How much would you pay for a class?

[TSandM]

I'm amazed at the wide range of prices for cave classes. I just learned this morning that Zero Gravity is charging $2500 for their five-day cave classes. I paid $2000 for my five-day Cave 2 class in Florida (although ZG includes tank rentals and fills, and my Florida class did not.) I paid $800 for a four-day Full Cave class in MX, and that included tanks and fills and entry fees. That class didn't include stages, but did include the same amount of deco training as the Florida class.

How much would you pay an instructor for a cave class, and what would you expect to have included in that fee?

 

[FireInMyBones]

$500 is my high point at my current financial level.

 

[LiteHedded]

For what you get out of the gue classes I can understand them costing a bit more. But they just keep going up and up and I don't see them adding much to the curriculum.

 

[kjvander]

What do you need a class for....I learn everything on Scubaboard and the rest of the internet....


But in all seriousness....right now classes are limited for me....but if they are worth it and there is good reviews of the class from other divers i would consider it.

 

[Cave Diver]

If I recall correctly my cave class was in the $1k range. I paid for instruction. Books, gas, equipment, and entry fees were extra.

I looked for an instructor I felt comfortable with. Price was secondary in my decision.

 

[Rainer]

Market economics I guess, but I'm not paying $500/day for training. My GUE T1 class (taught by a GUE Training Council member) was closer to $200/day (tuition only).

For what you get out of the gue classes I can understand them costing a bit more. But they just keep going up and up and I don't see them adding much to the curriculum.

 

[PfcAJ]

Knowing what I know now about cave training, i'd pay the current rates for gue training. My classes were 1500 each, and worth it.

I think my naui cave 1 was in the $600, and I simply didn't get as much out of the class as I did during gue c1.

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Cavern, Intro, Apprentice, and Full were all in the $300-350 range. So... $1200-1400 in all.

I wouldn't pay more than that, costs were for instruction only.

 

[TSandM]

I agree with you, AJ -- both my C1 and C2 classes were much more demanding in terms of attention to detail than my other classes. However, I'm not sure how much learning to pay attention to whether I'm kicking up the bottom while briefing the dive in the open water (one of the details from my C2 class that I am actually grateful for) was worth $1200 . . . At some point, the return on investment begins to drop.

 

[Oside Jimc]

I just paid $1100 for my Cavern/Intro class. That covered 5 days, materials, fills, and transportation to the Cenotes, entrance fees were extra. Since I needed additional days they were $210/day ($130 for the final 1/2 day). If I had not had an additional student it would have been $1250 + $250 for extra days.

There were less expensive options, but I value quality over cost and I felt strongly that Bil was the right instructor for me.