Photo by Mikhail Vedyokhin · CC BY-SA 2.5
CCR Cave Diver
Closed-circuit rebreather equivalent of combined Apprentice and full Cave Diver training, using rebreather technology instead of open-circuit configurations. CCR Cave training covers all academic and diving skills needed for safe rebreather cave exploration while addressing the unique demands of rebreather operations: systems management, hypercapnia risk, setpoint monitoring, and hypoxia prevention. This course develops the discipline and precision required for oxygen-partial-pressure management in overhead environments.
What it costs
No centre in the directory publishes a price for this exact certification yet. What follows is what the same training costs elsewhere.
Same training under a different agency
3 centres
A separate set of centres, teaching CCR Cave under a different agency. These are not the same certification — the standards and the card differ — but they cover the same depth and scope, which is why centres price them alike. Every row here names whose rating it is, and none of them is counted above.
Charged by the day or dive rather than as a course price:
- Third Dimension DivingMexicoCCR Cave Training (FATHOM, Gemini, JJ-CCR, SF2-eccr, Megalodon, Pelagian)IANTD$330/day$330per day
- Cave AdventurersUnited StatesCave CCRTDIPrivate class$550/day→ $2,750 for the 5-day minimumGroup class$450/day→ $2,250 for the 5-day minimum each$550per day
- $425per day
Same tier, agency not stated
1 centre
These centres publish a price for CCR Cave, but their own wording does not say which agency's certification it buys — many teach several and name the card only once you enquire, and some price one course for either agency. The figure is comparable; the certification is not identified, so we do not guess at one.
Charged by the day or dive rather than as a course price:
- Protec MexicoMexicoCCR Cave1 student$470/day→ $4,230 for the 9-day minimum2+ students$420/day→ $3,780 for the 9-day minimum each$470per day
These prices are not like-for-like. Two centres can charge very differently for the same certification because they include different things. One price may cover twinsets, stages, deco gas and cylinder rental for every training dive, a dedicated classroom for the theory, boat or transport to the site, and the agency's registration and materials; another may be tuition only, with all of that charged separately — or the other way round, with a centre bundling in extras the first leaves out. Class size, whether the course is one-to-one, and how many days are allowed for it move the figure too. Check what each centre's price includes before comparing them, and confirm with the centre before booking.
Consumables are usually extra. Sorb, helium, O₂ and other fills, park and cenote fees, certification fees and rental are commonly charged on top.
Packages combining several certifications, upgrades from an existing one, and open-ended day rates are excluded — none of them is the standalone price of this course, and including them would move the figures away from what a new student can actually book.
Prerequisites
Rebreather Diver certification from recognized agency, minimum 25 logged dives and 35 hours bottom time on the specific CCR model to be used, Advanced Open Water Diver, entry-level Nitrox certification, Technical Sidemount or equivalent, minimum 50 logged dives total. Minimum 18 years old.
Standards
What a diver must demonstrate to pass this course — not always published by the certifying agency.
Demonstrate mastery of rebreather-specific knowledge: rule of thirds for oxygen/diluent/absorbent, PO2 setpoint selection, hypercapnia prevention, bailout procedures to open circuit, complex dive planning on CCR. Demonstrate all cave skills including proper buoyancy, propulsion, guideline use, emergency procedures (with emphasis on bailout and loop monitoring), and navigational proficiency. Execute SCR bailout scenarios and open-circuit bailouts in cave environment. Minimum 600 minutes bottom time across 5+ dive sites over minimum 6 days.
Instructors Teaching This Course
United States
We're still building out the directory country by country, so this list isn't every instructor or dive centre teaching it in the world — more locations are coming soon.
Common questions about NSS-CDS CCR Cave Diver
What are the prerequisites for NSS-CDS CCR Cave Diver?
NSS-CDS's standards require: Rebreather Diver certification from recognized agency, minimum 25 logged dives and 35 hours bottom time on the specific CCR model to be used, Advanced Open Water Diver, entry-level Nitrox certification, Technical Sidemount or equivalent, minimum 50 logged dives total. Minimum 18 years old.
What is the minimum age for NSS-CDS CCR Cave Diver?
NSS-CDS's standards state: Minimum 18 years old.
How many dives do I need before starting NSS-CDS CCR Cave Diver?
NSS-CDS's standards state: Minimum 25 logged dives and 35 hours bottom time on the specific CCR model to be used.
What does NSS-CDS CCR Cave Diver training involve?
According to NSS-CDS's published standards: Demonstrate mastery of rebreather-specific knowledge: rule of thirds for oxygen/diluent/absorbent, PO2 setpoint selection, hypercapnia prevention, bailout procedures to open circuit, complex dive planning on CCR. Demonstrate all cave skills including proper buoyancy, propulsion, guideline use, emergency procedures (with emphasis on bailout and loop monitoring), and navigational proficiency. Execute SCR bailout scenarios and open-circuit bailouts in cave environment. Minimum 600 minutes bottom time across 5+ dive sites over minimum 6 days.
What is the equivalent of NSS-CDS CCR Cave Diver in other agencies?
At the same tier in TecDiveTools' cross-agency comparison: IANTD CCR Cave Diver and TDI Rebreather Full Cave. They cover comparable training, but each agency sets its own standards, depth limits and certification card, so they are comparable rather than interchangeable — check which one your next course accepts.
Where can I take NSS-CDS CCR Cave Diver?
2 instructors in the TecDiveTools directory teach NSS-CDS CCR Cave Diver, in the United States. Each is listed further up this page.