Experience with Mermaid Liveaboard Operation

[micquinn]

Regarding maintenance and reliability their boats, the fact that they are scheduling their maintenance so far out is probably a good thing, even though it caused me a major issue for my planned trip.

 

[micquinn]

Absolutely. Safety is always the most important thing when it comes to diving, which includes the boats we dive on. Stuff happens and it's the way it is dealt with that makes a difference in the customer experience. I do not feel that Mermaid handled this well.

It took awhile but I just got the full refund last night.

 

[jeremyl]

I have been on Mermaid 3X - my first Komodo, and 2x in Raja. Never any issues and some of the best staff I've experienced. Many of their (local) crew/staff has been with them for MANY years and this speaks well to how they treat their staff - who will in turn treat their customers well.

I can't of course speak to why the boat dry dock schedule changed but I could guess it has something to do with dock/crew schedules at the port in Bali... I know Mermaid is HQ'd there but imagine they share the dock maintenance ports with the (MANY) other boats. I do know both Mermaids had extensive maintenance done last summer (I was there visiting my friend/DM who these days overseas that process). Not at all sticking up for them in any way, just maybe offering a bit of perspective. I would say they are very maintenance aware, and more so than several other boats I've been on.

Happy Bubbles...

 

[micquinn]

I'm sure the Mermaid crew and boat operation is very good. I had done my research ahead of time and they generally got good reviews. My issue is with the Management/Ownership of Mermaid. Not even so much that they chose to do the maintenance on an already announced trip, which completely screwed up a bucket list trip for my 50th dive anniversary, but much more so that once they made that decision they were not cooperative with Bluewater in finding an alternative, nor "going above and beyond" to try and make a customer happy who they had so greatly inconvenienced. As a service provider, stuff happens, it's how you treat the customer after the stuff happens that leaves a lasting impression. In this case my lasting impression is not a good one.

 

[tursiops]

Always nice to hear just one side of a story.

I led a Mermaid-II trip out of Bali to Komodo in 2017....and the volcano erupted in Bali and caused major potential perturbations in the schedule and ports. It ended up being an excellent trip and the Mermaid home officefolks were magnificent in keeping us up to date on plan changes and contingencies. Could not have been a better interaction.

 

[micquinn]

I'm not sure what you mean by "one side of the story" if there's another side from Mermaid I would love to hear it. It's funny how these threads seem to devolve over time. I'm glad you had a great experience. I did not.

 

[tursiops]

I'm not sure what you mean by "one side of the story" if there's another side from Mermaid I would love to hear it. It's funny how these threads seem to devolve over time. I'm glad you had a great experience. I did not.

You've made your case, over and over. Saying the same thing many times does not make it more true.
We have heard only your side of the story. We are unlikely to hear the other side....but that doesn't make your version of the events and the whys any truer. I'm not saying you are lying, just that you seem to have had a uniquely bad experience with Mermaid. Sorry for that ,really, but I'm sure you were not personally targeted for abuse.

 

[micquinn]

If you read the thread you'll see I simply responded to peoples comments. I also tried be balanced in saying that the great majority of people have had wonderful experiences with Mermaid. That is why I originally booked the trip. I am in the minority of people who had a bad one, and again it's only a concern with their Ownership, not the actual operation of their boat, which is what most people would experience. The purpose of Scubaboard is the share information for the benefit of the community which was my original intent.

I think this thread has gone as far as it needs to go and do not plan on posting anything further.

 

[LynnGast]

In 2025, it will be my 50th anniversary of active scuba diving. So I decided to book a "bucket list" trip to Indonesia. After debating between RA and Komodo I finally decided on Komodo. I used Bluewater Photo and worked with one of their agents, Anne, to book a trip on the Mermaid I. I booked it in July of this year for September 2025. The boat was leaving and returning out of Bali and went ahead and paid for the trip in full. I chose that time of year as it is towards the end of the tourist season in Bali and also had the potential of seeing a Mola as I was going to spend a few days after the liveaboard on Nusa Penida.

Anne of Bluewater was great to deal with. Very responsive and very helpful with her information. So all was good until this past October when I got a email from Anne saying that the Mermaid had decided to do maintenance on the boat during the time of my trip and so the trip was canceled! I expressed my unhappiness to Anne and that IMO the Mermaid organization had made a decision that was best for them economically, they probably picked the charter that had the fewest people on it, without consideration for the fact that they had advertised this trip and taken my money. I had also booked the single supplement on the Mermaid I and the alternatives offered did not have the single supplement available. Anne and Bluewater management stepped in and negotiated with them, and the Mermaid organization eventually offered a shorter trip to Komodo with a single supplement on the Mermaid II. After thinking about it, I decided not to do that because it is a long ways to go from Albuquerque New Mexico for substantially less diving then on the original trip.

I've read a number of positive reviews on Scubaboard about their experiences on the Mermaid liveaboards. So I would imagine that their actual dive operation is good. However based on the fact that they canceled a posted trip for their convenience of maintenance, instead of doing it during a time when they had not scheduled the trip, and then were difficult to deal with in offering up any alternatives, shows poor logistical planning and poor customer service by the Management of Mermaid IMO. So with all the other alternatives available in that region I for one will not spend my money with that operation in future. I would however highly recommend Bluewater Photo for their service in helping me organize the trip.

BTW, I'm still awaiting my refund from Mermaid.

I am having similar issues with Mermaid Liveaboards. I put a deposit down on a trip for November 2025. However, my husband has bee diagnosed with cancer. Though he is clear to dive, his oncologist does not want him to travel that far. I am working with Reef & Rainforest.

According to the Mermaid website a full refund (less 100 euros PP) will be issued if cancelation is before 90 days out. I even have a doctor's note.

It's been over a month and I sent a follow up to R&R over the weekend. I heard back this morning saying that Mermaid is having "banking" issues....or maybe more like cash flow issues.

I did my research and Mermaid has great reviews. However, I find this to be poor business ethics. If you are not going to give a refund, then don't put it on your website saying you will.

 

[LynnGast]

You've made your case, over and over. Saying the same thing many times does not make it more true.
We have heard only your side of the story. We are unlikely to hear the other side....but that doesn't make your version of the events and the whys any truer. I'm not saying you are lying, just that you seem to have had a uniquely bad experience with Mermaid. Sorry for that ,really, but I'm sure you were not personally targeted for abuse.

FYI....see my post...I have had a similar experience.