A dive boat is a village of strangers that lasts one day. For a few hours, a deck the size of a living room holds divers, swimmers, crew, tanks, lunch and a great deal of enthusiasm. Etiquette on board is not stuffiness — at sea, good manners and good safety are the same thing wearing different hats. Here is how experienced guests behave on a full-day trip, and why each habit exists.
Before you board
Every one of our boat diving trips starts with a morning pickup from your hotel, so the first rule is beautifully simple: be ready, and travel light. A boat has no wardrobes.
- Wear your swimsuit under your clothes — changing rooms at sea are a myth.
- Bring a towel, sunscreen, sunglasses and a dry change for the ride home.
- A light warm layer earns its place even on hot days — wind over water is cooler than land air.
- Certified diver? Bring your certification card for the logbook signing.
- Tell the team about any medication or health condition before the day starts, not after gearing up.
The briefing is the most important ten minutes of the day
Every trip includes a full safety briefing, and the etiquette here is absolute: stop talking, listen, and save questions for the end. The briefing covers hand signals, buddy procedures, depths, entry and exit — the exact information your brain will want later, underwater, where nobody can explain anything twice. Experienced divers listen as carefully as beginners; conditions and boats differ, and the diver who "already knows everything" is a well-known character in every dive story that goes wrong. No question is too basic. Ask.
Treat borrowed gear like your own
All equipment — tank, regulator, wetsuit, mask and fins — is included on our trips, and it is looked after professionally. Your part of the bargain:
- Never leave a tank standing upright unattended. A falling tank is heavy, fast and indifferent to toes. Lay it down or secure it.
- Keep your station tidy. One crate or corner for your things; a deck strewn with fins is an ankle-breaker.
- Report problems immediately. A leaking mask, a free-flowing regulator, a wetsuit that will not close — the crew fixes all of this happily before the dive, and unhappily during it.
- Do not touch other people's valves or gear — even to help — without asking. Divers are rightly particular about their setup.
Deck sense
Old sailors say it in four words: one hand for the boat. Keep a hand free for holding on when moving around, especially with a tank on your back. Beyond that, deck life mostly asks for awareness: keep the entry ladder and exit zones clear, let people carrying equipment pass first, respect the crew's space while they manoeuvre or moor, and keep dry seating areas dry by drip-drying at the stern first. At lunch — served fresh on board — wait for everyone, and never sit on someone else's gear bag. It sounds obvious; on a rolling deck at midday, obvious things need saying.
If your stomach argues with the sea
Seasickness is chemistry, not character. Even instructors get it sometimes. Prevention beats cure every time:
- Eat a light breakfast — an empty stomach is as bad as a heavy one.
- Stay on deck, midships, watching the horizon; below deck and screens make it worse.
- Fresh air and steady breathing help more than pride does.
- If you know you are prone to it, ask your pharmacist about motion sickness remedies before the trip and take them as directed, in good time before boarding.
- If it hits anyway, tell the crew and head for the leeward rail — the side the wind blows toward, not from. The crew has seen it all; nobody will blink.
Respect the sea itself
The last guest on board is the Mediterranean, and it has house rules too. Nothing goes overboard — not fruit peel, not cigarette ends, nothing. Underwater, touch nothing and take nothing; shells and "souvenirs" stay where they live. Follow your guide's lead around marine life, and if you want to know who you might meet down there, read our guide to Mediterranean fish before the trip — recognising a damselfish mid-dive is half the fun.
The short version
- Be ready for the morning hotel pickup; pack light and wear your swimsuit.
- Give the briefing your full attention; ask anything.
- Secure tanks, keep your corner tidy, report gear issues at once.
- One hand for the boat; keep ladders and walkways clear.
- Manage seasickness early; tell the crew if it wins.
- Nothing overboard, nothing touched, nothing taken.
That is the whole art of being a great boat guest — and it makes you a better diver too. Ready to practise? Browse our full-day boat trips, read up on how we run diving safely, or contact us with any question. Reservation is free online and you pay on the day.
