The first three weeks of the live-aboard operations program encompasses a wide range of skills and knowledge required of a live-aboard crew member. The weeks are intense, wide ranging, intellectually and physically challenging.
The first week is a classroom type of learning environment. The first day covers general live-aboard crew information. The remainder of the week is dedicated to those subjects that create a high value crew candidate in the live-aboard job market. Those subjects are the ones necessary to act as photo pro, video pro, activities director and conduct presentations and training about the underwater environment.
The second week is "hands-on" actually working on a commercial live-aboard as one of the crew persons. The experience provides a real world view of the challenging live-aboard lifestyle. 24/7 is the rule and break time only exists from the time one's eyelids shut to the time they open again. As crew aboard a live-aboard dive boat scuba opportunities abound constrained only by the limits of one's stamina and energy.
The third week back in a classroom allows students to break through the fog of the information data dump of the first two weeks and really start to get confidence in the various subjects. As an example, beyond just holding a piece of paper claiming certification for teaching an underwater photography specialty, the ALD graduate will not only have the confidence and understanding to really teach a photography specialty but have the overwhelming confidence to enthusiastically promote and sell photo classes. This is the type of ability in high demand by the live-aboard job marketplace.
The first three weeks of the ALD program is the learning; the second three weeks is the demonstrating and doing.
Week One
Monday
Morning: Introduction to Academy of Live-Aboard Diving. General Vessel Operations and Seamanship. Introduction to Safety Procedures and Emergency Management & Fire Safety/Fire Fighting
Afternoon: Dive Briefing Basics & Dive Deck Management. Specialty Dive Procedures including wreck diving, shark dives, drift diving, snorkeling with wild dolphins, and blue hole diving, etc.
Tuesday
Morning: Live-aboard Photopro.
Afternoon: Nikonos Cameras, Lens, Framers, Extension Tubes and E-6 Processing.
Wednesday
Morning: Live-aboard Videopro.
Afternoon: Camcorders, Housings, Lights & Editing.
Thursday
Morning: Etiquette and Showmanship, Selling Instruction, Guest Management and "Challenging" Guest Techniques. Nautical Knots Demonstration & Training.
Afternoon: U/W Naturalist, Fish, Creature & Coral Identification. DAN Project Dive Exploration (PDE). Camera & Video Review.
Friday
Morning: Video & Photo Naturalist Day Boat Dives.
Afternoon: Post-dive E-6 Developing and Video Editing. DAN PDE Download. Rental Gear & Tank Maintenance. "Training Cruise" Briefing. Policies Related to Vessel.
Saturday
Morning: Boarding for "Training Cruise"!
Afternoon: Provisioning, Cabin Inspection, Luggage Porting, Greeting Guests & Showing Cabins.
Night: Welcome Aboard Briefing & Hosting Get-Acquainted Social. Camera & Video Preparation.
Week Two
Sunday
Morning: Observe General Dive Briefing. Assist with First-Dive-Of-The-Week Dive Management
Afternoon: Dive Deck Shift and Video Dive Night: Midnight to 3:30 am Roaming Watch. E-6.
Monday
Morning: Steward/ess duties; Breakfast Service and Cabin Cleaning.
Afternoon: Lunch and Public Area Cleaning, Photo Dive
Night: Dinner Service and Bed Turn Down. Observe Evening Presentation. 3:30 AM To 7:00 AM Watch. E-6.
Tuesday
Morning: Dive Deck Shift
Afternoon: Multiple Dives, Video and Camera
Night: Dive Deck Shift. Evening Presentation. E-6.
Wednesday
Morning: Camera and Video Dives.
Afternoon: Dive Deck Shift. Camera Dive.
Night: Dive Deck Shift. E-6.
Thursday
Morning: Galley Assistant; Wash morning dishes and Prep for Lunch. Video Dive
Afternoon: Lunch Dishes and Prep for Dinner. Video Dive
Night: Observe Slide Show of Guest Photos. E-6.
Friday
Morning: Dive Deck Watch and Final Video Shots.
Afternoon: Observe Trip Video Editing.
Night: Guest Photo Contest and Video Presentation. Midnight to 3:30 am Watch and Video Dupes. E-6.
Saturday
Morning: Turn-Around Day - Customs, Disembarking Guests; Bag Portage and Farewells.
Afternoon: Fuel, Provisioning, Bag Portage, Boat Washing and Cabin Checks. Off Boat At 5:00 p.m.
Week Three
Monday
Morning: "Training Cruise" Cruise Review and; Summary. Galley and; Purser Functions and Overview.
Afternoon: Crew and; Guest Relationship Workshop. Managing Expectations, Negative, Neutral and; Positive Cruise Events And Vacation Mindset Relating to Trends in Vacation Travel.
Tuesday
Morning: Advanced Live-aboard Photopro.
Afternoon: Practice Giving Photo Lessons. Start U/W Photography Portfolio. Give U/W Photo "How To." Promo Slide Show. Establishing an Onboard Photography Concession. Live-aboard Photopro Exam.
Wednesday
Morning: Advanced Live-aboard Videopro.
Afternoon: Practice Giving Videography Lessons. Edit U/W Video Demo Tape. Establishing an Onboard Videography Concession. live-aboard Videopro Exam.
Thursday
Morning: Cruise Satisfaction Management Workshop and the Role of the Activities Director. Nautical Knots Test.
Afternoon: Present Fish ID, Coral Reef Ecology and Sharks, Rays and; Turtles Slide Shows. Demonstrate DAN Project Dive Exploration (PDE) Upload and; Interview.
Friday
Morning: Shipboard Engineering; Electrical, Mechanical and; Structural Systems. Basic Troubleshooting, Diagnosis and; Symptom Description.
Afternoon: Engineering Continued. Scuba Compressor Operation and; Maintenance Exam. Nitrox and; Live-aboards Discussion.
Saturday
Morning: Photo/Video/DAN PDE Day Boat Trip.
Afternoon: Photo/Video/DAN PDE Day Boat Trip.