Fame
Scientists generally have an opportunity to be famous. Think Einstein, Newton, Curie, and Bill Nye (you know, the science fellow). You've heard of all these folks because of their contributions to major fields. Oceanography isn't a major field, so you probably shouldn't expect too much fame.
One guy who probably didn't expect it but got it anyway was shipwreck hunter (and oceanographer) Robert Ballard. If you know anything about the Titanic, it's that Rose totally could have fit Jack onto that piece of wood if she'd tried a little harder.
What you might also know (if you're into the real wreck) is that the Titanic was rediscovered by Mr. Bob Ballard. Thanks to his research, we know where it is, what happened to it, and how many times the average teenager wanted to see a movie about it in the '90s.
These days there's still a lot of excitement in the oceans, but it's more subdued—especially without James Cameron running around filming it. Maybe there's the chance that you discover the lost city of Atlantis or come across a previously unknown species of whale, but that's not very likely.
What you can expect is a sense of scientific respect from your fellow ocean experts, all of whom are striving for a deeper understanding of the world's oceans than even Hollywood can bring us.