Cancelled/postponed trips due to COVID - please share your outcomes

[JamesBon92007]

Quick tip. If the govnt gives you money in a crisis....try to spend it in your own country...

I'd be happy to if I could find some locally. It seems that there are people in this country who have hoarded all the supplies they could get so that people like the 76-year-old widow next door can't get any. We found one source that is selling TP for only four or five times it's normal price. While standing in a long line at a grocery store a few days ago, the gentleman behind us said "if this is a test, we are failing." I have no idea how much a roll of toilet paper sells for in Shenzhen, China, but they probably think they are ripping us off selling it for 80 cents per roll.

 

[jjmochi]

IMO sounds like Dive Damai is scrambling to change course after all the blowback on scubaboard and almost unanimous opinion that some flexibility should be offered... why not engage directly with your customers to offer that assurance instead of hiding behind the agent? For a $7k trip that is double the cost of competitors I would expect part of that is paying for exceptional customer service which seems utterly lacking here regardless of ultimate resolution.

 

[CWK]

I will reply to this very simply Dive Damai, would you like me to post screenshots of the emails I have from you directly saying to deal with the booking company and the booking companies emails sayin that Dive Damai isnot offering any refunds OR reschedules. I am also on the same trip with TabeaK and also a repeat client. It seems you may need to talk to Equator Diving who if you are telling the truth, is then lying on your behalf. We have tried numerous times via email to resolve this matter with you directly but you keep rerouting us back to Equator Diving who on your behalf is saying that you are being inflexible and not offering any reschedules or refunds. Again, if you want we can post screenshots of the emails on here. I agree with you that someone is lying, but it is not us. If you are doing the right thing and offering reschedules we will amend our posts and sing your praises. But right now we are being shown no flexibility whatsoever.

Equator does charters where they charter boats, then sells trips to their own customers. Was this a charter? In other words, was Equator acting as agent or as principal? This may (or may not) determine whom you have recourse to.

 

[Jay]

Sounds like either Dive Damai is changed their policy or the agent's been trying 'amend' the terms. One of those two appear not to be telling the truth, someone will be able to show correspondence that demonstrates it wasn't them.

I still want to now how much $ hit is the customer going to be taking by rescheduling after 'charges'?

 

[JesterDiver]

Equator does charters where they charter boats, then sells trips to their own customers. Was this a charter? In other words, was Equator acting as agent or as principal? This may (or may not) determine whom you have recourse to.

We booked thru Equator but am not sure the distinction between agent or principal? I believe they chartered the boat i guess.

 

[JesterDiver]

Sounds like either Dive Damai is changed their policy or the agent's been trying 'amend' the terms. One of those two appear not to be telling the truth, someone will be able to show correspondence that demonstrates it wasn't them.

I still want to now how much $ hit is the customer going to be taking by rescheduling after 'charges'?

Well right now since we aren't being given the option of rescheduling its over $7k.

 

[gypsyjim]

we had the "luck" of being the last divers who will get to enjoy the Kona Aggressor II for some time.
As of today the boat and at least most of her sister ships have lost all of their near future charters.

Now, we are struggling with airlines, trying to get home from Kona.
We just made it to Honalulu.
If our next flight gets canceled, I'll take one to anywhere on the east coast, and rent a car to get home.
The captain of our live aboard said he had 3 cancelations in 2 days.
Travel just got a great deal more challenging.

Good luck to all.

 

[CWK]

We booked thru Equator but am not sure the distinction between agent or principal? I believe they chartered the boat i guess.

If it is an Equator exclusive charter, then you may have bought an Equator holiday, in which case your recourse is to Equator to substitute another holiday.

 

[outofofficebrb]

We booked thru Equator but am not sure the distinction between agent or principal? I believe they chartered the boat i guess.

Are they acting as a representative for you and purely booking the spots you requested on your behalf or did they purchase a half or full charter with discount spots and are reselling them to you/others (either at retail or amortizing the discount for the free spots which the latter is usually less likely as that is usually their profit) and subsequently possibly putting their own cancel policies forward?

 

[emoreira]

I bought a vacation of 2 weeks in San Andres and Providencia. I've planned 2 dives in Providencia and 3 days diving in San Andres. I had already paid the fly tickets to San Andres and Providencia and part of the hotels.
The hotel in San Andres cancelled the reservation and gave a credit to be used up to December 31 2020. The fly tickets were also cancelled and a credit given also up to Dec 31.