I have an even simpler solution than telling them not to set up my gear. I simply carry my own gear bag to my spot and never hand it over.
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I've only been on eight(?) trips to vacation locations, but I've never had an operator offer to set up my gear, let alone insist on it, which is fine with me.
If you go outside the USA and carribean its unheard of to find someone setting your gear up for you. Its always do it yourself.
Places where its done "for you" are very very rare and usually restricted to N.American market.
I've never been on a dive vacation type setting before, but from the feedbacks of various divers that I talk to, setting up your rig for you is standard modus operandi. Actually, some of the people on SoCal dive boats complain that they had to set up their own rigs.
I suppose one could view that since one's on vacation and pay good money for it, then one should just relax and enjoy the activities.
As for me, diving is a fun hobby and part of the fun is getting fully involved in it as much as I can. So for me, I'd prefer to set up my own rig.
By the way, what's with the title to this thread? I thought it was about a sub-OW cert or something.