Deep Exposure Dive Center: Not A Good Dive Experience

[quietstorm]

Because we read some positive things about this dive op, we thought we would give them a try. Our experience was totally unsatisfactory. Here are a few observations.

First, the price for a two-tank dive with rental equipment will run about 25% - 35% higher than other dive shops. The dive operator justifies the higher price by saying the diver receives a comparatively longer surface interval and a good lunch.
However, the surface interval is not at a nice location or a beach, but is spent tied to a wooden pier in the middle of nowhere on the South side of the island. The lunch was average. The only refreshment provided was warm purified bottles of water with sodium added. Who provides warm bottled water with sodium to scuba divers?!

Second, the dive boat, while large and equipped with two engines, is not well maintained and plods along at the pace of a turtle on land to reach the dive areas to the South. This slow pace, combined with the stops along the way to pick up divers and get more gear, made for a very long ride coming and going.
The dive op packed the boat like a cattle car. Though the dive op says the limit is about 8 divers, our boat had way more, reaching close to capacity of 18 people in all. This made for a very crowded and uncomfortable experience on deck.

Our rental equipment was not of high quality and was not well maintained. Our dive master was swift under water in a strong drift and paid little attention to his divers.
While the captain and the first mate were excellent, the husband and wife who own and run this dive op were not, in our opinion, helpful, sincere, friendly or concerned.

 

[MMM]

As prices for a 2 tank dive can run from a low of about $55 to a high of approaching $95, depending on the op, can you clarify where the price you paid fall within that continuum. For example, I doubt you were paying 25% higher than the high end of some dive shops. Second, can you advise how long your SI was? (I don't see anything in your complaint that the dive op indicated you would be at a nice location or a beach...did you think that went hand in hand with a longer SI?) Third, start to finish how long was your trip as you picked up divers? Fourth, can you provide some specifics as to how the owners were not helpful, sincere, friendly, or concerned? I would also be interested to hear what you felt the boat was not well maintained. Finally, I am astonished how a dive boat fitted for 8 divers could include 18. It's just not physically possible. I would be very much interested in what boat you were on and/or how that was explained. Is it possible that the op said people would be divided into groups of approximately 8?

I don't dive with this op in Cozumel so have no dog in this fight. But I think it is important that specifics be offered to support your concerns.

 

[mediumone]

I don't have a dog in this fight either, for the same reason, but because it's a slow night on the prairie, I looked them up on another popular forum. They have 24 reviews, every one rating them excellent.

 

[cvchief]

Well I don't know anything about them but on their website it appears:

Rates are 2 Tank reef dive $ 92.00 plus $25 for gear and $12 for Nitrox.

and their boat seems to be set up for multiple groups of 8: (dare I say the C word?)



Does look like sometimes they throw out a big spread. I would guess they parked at Palancar pier like alot of other ops?



The website seems carry alot of info on how they operate.

 

[MMM]

I would guess they parked at Palancar pier like alot of other ops?

Personally, I HATE Palancar pier but that is just me. Based on past experiences, I won't even get off the boat.

 

[cvchief]

Personally, I HATE Palancar pier but that is just me. Based on past experiences, I won't even get off the boat.

Peacock attack? You have polished bodywork?

 

[Christi]

They do provide a nice lunch IMO for the boat - at least based on what can reasonably be provided on a day boat - but they really need to do this because the boat departs between 9 and 10 usually and by the time they make all of the pick-ups, it's 10:30 or 11:00 before in the water and then 4 or 5 before they get back. They put out cold cuts, cheese, guacamole, pico de gallo, nice sandwich rolls form the bakery, and fruit and spend a good 2 hours at the surface interval. They typically share space with other freelance dive masters and because the owner Don is a technical diver, there is often a mix of recreational divers with technical divers - which personally, I don't like because it forces the other divers to wait for the tech divers to come up from their long deco obligations - but some people are perfectly ok with this. It's not everyone's cup of tea.

My experiences with them are more that 2 years old - but this is how it was when I have dove with them (my ex was a DM for them so I went along frequently then).

 

[quietstorm]

Thank you for the posts. To respond in short order as best we can:

The price for a two tank w/equipment rental for the past 10 years we have been diving in Cozumel is about $100. We know of, and have used, dive ops that charge less, some as low as $85. We know of some that charge a bit more. This dive op quoted $127 by email.

The comparatively higher price, according to the co-owner's e-lips, was for a longer surface interval at a nice location or a beach and lunch. Palancar Pier, if that is the name of a single wooden pier next to no where where we stopped for a long time, sounds about right, and it was not for us a pleasurable place to wallow.

We were told to be at the boat at about 8:30, boat left about 9:00, stopped along the way, picked up divers and equipment, plodded along ever so slowly, and we lost track of time after that. The smaller dive boats, which we customarily take, flew past us.

Friendliness, concern, helpfulness and the like are qualities that one measures by a smile, a thank you, a positive attitude, a willingness to help out, an accessible ear. We felt these to be absent from the dive op owners before, during and after the dive.

Regarding the dive op's boat itself, the glossy picture of it on the web site was not what we experienced.

This dive op took on other divers and instructors, so that the total number of people on board was high. Posted maximum on board is 18. We were close to that figure. There was little room to move about freely. We think, by virtue of their website and email info where this dive op guarantees a dive--either on their boat or another's--they fill their own boat if they can with theirs and others; if not, they return the favor to similar dive ops by sending their booked divers w/their guide to other's boats.

We too read the reviews on the other website and thought they would reflect our experience. They did to the extent that Captain Giovanni and his first mate, Pepe, were present, helpful and super nice. However, our dm who was not very effective in our opinion and was none of those mentioned in the other website. We do not know whether the other reviewers rented equipment with this dive op, or dove with other dive ops in Cozumel for comparison. We respect others' opinions; they just did not match our experience.

Hope this additional information is helpful.

 

[cvchief]

The price for a two tank w/equipment rental for the past 10 years we have been diving in Cozumel is about $100. We know of, and have used, dive ops that charge less, some as low as $85. We know of some that charge a bit more. This dive op quoted $127 by email.
.

Holy Kriminee! $127 for 2 tanks on a cattle boat? (Whoops, I said the C word.) You could do Aldora with the big tanks for like $109 with gear, cheaper if you go 3 days according to their site. BlueXTSea is like $110 with gear for one day, cheaper multiple days. You can do Dive Paradise for like $89 with gear. Looks like Dive with Martin is $90 with gear.

For $127, it ought to be a fast comfortable boat and at least fajitas for lunch with a waiter and maybe a wine steward. I should sit on the edge of the boat and my gear magically appears. Maybe issued boat coats. Even fancy water, not the regular old stuff from Mega. $127! Seriously? And you share the boat with freelancers? Really? You'd best be stepping it up some for $127.

 

[PhilaDallas]

Do they wet suits for the divers? Maybe that is what the +25% is for.