Bonaire Dive Shop Practices

[Melissa Flinn]

This must be a new policy. This has been their cancelation policy for our last 2 January visits at Den Laman, diving with Dive Friends
Cancellation policy
• Cancellation fee of 100.0% is charged if cancelled 7 day(s) or less before the activity
• Cancellation fee of 50.0% is charged if cancelled 14 day(s) or less before the activity
• Cancellation fee of 25.0% is charged if cancelled 30 day(s) or less before the activity

I copied this from our receipt for this past January that I booked in November. We book ahead because my wife doesn’t want to chance not getting the couple of boat dives that we do, and to make check in go quicker.

Erik

 

[Melissa Flinn]

That’s from the invoice they sent me! I also emailed them back questioning this and they said I could make the payment later as long as it was no less than a month before!

 

[Lorenzoid]

The reservation is with Dive Friends. We are staying at Den Laman the first 2 weeks of September. We got a 10% discount for Dive Friends from Sunwise. Our package includes: 12 days of unlimited shore diving, 5 days of 2 tank boat diving, regs and BCD's for 12 days. This is for 2 divers = $2015 = 1007.50 each. This price includes the 10% discount. There is no way we are paying in full with a nonrefundable cancellation policy. I find this so unreasonable!

If I recall from our trip last March, Dive Friends advised us that the Sunwise discount was only available if we paid in full in advance. In other words, the discount is an incentive for paying in full in advance. We did not explore the possibility of refusing the discount and paying on arrival.

 

[RIHappyDiver]

That’s from the invoice they sent me! I also emailed them back questioning this and they said I could make the payment later as long as it was no less than a month before!

I have to say that this surprises me. Both times we have payed the full amount up front, but not with that type of cancellation policy. I completely understand your reluctance and your concern. I’m curious if I’ll run into the same thing when I go to book in the fall.

 

[Melissa Flinn]

I think we are going to take our chances and book when we get there. That is far too great of a risk for my money. I really hope we get to dive with Dive Friends though. Everything I've heard about them leads me be believe they are good dive op. Also, a big part of the reason we chose Den Laman was the convenience of the onsite dive shop and the boat pick up from the Den Laman dock. Thanks everyone for your input! I really appreciate it! We cant wait to experience Bonaire for the first time.

 

[scubadada]

I think we are going to take our chances and book when we get there. That is far too great of a risk for my money. I really hope we get to dive with Dive Friends though. Everything I've heard about them leads me be believe they are good dive op. Also, a big part of the reason we chose Den Laman was the convenience of the onsite dive shop and the boat pick up from the Den Laman dock. Thanks everyone for your input! I really appreciate it! We cant wait to experience Bonaire for the first time.

This should work out fine. You may be limited in your choice of some boat dive days if they are full. This may be less of risk with their bigger boat, Tiki Diver, in addition to their smaller boats. On out last visit, a second boat came by the Sand Dollar/Den Laman a couple of days to pick up overflow.

Don't forget, you get the great gear room, carts to take your gear down to the pier, and one of the best house reefs on the island, Bari Reef.