Full Payment before the trip?

[waynel]

I'll give this Dive Op a chance to respond to my concerns (Downing, please be on standby). I mailed $337.50 so you can bet our butts will be on his boat on the morning of June 15 and for five mornings after that. The deposit guarantees we will be there. IF a day rains out, the boat doesn't leave the dock...We divers should pay for that? I've been there in June, so let's be honest. Finding a seat on even a small boat is not a problem (as well as getting an oceanfront room upgrade) In fact, the dive shops biggest problem is having to take off with only one or two divers in the boat (many won't do it). In fact, even though I emailed all the other Dive Ops I sent an inquiry to telling them I made my choice...they are still trying to get my business away from the Op I selected.

To be honest, my concern isn't entirely the fact that they want the remaining half of the dive trip paid before the dive. What bothers me is this in their policy..."If XXXXXX is unable to provide any of the reserved services due to inclement weather, all deposits for such services will be credited or refunded." It's the "credited or refunded" that bothers me. If we get three straight bad days, "they" might decide to "credit" me, which is only good for six months. What if my wife and I are the only two divers on that boat one morning and they don't leave the dock? Now, if you can pay to dive in Belize every six months, God bless you, you're in better financial shape than the vast majority of working stiffs.

I emailed the Dive Op. Told them my concerns. Asked if I could pay remainder after the dives. If that's a problem, I need to know now so I can make other arrangements. Let's see what they say before I start slamming another man's business (no business owner likes that, including me). But if it turns out they are not "customer friendly" it could mean there's a corporation lurking in the seagrass, and the boss out on the dock ain't the owner. If that happens, I will consider it my duty to let everyone know.

 

[peterbj7]

Why bother? There are excellent dive ops here who don't demand payment up-front.

 

[underthedeepblue]

Why bother? There are excellent dive ops here who don't demand payment up-front.

Such as?

Do you know of any that will discount for multiple dives? 20, 30 dives?

 

[DandyDon]

This is just a cheesy attempt by the Op to get your money and paying half in advance really sucked you in. If you miss a day for weather, illness, even Op's fault, they give you a temporary voucher?! Cheesy...!

I think I'd apply the money paid to that many trips in full, then see how it goes, as you are in a poor bargaining position with half paid. Good luck...!!

 

[waynel]

OK. The dive op is Cap'n Rons Reef Adventures. The dock is right outside our oceanfront room at Tadewinds Paradise Villas. And...sigh of relief...while I had to send my one-half deposit to some company in Portland, Orgeon, Ron emailed me back that I can pay for the remainder of the dives based upon the dives we actually do after we do them. If it rains out, we don't have to pay. My deposit of $337 will cover two days of diving. We will be there for one week. So, I think we have the deposit covered. I didn't ask if he was "owned" by Sharp Enterprises in Portland. Even if he is, what a relieft to know that they allow him to work with us divers. I was picturing some sniveling little suits in Portland who don't even have a basic OW card dictating to Ron what to do with his divers. This planet will one day be run by Chase Bank, Goldman Sachs, etc. Don't think that the little Dives Ops we love so dearly won't be "bought out" one day. It's inevitable. So hats off to Ron, the only suit he might be wearing is a wetsuit. Thanks ya'll for the advise and the support. In case you haven't checked lately, there are 7 billion people on this planet, and only one percent of us dive. Talk about a band of brothers. Not to slight the veterans (of which I am one), but one of things I love about diving is that we do what 99% of the people on this planet doesn't do, we have to stick togehter. And by God, we do.

 

[peterbj7]

They have a decent reputation, and one of the best DMs on the island (who used to work for me). So long as the money side works out the diving should be good. Have a good time!

But to answer an earlier question, I know several dive centers who operate as I used to - nothing taken up front, and a discount given at the end according to the diving that you actually did. Island Divers Welcome to Island Divers Belize for one. Despite the rather grand claims on their website they're one of the smaller operations, though still considerably bigger than Reef Adventures.

 

[DandyDon]

I don't mind paying a deposit to guarantee my seat on the boat for the first day - maybe just prepay the first day of diving to be sure they hold my seat. Anything more is questionable.

Glad it worked out...!!