Paying 2 times for 1 dive trip due to illness !?!?!

[herbdb]

If the operator turned down divers because he reserved space for them, he should charge, because he lost income. But if he did not fill the boat and would have had enough divers to operate anyway, he is gouging them.

I had a dive operation in Key Largo do this to me in very similar circumstances when I paid for an OW checkouts for a daughter and son in law. Conditions required their first OW dives be done at Jules Habitat (Keys equivalent to a quarry). We dove at Jules to be with them. He acknowledged that no one was turned away and that the boat would have operated anyway, but insisted on being paid per published policy because we could have gone on the boat.

I spent a lot of money there, two OW checkouts, three Nitrox courses, bought a dive computer and paid for 20 dives (not counting the four that I paid for but didn't get). They ripped me off, published policy or not. They won't get a recommendation or another penny from me. I steer people away from that operation when I can. Still hacks me off after three years.

 

[weitodive]

Policy is policy. Look at it from the other side. If you were the boat operator and had a policy in place that allowed a 48 hour cancellation policy and someone calls 24 hours ahead to cancel, would you refund? In most cases, probably not. If you were a regular customer then maybe you would give some slack and allow a voucher for the next time but you wouldn't refund. It's not fair to the boat operator for a customer under normal matter to expect everything back. As someone said, boat operations already make little profits. If you have 4 people canceloft hey lose 1/5(on a 20 pax boat) of their income with costs staying the same. Now from the operator's standpoint maybe they should have met you half way and given you half your money back. But remember that if you didn't read the policy and know the policy, it's not their fault.

 

[scubadada]

beachit,

So the four certification dives for your daughters were two in a lake on Saturday and two on a boat Sunday. Seems as if the boat dives on Sunday were contingent upon the dives 1 and 2 on Saturday. Without the lake dives, the weekend was a wash. Settling up for Saturday is between you and your instructor/dive shop. Only thing that really matters for the boat is if you were compliant with the operator's cancellation policy regarding the four slots you had reserved. Calling the instructor would not necessarily reliably notifiy the boat operator, it would have been preferable to make that communication yourself. You might have been able to make this communication by phone, email, text, other but, accurate notification is key.

Live and learn.

Good diving, Craig

 

[herbdb]

Policy is policy. Look at it from the other side. If you were the boat operator and had a policy in place that allowed a 48 hour cancellation policy and someone calls 24 hours ahead to cancel, would you refund? In most cases, probably not. If you were a regular customer then maybe you would give some slack and allow a voucher for the next time but you wouldn't refund. It's not fair to the boat operator for a customer under normal matter to expect everything back. As someone said, boat operations already make little profits. If you have 4 people canceloft hey lose 1/5(on a 20 pax boat) of their income with costs staying the same. Now from the operator's standpoint maybe they should have met you half way and given you half your money back. But remember that if you didn't read the policy and know the policy, it's not their fault.

Here's the way I see it. I expect to make up for income he lost because of my cancellation. If no one was turned away and the boat would have operated anyway, what was lost? From my perspective he made the same amount as he would have without my booking. If he could have demonstrated how he was hurt, I would not have been P...sd.

I lost $280, he lost all future business from me and anyone I can steer elsewhere.

 

[weitodive]

So what if he had a minimum pax policy? Let's say he set up a min of 6 pax policy. Let's say that you were number 5 and he didn't reach the min pax and cancels the dive. You would be upset at him too. It's pretty much a no win situation. I think if you had as much repeat business as you say that he would have made a small concession to you. And if all the experiences you have had with him were good, why would you not continue to go to his boats because of one incident?

 

[oly5050user]

Canceling at such notice is a problem.The boat operator should not suffer the loss nor should the dive shop. One boat operator I know near Key West has a policy of payment on reservation,because people would reserve the boat on Friday and not show up Saturday am because they went out drinking,got drunk,and could not get their butts up to the boat.
People may or may not have been turned away for your reserved spots. Just because the boat may have more people on it besides yourself does not excuse having to be responsible and paying for the spot,used or unused. Boat was prepped,crew/captain there all cost money,staying at the dock or sailing cost money.
Same applies if you sign up for classroom and pool sessions and do not show.The instructor scheduled his/her time to be available and must be paid. Even if a boat is not involved and the training dives are at a Quarry you would have to pay the instructor for the dives when giving such a short notice. The instructor most likely drove out there and was ready to do assigned job for the day. How would you like it if you commuted 2 hours to go to work and be told on arriving that you can go home,and you will not be paid that day?
This is a business here after all and people must learn to be responsible for their actions..

 

[herbdb]

Boat went with or without us. We had five divers diving with them all week. Two were OW courses with follow-on dives after checkout. The other three of us did Nitrox certs in addition to diving. We all dove every day the weather allowed except the one with our two new divers when it was too rough offshore for instruction. I do hold a grudge. I spent over $3500 that week at his shop. Never again.
The day we missed, we dove with his instructors. Inexcuseable.

When someone asks my advise on dive operators, I recommend one of the really good shops in Key Largo.

 

[OldNSalty]

On the one hand, your youngest could have still done her dives and at least one parent(if not both) could have gone with her on the boat dives. Then she could have still dove with her sister the next weekend. I don't really see why 3 more people had to sit out the Sunday dives over this and so I think the Cpt would be within his rights to not issue a credit.

On the other hand-if it really pisses you off that much, return your $3500 worth of new gear to the shop.

 

[tac747]

So I called the dive BOAT and asked what their policy was. I was told that we could give them 24 hour notice (which we did) without a problem. That they understand unexpected things happen and we could reschedule the dive at a later time without penalty. When I called the dive shop where the kids took the lessons and spoke to the owner...they stated to bad so sad that we would have to re-pay.

Assuming I understand the situation... Dive instruction and boat were aranged thru a shop. Dive canceled on sat. @ 05:00...Boat trip sunday..I can see how the OP could be upset. If the dive shop handled the boat reservations the OP may not have even known what boat to call and IMHO did give more than 24 hours notice to the shops representative. It is not the OP's fault the shops rep (Instructor) did not notify the boat in a timely manor. If the policy is no charge on cancellations if notified prior to the 24 hour window and I cancelled 24 hours and 12 minutes before the boats departure time they would play hell getting the money from me. Personally if it were me I would dispute the charge on my credit card as soon as I got my statement

 

[supergaijin]

If the boat in question had a 24 hr cancellation policy and the OP cancelled at least 24 hrs before- then I think the DC charging the full amount (including hiring the boat) is highway robbery.

Like it or lump it- people get sick and plans have to change. If the instructor in question incurred costs to organise the first lake dive, then those costs should be born by the customer IMO, but if you read the OP again, they contacted the boat owner independently and was told of a 24hr cancellation policy... which they seem to have met.

What can really blow for the operator was if this second boat dive was needed to meet the costs. ie. the boat needed a minimum of 4pax to meet costs. One other diver signs up independently menaing there are 5 on the boat. 4 pax cancel leaving the one independent diver with the boat to himself. Maybe it was a situation like this- in that case, if I was the operator I would be calling around to see if the independent could be put on a competitor's boat and if not- sorry the dive got cancelled. Losing 4/5 of a charter is potentially a very very expensive proposition for a small DC. Is this what actually happened? Who knows?