Bonaire trip report (Oct 25-28...Buddy Dive sux)

[b1gcountry]

If they want to charge for looking up a C-Card it is their right. If you had a prior agreement saying this service was complimentary, then that is another thing, but it was a useful service, and saved you a weeks worth of diving. These dive ops are not charities. They are in the business to make money. They provided a service for a fee. Since you voluntarily paid the fee in exchange for the service, then it was priced reasonably.

...and I fail to see the distinction between forgetting and losing a C-Card. It's the divers responsibility to be able to prove certification levels. If you can't, then its your liability no matter what happened.

Tom

 

[SBP Studios]

Been going to Bonaire almost every year since 1976..Stayed at Flamingo(too big-no rental truck included-very old property),
Habitat(no rental truck included,dive staff can be rude at times),
Sand Dollar(some of the rooms falling apart,ground landscapping is non existant,dive staff again can be rude at times, no rental truck included in stay-had to pick up at airport site),
Plaza(again very large,access to their house reef a real pain-can be a 5 to 7 minute walk with camera gear from your room,no rental truck -had to pickup at the airport) and Buddys.Even checked out the grounds and rooms of other hotels/resorts there.Found Buddy's the easiest to deal with.
Every place has its good and bad.For the cost(room-diving-rental truck-breakfast-ocean front property)ease of access to water via their dive dock,dive staff and condition of property/grounds Buddy's works for us.Saying that you will never return to Buddys is ok,everyone does not like same things,..Try other places on island and find one that fits your particular needs. Some of the issues the op had could have been avoided if they read up on policy of resort (guide in each room) and been aware of them. To charge you $15. to do a dive check for missing c card is totally wrong. Was it Irinia at the front desk? She is a front desk manager there.If it was Irinia I am surprised at this.The front desk does not ask to see certification cards,it had to be at the dive shop office on the dock.. Did you bring the matter up to Augusto? He is the dive op manager and I am fairly certain he would have taken care of this for you.The dive op there has always gone out of their way to make our stays enjoyable.Even as far as replacing -not just repairing-my brother in laws inflator on his bcd at no charge on our last stay..He was ready to pay for the service and was told no charge.!
Augusto has internet access in his workspace at the dive shop and could have done it for you there..The people at the front desk only follow directions and have no authority of anything out of the norm..As to the rental vehicle ,feel blessed to have one of the older ones.I prefer it that way,as to not worry about gear or underbrush in the park scratching it.

Only flaw in this whole thing is it WAS THE DIVE SHOP that charged. Not the front desk.

The Dive shop people could not have been ruder and less helpful. We talked to 3 different people including the asst manager (tall african/dutch guy with long hair). He was the one who decided it needed to be charged.

And since we are talking about help with equipment...my wife headed up to the Dive shop to see if anyone could help her with he Suunto dive computer which was having issues connecting. No one there could help her and said they were not familiar with that computer (hard to believe. Its a Suunto Vytek).

Turns out it was flooded as the tech told us in 2 mins after we got back home.



Trust me, id love to say something good about Buddy Dive but I cannot.

 

[chauncy19]

Glad you enjoyed Bonaire despite the "Buddy" experience. Never stayed there so can't really comment except to say I wouldn't go back either if I had that experience. Good news as mentioned plenty of other places to stay.
One of the things that I like about Bonaire is that there seems to be lots of choice and there is someplace that will fit!! May take a few attempts ,may take only one.

 

[DeputyDan]

The dive operation at Buddy is top notch.
That being said there are other issues to consider.

Based on my experiences of staying at Buddy (Twice) I can understand the OP's frustrations.

I would stay there again but it would not be the first choice.

 

[1_T_Submariner]

Try a smaller place next time. We stayed at Bruce's Craib inn. IT was great keep in mind no resteraunt (plenty short walk away).

When we stayed at Buddy's we had some friends that came with a Dive shop group a day later. They where a group of 20 people they got treat way better than us. Since we don't have the extra $$ to pay to go with the Dive shop 20% more we just book our own trips and avoid places that cater to the big groups.

 

[scubadobadoo]

I forgot my Cert card at home, $15 to look it up! I guess the fact we were dropping $900 for 3 nights with them was not enough.

This was in your original trip report post.

Well my wallet fell out in my truck at the Airport. So.....not exactly an oversight I need to be "punished" for by someone who knows not what they speak and is quick to judge.

This next quote comes from your reply to me after I said you should have been charged the 15 bucks because you forgot your C- Card at home.

While I may agree with many of your Buddy Dive opinions, you just lost your credibility with me. Did it fall out of your truck like you stated a few posts ago or did you forget it at home like you said in your original post????? Now I have to question your entire story.

The words I spoke were yours.

 

[SBP Studios]

Clearly you are just THAT GUY on the net so i'll concede and you can win another internet battle with yourself. Congrats.

I consider my truck parked at the airport still being AT HOME when im 5000 miles away. Forgive me for my lack of desire to get into semantics with you. Nor do I crave "credibility" with you.

best.

 

[sschlesi]

If they want to charge for looking up a C-Card it is their right. If you had a prior agreement saying this service was complimentary, then that is another thing, but it was a useful service, and saved you a weeks worth of diving. These dive ops are not charities. They are in the business to make money. They provided a service for a fee. Since you voluntarily paid the fee in exchange for the service, then it was priced reasonably.

...and I fail to see the distinction between forgetting and losing a C-Card. It's the divers responsibility to be able to prove certification levels. If you can't, then its your liability no matter what happened.

Tom

yup, and the customer has the right to say they are a bunch of pricks for doing so.

 

[deeper thoughts]

yup, and the customer has the right to say they are a bunch of pricks for doing so.

It looks like 15 dollars has cost them a return customer and probably some other potential customers after they read this. Doesnt sound like a good business practice to me but to each there own

 

[SBP Studios]

It looks like 15 dollars has cost them a return customer and probably some other potential customers after they read this. Doesnt sound like a good business practice to me but to each there own

That could'nt be further from the truth actually. The entire experience was BAD. That is what cost them a negative review. Remember that. I offered them NUMEROUS chances to help us to feel welcomed there.

Never once were we.