Weird review of Scuba Club Cozumel on TripAdvisor

[Beiji]

I just submitted a short review (it hasn't posted yet) of SCC on tripadvisor. There are a lot of positive reviews there, but I wanted to respond to a recent negative review in which the poster says she got bent and that, basically, the resort couldn't have cared less. There are lots of inconsistencies in her report of getting bent. SBers might be interested in checking it out, and I'd like to hear what others think of her story. Does it make sense?

For my part, I had a great time at SCC.

Lisa

 

[paradise]

Hey Beiji I just posted a review to TA too! I'm also waiting for it to post but I did read that review last night as I was submitting mine.

As for that neg. review, it's unfortunate she didn't have as much fun as I, and I'm sure you, had.

My review was positive in light of the fact that I had a faulty spg for rent...Don't really want to go into it here though.

 

[Dave Dillehay]

I agree that Scuba Club is a good safe place to dive from, and you can get some good diving and "packages" from them. So this is not an attack on SCC, but there are philosophical differences from us "The Cozumel Boutique" operators like Living Underwater, Liquid Blue. Blue XTC, and a few others.

One thing I think is very wrong, and many Cozumel dive ops do so, is to not extend credit for dives not made on a "package". I think the least that should be offered is a raincheck for the next trip, or transfer of credit for missed dives--even for weather. Indeed, I know that some ops get away with offering cheap packages with the expectation that not all of the dives will be used, actually 10-15%. That is somewhat like the gift card craze being a boon for retail shops as they know a certain percentage of the cards will be lost of never used. I have learned from several of them that the reason they do so is that they have already paid a commission to an agent on the package amount. That may be right for them but it is still wrong in my eyes.

In our case, and others that do not use tour wholesalers, we do not sell "packages" but take reservations and charge what we think is a fair price for the dives actually made. It will take pressure from the market place to get those others to take similar measures.

But much worse in my mind would be the case of a bent diver who did not receive special consideration. I know the poster may have feigned the bends for other reasons since the symptoms went away, and she may not like a firm bed like most of us like, or any number of other reasons. However, being in a foreign country and having a potentially serious medical condition is not the time to have to worry about credits, etc. That is the time for the operator to stand up and offer all support that can be done.

For example, last month we had a young man, Brian Blackwell, that got a seemingly undeserved type 2 hit and had to stay in Cozumel for an extra week. Not only did we help him at every stage of his problem, we did not charge him for extra dives that his reservation called for. Going further his extra week at our Hotel Villa was at no charge- and he did get a lot of snorkeling in there. I am sure that the dive shops mentioned above would do the same as we, so please don't take this as an advertisement for Aldora. But do keep in mind that the "real" cost of packages may be more than advertised, and that the personal service of a full service operation may be worth a few extra bucks when there is a problem.

Dave Dillehay
Aldora Divers

 

[Christi]

I'm with Dave, the difference is in the details when you're looking at pricing and package options - that's the best way to put it.

The very few times we've had a diver suffer a hit while here - we've stayed with them throughout the process and done everything in our power to help ease the frustration and hassles that come with it.

In fact, one of our divers, suffered a hit after doing a dive with another shop (no fault of the shop) prior to starting his package for the rest of the week with us. When I called his hotel to heck him in that night, his wife told me he was very sick - described his symptoms to me and I immediately knew what was going on. I dropped what I was doing, put the O2 kit in my car, called the Dr. and went to the hotel to pick Chuck up and the Dr. was waiting at the chamber for us. He suffered a very serious hit and ended up doing five days of chamber rides. He had to extend the trip and I was able to get him set-up in a friend's house that was off island for the month. I drove him to his chamber treatments each day and stayed in 24/7 contact with him and his wife the entire time he was here - and then of course after he returned home I stayed in contact. I cannot imagine letting a diver fend for themselves in a situation like this!

Needless to say, he didn't get one dive in with us that trip, and of course I didn't even consider charging him for the dives he has reserved in this situation. No show, no call, or show up drunk or hungover form the night before - totally different story

 

[cicopo]

Have to agree that there are justifiable reasons to cancel pre booked dives, and the idea that once you book & pay there are no refunds has long been one of the reasons I don't recommend certain ops, or if I'm answering questions on how I was treated I make a point to mention their refund / credit note policy. Anyone can get sick, or injured and if they've taken the time to see a doctor I'd pretty much bet they had something real going on, not a hang over.

 

[DandyDon]

I hate it when Coz divers blame their problems on the DMs. They are guides, not babysitters, and it was not the DM's responsibility to see that she dived safely. The hit sounds a little suspicious, but damn - even if she had been crippled, it was not the DM's responsibility. The DMs have no control over how much you hydrate, general health, etc.

