. In most cases, we are able to secure a discount for the non-diver - whether it be in the resort or upon the live-aboard. Non-divers are always welcome, and we strive to provide side activities for the non-scuba vacationers, whenever the local island amenities allow. So snorkelers and landlubbers – feel free to come along and visit some amazing locations across the globe!
Can I get a certification on my trip?
Yes! While not every trip lends itself to every certification, we can teach many different certifications while on your trip. Whether you’re interested in completing your Open Water Certification or getting your Drift Diver Specialty we can accommodate most requests. Let us know which one(s) you’re interested in and we can help. Usually there’s even a discount as any boat trips have already been paid for with the trip!
It’s been a while since I’ve been diving; can I still come?
Yes! Although we do recommend you take Refresher Course if it has been more than 6 months since you've been diving. Your trip should be comfortable and exciting; you shouldn't be worried about having rusty scuba skills.