Pocestnik
Registered
My wife and I just returned from a week in Providenciales, Turks and Caicos. I work in Haiti, she was visiting for a few weeks, we both dive, T&C is nearby, there were cheap rates for off-season, so we figured why not. I had done a lot of research on the net and on this board, and had narrowed the dive op down to Dive Provo or Caicos Adventures. There seemed to be more reports on Caicos Adventures, so we chose them.
Big Mistake!
Monday: Said they would pick us up at 0900 on the beach, but never showed. I called at 1030 and they said they were having boat problems, but would pick us up at 1100. Again, they never showed. When I called CA back, they said the mechanical problem would push things to 1300. At 1300, we were again on the beach, but no boat. At about 1330, the hotel staff brought a message for me to call CA. I was told the dive was cancelled, but we would go on Tuesday.
Tuesday: Bus picked us up on time and we had 2 good dives off the big cat. The visibility was only about 25 meters due to the storms that had previously gone through, but we knew that before booking the trip.
Wednesday: Same schedule and results as for Tuesday. Good dives considering the conditions. When we got back to the hotel, I called to book again for the next day for me, but the wife wanted a beach day. CA staff first said there was no dive, because only one other person was going. They asked Fifi, just to confirm. He said they would go, but when the girl said my wife wasnt going, Fifi told her they werent going. (Not sure how the one guy had booked it for Monday.) CA staff did say they would call me back if there was a change.
Needless to say, I was not happy about loosing yet another day of diving, so I called Dive Provo. Too bad there was no answer. But a few minutes later, CA staff called back and said another couple had booked, the dive was on again, and be on the beach at 0900.
Thursday: At 0900, I was on the beach. Unfortunately I was still there at 1000. When I called Fifi, he said the dive was cancelled and he had been on the beach a little before 0900, but didnt see me. He admitted he didnt leave any message with the desk, or try to call my room, saying he just figured I hadnt shown. This after I had dived with his company for 2 days, and had already lost one other day due to their equipment problems.
Anyway, to make a long phone call story short, Fifis attitude was thats the way it goes sometimes with no offer to compensate in any way, despite him causing me to lose 2 days of diving. When I went to the store to settle my bill, the staff were so embarrassed they discounted some of my dive without me even saying a word to them. I thanked the staff who were present for the dives they took us on, but let them know in clear terms their boss was an A ole.
So, if you are considering diving in Turks and Caicos, and you can afford to lose diving days because of boat problems and an arrogant business attitude, then Caicos Adventures is the place to shop.
Big Mistake!
Monday: Said they would pick us up at 0900 on the beach, but never showed. I called at 1030 and they said they were having boat problems, but would pick us up at 1100. Again, they never showed. When I called CA back, they said the mechanical problem would push things to 1300. At 1300, we were again on the beach, but no boat. At about 1330, the hotel staff brought a message for me to call CA. I was told the dive was cancelled, but we would go on Tuesday.
Tuesday: Bus picked us up on time and we had 2 good dives off the big cat. The visibility was only about 25 meters due to the storms that had previously gone through, but we knew that before booking the trip.
Wednesday: Same schedule and results as for Tuesday. Good dives considering the conditions. When we got back to the hotel, I called to book again for the next day for me, but the wife wanted a beach day. CA staff first said there was no dive, because only one other person was going. They asked Fifi, just to confirm. He said they would go, but when the girl said my wife wasnt going, Fifi told her they werent going. (Not sure how the one guy had booked it for Monday.) CA staff did say they would call me back if there was a change.
Needless to say, I was not happy about loosing yet another day of diving, so I called Dive Provo. Too bad there was no answer. But a few minutes later, CA staff called back and said another couple had booked, the dive was on again, and be on the beach at 0900.
Thursday: At 0900, I was on the beach. Unfortunately I was still there at 1000. When I called Fifi, he said the dive was cancelled and he had been on the beach a little before 0900, but didnt see me. He admitted he didnt leave any message with the desk, or try to call my room, saying he just figured I hadnt shown. This after I had dived with his company for 2 days, and had already lost one other day due to their equipment problems.
Anyway, to make a long phone call story short, Fifis attitude was thats the way it goes sometimes with no offer to compensate in any way, despite him causing me to lose 2 days of diving. When I went to the store to settle my bill, the staff were so embarrassed they discounted some of my dive without me even saying a word to them. I thanked the staff who were present for the dives they took us on, but let them know in clear terms their boss was an A ole.
So, if you are considering diving in Turks and Caicos, and you can afford to lose diving days because of boat problems and an arrogant business attitude, then Caicos Adventures is the place to shop.
