Is this reasonable or a ripoff? i

[finks213]

I've been looking into becoming certified up to Open Water Instructor. A dive center in Phuket quoted me a price that was a little bit more than US$6000, which included the courses from Advanced Open Water through Open Water Instructor and all brand-new, "top of the line" equipment. The course lasts for about 4 months and they say it includes over 60 dives...

I know the place is legitimate and their facilities are nice, however....is this a reasonable price for what they're offering?

And if not, can anyone recommend a good, high-quality dive center in Phuket?

thanks...

 

[spectrum]

I've been looking into becoming certified up to Open Water Instructor. A dive center in Phuket quoted me a price that was a little bit more than US$6000, which included the courses from Advanced Open Water through Open Water Instructor and all brand-new, "top of the line" equipment. The course lasts for about 4 months and they say it includes over 60 dives...

I know the place is legitimate and their facilities are nice, however....is this a reasonable price for what they're offering?

And if not, can anyone recommend a good, high-quality dive center in Phuket?

thanks...

Frankly you need to do your time in my opinion. Taking a progression of classes that span those levels would make you over trained and under experienced to be credible IMO. In fairness you may have 2000 dives that extended your skills eay beyond OW but I can't tell that from your post or profile.

I can't speak to the price but I'd be concerned that the shop is willing to offer training to any level for the sake of training $$.

The equipment part is equally vague... basic gear, wet or dry, wet and dry? multiple cylinders of just a 1 up basic wet dive set-up? What is top of the line?

Pete

 

[Wayward Son]

No idea what the going rates are over there. Does that include room & board?

I do know instructors here in the states that paid a grand total of $2400 for the training required to become certified instructors. That's for the courses, doesn't include the gear. The cost of dives may or may not be included in course costs, depending on the shop.

2 tank boat dives here run from $60 up, so if you had to pay for 60 dives doing 2 each trip, that could be another $1800 or more, bring the total to at least $4200.

What the full set of gear is worth depends on what the gear is. No problem for a full set to run $2000, so maybe $6000 isn't out of line?

As for the gear, if it were me I'd want to know exactly what models of everything are in the kit. If you don't like half of it & end up replacing it, that reduces the value to you.

 

[LSDeep]

take your time, do your courses when youre comfy at your level! this "instructor mill" offers dont help anybody and the very least you. this from "0 to 100" courses are in my opinion one of the big probs with "dive pro's" this days. badly educated instr. cause badly educated divers. it becomes a loop. as for the gear, get some detailed info on the brands and incl. pieces of the offer and add it all up at retail! $6000 might be not so bad, but that brings us back in a loop to the top of my post....

happy bubbles
Lsdeep