Local dive shop trip pricing question

[BDSC]

I think in the end only you can decide if paying extra to book thru your LDS is worth it to you. When I first started diving (about 20 years ago) my first several trips were with a LDS. Their price was always fair and never inflated to make extra profit. It was a good crowd of folks. But as the years went on a small group of us started to book our own trips. What started out as 6 people has now grown to about 25 to 30 folks from all across the US who have traveled together. Of course not every person goes on every trip. But if you can even get a small group together, you can usually save a couple of hundred dollars (or more) over what a dive shop can offer because your group earns the "free spots" and you can share equally in the savings. We found over the years that more and more folks would say, "Why should I pay full price so XYZ can go for free" and that's a valid point for many. Most folks I know don't see the need or benefit of a "trip leader".

Last year I booked the Aqua Cat liveaboard for this 4th of July week. Because we all share equally in the free spots and our group has worked it out with another LDS to be able to keep the majority of the commission earned, we were able to discount everyones price by $415. That's a significant savings in my opinion and you won't see that kind of a discount with a LDS.

But, of course, you have to start somewhere making those friends and connections and booking trips thru your LDS can be a good way to start. Just don't get stuck in that routine unless you want to. I have been putting together trips for several years now and to be honest, it takes very little time and effort. I may have a total of 6 to 8 hours of my time in the entire AC trip. All the "work" that goes into putting together a trip is highly overrated.

 

[oly5050user]

I think in the end only you can decide if paying extra to book thru your LDS is worth it to you. When I first started diving (about 20 years ago) my first several trips were with a LDS. Their price was always fair and never inflated to make extra profit. It was a good crowd of folks. But as the years went on a small group of us started to book our own trips. What started out as 6 people has now grown to about 25 to 30 folks from all across the US who have traveled together. Of course not every person goes on every trip. But if you can even get a small group together, you can usually save a couple of hundred dollars (or more) over what a dive shop can offer because your group earns the "free spots" and you can share equally in the savings. We found over the years that more and more folks would say, "Why should I pay full price so XYZ can go for free" and that's a valid point for many. Most folks I know don't see the need or benefit of a "trip leader".

Last year I booked the Aqua Cat liveaboard for this 4th of July week. Because we all share equally in the free spots and our group has worked it out with another LDS to be able to keep the majority of the commission earned, we were able to discount everyones price by $415. That's a significant savings in my opinion and you won't see that kind of a discount with a LDS.

But, of course, you have to start somewhere making those friends and connections and booking trips thru your LDS can be a good way to start. Just don't get stuck in that routine unless you want to. I have been putting together trips for several years now and to be honest, it takes very little time and effort. I may have a total of 6 to 8 hours of my time in the entire AC trip. All the "work" that goes into putting together a trip is highly overrated.

If you are willing to take the risk of setting up a trip this way go for it.Remember that you can be named in a lawsuit if someone gets injured.I would suggest being at a minimum a DM with liability insurance in that case. A good friend of mine, an instructor with liability insurance, left a LDS because of the business policy of the owner and is successful at doing this exact thing.

 

[BDSC]

If you are willing to take the risk of setting up a trip this way go for it.Remember that you can be named in a lawsuit if someone gets injured.I would suggest being at a minimum a DM with liability insurance in that case. A good friend of mine, an instructor with liability insurance, left a LDS because of the business policy of the owner and is successful at doing this exact thing.

I did look into this very thing and according to an attorney who is part of our travel group, everyone is in the clear. Because I receive no benefit from this type of thing other than a discounted rate and I pay the same thing like everyone else, I'm not a "trip leader" or in charge of anything. We are all on equal footing.