I've just had a mixed experience on a dive trip to Fiji. The dive operator was really good and the diving was great, but the mob in Aus who put the trip together, Coral Seas Travel, dropped the ball.
I paid a little under $6000.00 for an 'everything included' week of diving in a four and a half star resort in Fiji and found that nothing was as I expected.
On arrival in Fiji, I was stranded in Nadi with no connecting flights and no accommodation. I was left to my own resources to contact the hotel, convince them that I had booked and paid in Australia, and to convince the airline that I should have a seat on the next flight.
When I arrived at the resort I found my four and a half star resort was a single-room hut on a hilside with no phone, no TV, and no radio. When I pointed out my concerns to the manager , she was quite surprised by what I had paid because a week in her bure (huts) cost only $2000 (including the internal flight) and that they do not have a four star rating.
My next surprise was that my diving wasn't included - that was another $1000 so I had to cut my diving days down to what I could afford.
In all fairness to the hotel and the dive operator, they were as surprised as I was by what I had paid and did their best to make Coral Seas Travel do the right thing by me.
Since my return to Australia I have made numerous attempts to negotiate some form of settlement with Coral Seas Travel who, in their one email to me, simply state they contractually obligated to have no communication with me and that I must deal with the travel agent who sold their package to me.
In all fairness, the travel agent has put in an effort to help but, as they've pointed out, they've already given my money to Coral Seas Travel so their is really nothing they can do.
Fiji is a great diving destination and dive operator that I went with was really good. However, I strongly suggest dealing directly with the hotel and dive operator - you'll save a bundle.
Check you travel agent isn't buying your trip from Coral Seas Travel.
I paid a little under $6000.00 for an 'everything included' week of diving in a four and a half star resort in Fiji and found that nothing was as I expected.
On arrival in Fiji, I was stranded in Nadi with no connecting flights and no accommodation. I was left to my own resources to contact the hotel, convince them that I had booked and paid in Australia, and to convince the airline that I should have a seat on the next flight.
When I arrived at the resort I found my four and a half star resort was a single-room hut on a hilside with no phone, no TV, and no radio. When I pointed out my concerns to the manager , she was quite surprised by what I had paid because a week in her bure (huts) cost only $2000 (including the internal flight) and that they do not have a four star rating.
My next surprise was that my diving wasn't included - that was another $1000 so I had to cut my diving days down to what I could afford.
In all fairness to the hotel and the dive operator, they were as surprised as I was by what I had paid and did their best to make Coral Seas Travel do the right thing by me.
Since my return to Australia I have made numerous attempts to negotiate some form of settlement with Coral Seas Travel who, in their one email to me, simply state they contractually obligated to have no communication with me and that I must deal with the travel agent who sold their package to me.
In all fairness, the travel agent has put in an effort to help but, as they've pointed out, they've already given my money to Coral Seas Travel so their is really nothing they can do.
Fiji is a great diving destination and dive operator that I went with was really good. However, I strongly suggest dealing directly with the hotel and dive operator - you'll save a bundle.
Check you travel agent isn't buying your trip from Coral Seas Travel.
