PADI / SSI Open Water Certification
Overview
Available languages
72 hours
Mobile ticket
If you’ve always wanted to become a certified SCUBA diver, we’ve got you covered! Our PADI instructor will offer you personalized instruction throughout your course so you’re able to get the most out of your certification. We are very committed to safety and strive to make it fun and comfortable while you are getting certified with us. Soon, you will be exploring the reefs and wrecks in St Thomas as a certified diver!
NOTE: The eLearning is not included but must be completed by first in water session.
NOTE 2: Sign up is for one of two boat sessions. We will still need to schedule you for your pool session and another boat session. Contact us for scheduling availability.
Additional Info
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Public transportation options are available nearby
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
All guests must be able to swim comfortably and capably in an open water environment without assistance.
Divers are advised to allow a minimum of 18 hours after diving before flying.
Students will be required to complete a standard Diver Medical Questionnaire on arrival and are also advised to review ahead of time for any health conditions that may require a doctor's written pre-approval.
Minimum age 10 years. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
you will need to complete eLearning before starting the in-water training. Find eLearning here https://www.padi.com/courses/open-water-diver?irra=21917
Please contact us to schedule pool and open water dives. We can also help assign eLearning.
Cancellation Policy
All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.
What To Expect
By registering for this, you are scheduling one of two boat trips of open water checkout dives. Once you book, we will need to schedule your early morning pool session ahead of this date as well as schedule you for a second boat day. Please contact us so we can work with you on your instruction schedule. We can also help you get your eLearning assigned if you don't have that already. (not included, needs to be completed before beginning in-water training) It usually takes 6 - 12 hours to complete, so start well ahead of in-water day. You will begin your certification ahead of time by independently completing the online course material. You will learn skills in a confined water environment with your instructor first before you move onto to performing your skills in training dives in the open-water. All diving gear is included for your training. For boat days, we provide bottled water and snacks. The course will require at least 3 half-days in the water (or 1.5 days) to complete all requirements for open water certification.
What‘s Included
Use of dive gear
Professional guide
Bottled water
Snacks
Beverages
PADI or SSI e-learning materials
Gratuities
Hotel pickup and drop-off
Options
PADI / SSI Open Water Certification
Reviews
104 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
The best dive center ever!!! Ben is the man...
fritoj2026,,Feb 10, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Excellent!!! Wow!!! This is the best dive center you can imagine. When my pal & I wanted our pool training & open water certs (altered from our original school) this place stepped forward. Abby was wonderful, easy & very helpful in arranging everything. Captain Steph & Tommy were simply the best Caps you could ask for. Now the Dive instructor Ben. He is simply the best of the best. Patient, knowledgeable, perfect teaching ability & fun to dive with. Safety was 1st but he made us feel as if we've dived a thousand times. Ben also took us too & pointed out everything on our bucket lists that included turtles, octopus, shark & things atleast I've never seen before. I did not want to leave these people. This place is AAA +++
Fantastic!
paulrW7338VK,,Feb 6, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Tommy and Steph were so accommodating! I live in the Midwest. And doing certification in the winter is not possible there. But Tommy and Steph made it easy to jump on a plane and come down and get certified. Don’t be afraid to book online with them either. Can’t wait to come back now that I’m certified and have them as guides. I would highly recommend Tommy and Steph and Aqua Marine Dive Center!
The Most Memorable Experience
Vacation22833498114,,Feb 4, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00My buddy and I completed our dive certification through Aqua Marine Dive Center, and the best way to describe the experience is simply: wow. We were originally scheduled to do our pool work in Northern Virginia and complete our open-water dives with Aqua Marine while on vacation, but nature had other plans. When we had to reschedule everything, including the pool sessions with Aqua Marine, Abby made the process seamless. She was incredibly professional, easy to work with, and so friendly that I stopped by the shop in person when we arrived just to say hello. Ben was our instructor, and I honestly couldn’t imagine a better person to introduce us to diving. He’s extremely knowledgeable, professional, approachable, fun, and easygoing. Beyond teaching the curriculum, he explained in real-world terms why each drill and exercise mattered. In the water, his relaxed and upbeat style made learning enjoyable and turned the experience into something truly memorable. He went out of his way to help us spot the ocean life we hoped to see while on the dives and made sure we were comfortable the entire time. I would come back just to explore more dive sites with him. Our boat captains, Capt. Steph on the first day and Capt. Tommy on the second, were equally impressive—professional, fun, and easygoing. After getting us to and from the dive sites, they helped us in and out of the water. The entire Aqua Marine crew felt like a family. My only regret is that the boat rides and dives weren’t longer. On our second day, it was a great surprise to be joined on the dives by Capt Steph (now instructor Steph for the days journey since she had a student on this day) and Abby. I can’t say enough about what an incredible experience this was or what a top-notch organization Aqua Marine is. If you’re considering diving, getting certified in St. Thomas with Aqua Marine is a decision you won’t regret .