Dave, you're a good man, but DAN middle & top plans pay for up to $1500 in Extra Accommodations. I know, some people only have the basic plan - but it is only $10/yr cheaper than the middle plan, so it's their mistake if they get that.

 

[Mike]

However, being in a foreign country and having a potentially serious medical condition is not the time to have to worry about credits, etc. That is the time for the operator to stand up and offer all support that can be done.

For example, last month we had a young man, Brian Blackwell, that got a seemingly undeserved type 2 hit and had to stay in Cozumel for an extra week. Not only did we help him at every stage of his problem, we did not charge him for extra dives that his reservation called for. Going further his extra week at our Hotel Villa was at no charge- and he did get a lot of snorkeling in there. I am sure that the dive shops mentioned above would do the same as we, so please don't take this as an advertisement for Aldora. But do keep in mind that the "real" cost of packages may be more than advertised, and that the personal service of a full service operation may be worth a few extra bucks when there is a problem.

Dave Dillehay
Aldora Divers

I'm with Dave, the difference is in the details when you're looking at pricing and package options - that's the best way to put it.

The very few times we've had a diver suffer a hit while here - we've stayed with them throughout the process and done everything in our power to help ease the frustration and hassles that come with it.

In fact, one of our divers, suffered a hit after doing a dive with another shop (no fault of the shop) prior to starting his package for the rest of the week with us. When I called his hotel to heck him in that night, his wife told me he was very sick - described his symptoms to me and I immediately knew what was going on. I dropped what I was doing, put the O2 kit in my car, called the Dr. and went to the hotel to pick Chuck up and the Dr. was waiting at the chamber for us. He suffered a very serious hit and ended up doing five days of chamber rides. He had to extend the trip and I was able to get him set-up in a friend's house that was off island for the month. I drove him to his chamber treatments each day and stayed in 24/7 contact with him and his wife the entire time he was here - and then of course after he returned home I stayed in contact. I cannot imagine letting a diver fend for themselves in a situation like this!

Needless to say, he didn't get one dive in with us that trip, and of course I didn't even consider charging him for the dives he has reserved in this situation. No show, no call, or show up drunk or hungover form the night before - totally different story

Class acts these two.

Glad these types of Ops are able to exist on Cozumel!

 

[jlyle]

I've been taking groups of family/friends to SCC for twenty years. In that time, our groups have had four "emergencies" requiring trips to the Chamber. In each and every case, the DMs, boat crews, captains, and dive shop personnel have acted quickly, professionally, and appropriately. Oxygen was provided on the boat and the divers were quickly taken to shore where alerted, emergency care providers were waiting to transport them to the chamber. Shop personnel, DMs, instructors, and others visited the chamber and monitored their treatment.

It wasn't the fault of SCC or Scuba Cozumel (the in-house dive operation) that any of these people got "bent." None of our people expected or compained about not getting a refund for missed dives. Where do you draw the line, missed dives due to hangovers, Montezuma's Revenge? If you are worried about such things, buy trip insurance.

I remember one guest (not in our group) who got drunk, slipped, fell and broke her arm; she was pissed because she didn't get her bar bill "comped!" Go figure!

 

[ScubaRich]

She sufferd a "moderate" hit of DCS, With "serious" symptoms, Yet those "serious" symptoms were gone by the time she called DAN. All same day??? I don't know about the rest of you, But if i'm taking a DCS hit and am told i'm going to be charged for a phone call, I don't give a S---! Give me the phone!!!

I'm sure in her agreement somewhere it states no credit will be given for missed dives. So good for her for asking anyway, (all they can do is say no!) And they did so you can't complain there.
She made the agreement. If she doesn't want to get screwed, Buy insurance.

To blame the DM for a questionable undeserved hit is silly. And could be and has been batted arround on SB many times!

Cudos to the dive Ops that responded to customers with real DCS emergencies the way they did. Her story just sounds a wee bit over dramatized. JMHO.

 

[Beiji]

She sufferd a "moderate" hit of DCS, With "serious" symptoms, Yet those "serious" symptoms were gone by the time she called DAN. All same day???

That's what made me question her story. In my review on tripadvisor I question whether she alerted the DM when she was on the boat, if oxygen was administered, and if she ever saw a physician. She also says she walked to the front desk to call a physician, and when they told her there would be a charge she said it was a medical emergency. If it were a medical emergency wouldn't someone have radioed from the boat and gotten her to a medical facility ASAP?