We are planning our first Bonaire trip for later in the fall. We are looking at Buddy Dive and their standard package; breakfast, truck, unlimited shore dive, etc. For the best deal, do most of you use a travel agent or deal directly with the resort? As far as airfare, it looks like I can get a better deal by booking it seperately on my own. ANY suggestions from you "veterans" is appreciated.
Booking Bonaire
- Thread starter RetMTFE
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ScubaSteve
Wow.....what a DB
I have never stayed at Buddy (but have stayed at Den laman) and am very confident you would be happy if you chose Buddy. There are many people that have stayed there here and I know a couple....almost zero complaints. As for the airfare, I do agree that you would be better off booking that on your own. I have typically booked my Bonaire stay/truck etc., through Andy at BonairePro's but I know many book direct. I just like having all but the flight (and meals) taken care of for me.
ScubaSteve
Wow.....what a DB
Really does not matter booking resort thru agent or on your own.I suggest booking thru your LDS as it would create a good relationship with the LDS-they get a commission,and does not cost you anything.I teach at a PADI facility here in Westchester and thats what we do .
If going to Buddy's the rack rate is on their website.I am running a group there on May 30th -June 7th. to do training dives/specialities ,and I also have people there now that we booked for this week. I prefer Buddy's as they include breakfasts/rental truck and such.No wait on line at the airport for a rental vehicle.They pick you up at the airport on arrival and return you on departure.Some people claim they are more expensive,but I do not see the reasoning.If you stay elsewhere and pay for a rental vehicle seperately and pay for buffet breakfast daily/pay additional for nitrox- ,you most likely will be paying more than Buddy's packages.Buddys is ON the water and access to the house reef could not be easier,unlike other resorts.We even have a 50% discount on food/beverages at the resort restaurant/bar.
Other places may be less expensive(not by much though,like maybe $100.-$200. for the week)but are not on the water,so less ease of access to reef,more run down and smaller rooms,no view,no breakfast included,you have to drive to get to water,so I am less inclined to do a dive if I have to work
.. and you have to pickup car at the airport which can be a real pain.PM me if I can help you with more info.
r2t
Contributor
I did my booking via email and one phone call for the deposit directly with Buddy Dive and booked my airfare on line with Continental. Couldn't have been easier.
ScubaSteve
Wow.....what a DB
dvrliz1
Guest
Steve,
Buddy's trucks are at Buddys. They do like us, they pick you up at the airport and your vehicles are arranged and picked up at the resort. We do this too, because we learned from experience, sometime you have to wait up to over 1 our to get your vehicle with the lines at the airport.
Liz
Buddy's trucks are at Buddys. They do like us, they pick you up at the airport and your vehicles are arranged and picked up at the resort. We do this too, because we learned from experience, sometime you have to wait up to over 1 our to get your vehicle with the lines at the airport.
Liz
oly....thanks for the info. Actually, it was a trip offered by a LDS that got me started on this quest. I believe in good relationships but, with very little effort, I have beat their price for the two of us by around 1K for the exact same package. Actually, I can get a flight from a departure airport closer than the one they are using.
Too bad for the LDS you tried to work with...Now if they had offered something of value to justify the higher costs then...??If simply booking for a couple I go by the rack rate and offer to get them airfare or let them do it themselves. The LDS normally gets a 10% commission on the land portion of the trip,so a package to Buddy's on Bonaire for two brings in about $70-$80. pp..If a group I tweak it a bit to cover some of the costs and expenses to send a instr.with them.
are they offereing a course/speciality /training dives at no cost?
what is the cost of the land package/the cost of the airfare?
The difference in costs between what you came up with and what they offered may be in the airfare alone-what you found and what the LDS offered is NOT the same exact package-different fight./airport..
I usually offer people a chance to get their own airfare if they can get it better than we did.
Granted if the people got 4 or 6 divers together and booked it all themselves they would most likely get a better rate than a group sponsored via a LDS with a instr guide ..If someone opts out though you may be left on the hook for $$ when they cancel out or fail to pay on time.
But if someone wants to go to a resort and they are alone/single occupancy would greatly increase to their costs.I usually can get a rate that is less expensive for a single or dbl than single occ or even dbl occ but more than what they would pay for 6 of them going together.Have to cover some of the expenses of the trip.
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