Question “Concierge Diving” Is that a thing or marketing babble?

[Doc]

How about a hug from a mega voluptuous dive master when you come out of the water at end of your dive?? Would that do it for you?

See post #37
Take a real close look.

 

[OMyMyOHellYes]

They bring the Latinum SeaDrops and rub them in for you ...

 

[drrich2]

My query for defining Concierge Diving did begin with the constant use of the phrase on Twit Advisor, a place not known for the level of SCUBA travel knowledge as is SB. It has spread, annoyingly- to me, to the website yammering of dive shops in paradise grasping for a distinction, any distinction, something.

The Resort Course 2.o crowd? A lot of that- as diving is getting dumbed-down and homogenized on the Club Dread model.

Look around when we do Warm Water Pretty Fish diving, a whole lot of new kids fumbling their way through it. Not many are hitting on all cylinders. A real noticeable decline in self-reliance and general ability over the last three decades.

What you describe may be a broader phenomenon where more 'regular Joe' Americans (and I'm guessing maybe some other nationalities) travel to more exotic places, and want/need are higher service level, a more 'sanitized' experience. Cruise ships and their hand-holding excursions are the poster child for that stereotype, with the label 'pod people.' These people are after experiences, not necessarily 'adventure.'

Which leads me to wonder if several decades back a larger share of the dive tourists were more outdoorsy types, type A personalities, alpha males, sportsmen, had experience diving more difficult areas (e.g.: California), etc... Back then I suspect a larger portion of U.S. men had been in the military at some point (e.g.: Vietnam, Korea, drafts...).

A lot of modern U.S. citizens live in cities and didn't grow up on or around farms, aren't seasoned in outdoor activities, and the activities they are exposed to mainly occur in the context of civilization.

A dive op. that advertises concierge service may be communicating that they will provide a good, well-supported experience of the desired type to these people.

One argument in favor of advertising concierge diving service is that places that don't offer it may not advertise that fact. What nobody wants is for this to happen:

It is not uncommon to see people who are used to concierge diving. Once all their gear is loaded, they get on the boat and then just start relaxing and chatting while everyone else is putting gear together. Someone has to actually tell them, "Hey Nancy, you probably want to put your gear together if you plan to dive." Occasionally you get one that gets a deer in the headlights look at that point.

The 'deer' need to know who to dive with.

 

[BoltSnap]

And thank you for recognizing the over-arching joke, here.

Sometimes, you just have to chum the waters to bring up the humorless heavy lunkers.

My minimum for Concierge Diving:

View attachment 768338

I want the "fantasy island" version of a dive operation, now that's concierge diving! All Scubapro dive equipment for everyone with dive mistresses allover the place.

 

[Jcp2]

I’m guessing that for a lot of scubaboarders, diving with family results in a concierge level of experience for them, from us.

 

[Pressurehead]

I’m guessing that for a lot of scubaboarders, diving with family results in a concierge level of experience for them, from us.

Only when they were young and it is never reciprocated when you need help as you age.
And it will never change, a one way street.

 

[NW Dive Dawg]

Last time I was at LCBR with Reef Divers...... (2019) I don't recall that they rinsed gear every day. If memory serves me correctly, all of our primary gear just lived on the boat at our assigned station for the week and they filled tanks with whips right off the dock... Just board every morning with my camera and mesh bag and go..

Great operation and pretty much as much as or as little assistance as you asked for... I would call their operation Concierge / Valet diving!

PS.... The dive briefings were absolutely spectacular! Even though I'm not sure I ever really heard anything that was said.

 

[Seaweed Doc]

I suspect the level of service depends on the ratio of local/tourist divers.

I suspect in the US Pacific Northwest (and Southwest Canada), California, and cold water places generally most of the divers are reasonably local. They likely have their own gear. They'll go for cheaper, more frequent diving if on a budget. And labor costs are higher.

In warm water places most divers are tourists. They don't have their own gear, or they do and may choose not to haul it. (ScubaBoarders may be an exception to that. We're not a random sample...) They'll need gear anyway. Labor is cheap.

That leads to more services in the tropics.

So a lot of speculative presumptions above. Am I wrong? Missing something?

 

[Ontwreckdiver]

Every dive op on all of the Great Lakes?

Yes, they just a taxi out to the dive site.

 

[Blackcrusader]

I want the "fantasy island" version of a dive operation, now that's concierge diving! All Scubapro dive equipment for everyone with dive mistresses allover the place.