Great Christmas dive
Nanayf2019,,Dec 26, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Had an amazing dive with Lewis and Zach. It was Christmas Day and they wore Santa hats while diving and brought rum punch for afterwards. They were so kind and patient with me- it was my first dive after a diving accident so I was really nervous but they made me feel completely at ease. We went to sharkbowl and flag rock and saw sharks, a turtle, a sting ray and tons of fish. Such a great day.
Recommendable dive outfit
4Sommf,,Dec 14, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00Dive staff excellent and helpful and jolly 5/5; The first dive, shallow around 30', in part because we had snorkelers along, was disappointing (Christmas cove) as no turtles showed up on grassy, sandy bottom with poor viz, and only towards end of dive when went on a rocky mount saw some coral reef fish, although not thick with them (2/5). Second dive (off Epstein lair) was much better, deeper 60'?, interesting rocky mounts with lots of soft corals and reef fish and a couple of turtles. Unfortunately it was cloudy so reef not seen at its best and surface very rough, not fault of dive company. So I gave 4 stars because of the poorish 1st dive which is usually a problem when snorkelers are along.
Great people
C6329YDstephenb,,Nov 28, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Had a great time with Aqua Marine! From the initial phone call to arriving back at the dock everything was orderly, safe and most of all fun! Our guides were knowledgeable and made us feel like we were old friends. Would highly recommend this company. Just remember to take off your shoes or else. Cpt Stephanie may have you walk the plank!!😂❤️
Wonderful experience
jonellh46,,Oct 24, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I can. It say enough good things about Stephanie Blessing, Earl, David (and other crew). They are responsive, well trained and a blast to dive with. I was able to get my advanced open water and learned a ton while seeing some amazing marine life
The Absolute BEST Dive Shop on St. Thomas!
davidmS7350YX,,Aug 28, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We have been diving with Aqua Marine for many years, and we keep coming back! The staff is absolutely amazing! We love Abby, who is a fantastic dive master, Stef who captains the jet boat is great and always concerned for the guests' safety, and Zach whose tunes keep the boat trips lively! We just completed 5 dives with them, including a 4 daytime dives and a night dive, and all were AMAZING! If you want some of the best diving in the Caribbean, ask Aqua Marine to take you to the almost perfect serenity of Stef's Corner in Christmas Cove, the coral lined canyons of Straggler's Reef, the Ledges of St. James with amazingly varied life, or the amazing swim-throughs of Cow Rock. The best diving sites with absolutely the best diving operation on St. Thomas! Thank you Abby, Zack, an Stef for an absolutely AMAZING vacation!
A Five Star Dive Experience
bryanrZ5009IK,,Jul 27, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We completed PADI open water certification check out dives with Aqua Marine Dive Center (2 teen boys). From start to finish this was a fantastic experience. After reading tons of reviews for dive shops around St Thomas, we chose Aqua Marine. Erika was awesome completing over the phone registration, answering all questions and making sure we had what we needed. She even followed up with several text messages to answer questions and provide reminders. Ben was our sons’ instructor for four dives over two days. He was incredibly helpful, patient and professional, while making tr dives a fun experience to complete certification. We could not have asked for anything different. Steph was our captain on Day 1 and was a huge help for getting the gang both in and out of the water. This was a five star experience. We have dived around the world for 20+ years and this was among the best dive centers and crews we have experienced. Thank you Team Aqua Marine Dive Center, we will be back!!
Open water dive certification
staceypG4638GK,,Apr 26, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00My twins (11) and I just recently completed our classwork and decided to come to St. Thomas to do our open water dive. My husband already has his Pat certification - and we wanted to diva as a family. From start to finish the people at Aqua Marine dive center have been absolutely amazing.. they walked us through the booking process were extremely knowledgeable, and we felt completely confident coming down to complete our certification. Upon our arrival it got even better! Erika was super patient with our kiddos and did an amazing job walking us through the expectations of our day. Amanda worked with my husband on his refresher certification and was outstanding as well. The kids had the best time the staff all of them Amanda, Erika, and Nate and Tom were absolutely wonderful, super friendly and really engaging.. couldn’t have asked for a better first day!
From US$795.00
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Operated by Aqua Marine Dive Center