Guadalupe closure, nautilus options

[Drea13]

Hi Everyone,

I booked with nautilus 2022 for a Guadalupe dive in November 2023. On their site they are saying they are no longer taking bookings for next year until they know when/if the park will open. I am also reading that the park may reopen to all except this company as they were involved in an incident that resulted in a shark dying.
I emailed them asking what my options were for my $1850 deposit. They are offering to apply it toward another location or to stay in limbo for whenever the park does open although they state they don’t know if that will be next year or 3 or 4 years from now. It seems a refund is not an option which is disappointing as it seems other operators running into the same issue have offered refunds.
What Would you do?

 

[scubadada]

Go to the Revillagigedos Trip Report - Revillagigedos on the Nautilus Explorer, May 24-June 1, 2019 I would like to get back, maybe 2024

 

[davehicks]

Go to the Revillagigedos Trip Report - Revillagigedos on the Nautilus Explorer, May 24-June 1, 2019 I would like to get back, maybe 2024

Second that.

 

[scubadada]

Second that.

Nice avatar

 

[davehicks]

Nice avatar

That's Revillagigedos!

 

[NW Dive Dawg]

So there must have been terms and conditions necessary for you acknowledge prior to paying that deposit.
Did Nautilus not make everything clear on the front end?

 

[living4experiences]

Just over a month ago, I contacted Nautilus to inquire about moving the deposit for my October 2023 Guadalupe trip to another trip in anticipation of the park not opening, yet still retaining my spot for Guadalupe if the park opens. They agreed, and now I'm booked for the Sea of Cortez on the Under Sea in August 2023.

As of November 23rd, when I contacted them, the Guadalupe trips were still listed through 2025 and now they're all gone and the PDF brochures have disappeared. IMO, they have been broadening their trips in anticipation of an extended closure of the park. Smart business move.

I have been to Socorro twice with them, and their non-diving Baja Expedition trip with the gray whales was a fantastic experience. Interacting with gray whales who come to the surface to be touched by humans is an amazing treat. And to look them in the eye with your face next to theirs is quite special. I did this trip in February 2021. They've got some good prices for the upcoming season. You can't go wrong going to Socorro, too, but you might want to have a few more dives under your belt, as it's an advanced dive trip, IMO.

I have been very critical about liveaboard companies during the pandemic because so many have ripped off a lot of people, but Nautilus was not one of them. I have confidence that my deposit being put towards another trip is secure.

Nautilus is not the only company who has had an incident with the great whites or boats running aground in the park over the last several years, so they may not be targeted as a cause for the closure or excluded from getting their permits renewed if it ever opens again.

 

[Drea13]

So there must have been terms and conditions necessary for you acknowledge prior to paying that deposit.
Did Nautilus not make everything clear on the front

I’m unsure what your implying? I was inquiring if others would recommend I keep a reservation for the Guadalupe trip or move it to another trip?
What do terms and conditions have to do with it?
If you have an opinion on my actual question I would be happy to take it into consideration.

 

[Drea13]

Just over a month ago, I contacted Nautilus to inquire about moving the deposit for my October 2023 Guadalupe trip to another trip in anticipation of the park not opening, yet still retaining my spot for Guadalupe if the park opens. They agreed, and now I'm booked for the Sea of Cortez on the Under Sea in August 2023.

As of November 23rd, when I contacted them, the Guadalupe trips were still listed through 2025 and now they're all gone and the PDF brochures have disappeared. IMO, they have been broadening their trips in anticipation of an extended closure of the park. Smart business move.

I have been to Socorro twice with them, and their non-diving Baja Expedition trip with the gray whales was a fantastic experience. Interacting with gray whales who come to the surface to be touched by humans is an amazing treat. And to look them in the eye with your face next to theirs is quite special. I did this trip in February 2021. They've got some good prices for the upcoming season. You can't go wrong going to Socorro, too, but you might want to have a few more dives under your belt, as it's an advanced dive trip, IMO.

I have been very critical about liveaboard companies during the pandemic because so many have ripped off a lot of people, but Nautilus was not one of them. I have confidence that my deposit being put towards another trip is secure.

Nautilus is not the only company who has had an incident with the great whites or boats running aground in the park over the last several years, so they may not be targeted as a cause for the closure or excluded from getting their permits renewed if it ever opens again.

I agree about the incident. From what I’ve been able to gather it was a bit of a freak accident and they reported it right away. I am not in the dog pile group. Unfortunately we all know a lot of times people need someone/something to blame. I am concerned that nautilus may end up being the scapegoat here.

Socorro is a dream destination for me. I’ve got about 50-60 dives at this point. I feel pretty comfortable underwater.
My partner is newer and is around 20 dives and still needs some buoyancy and air control.
I don’t think we would be able to get enough dives in between now
Maybe we could move it out another year and buckle down on some diving experience.
How much experience would you recommend for Socorro?

 

[NW Dive Dawg]

It seems a refund is not an option which is disappointing as it seems other operators running into the same issue have offered refunds.
What Would you do?

I'm totally sorry if I misinterpreted your question...... based on your statement above it just sounded to me like you were surprised and disappointed that the Nautilus folks were not offering refunds..... and so I just was thinking that they should have made their terms and conditions regarding refunds clear to you at the time of the booking...

My personal experience with Nautilus is 100% positive.... but admittedly is limited to the "old days" on the original Nautilus VII and then the newer Explorer when it was based out of Richmond, Steveston, BC. I considered Mike and Mary Anne top notch operators and they always did everything in their power to make everything right on the many group trips that I booked up here in the Pac NW.....even when there were glitches related to mechanical issues or weather... or anything else...